At the age of 40, I went back to college to finish my bachelor’s degree. I chose Regent University and loved the combination of enriching my faith and learning as an adult, something I cannot say I appreciated when I was younger. I chose to attend classes online as it gave me the flexibility to study and work a full-time job. The online classes were intense—a full semester condensed to eight-week sessions. Each class I undertook had gone relatively well for me, but at the start of a new semester, I found myself in front of a mountain I had no clue how to climb: college algebra. Again, I’m 40 (at the time) not 17, not 25… forty. The last time I had algebra was a long time ago. When I say I completely forgot everything one needs to know about math, I genuinely meant it. The calculator had become my friend!
I felt fearful—fearful I was going to lose the GPA I had worked for (with God’s help of course). Shortly after enrolling in this pre-requisite class, I recall going to Regent University’s campus as Pat Robertson was going to be speaking at the campus’ chapel. As he spoke at the podium, tears began welling up in my eyes. Here was a man of great faith saying “have faith in God” and here I was not believing I would even pass the class. But like Mary, who heard from the angel Gabriel “For no word from God will ever fail” (Luke 1:37 NIV), I too received a word from God while I was driving home that day. I heard a voice from what seemed “above” that said, I have given you great victory. Seriously, did I hear that correctly? Great victory? I’d like to see this, I thought. I wrote it down in my journal and went about the task of conquering the “math mountain” one step at a time.
I enrolled in a well-known program for individuals who need math tutoring (okay it was I and mainly 5-to-8-year-olds, but I didn’t care!) and I sought out math geniuses on social media videos, and with the help of my brilliant engineer father, was able to learn and grasp math at an unexpected pace for which I can only give credit to God. At the end of each week, I found myself not just passing, but excelling. At the end of those eight weeks, I found out that I had earned an A. Yep, I wrote that correctly, an A.
This clearly was not my own intelligence that earned the A. As Mary, the mother of Jesus, stated in Luke 1:49 (NIV), “For the Mighty One has done great things for me—holy is his name,” it was God who orchestrated the people, the funds for tutoring, and the words of encouragement I needed to work through that class. It was God’s word in my spirit promising great victory, before I could see the victory take place.
So, if you’re in a place where you find yourself facing a gigantic mountain (or even a molehill that has you perplexed), remember the words of Mary, “He has helped his servant Israel (insert your name) remembering to be merciful,” (Luke 1:54, NIV). We magnify God when we tell others the promises or words God has fulfilled in our lives because His word simply cannot fail. Indeed, whatever it may be, your next victory lay just over the mountain (or the polynomials—whatever your mountain may be).
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Scripture quotations are taken from THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
