“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” Jeremiah 29:11
Have you ever faced an insurmountable level of adversities before? Ones that you thought you could not get over? However, in the midst of those circumstances God carved an escape route and redirected them into triumphs.
In 2011, I felt like I was in the middle of nowhere because I graduated from high school three years prior and didn’t know what was next. My major downfall was financial deprivation. There were so many things I wanted to do but was stopped in my track because of this adversity.
It was my aspiration to become either a meteorologist or a journalist, but after graduating high school I realized that I didn’t have the necessary subjects to matriculate into an institution of higher learning to fulfill either dreams.
To pursue either one of those career paths, I would have to get additional subjects and waited another year to be enrolled at one of our local universities.
With limited options, one day the Lord dropped it in my thought; why not use what you already have? Acting on that thought I asked myself what do I already have? There and then, I was given the answer, “you have all the criteria necessary to become an educator; why not try teaching?
I thought to myself, "I am not fond of this career and wasn’t cut to deal with now a day’s generation."
I had a long and quarrelsome internal conflict, after which I made the decision that I would try it, instead of delaying another year of pursuing higher studies. I was at a standstill point like the children of Israel, with mountains on both sides, the red sea in front and Pharaoh’s army behind. I didn’t see any way out, but in that season of limited options, the Lord gave me a word through one of His woman servants.
This lady who was more like a spiritual mother said to me, “once you start; you will finish.”
That was the word I needed to hear on that journey. It propelled me to begin my journey and pressed hard to reach my destination.
I started on a bad financial footing because when I applied, I had taken no consideration to the timeframe to apply for a student loan, hence the time had passed. I began independently even though I lacked financial independence and strength. My mother who was the primary source , has given me the last dime that she had to her name. Not knowing where the remainder would come from to pay the upcoming tuition for that year, I started cementing my trust in God. During my time at college my faith in God had hiked.
When I didn’t see the tuition and my way out , I had to rely on God to sustain and provide for me.
I found myself falling into many red flags with the school in terms of tuition payment and sitting my examinations. It was the norm for me to seek the favor of the principal to sit my exams when the tuitions weren’t paid. This happened many times, but God always come through for me on time and spoke to her heart.
I remember one particular instance in first year, I did not finish paying my tuition, so I couldn’t get an exam pass. The day prior to sitting those examinations, I went to the principal’s office to get approval or a provisional slip to do my exams.
That evening the then vice principal sat in her office because she knew that madam principal was very soft hearted and compassionate. When it was my turn to see the principal, she told me to go to my dorm and do not disturb the principal.
After waiting for the whole day, it was night.
I went to my dorm crying, still with the hope that I would do my exams in the morning even without studying.
Despite being turned away the night before. Early in the morning one of my church sisters came to me and said, “Cooper dry those tears and go straight to the principal.” I dried my eyes and started my journey up the hills to the principal’s office, while walking the Lord dropped it in my spirit, Don't you have the Member of Parliament’s number? I searched for it, called him with three dollars. I had asked him to please call back, I explained my situation, he asked for the principal’s number, called her.
When I reached in the office that I got turned down prior I was just in time to hear the lady at the front desk said, “Shanae Cooper take your exam card.” I watched many students getting turned down to sit their examinations owing a lesser sum than I did, but God came through for me repeatedly.
I graduated college and didn’t succumb to my adversities. With the help of Almighty and good people I triumphed because God is able to do, “exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us.” Ephesians 3:20
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