The Story That Changed My Life - Gloria Guest

It was just a high school English essay assignment. And although I enjoyed English and writing I was a procrastinator, just as I am now. And so I postponed it until the night before it was due. To make matters worse, our family was getting company that evening. And so I rushed to get it done. I handed it in and forgot about it.

When my English teacher handed back my story, she had written on the top that she thought that I should enter it into a National Writing Contest for high school students. I was pleased with my good mark and felt complimented by her suggestion and then I forgot about it.

My teacher, did not forget about it. Diminutive in stature she made up for it in determination and what I considered down-right nagging behaviour by constantly reminding me of the deadline to enter.  It was only when she took to stopping me in the hallway and at my locker that I acknowledged her as the victor of our little stand-off. She had hit me right where I couldn’t take it; putting me in the spotlight in front of my friends and others. I could see that she wouldn’t quit. And so, during my noon hours I typed out my good copy, taking note of her editorial comments and entered in that silly contest. And then I forgot about it.

It was sometime in the spring that the results from the contest came in and I was told by my very excited, beaming English teacher that I had placed first place in Alberta for my entry and would receive a scholarship. I was stunned. And due to my low enthusiasm and self- esteem I felt somewhat embarrassed. She had to hound me in the hallway once again to show up to have my picture taken with the award for the yearbook and the moment I had to step on stage in front of the entire high school to accept that award was awkward and anxiety producing. However, I was happy about the money. I knew I could put it to good use somewhere; I just didn’t know where. And so I put it in the bank in a savings account and for the most part forgot about it.

That summer I worked in Edmonton. I hadn’t had a lot of freedom in my life and so my newfound freedom in Edmonton was a little heady for me. I would ride the busses around the city, looking for work or finding interesting places. It was on one of these outings that I met a guy, who became my boyfriend. Little did I know though that the truck he picked me up in for our first date was actually stolen and later in the summer he ended up in prison.  And so, with my one reason for staying in Edmonton gone, I decided to go with plan B and head to Bible College in Eston, Sk. with the money I had from my scholarship being the only money I had to even begin to pay for my tuition.

It was at College that I began to lay down a more secure foundation in my life than I had ever experienced before. I was a Christian but my compass had become shaky, my faith weak and my attitude towards life and God was cynical, mistrusting and still on the rebellious side. I needed a lot of inner healing but that would only come in time, down through the years. But God had a plan. He knew that a big part of that healing would come in the form of a young man that I met one day at the college mail boxes; a man who would become my future husband. I don’t recall what exactly we said to each other after hello, but I must have shared something about my life because apparently my future husband went back to his dorm room and prayed to God for an opportunity to help me. God answered his prayer. We married two and a half years later and he has had many opportunities to be a support to me in my healing journey for thirty-five years now! {And I to him}.

I’ve often thought of the difference in my life that writing that story made. And the difference that one teacher made. My own rebellion almost didn’t allow any of it to happen. But God was stronger  and He prevailed. He has prevailed over my stubbornness, my hard-heartedness, my fight or flight responses that I learned growing up and many more of my ingrained attitudes. Through everything I’ve been through and each stage of my journey He has taught me more about His love and His grace.

I realize that I didn’t even tell you what my story was about. That’s not the real story here though. The real story is what played out behind the scenes. It’s the story that in all reality changed the trajectory of my life. It’s a story that I’ll never forget.