But why did you lead me here God?

[James] This past fall a woman from my church community approached me with, what she felt was, a word from God. She told me that she felt that God wanted me to go to Seminary this past fall. I told her that I am hoping to eventually go but that as a youth pastor carrying large undergraduate student loan debt, there was little possibility of that being a reality. She told me that she wanted to help me in anyway possible to go. So she signed me up for the informational session in August. I attended the session, found out about the amazing Community Ministry Leadership program and so I applied and was accepted in a matter of weeks. She has been contributing every month in order for me to make my payments. Since January she had been sporadic with her assistance. When I sat down to talk with her about life and seminary, I discovered that she is being laid off and that she will no longer be able to support my endeavor at Bethel at this time...

I have not been able to pay off my last quarters bill and therefore have not yet been registered for classes yet. I attended last week, but unless I am able to register I will not be able to continue in attendance. And once I drop from the cohort I know it is not as easy as picking up next semester or in the fall, because I lose pace with my track and I lose my grant for the CML program.

I have been so busy with life these past two weeks that I have not had a chance to face the facts. If I am not able to catch up with my payments by monday... I am done. After praying with Tony last night he suggested that this might be an opportunity for our community to support me for a period of time. It is my last option to ask people for financial support, but I also feel that I need to do my part in order to stay where I feel God has called me before I throw in the towel all together...

In these times of economic stress for so many families, do you feel this is unrealistic?