{Straight From the Heart} *Following My Heart* 2/2/00
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Now sit back and enjoy today's story from a friend who has been so
encouraging to me in my life. Becky has been through a great deal,
and I am inspired by her character, her faith, and her outlook on life! Thank you so much Becky for sharing the following story, and may you continue to write other experiences in the future!
Michael
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Following My Heart
By Becky Holloway
Way back when I was in high school, I had definite ideas about what I
wanted to be when I grew up. I knew without a doubt that I wanted to
be a wife and mother. I was very happy with my decision; and at
16-years-old, I had even met the love of my life and knew that he was
the one I wanted to spend my life with and have children with. I felt
very good about all this until my senior year in high school. It was
then that it became evident that I was going to rank at the top of my
graduating class. That should have been something else for me to feel
good about, but it seemed to bring me undue pressure. It seemed that
every adult I came into contact with wanted to know what my future
plans were. I shared confidently that I wanted to be a wife and mother
with those who asked and that’s when the pressure began. No one seemed
to think that my goals were lofty enough. They all urged me to aim high.
I couldn’t think of a higher calling, but they didn’t seem to
understand. No one did except for one teacher, my English teacher.
She encouraged me by telling me that she trusted my judgement and knew
that in the end all would work out for me even if I followed my heart
and chose to simply be a wife and mother. I was so grateful for her
understanding and encouraging words.
Well, life was good as I pursued my goals. I did attend college for
1½ years while waiting for my love, who was serving in the Navy to get
back to the States. I knew that I was really just buying time until our
marriage, but I had scholarships that took care of the expense, so it
seemed like a good thing to do. Finally, we were married, and I was
extremely happy with my choice to be a wife. Two years later, we
started our family; and again, I knew that I’d made the right choice.
Being a mother was so wonderful. We went on to have two more children,
and I was blessed by being able to be a stay-at-home mom. It was all
I’d ever dreamed of.
When the day came that all our little darlings were in school, I began
to pray about what to do with the time I found I had on my hands.
Through a series of events that could be an entire story of their own,
God let me know without a doubt that my next goal should be to become
a teacher. I was so excited! I mean, how many people get the chance to
grow up and be exactly what they want and then do it again with a new
dream? I made preparations and was all set to begin classes in June of 1991.
On May 16, 1991, however, things changed. My husband was in an accident
that resulted in his having to have his arm amputated. He was left
unable to work, and we were left with lots of questions. While it was
evident then that we would actually need for me to go to work, we
weren’t sure exactly how we’d be able to put me through college with
neither of us working. Fortunately, when life was good, it was very
good. We’d been able to purchase our home while Jimmy was working and
the day after his accident I made the last payment on the only bank
note we had, so we were debt free. I had postponed starting school in
June, but by August we were feeling led by the Lord to go ahead with
my plan to go back to college for my degree in education. There were
many times that we weren’t sure we could "make it". As a matter of
fact, it never did make sense on paper that we were able to do what
we were doing, but we never went without anything we needed. God
always came through just when we needed help. One Christmas we weren’t
sure about the next semester, so we asked my father if he and mom
would buy my books for that term instead of other Christmas gifts. He
immediately wrote me a check that covered not just my books but the
next semester’s tuition as well. Not long after that I was awarded a
nontraditional student scholarship and another smaller scholarship
that I’d applied for. I wanted to send thank you notes to the companies
that funded the scholarships, so I went to the financial aid office
to inquire as to whom I could address notes to. What I found out that
day assured me that God was in control and that I had been right all
along in following my heart. You see, the big scholarship that I was
awarded had been funded by the very same teacher who 20 years earlier
had encouraged me to do what I knew was right in my heart. Even after
all those years, there she was enabling me to fulfill not only one
dream in my life, but a second one as well. Thank you, Mrs. D., You
know you’re the best.
Becky Holloway
jdh@ipa.net
Send Becky an email and let her know what you thought of her story!
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Michael, I have to add this note for you, kind of "the rest of the
story." My first teaching job was back at the very high school I’d
graduated from. Due to recent renovations, my first classroom was in
the very spot where I’d stood in the auditorium 20 years earlier to
make my valedictorian speech. I had thanked my teachers for all the
lessons they’d taught me and said a special thank you to those who
had truly believed in me. As I taught that first year, I daily gave
thanks for Mrs. D and the encouragement she gave me by believing in me.
A little bit about Becky:
I live in a small town in south Arkansas, where I teach middle
school. I am married to the love of my life, and we'll soon celebrate
our 24th anniversary. Our oldest son is in his 3rd year of college,
middle son is a high school senior, and our only daughter is a
sophomore. They bring us immense joy and keep us very busy following
them to ball games and other activities. We are also active members of
First Baptist Church of Smackover.
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Thought For The Day:
"You can build a throne out of bayonets, but you can't sit on it for
long."
(Boris Yeltsin)
Verse for the Day:
"So are the ways of everyone who gains by violence; it takes away the
life of its possessors."
Proverbs 1:19
Kid's Thought For The day:
"Never hold a dust buster and a cat at the same time."
Parent's Thought For The Day
"Have children while your parents are still young enough to take care
of them."
(Rita Rudner)
Coach's Thought For The Day
"Before you flare up about a teammate's faults, count to ten. Ten of
your own."
Deep Thought For The Day:
"I almost had a psychic girlfriend but she left me before we met."
_
/_/\/\ MICHAEL T. POWERS
\_\ / THUNDER27@aol.com http://members.aol.com/Thunder27/index.html
/_/ \ "For I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but
\_\/\ \ Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body I live for the Son
\_\/ of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me." Galatians 2:20
"I thought of you first after my family sat down to watch the video
we gave them. They loved it, to say the least! Within thirty
seconds my mom was crying and my dad did too. They said it was
the best Christmas gift we could have given them!! You did such
a beautiful job! They were so suprised and so touched---they
really, really, really loved it. Thanks for helping to make it so
special to us all. My mom mentioned how the songs were perfect for
the video too! Thanks again!"
Kelli (RKaGe@aol.com) College Station, TX
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