Galatians 6:9
New American Standard
Bible (NASB)
Let us not lose heart in doing good, for in due
time we will reap if we do not grow weary.
After five years teaching high school in Africa and giving
higher mathematics no mind, I gained permission to work on a doctorate in
mathematics—something I had made as a personal goal. I got told in no uncertain
terms that I didn’t need a doctorate in mathematics to work as a missionary.
The university accepted me and told me they would give me a financial
assistantship if I passed two of the three required qualifying examinations in
September. That was at the end of May after only one semester back in graduate
school. Night and day, I set myself to master the material that I could expect on
these comprehensive examinations. It seemed like an impossible task. Yet I took
copies of the previous qualifying exams over the last 10 years and methodically
started doing each one. I worked backward from the most recent.
Sylvia insisted we needed to spend several weeks with her
parents in Michigan. Her dad provided me a room in one of his churches where I
could study uninterrupted. I knew I was making progress, but I grew exceedingly
weary from the intense effort. I did not let the weary feeling slow me down or
turn me from my purpose. I passed the two qualifiers I attempted.
The relief was short lived as I started teaching half time,
taking graduate classes full time, being a father of a three-year-old daughter,
being husband of a wife who was expecting a second child in October, and
preparing for the third qualifier, which was coming up the next May.
Sylvia gave birth to a bonnie lass after a really scary
complication and the resulting Caesarian-section. I felt the least prepared for
the third qualifier and consequently gave it even more preparation, which paid
off by the active help of the Lord. We had a marvelous second summer as we all
reaped the results of a successful year.
Thank you, Lord, for seeing to it that in due time we do
reap what we have toiled so diligently for.
[1]
https://bitesizebio.com/3437/10-tips-for-mastering-your-qualifying-exam/
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