MJ's Tuition Fund
Donation protected
Hi! My name is Emily Harris (most people call me MJ) and I am currently a sophomore at Cornerstone University, starting my secondary English Education major and History minor classes this fall. Thank you in advance for listening to my story, your thoughts and prayers, and most of all your donation, if you so decide to help me out. Please, please share this- you never know who your story can affect.
Three years ago, my mom brought me to a college fair that happened to be in the community college I’d been planning to attend to jumpstart my education. It was senior year, and I wanted to attend this fair because at the time I was looking for an all-encompassing music program to join once I’d gotten generals out of the way. What I got was a lot more than that.
The admissions counselor from Cornerstone University had also attended that fair, and long after the rest of the colleges had taken their booths down, she and I talked about the small, faith-centered university in East Grand Rapids. She ended that conversation that night with a certain, “You’d be a great fit at Cornerstone.” The warm sense of peace I felt after that statement was something I’d never forget, and the feeling followed as I applied, was accepted and visited the next winter and spring. Since those visits, I’ve had confirmation that I had found the school God intended for me...and next step forward in doing His good will and helping him fulfill His plan in me.
The journey hasn’t been easy- as you might have already noticed, my journey with CU started in 2015. That’s three years ago, but around this period of time my faith, my family, and my journey leading to this point was about to be flipped completely upside down. After the 2014-2015 school year, my family lost our house of 16 years due to foreclosure, and both my mom and dad were unemployed soon after. The summer was spent looking for a place to stay, and found a church willing to house us short-term in a nearby town.
The old saying is that “home is where the heart is”, but it’s saddening when you’ve built a family and let those roots take hold, only to have to remove a perfectly healthy tree from its surroundings. It puts a lot of stress on the tree, much like it did my parents when we moved. When I wasn’t at school senior year, I listened to my parents wear themselves emotionally thin through the walls, and physically thin as my mom cleaned houses and my dad worked every odd contracting, construction and maintenance job you could think of to make ends meet (despite health problems in both of them). It broke my heart. I wanted better for my family and for myself, so I threw all my time into school and extracurriculars. It paid off- I graduated with a 3.4 GPA and a varsity letter in academics, a 4th and 6th place regional honor at Business Professionals of America, a first place prize and published work in The Oracle and CHS Interest (our school literary magazine and newspaper), roles in three high school musicals, a Choir certificate and some scholarship money through the State of Michigan and Cornerstone.
Toward the end of the summer, I realized that even with the scholarship money I had I wouldn’t have enough to attend CU for the 2016-2017 school year. I (sadly) had to stay behind another year to square myself financially- I worked two different stints as a barista in order to be able to support myself through the first semester, and for a while things were looking up- we’d even rented a house that kept us in the same area that fall, Cornerstone upped my scholarship amount for 2017-2018, and I was able to stay involved in the community that year through helping my area church start a youth group, a lead role in the Rivertown Follies production "Follies or Bust", volunteer set work at the Northland Players' summer youth theatre show "RIP!", 2 Young Americans workshops and 2 YA summer camps (at which I helped with the younger kids).
Then August 2017 came around.
Two weeks before I moved into CU, we were evicted out of the house we’d been renting. The rest of my summer was spent living between my two grandmothers’ houses, and where the rest of my family were laying their head for the night became an issue that wasn’t resolved even throughout my first school year at Cornerstone.
Although I tried my best to stay involved in my area church via volunteering as a barista for the college ministry; in student organizations as the social media coordinator for a club that puts on campus open-mic nights; academically by giving it my all and finishing this year with a 3.1 GPA; socially by forming a band that debuted original music at the end of the year and by surrounding myself with supportive mentors, brothers, and sisters in Christ; my focus was primarily on helping my family, who wasn’t able to help me financially. As a result my first year was poorly managed in the financial aspect.
Fast forward to the beginning of the summer: after scholarships, loans and grants were applied I still owed my university $5,204 for the spring semester. God provided me with a full time job, at which I’m responsible for making and/or selling specialty dipped chocolate items, truffles and creams; fudge; and scooping ice cream for customers. It’s a blast! The coworkers are some of the greatest I’ve had the pleasure of getting to know, which often makes up for the fact I’m typing this in the basement of a church, because that’s the only stable place I’ve had to lay my head since I’ve been home.
I’m paid well for my work, but that isn’t paying enough. As of right now, I still owe Cornerstone $2,490.28 and that has to be paid in full by August 28th, when I move in for Terra Firma Leadership (freshman orientation) training. Despite the adversity I’ve faced in trying to come back thus far, I believe that I wouldn’t have been blessed with a Terra Firma position if God didn’t have a plan in that. So I’ve pounded the pavement, whether that comes to working overtime, helping my mom and dad clean houses for extra income (albeit small), applying for scholarships and even seeing if I can pull out another loan to make up for the previous balance. God and CU have been very kind and helpful by providing aid for my next semester- after scholarships, loans and grants are applied the monthly payments for next semester are easily affordable with a part-time job. But none of the next semester matters until I can get the previous one taken care of.
After talking to my bank, I can’t take a student loan out for the previous semester. If I pulled out a private loan I’d have to start paying it back right away, which my parents or I can’t afford to do. I don’t normally like asking people for help in this capacity, because there are people worse off than me that could use this money more but although this is definitely out of my comfort zone, I know that God is Jehovah Jirah, provider, and that with Him everything is possible. Anything can be used for His will, even your donation. I prayed for a while before I decided to post this but after prayerful consideration and confirmation I’ve decided to come as I am and ask for your help.
So, I want to challenge you to pray with Him and give what you are led to. After all, the woman at the well gave only two coins and that held the most significance. Your donation will be going directly to paying off tuition from my previous semester. I will joyfully and humbly accept the exact amount I need, and exceeding funds will be used to help buy books, food, and any other dorm room necessities for this year. The gratefulness I feel even as I type this, even before anyone's donated is overflowing. Cornerstone has very quickly become my second home, and the opportunity to grow in my faith as well as in my studies in a place that consistently challenges me to ask the hard questions and honestly make a difference means so much to me.
Thank you all, so so much for even reading this far. May you have a good day, and may God bless you and keep you.
MJ
Three years ago, my mom brought me to a college fair that happened to be in the community college I’d been planning to attend to jumpstart my education. It was senior year, and I wanted to attend this fair because at the time I was looking for an all-encompassing music program to join once I’d gotten generals out of the way. What I got was a lot more than that.
The admissions counselor from Cornerstone University had also attended that fair, and long after the rest of the colleges had taken their booths down, she and I talked about the small, faith-centered university in East Grand Rapids. She ended that conversation that night with a certain, “You’d be a great fit at Cornerstone.” The warm sense of peace I felt after that statement was something I’d never forget, and the feeling followed as I applied, was accepted and visited the next winter and spring. Since those visits, I’ve had confirmation that I had found the school God intended for me...and next step forward in doing His good will and helping him fulfill His plan in me.
The journey hasn’t been easy- as you might have already noticed, my journey with CU started in 2015. That’s three years ago, but around this period of time my faith, my family, and my journey leading to this point was about to be flipped completely upside down. After the 2014-2015 school year, my family lost our house of 16 years due to foreclosure, and both my mom and dad were unemployed soon after. The summer was spent looking for a place to stay, and found a church willing to house us short-term in a nearby town.
The old saying is that “home is where the heart is”, but it’s saddening when you’ve built a family and let those roots take hold, only to have to remove a perfectly healthy tree from its surroundings. It puts a lot of stress on the tree, much like it did my parents when we moved. When I wasn’t at school senior year, I listened to my parents wear themselves emotionally thin through the walls, and physically thin as my mom cleaned houses and my dad worked every odd contracting, construction and maintenance job you could think of to make ends meet (despite health problems in both of them). It broke my heart. I wanted better for my family and for myself, so I threw all my time into school and extracurriculars. It paid off- I graduated with a 3.4 GPA and a varsity letter in academics, a 4th and 6th place regional honor at Business Professionals of America, a first place prize and published work in The Oracle and CHS Interest (our school literary magazine and newspaper), roles in three high school musicals, a Choir certificate and some scholarship money through the State of Michigan and Cornerstone.
Toward the end of the summer, I realized that even with the scholarship money I had I wouldn’t have enough to attend CU for the 2016-2017 school year. I (sadly) had to stay behind another year to square myself financially- I worked two different stints as a barista in order to be able to support myself through the first semester, and for a while things were looking up- we’d even rented a house that kept us in the same area that fall, Cornerstone upped my scholarship amount for 2017-2018, and I was able to stay involved in the community that year through helping my area church start a youth group, a lead role in the Rivertown Follies production "Follies or Bust", volunteer set work at the Northland Players' summer youth theatre show "RIP!", 2 Young Americans workshops and 2 YA summer camps (at which I helped with the younger kids).
Then August 2017 came around.
Two weeks before I moved into CU, we were evicted out of the house we’d been renting. The rest of my summer was spent living between my two grandmothers’ houses, and where the rest of my family were laying their head for the night became an issue that wasn’t resolved even throughout my first school year at Cornerstone.
Although I tried my best to stay involved in my area church via volunteering as a barista for the college ministry; in student organizations as the social media coordinator for a club that puts on campus open-mic nights; academically by giving it my all and finishing this year with a 3.1 GPA; socially by forming a band that debuted original music at the end of the year and by surrounding myself with supportive mentors, brothers, and sisters in Christ; my focus was primarily on helping my family, who wasn’t able to help me financially. As a result my first year was poorly managed in the financial aspect.
Fast forward to the beginning of the summer: after scholarships, loans and grants were applied I still owed my university $5,204 for the spring semester. God provided me with a full time job, at which I’m responsible for making and/or selling specialty dipped chocolate items, truffles and creams; fudge; and scooping ice cream for customers. It’s a blast! The coworkers are some of the greatest I’ve had the pleasure of getting to know, which often makes up for the fact I’m typing this in the basement of a church, because that’s the only stable place I’ve had to lay my head since I’ve been home.
I’m paid well for my work, but that isn’t paying enough. As of right now, I still owe Cornerstone $2,490.28 and that has to be paid in full by August 28th, when I move in for Terra Firma Leadership (freshman orientation) training. Despite the adversity I’ve faced in trying to come back thus far, I believe that I wouldn’t have been blessed with a Terra Firma position if God didn’t have a plan in that. So I’ve pounded the pavement, whether that comes to working overtime, helping my mom and dad clean houses for extra income (albeit small), applying for scholarships and even seeing if I can pull out another loan to make up for the previous balance. God and CU have been very kind and helpful by providing aid for my next semester- after scholarships, loans and grants are applied the monthly payments for next semester are easily affordable with a part-time job. But none of the next semester matters until I can get the previous one taken care of.
After talking to my bank, I can’t take a student loan out for the previous semester. If I pulled out a private loan I’d have to start paying it back right away, which my parents or I can’t afford to do. I don’t normally like asking people for help in this capacity, because there are people worse off than me that could use this money more but although this is definitely out of my comfort zone, I know that God is Jehovah Jirah, provider, and that with Him everything is possible. Anything can be used for His will, even your donation. I prayed for a while before I decided to post this but after prayerful consideration and confirmation I’ve decided to come as I am and ask for your help.
So, I want to challenge you to pray with Him and give what you are led to. After all, the woman at the well gave only two coins and that held the most significance. Your donation will be going directly to paying off tuition from my previous semester. I will joyfully and humbly accept the exact amount I need, and exceeding funds will be used to help buy books, food, and any other dorm room necessities for this year. The gratefulness I feel even as I type this, even before anyone's donated is overflowing. Cornerstone has very quickly become my second home, and the opportunity to grow in my faith as well as in my studies in a place that consistently challenges me to ask the hard questions and honestly make a difference means so much to me.
Thank you all, so so much for even reading this far. May you have a good day, and may God bless you and keep you.
MJ
Organizer
Emily Harris
Organizer
Harbor Springs, MI