当你面临重大抉择时，你会怎么做？

葆拉需要做出一个重大决定。她现在14岁，快读完八年级初中毕业了， 她需要决定去罗马尼亚的哪所高中就读。

葆拉想成为一名小学教师。她可以到附近的公立高中就读，那里有专门提供教育课程， 但她从幼儿园开始就一直在复临教会的学校上学，然而复临教会的高中只有科学方面的课程，并没有教育课程。

葆拉在家里祷告，读经，她家在罗马尼亚中北部的塔格木芮斯（Targu Mures）村。她与父母一起讨论，并阅读复临教会创始人怀爱伦的著作。

葆拉在阅读时发现，文章似乎建议，复临家庭的孩子应该在非复临学校读书，以成为世界上的光。

在怀爱伦的著作《给父母、老师和学生的勉言》中，她读到：「基督徒要在原则和利益上与世界分别，但他们不能将自己与世界隔离开。」（第323页） 在《善恶之争》中，她读到华尔多教派（Waldensian）的学生运用他们基督教的影响力，使整个学校自13世纪起变革。于是，葆拉决定就读公立高中。她认为随着她准备成为一名教师，这将会是一个传讲耶稣的好机会。

但首先，葆拉要通过公立高中的入学考试，她祷告上帝：「如果祢希望我在这里读书，请保守我考试顺利。」

然而考试竞争非常激烈，学校只有150个名额。也就是说，只有四分之一的学生能获得名额入学。而葆拉名列第七。

但葆拉心中依然不安稳。对她来说，离开复临学校是非常困难的一件事。她知道公立学校的老师不祷告，而且学生们也不歌颂耶稣。

课程开始前两周，葆拉晚上梦到她在公立学校的情景。老师们很骄傲，也没有爱心，他们因为同学犯的错责怪她。这错误的指责让葆拉很难受。放学后，当她准备回家时，她听到一个声音喊道：「逃，快逃，永远不要再回来！」葆拉转过身，想看看是谁在大喊，却没有看到任何人。

早上醒来时，她想知道这个梦是什么意思。她不确定这个梦是否来自上帝，因为她知道魔鬼也可能让人做梦。「上帝，如果这个梦是来自祢的，请通过另一种方式让我确知。」她祷告道。

葆拉向父母寻求建议。他们说她必须自己决定。因此她为这事祈祷并禁食了好几天，她也花更多时间读《圣经》和怀爱伦的著作。葆拉惊讶地发现，她现在读到的一切都指明她应该去复临学校读书。

在《给父母，教师和学生的勉言》中，她读到：「对于年幼的孩子来说，骄傲、没有爱心的老师是有害的。」（第175 页）。她还读到：「我们的教会学校是上帝所命定的，为要让孩子们预备好做这项伟大的工作。」（第176页）。

她想：「我想要在公立学校受训成为一名老师，但是复临学校可以更好地培训我，即使复临学校着重在科学领域。」

然后在《儿童教育指南》中她读到：「在为儿女计划离家升学之时，父母应当明白，把他们送进公立学校，现已不是安全之策，应当尽力送他们去那些以《圣经》为基础的学校。」（第304页）。

就这样，葆拉到了复临学校就读。 
在抉择的过程中，她学到了一些明白上帝旨意的重要课程。她祈祷并向父母寻求建议。她在读了《圣经》和怀爱伦的著作后做出了决定。

葆拉确信她做出了正确的选择。在读高中时，她决志献身，把心交给耶稣，并在16岁时受了洗。现在葆拉已经18岁，很快就要毕业了。她明白在复临大学，自己将有充足的时间学习怎样成为一名老师。

「我与上帝的同行，是一个渐进式的过程。」她说，「我没有吸毒，也没有一个奇迹般的转变故事，但是上帝一步步地引领我。我想鼓励青年们也要一步步地为基督而活，我们生命的每一步都需要认识耶稣，祂就会与我们同行。」

Making a Big Decision
What do you do when you have to make a big decision?

Paula Cristina Ghibut had a big decision to make. She was 14 and about to finish eighth grade in Romania. She had to decide where to go to high school.

Paula wanted to become an elementary school teacher. She could go to a nearby public high school that offered a special teaching track for high school students. But she had attended Adventist schools since kindergarten. The Adventist high school offered only a science track.

Paula prayed and read the Bible at home in Targu Mures village in north–central Romania. She spoke with her parents and read passages from books by Adventist Church cofounder Ellen White. 

As she read, she found advice that seemed to suggest Adventist children should study in non–Adventist schools in order to be a light in the world.

In Ellen White’s “Counsels to Parents, Teachers, and Students,” she read, “The followers of Christ are to be separate from the world in principles and interests, but they are not to isolate themselves from the world” (page 323). In “The Great Controversy,” she saw that Waldensian students had used their Christian influence to transform entire schools in the 13th century and beyond. Paula decided to enroll in the public school. She thought it would be a good opportunity to share Jesus as she prepared to become a teacher.

But first she needed to pass the entrance exam. She prayed, “If it is Your will for me to study there, help me to do well.”

Competition was fierce for the 150 slots at the school. Four children applied for each opening. Paula placed seventh.

But Paula still didn’t feel peace. It was difficult to leave Adventist schools. She knew public school teachers wouldn’t pray and students wouldn’t sing about Jesus.

Two weeks before classes started, Paula had a nighttime dream that she was at the public school. The teachers were proud and unloving, and they blamed her for the mistakes of her classmates. The false accusations upset Paula. At the end of the day, as she prepared to go home, she heard a voice shout, “Run away, run away, and never come back!” Paula turned around to see who was shouting but saw no one.

Waking up in the morning, she wondered what the dream meant. She wasn’t sure that the dream was from God because she knew that the devil also could cause dreams. “God, if this dream is from You, please confirm it to me through another way,” she prayed.

Paula turned to her parents for advice. They said she had to decide on her own. So she prayed and fasted for several days. She also read more from the Bible and Ellen White. She was amazed to see that everything she read now indicated that she should go to an Adventist school.

In “Counsels to Parents, Teachers, and Students,” she read. “To place over young children, teachers who are proud and unloving is wicked” (page 175). In the same book, she read, “Our church schools are ordained by God to prepare the children for this great work” (page 176).

She thought, “I wanted to start training to be a teacher at the public school, but the Adventist school can train me even better, even though its emphasis is on science.”

Then in “Child Guidance,” she read, “In planning for the education of their children outside the home, parents should realize that it is no longer safe to send them to the public school, and should endeavor to send them to schools where they will obtain an education based on a Scriptural foundation” (page 304).

Paula went to the Adventist school. 

Paula learned some important lessons about understanding God’s will. She prayed and asked her parents for advice. She read the Bible and the writings of Ellen White. Then she made a decision.

Paula is sure that she made the right choice. While at the Adventist high school, she gave her heart to Jesus and was baptized when she was 16. Now she is 18 and will graduate soon. She realizes she will have plenty of time to learn how to be teacher at the university.

“My walk with God has been a process,” she said. “I didn’t use drugs and then have a miracle conversion story. Instead, God led me step by step. I want to encourage young people also to live step by step for Christ. In every step of our lives, we need to recognize Him, and He will work in our lives.” 

Three years ago, part of the Thirteenth Sabbath Offering went to help a church outreach program for young people in Romania. Thank you for your Thirteenth abbath Offering.