My Love Story ~ Part Eight

To read all of the previous details of my out-of-the-ordinary Christian romance, click here please. Thank you! :)
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After breaking up with Mike, my boyfriend (sort of) for a year, I had decided that I
couldn't get out of Benton fast enough! I was headed to the frigid north, Crown Point, Indiana, to be specific, to attend Bible college. I was planning on going to the same Bible college that my brother and sister graduated from. I would begin the fall of 1997. I would be a year behind the students from my high school graduating class, but I looked at it as my being the most mature member of my freshman class! ;) My mother purchased me two warm winter coats that were on sale. I went in to see Dr. Johnston for my physical. I had the tuberculosis test. I had my recommendations signed, sealed and in the mail. I had a plan, a purpose, and a vision of an exciting future. I wanted to sing in a summer tour group for the college. I picked up a book on sign language so I could be in the sign language ministry at First Baptist Church of Hammond, Indiana. (I thought I'd study a little in advance.) I planned on majoring in Elementary Education because, well, it sounded easier than the other majors where you had to have a prior skill. For instance, to be a marriage & motherhood major (yes, there really is a major called that) you had to have the ability to sew, or the interest in learning to sew...that wasn't me. To be a music major, you had to actually be able to play an instrument, not just recognize a beautiful sound when you heard it - I could do that - but no, they wanted you to be able to produce a beautiful sound on an instrument! That definitely wasn't me! I had to pick something that would be fun, but not agony. Elementary Ed. sounded perfect! The only pre-requisite was the ability to speak English fluently, and not be afraid of small people who have few manners. I could handle that one! :) Also, if I ever actually became a teacher, I thought, then those elementary kids would keep me young! Yes, I had a solid plan. My Dad told me at one point that I would never go. He probably said this because of my erratic behaviour up to that point in my life. I was shocked! Was he actually judging my future based on my past performance as an emotional, giddy, fun-loving teen? How unfair! I looked at him and said with confidence that I was through being emotional, giddy and fun-loving, "Dad, I'm going unless you tell me not to. You can count on that!" I meant it, too! I vowed, in Joan of Arc fashion, that I was going away - 662 miles away to be exact (gulp)- even if it killed me!
I spent the days rather nervous, to say the least. Would I be able to handle the rules about no talking after curfew? Would I like living in a room with three - and back then, it could be as many as six - other girls? What about showering in a public bathroom? Well, public as in NOT MY OWN bathroom? "Valerie! You sound so spoiled and selfish!!" you are probably thinking. Well, dear readers, I hate to admit this, but I truly was! I had only one older sister that I ever shared a room with. As for bathrooms, well, there were only five of us in the family, when Kevin was home. My sister left me (heartless isn't she?) (Just kidding!) when I was nine. I had my very own room for ten years! I was meticulous about my room, too. Just ask my Mom! I was showing signs of OCD in the cradle! How would someone like me make it up there? They had over a thousand students...where in the world would I fit in? ME! Little nineteen year old southern gal - where would I fit in such a huge place? I'd never have the chance to visit with Bro. Hyles the way we all often visited with Bro. Graham. I was so scared. Without regard to my fears, and desire to stay in my own bathroom, I forged ahead. I listened to tapes all the time to keep my spirits up. I particularly enjoyed the song "How Can I Fear?" by Ron Hamilton. I listened to it over and over and over. I willed myself to stop fearing, not to fear, to never fear. But, I was afraid. I didn't want to go. But I made a promise to my Dad. I would keep that promise. Fear would encroach upon me on my way to work, I'd shoo it away. It would grasp at me with it's spiny fingers on my way home from work, again, I'd fight it off. It would entwine around me at night and I would sing my song softly in the dark. "How can I fear? Jesus is near, He ever watches over me. Worries all cease, He gives me peace. How can I fear with Jesus?" A tear would form in the corner of my eye. I would finally drift off to sleep. The process would begin again the next morning. Would Jesus remove this horrible fear for once and for all? Was I doing something to create this anxiety myself? I needed help.

One cold February night, many weeks after Bumper had apologized to me and confessed the plans to sabotage my Valentine's Banquet experience, Bumper's friend, Terry, told me that Bumper wanted to talk to me after church. I met them outside on the sidewalk in front of our church's front doors. Bumper didn't say anything. I stood there, waiting. Terry finally spoke up. "He's crazy about you." Terry said.
"Really?" I said as sarcastically and uncaring as I could muster. "I don't believe you." I said.
"Why not?" Bumper asked. (Was he seriously having to ask me why?)
"Because I'm not stupid! I've seen the way you've dated girls, dumped girls, then dated some new ones, and dumped them. I don't need that right now, I'm going to college. I'm leaving!"
With that I turned around and abruptly walked away. Inside, I was thrilled that a guy would consider me desirable enough to even approach me. That hadn't happened before. But I refused to get involved with him. I wasn't going to be a pawn in his quest for yet another girl to date. Besides, I couldn't let anything, or anyone, deter me from heading to college. I had a promise to keep.

The next day, a flower delivery man came to my office. "Valerie Courtney?" He asked. "That's me!" I said happily. I couldn't believe someone was sending me flowers! The man handed me a red, long-stemmed rose in cellophane. I hurriedly opened the card. It said "Since you don't believe me, I'll convince you." That was it. It was unsigned.

But I knew exactly who had sent it.

To be continued....