I’ve never blogged about my family members by name so they could maintain their privacy. I’m making an exception today. My youngest sister is leaving South Carolina for California at the end of July. She was accepted to the Biblical Counseling program at The Master’s College in Santa Clarita. Please pray for her as she pursues what she believes God is leading her to do. I’ll let her tell you in her own words in a letter she wrote to friends:
I am in need of your prayers. Let me explain:About nine years ago I was listening to John MacArthur on his Grace To You radio program. He was speaking of their Master of Arts in Biblical Counseling program at The Master’s College in Santa Clarita, California (near Los Angeles). A seed was planted in my heart concerning being a Biblical Counselor.
A lot has happened over the years and now it seems the time is right to pursue it. Last June I was at a crossroads and asked the Lord which direction to go. “Should I stay here in Charlotte, NC to plant roots for Raven and me or should I pursue becoming a Biblical Counselor?†Soon after that, a part of my department at work was eliminated and that got my attention. So I set out to go through the application process. I was accepted in March! Classes start this August 2005.
At the end of April, I got rid of all my furniture and moved in with my Mom in Rock Hill, SC (about 40 minutes away) to save money. I am still working in Charlotte and Raven is about to finish Kindergarten!
The day of departure is probably July 23, 2005. Raven and I will have to fly because my 1995 Ford Escort is not worth the cost of shipping it there and paying for the parts to make it pass the strict California inspection.
My prayer requests are:
- Housing (either a room to rent or a one bedroom which cost $1000/mo.)
- Transportation (there are car auctions every Tuesday) [Shannon would like to buy a car at auction once she's in California.]
- Childcare (my classes are in the evening, so someone will need to be there for my most prized possession)
- Financial provision (I don’t think I’ll be able to work full-time hours)
I know this sounds insane, but I love the Lord and I believe He is calling me to do this. He is all-powerful and makes the impossible possible. Please believe with me for God’s will to be done. I would not be doing this if I did not believe that God has called me!
Thanks for your prayers and support,
Shannon McCoy
Shannon has applied for loans and scholarships, and she wants to finish the program in a year. With the financial backing, she can pursue the degree full time. If not, she’ll work part time and complete the program in two years.
My sister was a Christian years before I was, and she and her husband prayed for me as I pursued a life as far away from God as possible. She’s the sister I mentioned in this story. Unfortunately, Shannon and her husband divorced.
If you’d like to contribute to the Send Shannon McCoy to California fund I set up with Pay Pal, you may do so by clicking the “Donation” button in the left sidebar. Please e-mail me if you have questions and want more information before you contribute:
{ 29 comments }
Very Cool! I wished the Master’s College had programs for some of us at a distance. I would be honored to help your sister (however possible)… besides I do love the writings of John Macarthur.
Hi LaShawn,
Just wanted you to know the link for “seed” in your sister’s letter is not working.
Got it. Thanks Renee for both tips.
I am so excited for her (almost feels like my sister is going
). Let her know I would love to hear updates on how the studies are going. I think John Macarthur is one of the most thorough pastor’s today on Bible Interpretation and Study and her going to the Master’s College will definitely have more of a Biblical focus on counseling (as opposed to the pop sychology that many Christian counselors are now peddling).
When I get excited, my spelling stinks
…
I meant “her” going to the Master’s College will definitely make her studies more biblically focused on counseling (as opposed to the pop sychology that many Christian counselors are now peddling with all the “what do you feel” focus).
My sister in law graduated last winter with a master’s degree in counseling from a Christian college. She’s been doing excellent work with kids in prison, even before she graduated. I am so proud that she has the heart and strength for this tough work. She says she leans on the Lord for wisdom and that He supplies her needs emotionally and financially.
I know you are proud of your brave and smart sister, La Shawn, and I commit to pray for her as I pray for you, knowing that God is faithful. He will supply not just financially, but spiritually, too. “For if we hope for things not seen, then do we with patience wait for it. For what a man sees, what does he yet hope for?” (Romans 8 again – it gets even better toward the end of the chapter). God Bless Both of You!!!
My office is in Chatsworth Ca., Santa Clarita is about 20 minutes from here. I will keep my ears to the ground for any opportunities in housing or getting finances.
Good luck to and God bless your sister in her most noble endeavor!
Lashawn,
Please have your sister visit the website below. A friend of mine was in need of housing for herself and two children and it was invaluable to her. Co-Abode is a network of single mothers across the US who share their homes with other single mothers.
Annette
http://www.co-abode.com/
Good luck to her, we need good counselors. At Grace College here in Omaha, they have an accelerated counseling program that I started but when I found out the Masters program was 61 credit hours I went the easy route of the MBA
. So I wish her good luck, because so many secular counselors literally have no clue!
Annette,
That is really awesome (co-abode.com). The important things you learn on blogs
When I prayed for your sister I prayed differently then I know many have. I learned the hard way that if God speaks to you and sends you somewhere then He will provide all you need. I didn’t know that, when I picked up with my family and moved back home to Illinois(where I felt God was sending me) I felt I had to do all on my own and I lost patience. I didn’t have a degree,home or car for me and my husband and four kids. I think that if I would have had more patience and faith things would have happened for me sooner and without so much strife. Now I am proud to say we have a van, I finished college, and we just moved into our very own home (the home was definitely God’s doing because me and my husband’s credit was awful) So I prayed that LaShawn’s sister keep up her faith and her patience because God has already planned for her to everything she needs and more.
I second Telika. Everytime we open ourselves to God’s Will, doors will open.
I’m a lifelong Southern Californian.
Jerry: Chatsworth is about 20 minutes from Santa Clarita??????? By helicopter, maybe.
I cannot offer money. But, I can offer advice: Nothing is easy in Southern California. Traffic and congestion are always worse than you think it will be, or that people will tell you. Plan on immense traffic jams, routinely…..and standing on line, everywhere you turn.
Both Chatsworth and Santa Clarita have almost desert-like climates, which means incredibly hot and smoggy through much of the Summer and a bit of the Fall. The mild climate that everyone talks about is more toward the beach areas.
Everything is harder than you expect, and the Sunshine is like a cruel joke. If you can tolerate high heat, with your crowds and congestion, than you might do well.
You really do need to be extremely motivated and have incredible tenacity to make it here. Failure is never a sin. The sin is not trying.
My biggest advice would be: 1. God, and 2. Craig’s List.
Glamchild, you are painting such a morbid picture of CA, you may discourage her from even coming! Man! I am a “lifelong Californian” as well. What you describe above sounds more like Los Angeles than Santa Clarita, which is near the San Fernando Valley area, very spread out and relatively very nice.
BTW, Santa Clarita IS about 20 minutes from Chatsworth, I have several customers and close friends who commute from Santa Clarita each day, driving no more than half an hour each way. Go look it up on mapquest if you still have doubts. I used to commute from Palmdale to Van Nuys everyday for 5 years (45mins at night, 2hrs. in the day), trust me when I say I KNOW how far SC is from Chats.
As far as the weather and everything else you mentioned, waaaaaayyy off! The only REAL concern for someone from out of state is getting used to the relatively high cost of housing, DMV/Smog check fees and gas prices, but there are some nice places that can be affordable, one option could be to get a room mate, that Co-Adobe sounds like a great idea. Cosco and/or Bargain Wholesaler (AKA the 99¢ Store) will become your best friends. If you try to live and work locally, near the college you won’t have to worry about commuting as much and you will save a ton of money.
Please Miss Barber, inform your sister that it is really not as bad as many believe, there are some very nice and conservative communities here in the Chatsworth and Santa Clarita areas.
BTW, I do agree with the last suggestions though, 1. God, and 2. Craigs List, (very good resource)
What’s Craig’s list???
Renee, it’s a classified ad web site:
http://www.craigslist.org/about/cities.html
Outstanding! My prayer’s already toward God’s ear on her behalf. I think women make better counselors than men anyway because of their higher level of compassion and intuitiveness, and a Godly woman is a walking lie detector/psychologist/healer!
Well, Jerry, maybe you have a shortcut route, because every time I get on the I-5, or the I-14, to get anywhere near Santa Clarita……those freeways are an absolute parking lot. Maybe I need to stay off the freeways, eh?
The climate in the Valley is always ten degrees hotter than anywhere else….non-Valley. Santa Clarita is deep Valley, I’d say. But, Shannon may like that. That kind of desert-like heat is closer to the climate of the Holy Land.
I don’t think she should be discouraged at all. California will probably need her biblical skills a lot more than South Carolina. You go where you’re needed. The early Christian Missionaries didn’t stay home. They branched out and settled where there was a need for their services.
“a Godly woman is a walking lie detector/psychologist/healer!”
I like that!!! LOL
Glamchild, definately stay away from the Fwys. San Fernando Rd. to Sierra Hwy gets you there in a jiffy. So far as the temp, maybe I’ve been out here too long and have gotten used to it.
La Shawn, I’ve heard nothing but good about the Master’s College–my best wishes to your sister.
Also (and I apologize if you already knew about/blogged about this), a MC professor (at least he was at one point) just recently launched a new blog. Phil Johnson has had an internet presence for some time, and he is extremely interesting and knowledgeable in theological matters.
PyroManiac is at http://phillipjohnson.blogspot.com/
Phil is as unabashedly outspoken as he is interesting, so there should be fireworks on a regular basis at PyroManiac!
Cindy
)
Thanks for the link. I noticed that Phillip Johnson is part of the site that has the biggest online Charles Spurgeon collection (always cool
Small world! I live in Rock Hill, SC. If she needs anything or your mother needs anything I can offer to help please do not hesitate to let me know.
Wow. I was born and raised in Rock Hill.
Did you go to RHHS or NWHS?
I know many people who have attended or graduated from The Master’s College, and I attend the church where John MacArthur pastors — Grace Community in Sun Valley, CA. I sent you an email yesterday, LaShawn, with some ideas for Shannon to pursue regarding housing and employment. Please let me know if I can be of help before or after she gets here!
Tell your sister to not let the comments by some of the folk’s here discourage her. Yes, the traffic is terrible in LA, the cost of living too high, and the political climate stinks. However, the Christian community is awesome. What is sacrificed in a normal, sane life to move to So. Cal. is gained a hundredfold with the biblical teaching and rich fellowship she will experience at Masters and the Grace Church. If God wants her here, He will provide her needs. I stepped off the turnip truck from Arkansas 12 years ago with two nickels and a penny to my name to attend TMS. God always met my needs. Perhaps not in the way I always expected it, but I was taken care of. Once she arrives here, gets settled and the shock of living in Los Angeles wears off (though I still can’t believe I am in LA at times), she will enjoy the many wonderful things God is going to bring her way.
Fred
http://www.fredsbibletalk.com
My daughter just graduated from “The Master’s College! We live in the SF Valley so not too far and there are a few pure reformed churches in the area. And there’s always Grace Community(McArthur’s curch). He doesn’t agree with ALL 5 points but RC doesn’t hold it against him so I won’t! Our church has been getting Pepperdine students the last few years. What a joy to meet young, bright, energetic folks who actually look for a local church so they can stay accountable while in school. Just awesome!
That is awesome Charly (about the young adults looking for a local church to attend while in school).
I am still looking for Reformed Churches in the DC Metro area (more on the NVa si
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