The struggle is real….

Posted byJohn EliPosted inUncategorizedTags:, , , , , , , , , ,

Hey friends,

For the past month and a half, I’ve been facing one of the biggest challenges of my life. Although I knew it was coming, I had absolutely no idea that it would turn my life upside in the manner that it has. This struggle has caused me to shed thousands of tears, isolate myself from my family, and scream like a mad man. To make matters worse, I’m the one who chose this path…….. well the fact is, I chose this degree program. You see…. I knew good and well that graduate statistics was a requirement for my Master of Science in Psychology. I also knew that math is not my strong suit. Nevertheless, I took on the challenge, and it has left my life in a whirlwind.

To say that I covet your prayer is an understatement. Although I am confident that I will pass this class. I’m quite sure that I’m walking away from it with a limp, my arm in a sling, and a black eye. Seriously folks, this class is insane.

In addition to this craziness, my wife and I are also working through the process of foster care licensure. Although, we were previously foster parents in the state of New Mexico, we were not prepared for the amount of paperwork needed in the state of Arizona. I am amazed at the number of forms, that we are tasked to complete, that ask for the same information multiple times. It’s been quite a chore to get it all done. Currently we are waiting to complete 6 weeks of training. However, I’m waiting to finish my statistics class before taking that on. If all goes well we should be licensed by this summer.

I apologize for not publishing a weekly anecdote today. I simply ran out of time this weekend. Nevertheless, I wish each and every one of you an amazing week. May each of you go out and be all that God created you to be.

Unapologetically yours,

John Garay

Published by John Eli

I am a self-awareness coach (coach for humans), life strategist, blogger and speaker. I’ve spent over 21 years mentoring individuals in life skills, career transitions, relationships, and life recovery. My resume includes pastoral care, behavioral health, and higher education. From an early age, I realized that God created me to bring hope, healing and encouragement to others. I am currently living out my purpose by creating a space where people can rediscover and become all that they were created to be. I currently live in the beautiful state of Arizona with my wife, two dogs, and an antique piano whom I call, “Betty.”

41 thoughts on “The struggle is real….”

  3. A time to every season, and right now your season is to pass the class. We’ll still be here when you come back and will cheer when you tell us you passed. Praying for you! God bless.

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    1. Oh wow. I wish my mind absorbed this subject better. I do the work and then forget why I’m doing it. It’s just not applicable to anything that I have done in my career. 🤦🏽‍♂️

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  11. God bless you for your endeavor to strech your life for the wellfare of others, as so God is blessing you. And just repeat “I can do all things through Christ who strenghten me”. You will make it. Hard work and faith conquers it all.

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  13. Prayers and blessings to you! Statistics was a rough one for me too, I feel your pain! Keep trying, you’re almost done with it.

    yaybyday.com

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  15. Being a former foster youth myself, a foster parent and recently working for an agency, the paperwork is one of the things in place to help sort out good foster homes. Although, there needs to be a better system to ensure safe homes, this is all agencies have in some cases due the lack of funding. Foster care is not for everyone and does require extraordinary individuals who are willing to put the life on hold. The best foster parents I have seen work as a team with the agencies. Good luck to you!

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    1. Thank you. I previously was a treatment foster care parent in New Mexico for 10 years. I provided a home and treatment for adolescent males during that time. However, we are now looking to be certified in the state of Arizona to do foster-to-adopt.

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  16. John, just a little testimony here to encourage your heart. When I was 52 years old, and had been out of school for 30 years, I felt led of the Lord to go back to college to get an entrepreneur certificate, which I believed was going to be beneficial for the ministry my husband and I had with college students at that time.
    Now, I graduated high school with a 1.4 GPA, i.e. a D- average. When I dropped out of college the first time that I went to college (’68-’72), I had a 2.5 GPA, but most of that was music classes. So, 30 years later I was not too hopeful that I could even pass the entrance exam to our local community tech college. But, I gave it to the Lord, and I passed with flying colors, to my utter surprise.
    But, then came the hard part – the classes. I had always been a slow reader with poor reading comprehension, and I had a very low view of my intellectual capabilities, i.e. I regularly avoided anything I thought I could not understand because, to be honest, it scared me to tears! And, so this was definitely a challenge!
    So, I started with an accounting class and then added on Business Law. And, for weeks or months I would cry trying to do the homework, convinced I could not do this, but then I would pray it through, and give it to the Lord, and trust him to help me to understand, and he did. And, every test I took I passed with an A, pretty much, but all glory to God!! I could not, but HE could!!
    To make a long story short, I got my entrepreneur certificate and I had a straight A average (4.0 GPA), all glory to God! But, it isn’t the straight A’s that really was the big deal here, for I knew where that came from, and it wasn’t from me. I believe what God was doing in me through this all was to teach me, #1 to rely completely on him for everything, and #2 to teach me that I could learn anything God wanted me to learn, and that was a biggie!!
    I went to this school from ’02 to ’06 (another 4 years of college), and when I finished the Lord had this ministry for me of writing out what he teaches me from his Word every day and to place it on the internet, and I have had to rely totally on the Lord for this to guide my every step, plus he has really stretched me in this in teaching me so much I would have never imagined I could ever learn. So, I had to go through that college experience for God to prepare me for what he is now having me do.
    So, I know this was long, but I just wanted to encourage you that even if you can’t, God can! He can do what we can’t, and he can do it through us, too, and all for his glory. So, just give it to him, and let him do what he wants to do through this situation in your life.
    Just one more side note here, which you may find amusing. Just before I read your post and I began to respond to you, I was having one of those struggles and where I was crying and where I was feeling ill equipped and where honestly I wanted to just escape it all, but then God led me to read your post and to respond to it, so he was preaching to me here through my own testimony, and so it encouraged my heart, too. Praise be to God! Great things He has done! Sue

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