I gained admission into the university at the age of 17. I was a young intelligent teenager full of dreams. My plan was to graduate at the age of 21, enroll in a masters’ program, work for some time and then get married at the age of 27. This sounded like a perfect plan till I realized God had an entirely different plan for me.
I realized that we can’t box God with our little picture perfect plans.
I disliked my department and I hated school as a result of that. I became nonchalant about my academics but was passing my courses simply by cramming. I didn’t bother understanding what I was cramming. In school this method of passing was known with the slang, CRAM and POUR. I knew if I keep going at this rate, I will likely not graduate so I decided to go for my passion. I wrote Jamb twice while in school and later got admission into the course of my choice. I also applied for a transfer to the same department to start from 2nd year which was granted to me as a result of some high rank persons I met. So, I chose the latter option because I was already in 3rd year in my previous department.
While in 3rd year in my new department, I had a distinction and also a course to rewrite which was 2marks below the cut off mark. After writing the course, the results didn’t come out in Jan as supposed. Presuming that we had nothing to do with the delay in result, I started attending lectures for the next class. Four months later, towards the end of first semester 4th year, the unexpected happened. My department told us that we are to repeat our previous class as a result of some departmental political issues. As a matter of fact, we were informed that we passed but should repeat that year as they can’t publish the correct results again. This level of wickedness only takes place in Nigeria!
My life was shattered. I felt God has deserted me. I was actively serving God when this humiliation came along. I had many unanswered questions. Where will I start reading for a new class? Where will I get money to start buying books for this new class? How will I get my attendance scores? Exam was close by. It was really saddening because I should be graduating by now if I was still in my previous department and MY REALITY was that am about to repeat a year in a new department where I had 3 more years to graduate. I felt like a failure and always cried my eyes out. God used some lecturers to help us through the late re-registration process. I battled depression and suicidal thoughts then. The devil thought he had me but God was just always there. I was 22 when this happened.
My picture perfect plans became blurry.
Thank God for my fellowship brethren for supporting me through that period. Some of the ladies are my best friends today and were also members of my new class. They made my fusion into the new class seamless and made me feel loved. I blended in such a way that you’d think I started with them originally. In this new class, I made friends for life, understood real joy, laughter, friendship and love which was one of the things I deeply craved and prayed for in my previous class.
My spiritual life became better. I met my fiancé while in my final year and we will be getting married soon. I passed each coming year with excellent results. I am done with school and also have a good Job. Isn’t God awesome? Sis is living her best life.
I asked God, why he let me go through such humiliation as an active leader in school fellowship? Then he opened my eyes to some truths;
God’s plan for our lives is dominant over any of our picture perfect plans (Jeremiah 29:11)
I realized that I tried to avert Gods plan for me by using my influence to gain my second admission. I should have accepted my first admission through jamb into the same department and start from 1st year instead of using my influence to quicken the process. After I repeated a class, I finally graduated with the folks from my first admission.
Delay is not denial
I might not have graduated at 22 but am glad with my knowledge right now as a result of the people I met and my experiences in school.
God is concerned about our relationships
He puts us in strategic places for us to meet the right people at the right time who are key players in our destinies.
It is not of he that willet nor runneth but of God that showeth mercy
To the glory of God, I am better placed than some of my classmates in my former department who graduated years before me. I looked like a fool then, going to another department after 2 years. I was advised to just complete my program and get the course of my choice as a 2nd degree. Somehow, I knew I had rather waste 2 years than 4 years of my life.
Your experiences doesn’t define YOU
I didn’t let an accusation of failure define me. I stood up, faced my battles and came out stronger. You are who God say you are. You are made in His image therefore an excellent spirit lives in you. Sis, that situation does not define YOU!
Girl get up and take over that situation, Gods’ got YOU!
Love you
Xoxo
Irene
