Kathy Amick:  

My schools include Southview High School, Pacific Coast Baptist Bible College, and Liberty University, both on-campus and Online. I majored in Christian Education and Biblical Studies at PCBBC. When I transferred to Liberty University, I majored in English Education. My dream was to teach American adolescents to love the English language and literature. But after my dad passed away in 1983, I felt that my enjoyment of studying English had been eclipsed by grief. Not willing to spend tuition fees on classes that ceased to motivate me, I left the University, but stayed in Lynchburg. I was hired by a high-end department store to sell electronics, mattresses, and Oriental hand-knotted rugs. I loved learning about the designs on the rugs, the specs of the electronic components, and the construction of quality mattresses. I learned appropriate ways to approach customers and present or demonstrate the merchandise. I also learned sound customer service practices. As a result, I was recommended for the Brainstorm Committee. It was an ad hoc committee comprised of several department managers, several associates, and the Store Manager. We analyzed the effectiveness of the sales campaigns, whether we had sufficient merchandise to satisfy our customers, whether customer deliveries were processed in a timely manner. Anything that could affect customer safety, service, and satisfaction was a concern of our committee. During my years at that store, I had an idea for taping a video of how to incorporate newly-approved customer service practices into our existing policies. When I presented my proposal to the Personnel Manager and the Store Manager, both agreed that the video illustrations could be effective teaching tools. I recruited another associate, who was a friend from Liberty, to operate the camcorder. We chose three departments for our illustrations. I did not write long narrations or passages of dialogue because our vignettes were based upon everyday encounters between associates and their customers. Instead, we allowed our associates to ad-lib dialogue. After the editing, we showed the tape to our Personnel Manager and the Store Manager and received their approval for showing the tape to store associates. I was asked to teach the revised customer service policies to three groups of associates and my Personnel Manager taught the other groups. During my years in Lynchburg, VA, I was active in two church choirs. One of our choirs sang what Dr. Jerry Falwell respectfully called, "Stained Glass Music." Many of our selections were from John Rutter or Ralph Vaughan Williams, light classical, and baroque, but all based upon Scripture. I also sang in the Thomas Road Baptist Church Choir which sang frequently on Sunday mornings and evenings. We had the privilege of recording new arrangements of old hymns and recording some new songs to present to our congregation. Composers and arrangers needed vocal demo tapes of their arrangements that could be included with a sample book of newly-arranged songs and sent to church music directors, or could be played on religious radio stations, or could be played in religious book stores. Our church choir recorded many demo tapes, and I participated in approx. 16 of the projects. At Christmastime, we presented the "Living Christmas Tree" which later became part of "The Virginia Christmas Spectacular," For the Christmas programs, we recorded vocal music, also. What a joy for me to sing those lovely songs with powerful messages. The years of 1991-1993 were very hard for me because of a cancer diagnosis and an emotional/mental breakdown Surgeons at UVA Medical Center in Charlottesville, VA removed a cancerous tumor that weighed approx. 50 lbs. The cancer was self-contained within the tumor and had not spread to lymph nodes, other organs or tissues. Doctors declared me free of cancer one year after my surgery. They wanted to wait until my CA-125 blood marker was below 30. Mine went down to approx. 5, which thrilled the doctors. To this day, I remain free of cancer, and I praise God for that. The mental health doctors concluded that I descended into clinical depression following the cancer surgery because I could no longer bear a child, and because of hormone deficiencies and neurotransmitter deficiencies. When the body's hormones and the brain's supply of serotonin, melatonin, and norepinephrine were restored to normal levels, I began to feel more normal. However, the journey back to wholeness was still long and hard. I needed medication, talk therapy, journaling, and reading every source I could find about depression and anxiety. I needed crying, praying, reading my Bible, and having friends to pray for me and with me. Most of all, I had to stop fussing impatiently about "taking time to heal," and start letting God do what He needed to do in His way and in His time. I had to learn to be thankful again as I slowly resumed doing what I once loved doing -- counted cross stitching, singing, and taking care of flowers.. Little by little, the healing became more evident. As God slowly healed me, I began asking Him if He could use me to help other hurting people. His answer was to call me to return to Liberty and to study Psychology through Liberty University Online. My areas of study included Psychology, Counseling, Christian Coaching, and Theology. I don't have my degree yet; I need six more hours -- Statistics and Psychological Measurement. I'm determined to find an online tutor for these classes because, to me, Statistics doesn't make any sense. How can a bunch of impersonal, representational numbers reveal the intensity of, the seriousness of, or the seeming helplessness of having the scary thoughts and overwhelming emotions experienced by a living, breathing client who is in emotional and psychological distress? Because of some illnesses and broken bones in the past two years, I was unable to study or to type my assignments. Now, I feel better and my doctor agrees that I am healthier. If the Lord wills, I will begin my last two classes in the Spring of 2016. From my perspective, I'm not too old to complete my degree studie...Expand for more