AH HA! Moments

Since I arrived at the Lydia Center 2 ½ years ago I have always thought of the Learning & Career Center as a place where I would have an opportunity to see the real person as they worked through some frustrations but also it would be a place where I could encourage the ladies to see God in the practical everyday things in life – reading, writing and arithmetic.

Every day we begin our classes with prayer and we ask God to give us “AH HA” moments. We need Him desperately to show His power to overcome some very painful (and for some what feels like hopeless) barriers in learning. We have had ladies with a wide range of academic skills come through our doors. Many come with not only low academic levels but with little or no belief that they could even learn anything because of either poor experience in school, years of drug / alcohol use or a combination of these.

One particular young woman tested with a 3rd grade math level. Almost her entire school experience was filled with being told that she was stupid, she would never be able to learn and other degrading things. She had a huge fear of not only me (being an instructor) but of the academic work. There were many times I had to do a lot of coaxing to just get her into class. It took a lot of encouragement for her to even allow God to do with her academic work what He was already doing in her emotionally and spiritually.

I will never forget the day that in the middle of class she yelled out, “I GOT IT! I FINALLY GOT IT! I never thought I would EVER get this”. What a breakthrough for her (and those who were around) to experience God in an area that had once brought much frustration and pain. She got to experience God in a very practical way. God is SO big and has a heart and desire to be known in His fullest.

- Carrie Libonati, Lydia Center