Reap Without Burn Out

 

[1]

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.

  

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[1] https://bitesizebio.com/3437/10-tips-for-mastering-your-qualifying-exam/

God Will Provide

[i]

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.

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[i] http://www.thegazette.com/subject/news/education/higher-education/university-of-iowa-changes-leadership-strategy-20171112