As we celebrate International Women’s Week 4 – 8 March, 2023, it coincides with some great news that I am celebrating myself. I have been studying for the past years with Southwestern Bible College and have just been awarded my Doctorate Certificate in Ministry. I had a choice as to be awarded an Honorary Doctorate by the college or to study and do my dissertation after which I would receive my Doctorate. I am pleased to say that I chose to do the latter and on 7th March I was awarded my Doctorate in Ministry with Distinction.
It has not been an easy journey with how I got from “there to this”, but I must say that God has been with me every step of the way.
From as a child the enemy wanted to block my way from getting an education. I remember I passed my entrance exams to go to the Valley Secondary School and was told that I was not going because there was no money to send me. I wanted an education badly and turned to God in a big way seeking his assistance.
I read my bible, prayed and cried for six weeks under a blolly tree. I focused on Psalm 27:10 and I never wavered in believing that God would help me. I had the childlike faith that God would come through for me no matter the odds. Needless to say, God sent help for me and I was able to obtain my secondary education. To God be the glory.
Many traps and road blocks were set for me along the way but I overcame them all with God’s help. God even sent angelic visitation to me to encourage me when I was at my lowest state of mind. That visitation is what propelled me to get involved in Ministry. I knew that God wanted to use me in his Kingdom by saving my life from death.
God used me to record the entire book of Psalms in 2006 which was a blessing to all who listened to it. Around that time, I heard the voice of God calling me into Ministry. I began preaching around that time as well. I attended many Bible-based seminars and conferences as I began to prepare myself for Ministry.
I began studying with South Western International Bible College in 2015 where I was awarded my Bachelors in Theology and Bible Counseling, a Master of Arts in Theology and as I persevered, this week I was blessed to have completed my Doctorate in Ministry.
My encouragement to all is not to give up. A lot of people lack the discipline to finish what they started but you must have a goal in mind. My goal was to complete my studies so that I could be used more effectively in Ministry, study to show myself approved, a workman that need not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the work of God.
I want to thank God that he inspired me not to be a drop-out but to complete what I have started. I want to thank God that he sent help for me as a child to get my education so I could reach this level of obtaining my doctorate. I want to thank God for helping me not to fall to the social ills as a way out, but to turn to God fully in my time of distress.
I want to encourage you readers that the same God that helped this crying and praying teenager to get my education and reach my Doctorate level is the same God that can help you as you persevere and put Him first in your life. To God be the glory.
Contributed by Ms. Bernadine Jeffers (with minor edits by The Anguillian Newspaper)
