Learning to Step Out on Faith: One Family's Story

Today we are honored to share with you the story of the Bullock family and how God revealed his faithfulness to them in a very real way.

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We serve an amazing God.

While that's not anything new to learn, why am I constantly amazed by His faithfulness and His fulfillment of His promises? Stories of God coming through in perfect timing, with perfect answers to almost impossible questions have always amazed me. I love hearing about the miracles around us that prove God's presence and His love for us.

Last week, I experienced first hand one of these impossible-questions-answered with perfect timing, with a more than perfect answer. 

I've always thought long and hard about our children's schooling. While Dan admits to not dwelling on this as much as I have, I feel like this decision will change our children's lives forever. It will effect everything from what subjects they end up liking, to the friends they'll socialize with, and in turn, the rest of their lives. While I know that logically, there is no way that I can ever know what the final outcomes of their lives will be, therefore not knowing what choice in schooling would be most fitting for either of them, I still agonize over the decision: private Christian school vs. public school.

While there are plenty of pros and cons for each option, I've always felt drawn to the Christian setting. I love the smaller class size with more personalized attention, and the obvious, the Christian teaching and influence. The only thing I haven't been drawn to is the cost. When Westin was born, Dan quit his job to be a stay at home dad. We said from the beginning that we weren't going to have children just for someone else to raise them through day care. While I know this isn't an option for a lot of families, we made it a point to live a lifestyle that allowed us to have only one income. While my income has been sufficient so far, affording a private school tuition for two children does not seem feasible.

Westin attended the Pre-K program at The Frankfort Christian Academy this year, partially to get a taste for the school, and also because he needed a year of school-setting structure before heading into kindergarten. I was looking forward to using this year to get a clear answer about where his schooling will ultimately be. Surely, after an entire school year, the answer would be clear, and the decision easy. With the deadline to re-enroll him already looming, I felt that I had resigned to a public school life. I mean, I attended a public school, and Dan attended the very school system the kids would be in...and we turned out fine! What's the big deal?! Why is my heart still so unsettled about this?

Rewind to last Thursday. I had an hour long conversation with a great friend about life, including this situation. While it was easy for me to offer the advice, "God's got this! Just trust Him through the process!", it's another situation when you have to apply it to your own life situations. To be completely open and honest, I don't have a lot of experience in taking huge steps of blind faith. The closest thing I've come to that was our move from Ohio to Kentucky. Still, with that experience, the path before us was clear, the road already being laid out before us. There was no blind leap, simply trusting that God would provide in a seemingly impossible situation. 

Thursday night, Dan and I talked about the schooling...again...for yet another hour. I was struggling with why, on some days, I was fine with the public school option, and such simple things would stir my heart again and make me question the decision. Through all of the talking, all of the praying, there was still no settled answer in my heart. 

Saturday rolled around, still with unanswered questions and unsettled hearts. The desire was there, that was obvious, but the finances just didn't add up (not even close). 

Sitting down Saturday afternoon to do our income taxes (blech!), I muddled through them, sorting through papers, forms I didn't quite understand, until there was one paper left. This was the paper that we were sure was going to drop our refund from a substantial amount to the least we've ever received back. I entered all of the numbers onto the form, cringing with every key stroke. The numbers were entered, and to both of our shocks, there was no difference in our refund amount. The amount we will be receiving back is not only enough to cover tuition for both kids at the Christian school next year, but enough to cover uniforms, materials, and extra even beyond that to help wheedle away at those pesky student loans. 

So. This is what I'm going to call a baby step of faith. This is God saying, "Look! I'm in control. I AM who I say I am. I'VE GOT THIS. I know the desires of your heart, and you are my CHILD. Not only will I give you what you need, I will surpass that". This isn't a blind step, but it was a step closer to Him, and such an amazing, amazing experience for me. I want to proclaim Him to the world, to tell them what He's capable of, and how much more He can do when we are faithful! 

I can't wait for next school year. I can't wait to drop them off at school knowing that EVERY DAY, God provided this. EVERY DAY, when they're being taught His word and influenced by such amazing Christian teachers, HIS HAND is on them. 

To say that I'm thankful is such an understatement. There are no words to express my gratitude. I can only hope that this experience has taught me to return to a childlike faith, trusting in God with blind abandon. Just imagine what great works He can do through us if our hearts are turned to Him and we are open to WHEREVER He leads us!

Written by Erin Bullock

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To learn more about The Frankfort Christian Academy, visit FrankfortChristian.org or call (502) 695-0744 to arrange a visit!