Genesis
22:8
American Standard
Version (ASV)
8 And Abraham said, God will [a]provide himself the lamb for a burnt-offering, my son: so they
went both of them together.
After I taught in Tanzania for five years, the mission
offered to send me back to graduate school to earn my doctorate. Actually they
sponsored me for the standard nine months, and then I was on my own to finance
the rest of the degree. I spent those nine months back at the University of
Iowa passing my PhD comprehensive examinations and reacquainting myself with
people in the department.
One of my fellow graduate students had just finished his dissertation
and was looking for a teaching position. He sent out applications to over 1,000
colleges and universities. Eventually he heard back from two of these
institutions and was finally accepted at an obscure women’s college. His
experience alerted me to the new reality. When I did my Masters degree six
years earlier, there were job openings for mathematicians all across the
country. But by this time there were more new mathematicians than there were
jobs available.
When I approached my math department and asked whether I
could obtain a teaching assistantship, they were very hesitant about even
considering my application. As I chatted with them, they helped me understand
that the university felt some responsibility for actually placing their
graduates. They could see that in the present job climate that could be very
difficult.
Sending up a quiet prayer, I explained that I was at the
university on a leave of absence and that there was a position available for me
when I completed my studies. That was what the committee needed to hear. They
enthusiastically agreed to support me for the next three years with a teaching
assistantship that was sufficient to cover our family expenses and my tuition.
Thank you, Lord, for
providing sufficient for our needs throughout our life.
[i]
http://www.thegazette.com/subject/news/education/higher-education/university-of-iowa-changes-leadership-strategy-20171112
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