Ciara has known what her plans have been for college for as long as we can remember. I went to college at a christian college in Olathe Kansas, Mid-America Nazarene College. Ciara had planned the same path. Her first visit to Mid America was when she was 5 to visit my brother. Then starting in Junior High we would go every April for an event called MAX- it was an opportunity to compete in music and sports. She began to meet friends and form bonds that she knew would continue into college.So her junior and senior years when all of her friends were off on college visits, she was relaxed in the fact she knew where she was going....or so she thought.
One Sunday afternoon in December Ciara came upstairs from her room very upset. She was crying and told us she was not supposed to go to Mid America anymore. Now mind you we were set to go to Mid America.. the paperwork and all. We sat down with her and she shared that she just felt released from going there and that she couldn't even explain it. After much thought and prayer, we knew we had no choice but to stand behind our daughter in her choice. So we sat down and began researching colleges. She chose 3 colleges to visit, one being Concordia University in Seward Nebraska. She had auditioned and made an honors choir there in November and loved the professor of music. We soon realized that we just barely made the deadline for auditions for the music scholarships at all three colleges on her list.
Now this is where we realized what an amazing God we serve. The week before we left for her first visit and audition, my brother who still lives in the Olathe area called. He had been dissappointed that Ciara was not coming down there for college. BUT he called to tell us that he had just heard that Mid America was closing their music dept.. Yep you heard right...closing the music department. I was in total shock.
I have since reflected on that Sunday afternoon often. Ciara's prompting by the Lord to give up her chosen college for Him was actually Gods protection on her not being able to pursue her true passion. I have asked myself if God would have shared that with me at the age of 18, would have I listened?
What an amazing God we serve!
Blessings
Roxanne
3 comments:
What a mighty God we serve! You and Lance have done an amazing job raising your kids to serve the Lord. Your family is truly an inspiration to me. Thanks for sharing this story!
She made a fantastic choice. Concordia is an awesome university with a fabulous music program. Congrats!
(from a fan in Seward ;) )
I must agree... So excited for Ciara to go to Concordia! So many of my family members have enjoyed their time there, and my parents are still using the musical training they received there on a daily basis! One of the great blessings Ciara will enjoy is that she will be able to pursue the multitude of passions she has all at the same time - first and foremost, God; music; volleyball; speech, etc. (Not gonna lie - as excited as I am to hear all about Ciara's college experience, I'm even more excited to experience Italy with her in the meantime!!) -)
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