Day 23- Gloom, Despair and an Answer to Prayer

There are many plans in a man’s heart … Proverbs 19:21

During all this time, unfortunately, I pushed aside the fact that I had a heavenly Father. I never talked to him about the startling revelations I discovered, nor did I ask His advice on what I should do.

Big mistake.

Because graduation was just around the corner, I did not want to miss any school. I would wait until mom left for work to head out and arrived back home right before she did. I then locked myself into my room each night. I ate nothing at home, living totally on school lunches. I would never answer mom when she called me.

After a couple feeble attempts, she quit trying.

I also avoided Sister Clara’s house, walking a totally different route home than normally. Somehow, in my mind, I thought she, too, would be better off without me.

I haunted the mailbox each day because I had one hope. Earlier in the year, Miss Amy, the guidance counselor, had talked to me about college. I told her there was no money for school.

“Morgan, you are a very bright girl – top of your class, and you got a 36 on your ACT. You can definitely get a scholarship – a full ride even, depending on where you want to go.”

Not really believing her, I played along and asked if she would help me apply for a scholarship. We’d spent about a month back in the fall filling out forms and writing letters to former teachers asking for references. I gave up my lunch hours and she gave up her planning periods to help me.

“Which college would you like to attend,” she asked curiously.

“Which one is farthest away that you think would be interested in giving me a full ride? Because I have nothing, not even money for transportation to get there.”

Miss Amy looked determined. “Don’t you worry about that. I’m a wizard at finding funding.”

Now, in my days of hopelessness, the closest I came to a prayer was this: “Lord let me win a scholarship to a place far away – and let it happen before graduation.”

Friday came, and I was dreading the thought of having to face Jamie on Saturday. I drug into school looking pathetic. My hair was a rat’s nest, my t-shirt grubby and my eyes were hollow and dull.

Miss Amy was waiting in the hallway when I entered the building.

“Morgan, I need to see you in my office right now.”

I sighed, wondering what was so important she’d make me tardy for my first class.

She motioned me into her office and then came in closing the door behind us. Instead of going around to sit behind her desk, she sat next to me in the other chair in the room.

Grabbing my hands and looking deep into my eyes, she said, “Morgan you got a scholarship – a full ride!”

“Really! A full ride? Everything paid for? How many years?”

“Four! And I’ve also heard from several service organizations that will help you get there. Tuition, housing, books, everything paid for!”

Tears came to my eyes and I jumped up out of my chair and started pacing.

“Even food in the school cafeteria for the next four years is paid for!” she said joyously.

I made a face at that; then we both cracked up.

“But Miss Amy! Promise you won’t tell anyone until I leave town! Promise!”

Miss Amy’s face fell. “But Morgan, this publicity would be so good for the school! It might help other students to want to work hard to do the same as you someday.”

I sighed … “Miss Amy, you just don’t understand. People would not be happy for me when they find out who I am.”

Looking very puzzled, she said, “Morgan, I just don’t understand you!”

So, for the first time ever, I told someone other than Clara and Jamie what my life was really like.

We are on Day 23 of my serial, Angel on Assignment: The Book of Morgan. So Morgan received an answer to prayer. Will she use it for good?

If you have missed any of the previous posts, click on the title, "Angel on Assignment" in the upper right hand corner in my side bar. It will take you to a page where you can find all links as they go live.

This serial is not intended to be doctrine. Scripture does tell us angels come to warn, bring messages and sometimes watch over us. It also tells us we could possibly unknowingly entertain an angel. My serial is just me imagining how that might look in our present day and time.

Tomorrow's offering: A Long and Winding Road

This post was written as part of the Write 31 Days challenge. A whole group of writers will be writing for 31 days straight on a variety of topics. Click here to check it out.

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