From survival to purpose: How Elizabeth Bol found a way forward
A year ago, Elizabeth Bol was surviving.
She was navigating a difficult divorce while recovering from addiction and alcoholism. Though she had a job, it just covered the bills. “I was just working to survive,” recalls Bol. “I felt stuck.”
One day, sitting outside Safe Haven Ministries – where she was receiving support for domestic abuse – Bol reached a breaking point.
“I was crying out to God, asking Him to literally show me the way,” said Bol.
Seeing an open door
Within moments, she received an email from an advocate at Safe Haven encouraging her to apply for the Wayfinder Program, an eight-credit college experience offered by Calvin University that’s designed for adult learners who are facing social or economic barriers to higher education who want to enter or re-enter higher education in a supportive environment with barriers removed.
So, she applied. And to her surprise, she was accepted. And then, she was terrified. After all, it had been 20 years since she’d be in school.
“I felt I was a little too old to go back,” said Bol.
Making a courageous decision
But, having recently been baptized, she was keenly aware of the importance of her obedience to walking where God was leading. “It seemed pretty obvious for what he was showing me,” said Bol.
So, she took a step. And right away, she discovered she would not walk this road alone.
Guided along the path
“The Calvin staff removed every single barrier there was for me,” said Bol. From tuition to childcare, laptops to books, to even helping her learn how to use technology that once intimidated her. “They addressed every concern right out of the gate.”
With barriers removed, Bol began her journey, and she entered into a community that would begin to become like family.
“We all started to find our voice, share our stories, and we really learned from a different perspective, and it was just really life-giving for me,” said Bol. “I felt like I came out of my shell.”
Building confidence, following a calling
Bol had felt a call toward ministry before she started the Wayfinder Program but had felt stuck. “I didn’t feel I was good enough to do those things,” said Bol. “A lot of it was, ‘who? Me?’”
But just a couple of months into the program, with her confidence building, she received two invitations to apply for an administrative position that was part-time at a local church.
With it just being part-time and with no prior administrative experience, Bol didn’t see how this would be a viable option. But she took a step of obedience and applied.
“Wayfinder played a huge role with that,” said Bol. “I was struggling with technology and self-doubt before, and it really made me feel like I was capable.”
Discovering a way forward
As she went through the interview process, she again saw God’s fingerprints. Not only did she get offered the job the same day of her interview, but the church also increased it to a full-time position far exceeding the salary and compensation package she had at her current job.
“The Wayfinder program really showed me the way to move forward in life and in my faith,” said Bol. “It gave me a way to move forward.”
On Wednesday, May 21, Bol graduated as part of the second cohort of the Wayfinder Program. The tuition-free program serves as a crucial bridge, equipping adult learners with academic and confidence-building skills as they transition into further educational or career pathways.
