GOD’S AMAZING PROVISION BY L I LLY ANDERSON ’ 23 I grew up in Da Nang, a city in the central region of Vietnam. I was raised in a Buddhist family but found Jesus and accepted Him as my Lord and Savior when I was 16. My aunt, mother, grandmother, sister, and I are first-generation Christians. I met my husband when he came to Vietnam to serve with a mission organization. After dating for several years, we were married and lived in Da Nang for two years before moving to the U.S. Our hearts’ desire was for me to attend a Christian college to learn more about the Lord, study the Bible, and pursue a degree in the healthcare field, where I have always felt called to serve. It was a rough beginning when my husband and I started our new life in the U.S. I worked full time to support him as he finished his nursing degree. When he graduated, we were blessed with our first child, and even though it seemed hopeless, I never stopped praying for a way to study at a Christian college. When my daughter was 3 years old, I started the application process at Cedarville University on a leap of faith. One of my "God answers prayer" moments was when the Cedarville Admissions called, informing me that I was accepted. I immediately burst into tears. I was happy that I would be able to study at a great Christian university, yet I had no idea how we would afford it. There seemed to be so many obstacles. However, my little faith did not stop God from proving to me that nothing is impossible for Him. Not knowing where to start, I called the financial aid office and immediately connected with a wonderful team. They always responded quickly and came alongside me to walk through the entire process. When I was discouraged, my counselor listened and prayed with me. It was a truly wonderful experience. I started my first year as an undergraduate with wide-open doors from God financially. Besides helping me navigate and obtain government loans, Cedarville provided grants, awards, and scholarships that covered my entire tuition, allowing me to finally start my journey. I am now a junior in the allied health program. At the beginning of every school year, I always question, "What will happen now? Am I able to study this semester? How do I afford this?" I seem to always struggle with faith, even though I know that God is in control of my life and all I need to do is trust Him. The verse I hold onto is, "And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus" (Phil. 4:19, NIV). And, yes, God has supplied repeatedly. He's miraculously provided Cedarville grants, a Cedarville Excellence Award, a Side by Side Scholarship, the Give Hope Scholarship, the Kyle Memorial Scholarship, the Troyer Academic Scholarship, the Warren G. Elliot Scholarship, the Alvin & June Perry Scholarship, and the Wickerham Memorial Scholarship. Each gift I've received means the world to me. I am a full-time mom and student. Because English is my second language, I spend double the time studying and completing my coursework compared to my peers. My husband is a full-time nurse with severe cervicogenic headaches. He has had multiple surgeries trying to improve his condition. In addition, he was furloughed as an operating room nurse when the pandemic hit. Despite all this, the Lord has been faithful. Through prayer and the generous financial support offered by Cedarville, I've been able to continue my education. The future is bright, and God willing, I'll fulfill my calling to serve the Lord as a physician assistant. My prayer is that when I get there, I'll be able to give back and support students who may find themselves in my situation. Lilly Anderson ’23 is an allied health major. Through prayer and the generous financial support offered by Cedarville, I've been able to continue my education. 8 | Cedarville Magazine
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MTM4ODY=