It is an Assemblies of God school that rocks and is helping us learn not only academics but things to keep our relationship with God rooted.
So not only do I get a Bachelor's Degree in social work, but I get a Bible minor!
No really, it's great, not to say the easiest thing in the world for someone who has grown up in the church but is one of the first hardcore faithful one's in my family.
So introducing my family. I am the oldest of 5. Five girls to be exact.
But you see this is where my story gets complicated, yes I know what you are thinking. It's only in the beginning, well just wait until the end.
My parents were married at a young age 19 to be exact.
They had me, Heather Cheryl Craig.
Then my parent's weren't following God at this point and were not in the best marriage having many issues in their own families, which drastically might pull someone down, they had a lot to fight against.
Not to mention they both only had graduated high school and did not have a college degree.
The 2nd girl was adorable too, my sister Amanda Craig. She was born 3 and a half years after me. Four school years away from each other.
So then you see I'd love to say we all ended up being happily ever after, but remember I said things were a little hard to fight against.
My parents were divorced when I was around 4 or so.
Then soon after we went to church, my mom had started a rigorous bus job for the school system, where she could take us along in her fun journey.
At her job she was invited to visit Calvary Christian Center by a co worker.
We went and then we never stopped going, so I ended growing up in the church.
One of the first one's in my family to be in the church consistently and in an Assemblies of God church. Most of the family had grown up Catholic. So my mom, sister, and I were some of the first people to really have a deep relationship with the church and God.
Well a few years later my father was remarried to Maria Craig, who was an amazing lady from Mexico that was sweet, nice, and kind to us.
They ended up having 3 girls. Their names are Jennifer(9), Katherine(6), Joanne(4).
I had no idea how I was going to react to this, but I really grew up fast and I loved my stepfamily, I honestly don't even call them that, because to me they are like my family.
When Jennifer was born that was the first "half sister" I had ever had, but I never considered her only that, she was my sister. It was so cool how that was how God made me and had me accept these girls and new family to be my own. I was so happy to have more sisters.
They were from Mexico, my other family. So they added culture to my life, I tried mole, rice, beans, carne asada, guacamole, and I never would want anything different.
So throughout the years I not only had my mom's side which was somewhat small, and my dad's side being split up and not always talking or seeing eye to eye on things, they picked up where my family left off relationally. It was something I craved as a person.
Going from quiet if we don't have anything in common family, or those are the weird Christians that judge us. We got this unconditional love from this great big family and that made me happy.
Through high school I had a few best friends that scarred me.
My first best friend was a great girl, she loved playing guitar, loved Jesus, gave her all. As we entered into high school she started going off and testing things that I would never test, and in fact never have, and never plan to. So it taught me a lot which was you cannot depend on someone because we are all humans. It proved me to draw closer to God as I lost one of my best friends, but none the less hurt. Also I would always see her and her "posse" at school, but I just let it go, lived day by day.
Another best friend I had was a guy, he was new to our church, I befriended him. We formed a tight group of friends, and it was great, we all hung out, had fun, late night drives, well little did you know I started liking him.
Along with encouragement as we youth groupies would ask questions like who would make a cute couple, people would poke oh you and him. I would brush it off. But well did I go all out going to every single football game for his school (a competing school in another town), not that my school got anywhere anyways. We would talk for countless hours. I really liked him. Then finally I was getting sick of this are we or aren't we so we talked about it, and he said I think we are only best friends. That hurt, I had worked so hard to gain something so great, I also had learned I only want one guy best friend, that'll be my husband. So I kind of cut that from my support for years, but now we are friends, and catch up every now and then.
So my plan to stay in state at CLC a community college was over as my friend group had kind of been demolished for many other reasons, oh drama don't we love it.
So that December of my senior year I filled out two college applications. One to University of Chicago, the other to North Central University.
I had only visited Marquette, and only had one idea and that is that I wanted to help people, so I looked and saw social work and was like this is it.
As I was filling out the North Central application I took it as more of a worship experience and something to get to know God through, it blew me away. I thought of school as mediocre as I have to go, but this, this was something new and different. Through all my brokenness God had gotten through to me. Oh it hurt, but perseverance against challenges is so good for us all. Amen.
So I had never been to either school, so North Central had a social work college day that we planned to go to. It had seemed impossible for me to go, not only is my dad not religious, but he never wanted us to go to a private school, or an out of state school. So all odds were against. As I went I had fun, positive environment, knew barely anyone. Stayed in Miller Hall that night, hung out with my friend's older brother that went there, adventuring Minneapolis. Remember I had never been to Minnesota before this.
That night I was texting my sister and mom, and they said to me they had gotten a letter from University of Chicago. I shrieked as I was anxious to find out where I was going. That night they told me it was a rejection letter, they had opened it without me, I was astonished. I cried that night. Praying to God, please let me go to North Central, I do not want to be in the same place, and do the same thing everyone from my high school does, go nowhere.
My dad and I enjoyed the rest of our visit. My dad was positive and surprisingly liked the school. God was helping me out I guess.
After waiting the whole weekend, I finally got a call Monday afternoon from a counselor at North Central saying I had gotten in. February of my senior year. You have to remember God's timing is the best, even if it's crazy and last minute.
Whew. I realized I was going on track with God and that's all that mattered. It was a new start for me. One thing is that I feel as if that is where God and I really got deep in that time of frailty, being alone, scared, not knowing where my life was ending up. Nerve wracking to say the least.
I got to North Central. Realize this, my mom, never being to Minnesota or my school was so bizarre. Not to mention a few weeks before I left, my mom's best friend's brother committed suicide. His wake & funeral was on the day I was moving into North Central. I left without my mom ever knowing where I was going. My dad wasn't too caring as he didn't help me make my bed, etc. It was a new journey, but I knew I was never alone, God was by my side.
Another thing to realize suicide is a huge thing in our family because Maria's (my stepmom) brother had committed suicide at age 18 when I was around 15 or 16 years old. It was a huge devastation and a huge life changing experience as if I didn't already know it was hard, I had found out how he had done it, broke me down, hardcore.
As I went through my first, second, now third year at North Central, many things happened. God changed me, my heart, my passions, a lot. Having a teachable heart is such a good thing, if you don't have one you are going to miss out on a lot.
Remember how I had all those hurts from friends. Well now I have gained so many friends, and also have deep friends, even though at first I was bitter, not wanting to risk anything. It is well worth it and God brought me to that place and tore down those walls.
Remember this if you have any walls, nothing is impossible with God.
Well this is just an intro to my story so far :)
Remember this let nothing hold you back from God because He's got a sweet plan and He makes it all work out, in the right time!
A verse I want to bless you with is:
Luke 8:48 "Daughter, you took a risk trusting Me, and now you're healed and whole. Live well, live blessed."
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