The Lord works in mysterious ways. And sometimes those ‘ways’ are a youth football program mishap. In 2008, Shane and Becky Headley were ready to sign up their oldest son, Austin, for Middle School football through their local public school system. Only this year was different. Due to a technical paperwork issue, the programs were only available to families who had children enrolled in a public feeder school for the local public high school. Their four boys were enrolled at Borculo Christian, and they were left scrambling for other options. They heard that Unity had recently started a 7-8er’s football program and decided that was the best option for the fall. The following year the boys were eligible to play football through the public school again, but God had other plans in store for the Headleys.
Becky remembers how quickly they saw a difference, “The way the program was ran, you could tell it was different.” She noticed that the coaches did devotions with the players each day before practice. They prayed with the boys privately and before games. She could tell the coaches took a very active approach in being Christ-like role models for the boys. These differences made her wonder about what it would look like for her boys to attend Unity. But she pushed that possibility aside. Unity was far away from the community they had built, and they had not considered continuing with Christian education beyond 8th grade or the financial commitment that would involve.
When the 7-8er season concluded, the team was invited to work out with other Unity-bound students during the off season. Hudsonville was a bit of a hike for the Headleys to regularly take Austin out to optional off-season workout. Coach Gruppen stepped up and helped organize a carpooling group of other Borculo boys so Austin could attend more work out sessions. Shane and Becky continued to be touched by the football program and its staff. For the first time they felt a nudge to truly entertain the possibility of continuing Christian education for their family into high school and attending Unity next fall.
They knew that nudge was from God. While it would have been convenient if God could have put a billboard up with their path spelled out, that isn’t usually the way things work. Instead, the Headley family entered a period of discernment where they had to humbly watch for subtle signs of where God was leading their boys’ education.
They attended an 8th grade night to explore what it might look like to enroll their sons at Unity. The small differences through the inclusion of Christ in every aspect of education at Unity impressed them. They prayed for God’s guidance. They felt a growing call to Unity, but the path they had planned to follow was well-known and comfortable. Shane had attended Borculo Christian through 8th grade and then attended public high school. Becky was enrolled in public school for her whole education. Was switching to Unity right for Austin, Riley, Alec, and Kolby Headley?
The next nudge that Shane and Becky felt came through the support of their church – Rusk CRC. Rusk was, and still is, very committed to supporting the Christian education of their members through prayer and tuition assistance. The Headley’s knew that finances would be tighter than they had planned if they decided to enroll their boys at Unity. In truth, they weren’t sure where the money would come from. But Rusk and Unity made it clear that they would stand behind them in support should they pursue Christian high school education.
The school year wore on as they continued to pray about the big decision they had to make. Spring rolled around and Austin began to get antsy. His 8th grade graduation was looming, and all his friends knew where they would be attending high school. Becky recalls, “we just started really praying … and one morning I woke up and was just so peaceful about it.” In the end, Shane and Becky felt that God was pulling their hearts toward Unity. They were nervous. It seemed daunting to enter a whole new community, juggle longer commutes to school, and to meet the increased tuition requirements. But once they told their boys they would attend Unity Christian High School, they were all in. They humbly put their concerns in God’s hands. They knew He would provide.
God made a way! He made a way to Unity Christian when that is not where the Headleys were headed. God made a new community become like family. God provided a way for the increased tuition payments, even when money was tight. Shane and Becky continued to hear ‘yeses’ that affirmed their decision to send their boys to Unity. One of those ‘yeses’ came when Jack Postma spoke about Christian education at their church. He shared a message about how Christian schools were not an ‘angel factory’ but rather a place to educate imperfect students through a Christian worldview and prepare them to stand firm in their faith after graduation. This spoke directly to a fear that Shane and Becky felt – that they didn’t belong at Unity.
Now, 16 years later, all four Headley boys have graduated from Unity, and Shane and Becky can look back and see the fruit that came from their decision to follow God’s call to Unity. They believe that fruit is largely a result of the impact amazing teachers and coaches had on their boys during their time at Unity. They were especially grateful for the male teachers at Unity after coming from a K-8 school with a predominantly female staff. They know God placed these role models in their sons’ lives to help shape them into the men they are today.
They see the impact that teachers and coaches engaging in hard conversations in the classroom had on their boys’ ability to speak confidently about their faith. They see the lasting impact that teachers who poured into their children had on their development. They see the enduring friendships built on a foundation of shared faith and a passion for studying the Word together. They see how their time in the football program fostered strength and endurance rooted in faith.
Shane and Becky feel humbled and blessed with the decision they made years ago to continue their children’s Christian education at Unity Christian High School. “[It] is God’s providence. We didn’t know it at the time how much of an impact it would have on our children. Not only our children but the way they are now raising their children – preparing them to be the next generation.” They see the seeds of Christian education taking root as their boys have grown into young men and married godly women. The Headley’s still attend Rusk CRC with all their children and grandchildren, now taking up two pews.