By graduation, I was enrolled at Andrews University — essentially on hopes and dreams — while also technically enrolled at LMC, a community college. I crunched the numbers and quickly realized I needed another job. [PC: Katie Fellows]
Scholarships, grants, savings, odd jobs — it didn’t add up. I was on the verge of giving up when, unexpectedly, things began to shift.
During my senior year at Andrews Academy, Andrews University helped us register for college, regardless of where we planned to attend. That was when I seriously considered where to continue my education. I preferred a Christian institution, but it came with a steep price — especially compared to community college, which was free.
By graduation, I was enrolled at Andrews University — essentially on hopes and dreams — while also technically enrolled at LMC, a community college. I crunched the numbers and quickly realized I needed another job. That summer, I applied everywhere but kept getting turned down, often because I couldn’t work on Sabbaths or lacked experience.
Discouragement set in as summer slipped away. Then, my financial aid officer dropped a bombshell — Michigan was pulling its grants due to a new method they were implementing. There was no guarantee I’d receive the same amount — or anything at all. At this point, I nearly gave up.
Then, a classmate texted me about an internship opportunity at the Lake Union Conference. I had no idea what that was, but I figured I’d give it one last shot before canceling my classes at AU and attending LMC instead.
That’s when everything changed.
I walked into Lake Union and discovered it was a paid internship — and they needed someone soon. Around the same time, I received an email saying that the Michigan grant had not only been reinstated but increased. What had felt like a devastating loss turned out to be an unexpected blessing.
With my internship, savings, scholarships and the grant, I was starting to believe I could actually afford Andrews University. Then, as if to confirm that everything was falling into place, Lake Union pulled me aside and offered to cover a portion of my education. Without even knowing my exact financial gap, they provided precisely what I needed.
Looking back, I see how every setback was really a setup for something greater. What felt like closed doors were actually moments of redirection, guiding me exactly where I needed to be. I had spent so much time worrying, trying to figure things out on my own, when in reality, God had already worked it out.
Over the summer, when everything seemed to be falling apart, He was putting the pieces together perfectly — turning obstacles into blessings that made my education possible.
"And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose." Romans 8:28
Edward Cervantes is an Andrews University accounting major and business intern at the Lake Union Conference. If you’re interested in learning more about our business internships, email treasury@lakeunion.org.
