Written by: Rechelle Jacobs
Article source: JOY! Magazine
I really want to thank and honour God publicly for His grace over my life to complete a PhD in Mathematical statistics during the pandemic, whilst being a mom, a pastor’s wife, and having a full time job. The Lord’s goodness, mercy, and grace have carried me, ever since I made that life-changing decision to welcome Him into my heart.
Growing up in fear
I grew up without really knowing about the existence and the love of God. I accepted Christ as my Lord and Saviour in 1995, when I was 19 years old. I grew up in the Cape Flats, a haven for crime and drugs. It was a poor and dangerous community, and my love for solving complex mathematical problems was an escape from my reality. I always struggled with low confidence – never feeling pretty enough, sporty enough, or clever enough. Growing up the Lord, however, blessed me with the opportunity to pursue higher education, as well as my greatest childhood desire, to have a loving family of my own.
Putting my family first
After 15 years of work as a business manager in the financial services sector. I decided to change careers so that I could have more time with my kids and so that my husband could pursue his calling in ministry. I wanted to be the best mom and wife that I could be. I became a university lecturer in 2014. This career change came at a cost as I had to let go of a third of my salary.
A beacon of hope
The Cape Flats is not a great area – young women are often mistreated and grow up living in fear. The “young marginalised girls of the Cape Flats” were my motivation to start my part-time PhD journey in Mathematical Statistics in 2017, at 41 years old. I wanted to be a success story, by God’s grace, so that I could reach the youth and show them that it is possible to follow your dreams and change your circumstances. This journey forced me to face my biggest intellectual challenge. I had no choice but to work with my low confidence, press through exhaustion, silence the anxiety, and fight through sickness.
Challenge after challenge
After two years of committed and dedicated PhD research, I was forced to change the topic of my studies as the data I received could not be used. One of the big South African banks approved the usage of their data, which I received in October 2019. Needless to say, in March 2020, the Covid pandemic hit. I had to adapt, learn, and grow fast to create online learning content for the undergraduate courses that I was teaching at university. In the same year, I had to assist my kids (who were my 7 and 8 years old at the time) to adapt to online learning; teach them how to do PowerPoint and video presentations, and adjust to being assessed online. Through it all, with much faith and prayer, I persevered. I submitted my thesis for examination in May 2022, and graduated on the 9th September 2022.
God is faithful
Looking back, it is only by the grace of God that it took 32 months, since receipt of the data, to complete the PhD. What amazes me even more about God is that there was time during this PhD journey where I was able to attend a conference in Germany and learn from a renowned researcher during a brief visit to Belgium in 2018. In this same year my husband was ordained into ministry and I became a Pastor’s wife. In 2019 I was funded to do my first poster presentation at a Women In Analytics conference in Seattle, USA.
The Lord’s overwhelming grace
During the pandemic, my entire family was working from home. We needed more space, and had to move house in July 2021. In the second half of 2021, I was really grateful for a 6 month study leave period, which was fully funded, giving me the time to focus on completing my PhD studies. However, I contracted Covid in September 2021 and was too sick to work for almost two months. It was a truly difficult time. Through all of this, my husband – who was studying his Masters in Theology – could graduate in 2021.
Easy in the eyes of the Lord
Throughout these months, our incredible God afforded me the opportunity to assist our church, the Beacon of Hope Full Gospel Church, to release our first song in the city. The song is based on 2 Kings 3:18 which reads, “This is an easy thing in the eyes of the Lord.” The message behind the song is that if sickness, disease, Covid, brokenness, joblessness, infidelity, addiction, etc., is too hard for you to bear, it is easy in the eyes of the Lord. The message is especially fitting for our local church-goers as many face hardship on a daily basis.
A light for others
The love and support of family and friends kept me going, and when I reflect I can see the hand of God, His protection and guidance, in every step I took. Being a pastor’s wife, a mom, a lecturer, and a PhD student is hard work – but definitely worth every minute if my journey could inspire or motivate at least one person to press, push, and pray their way to achieving their goals and pursuing their purpose.
The message behind the song is that if sickness, disease, Covid, brokenness, joblessness, infidelity, addiction, etc., is too hard for you to bear, it is easy in the eyes of the Lord. Click here to listen to “In the Eyes of the Lord”.
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Date published: 05/01/2023
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