Five Minute Friday: Easy

Just because we’re supposed to do it doesn’t mean it will be easy.

In 2010, I knew God was leading me to go back to school and become a dental hygienist. I’d researched it and prayed about it and I was sure this was the right path, even though I was a pastor’s wife and mom of two boys and manager of a gym. I knew it would be hard. But I was excited and my family supported me, so I took the last few prerequisite classes I needed and applied. In April 2011, I got my acceptance letter. Classes started in July.

It took one day in that first class to realize I’d greatly underestimated how hard this program would be. I’d aced classes like anatomy and physiology, microbiology, and more. But that first class was brutal—a five week summer session known as the weed out class.

I made it, finishing with a B, and moved on to the fall semester. The two year associates degree program for dental hygiene was brutal. I was up by 5:00 every morning and out the door by 7:00. I spent my mornings in class, and my afternoons and evenings managing a gym. I’d get home around 7:30 every night to eat dinner, see my family for just a little bit, put my boys to bed, study until midnight, and do it all again the next day. By my last semester, I cried every day on my drive to college.

But the day I graduated was one of the proudest moments of my life. My husband and boys cheered the loudest as I walked across the stage. I made it across, then burst into tears. The journey had not been easy. I’d second guessed myself countless times. I’d wondered if I misunderstood God when He led me to this. But just because He calls us doesn’t mean it will be an easy road. Now, after several years of my career, I still love what I do. I’m so glad I followed this path, even though it wasn’t easy.

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