The Backstory, Part III

July 3, 2005

In the fall of 2004, in anticipation of becoming a full-time student, I applied to Duke University Divinity School. I had decided that the best course of action was to get my degree at a nearby divinity school, then take whatever courses were necessary to be ready to become a Lutheran pastor. The nearest Lutheran seminary was three hours of hard driving away, and the one I would have wanted to attend was more like eight hours away. I liked what Duke's divinity school had to say about service on its Web site, and the school had a reputation for being theologically liberal. The syllabus made me uneasy, however. Where were the practical ministry courses?

I was so sure I would get in that I didn't apply anywhere else, not that there were a lot of places for me to apply. However, just before Thanksgiving I was turned down. I cried for a little while. Then I downloaded an application for Wake Forest's divinity school. That night, when I prayed, most of what I got was static. What did come through, clearly, was one phrase: "Everything will be all right." I didn't see how, but that's what I got.

The more I learned about Wake Forest University Divinity School, the more I liked. The syllabus was a good balance of theology, Bible and practical ministry courses, and although the university itself had a Baptist heritage, the divinity school was ecumenical. Several people whose opinions I respected praised the divinity school; in its less than six years, it had earned a very good reputation.

I submitted the application in early December and tried to put it out of my thoughts.

In February, I received a letter. I was in! Not only that -- a week later, a letter came saying that the faculty had recommended that I be awarded two merit scholarships totaling about $7,000 a year. Wonderful.

This had been a very long and slow journey until now, but things were suddenly speeding up. As of August, I would become a full-time student at WFUDS. Wow. There was, however, the little matter of the REST OF the money. Tuition was $14,000-some a year, and the school had a handout that listed estimated costs for books, fees, gas, rent or mortgage payments, etc., for off-campus divinity students. It added up to $28,240 a year, including $1,000 in fees and $300 for parking. In June I received a bill for $7,053 due Aug. 1. Although I'd known we would have to pay the school something, the bill made it painfully real.

On June 30, however, I received a letter that was at least as beautiful as the initial acceptance letter. I was getting a small WFUDS need grant, some work-study money and a substantial amount of Stafford federal student loans. Added to scholarships, my aid would come to $28,245 a year -- exactly $5 more than the $28,240 shown on the handout. Hallelujah!

In late 1999, I'd told God that I would need a lot of help if I were to do this. The help that I needed, not necessarily the help I thought I wanted, has always appeared when it needed to appear. My family, friends and church have been incredibly supportive, and God's reassurance has overwhelmed me.

After six years of what I think of as preparation, I'm about to start making serious progress on this journey.