Annie is one of our BGS graduates. Her family was her main priority throughout her BGS experience, and this is her story:
When I discontinued as a traditional student at BYU, I was leaving my position in the print journalism program behind. So when I applied to the
BGS program, I wanted my emphasis to be in writing. After a few years,
I felt that if I was going to be motivated to dedicate my time to school, it
would have to be to learn about something I was involved in every day. I
applied to switch my emphasis to Family Life, and I couldn’t be happier
that I did. I felt I was continually being given new tools to parent my four
young children with intention, and to help my marriage be strong and
healthy.
There were times I would be dropping my children off to my husband on
my way to a class at the Salt Lake Center, and my daughter would beg
me to stay home. I remember thinking that if I were leaving her for almost
anything else, my heart would’ve broken and I would’ve turned the car
around and gone home. But I didn’t. Because I knew that very night I
would be given tools to become a better parent, that I would be inspired,
and that my children would benefit from what I was doing.
I have come to know that God’s plan for my life is personal and timesensitive; that what was right at one point may not be right at another. As I have committed to make Him and my family a priority, I have found that he has opened doors I could not have foreseen.
I know I will continue to learn and serve in formal and informal ways. I
know this because my experience has taught me that I can do hard things,
and that I will become better for it. I see challenge in a new light than I did
earlier in my life. I look at obstacles ahead and know that experiences that
are hard will teach me about myself and help me continue to become the
person I want to be.
