Written By Arnita Dice
Growing up in poverty taught me the value of money. I came from a family of ten, including my parents, who could make a dollar holler and a quarter scream by holding on to them so tightly. It became apparent that most things in life worthwhile will cost money, but at what cost? My parents were adamant regarding education and made it clear we all were going to college, so chemistry was one of my favorite subjects. Math was tolerable but not my favorite, and there was no way around it. If there was a shortcut, please believe me, I would find it. I had a new religion, a new home, a new car, a new premature baby, and many bills. Warning signs were everywhere, screaming. Not now. Too soon. Just wait. Just because I could, I did, and now things were adding up but not in my favor.
One Sunday afternoon, in the ladies' Bible class, one of the teachers spoke on patience. Using the scripture Romans 5:3-5: “Knowing that tribulation worketh patience,” she told us to never pray for patience, so I didn’t. Faith brought me to the church and that was enough for me. Diving into the Word for oneself is imperative for growth. When I was in school studying was required, and why should my Christianity be any different? It all began to make sense. I was skipping around the math. 2 Peter 2:5 taught me to add to my faith quite a few things like patience. Upon leaving the hospital with my baby I was handed a bill for $375,842.52. As I sat down with tears in my eyes, a lady came and sat beside me. I never knew her name, but she told me to take that bill to the public aid office along with my paycheck stub. I should have read all of Romans 5:4, “And patience, experience, and experience HOPE.” I learned how to do the math by adding. I walked out of the public aid office with a piece of paper in my hand marked, PAID IN FULL! Now, I don’t mind waiting, because I know how to add.
