Part IV: The Journey From Sight To Faith
Chapter 4: The Gigantic Blessings
I drove my car to report to work on Monday at the given location. I saw this tall brown building with the sign, AT&T. It was on Bryan and Haskell St. I made it to Dallas in two weeks’ time to accept my new position. God was gracious and I started as a Long-Distance Operator. Through it, I was able to pay for the rent and the food for our family.
A week later, Dallas Theological Seminary had student orientation. As I drove down there, I noticed the same tall brown building that I worked in. The seminary was about two blocks away from my work location! I couldn’t believe it. I could walk to work after my classes. I thought to myself, “God, you are so good to me!”
The following week, orientation and class registration began. Ramona and I saved up enough for the Fall semester. As I was purchasing the books, I thought to myself, “Boy, those books are expenses!” While God provided enough funds for me to pay for my Fall semester, I would have to work hard to save more money for the Spring. Ramona continued to be a smart shopper buying things on sale and stretching our budget. We were saving money but not enough for a full load in the Spring semester. I realized that if I was to graduate in four or five years, I would have to take and pay for classes year-round including the Winter and Spring Break.
I said, “Lord, I don’t have enough money to pay for our housing, food, and tuition expenses. I don’t know where the money will come from. Please provide for us.” Towards the end of my Spring semester, AT&T announced that voice recognition was coming and that telephone operators would no longer be needed. While this seemed like horrible news, they were willing to give $1000 per year for tuition assistance to any employee to earn a certificate or degree and leave Operator Services afterwards.
Even though my tuition was more than the $1000, it would go a long way to help me provide for my family. I applied for that tuition assistance for the Fall semester and was approved. I applied every Fall semester, Winter Break, Spring semester, Spring Break, and Summer Session for that scholarship and it was approved! Despite AT&T having a cap of $1000 per year, God override it. God in His own way had that administrator approved it. I don’t know why or how that person did it, but it was approved by God. God had AT&T pay for the last four years of my seminary education. Who ever heard a corporate company paying for a religious education? Only in God’s economy.
I received a letter from the Internal Revenue Service. The IRS stated that I failed to report the tuition assistance from AT&T in my gross income. They sent me the bill with the penalty. “Oh, No! A tax bill from the IRS!” This is the last person you want to owe money to. I wasn’t expecting this at all. I read the 1040 instructions and came across that the tuition assistance is taxable IF it is in your related field. I wrote back to the IRS Audit Department with my case number, citing that the tuition assistance is not going toward my related field in Operator Services but for a totally different field. I was going to seminary to become a pastor. In their reply, IRS agreed with my interpretation of their code. I never thought that learning exegesis in seminary would help me with taxes! The tuition assistance was now considered tax free. Not only did AT&T pay for my seminary education, but the IRS even allowed it to be tax free for me. Four years of tuition at Dallas Theological Seminary completely free. I can only thank God for His goodness.
As I neared graduation, I was only about three years from receiving my full pension. I was tempted to hang in there or transfer to another job, but I remembered that God had provided for me and my family every step of the way. I couldn’t discount his faithfulness and provision, I needed to trust His leading. I took an early retirement from the company in the Spring of 1992. I thanked my manager and especially the office clerk who fulfilled my requests for hours week after week. I said good-bye to my fellow employees. It was a joyful day for me as my parents and siblings came down to attend my graduation ceremony.
I was so thankful that I didn’t have to write a thesis. The professors gave up correcting my grammar and just pointed out questions about my interpretation of a passage. It was only after taking Greek that I finally understood English grammar, but don’t ask me about math! I was really happy graduating with my Master of Theology in Pastoral Ministry.
There was no doubt in my heart and mind that God has called me to serve Him as a pastor. The question then became, “How is God going to equip and give me experiences in being a pastor?” God wasn’t finished with me just because I received my Th.M. degree. The five years in Dallas were practical training for me. Now it’s time to put it into action.