If you’ve been around the blog for long, you probably know that I’m going to school online for my MA in Ministry. What you may not know is the reason behind my decision to go back to school. I thought I’d share a little more with you about why I’m taking online classes…

As a student in the Accelerated Graduate Degree program at Baptist Bible, I am accomplishing three things: I’m finishing my Bachelor’s degree while getting my Master’s degree, I’m challenging my brain while staying home with my kids, and I’m growing in grace while discovering God’s plan for my life.

Though I attended four years of college, I did it backwards. I started at the four year university, where I switched majors after three semesters. I went to Cedarville University thinking that I was going to graduate with a degree in Athletic Training, only for God to use my time there to show me that He had other plans for my life. One week into the second semester of my sophomore year at Cedarville, He called me into full-time ministry, which resulted in a changed major (to Bible and Missions) and a changed focus. This change also brought forth some research on my part to find a “good fit” for a missions agency for after graduation, which led me to New Tribes Mission. What I learned, though, was that it would be better for me to attend New Tribes Bible Institute (closer to home, less costly, and also where my boyfriend was attending) if I wanted to go to the mission field with NTM. So, after my sophomore year at Cedarville, I transferred all my Bible credits to NTBI, and I spent the next two years there earning my Associates Degree. I spent four years in college to earn a two-year degree, even though I had enough credits to qualify for a Bachelor’s Degree – NTBI didn’t offer a BA, just an AA.

I got married to my boyfriend in the middle of my time at NTBI, and our initial goal was to continue the training with NTM after I finished at the Bible school – this would have resulted in BA for both of us. However, God changed our plans, and our formal education came to a halt. We moved to a different state to get involved in a ministry, started a family, moved again “for school” (school fell through), had another baby, and life went on. After our second baby, I was able to make the transition to being a stay-at-home-mom, but it was a struggle for me to be at home full-time, as I thrive on deadlines and checklists. Homemaking and I do not get along. I was looking for a way to keep my brain challenged, while also being able to stay home with my kids. A friend had started taking classes through BBC online, and I decided to look into it for myself. God aligned the details and I enrolled in the Accelerated Degree Completion program mid-way through the spring semester.

Since I had enough credits for BA, I have been able to take all my classes at the MA level (only having to mirror a few back). My first session, I chose to take two classes that “looked very similar” for “ease” in transitioning back into academia. God quickly made it clear to me, though, that He had other uses for those classes in my life. Through a study of the Spiritual Disciplines, I began to see a need for change in my life – I saw a need to put myself in a place where I could grow in grace. My next set of classes reflected my desire to teach (I had recently taken on a teaching role at my church) and fulfilled a requirement for my BA – these classes stretched me again, helping me to see more of the path that God was leading me on. As I prayed about the classes I would take this semester, I knew I wanted to take a writing course, but the others were less clear. I ended up proposing an independent study related to my current blogging ministry, which was accepted, and I found myself once again on a narrower path. Each class I take confirms or narrows for me the path that God is leading me on, and each class has caused me to grow in grace as I am challenged to dig deeper and apply more of God’s Word to my life.

The Accelerated Degree Completion program at Baptist Bible has been an answer to prayer in many areas of my life. It has provided the credibility of a Bachelor’s degree while allowing the opportunity to get a Master’s degree as well. The program has challenged my brain while allowing me to continue to be a stay at home mom. I have been growing in grace while discovering God’s unique plan for my life. I am thankful for the experience and look forward to the rest of my time in this program.?

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