Hi, my name is Tanika Asiedu, and I’m a current student here at Grace Christian University currently studying for my Bachelor’s in Psychology and moving straight into my Master’s in Organizational Leadership.

It has just been an amazing experience thus far. I’m originally from Baltimore, Maryland, but I currently reside here in Georgia, thanks to the military. My husband is active duty Army, go Army!

Choosing Education While Serving

So we do travel, of course, and that was definitely one of the main things when it came to education and how we chose to go about me being able to complete my educational goals.

The funny part about me finding Grace was I actually applied for Grace a couple years ago, not even a couple. It’s been more than five, like back in 2013 or so.

And to be honest, I don’t even remember applying. Let’s just say I guess life was life-ing at that time. That I ended up not starting.

Instead of starting with Grace, I did end up going back to my original college where I started my associate’s and unfortunately did not complete during the time when I should have, but I ended up completing.

Picking Up the Journey Again

At the end of my associate’s, I said, I don’t want to stop. If I do stop again, if I take another break, I’m not going to start back up.

So I started my journey again for the school to go ahead and transition into my bachelor’s degree. And that was Grace again, and I just felt led and drawn back to the school.

So that’s what I did. I applied, and my admissions counselor at that time, was like, hey, you know, you’re already registered.

You were accepted a while ago, but we’ll go ahead and get everything updated and you are accepted again.

And I was just, Lord, I don’t remember applying before, but thank you, Lord, for giving me a second opportunity to start again.

Balancing Motherhood, Marriage, and College

Now, my whole thing was timing. I am 34 years old, going on 35, with three children, one on the way, and a husband, of course.

And my whole thing was just being able to not only find the time to study but also not taking too long to complete my educational goals.

Grace has several programs for one to get there. There’s the 4+1 program, but one that I was able to be accepted in after a few amazing conversations was the dual enrollment program.

So I have been taking dual classes every term. 

Graduating in May 2025

I started this journey in fall of 2023, and I prayerfully graduated with my bachelor’s in Psychology this May 2025.

I’m just so grateful and so in awe of what God has been doing. Coming from a college dropout, this is something just amazing to me and mind-blowing.

But also just a great experience for my children to see me go through, to see me fall on my face once or twice.

Then to see how God can ultimately use those failures, use those times where you don’t feel enough, you don’t feel worthy enough, to bring you back to Him.

A University That Grows the Spirit and Mind

Grace has just been that school that has kept me intertwined with my faith, and also with my educational goals. So it’s been amazing. 

Grace has impacted my life in so many ways, because for one, I understand that there are many schools out there, but what school are you going to meet with your admissions counselor or your graduate counselor and they open up a discussion with prayer, close it with prayer. They’ll give you encouragement in Scripture, or share their own testimonies with you? 

It has just been different. And if I knew it was going to be this amazing back in 2013, I would have just pursued it and continued.

But I’m thankful that God did give me that time in between to go ahead and mature and to grow and to ultimately find myself back to Him prior to me completing this program.

Why Psychology?

As far as how I landed on Psychology, I changed my major so much throughout school.

I’m the type that if I put my mind to it, if I really wanted to do it, I can do it.

So I never really had a focus, so to speak. If I wanted to learn how to lay bricks, I would go to a school that taught me how to lay bricks.

If I wanted to go ahead and just be a mechanic, I would be a mechanic. 

But God brought me to a place where I couldn’t just continue to run from here and there. He only gave me one place to run to, and that was to Him.

He gave me this clear and compelling call and just told me, “Hey, you know exactly what you’re supposed to do. You know what I called you to.”  What I called you to do is help my people.

Bridging Mental Health and Faith

One thing, especially in African American communities and the Christian community as a whole, is we sometimes like to neglect mental health.

Finding that balance for myself between mental health and my biblical faith was tough at one point. And it’s just like, okay, maybe let me go ahead and learn a little bit.

So my associate’s degree was in human services, and I don’t know, it’s just like a spark went off as I was going through those courses.

I’m  like, okay, Lord, this is what You want for me. You want me to come to Your people. You want me to be there, to be an ear, to be a helping hand.

Whether it’s mental health or in any capacity, You called me to be Your hands and feet on earth.

Serving as a Missionary

As a foreign missionary as well, it has just been amazing being able to see different cultures, see different mindsets, the way that people treat different things, and just knowing that I can use my skills now on a broader scale.

So after the completion of my bachelor’s degree, I will be going directly into the master’s program in Organizational Leadership.

To be able to utilize the skills and what I learned during this time on the missions field, both far away and at home.

Grace Walked With Me

I’m still, once again, in awe. I don’t even know how many times I can say that, but this journey has been amazing and Grace has made it effortless. 

Whenever I needed someone, whenever I needed guidance, whenever I needed additional assistance or explanations, someone was always there.

And I think that is a great thing about Grace as a whole.

Preparing for Full-Time Missions

Now, as far as an impactful story of what changed my life, as I stated, I am a missionary. My husband and I together.

I we met and married him on the missions field and he joined me here in the States in 2019.

That laid it on our hearts to one day become full-time missionaries. As he pursues his own degree in Divinity, I am choosing to continue to stick it out with Grace.

In order for my education to be received and used on the missions field, when we do end up there, wherever God leads us, I just know that the insights, the growth, the resources that Grace has provided throughout these last few years will be an amazing tool.

As I’ve already started using it even within our ministries here at home.

A Word of Encouragement

If you are an incoming student, if you are stuck within your decision, if you are a current student, what I do recommend is that you continue to seek God.

There are several great schools out here, but allow the Lord to lead you to where it is that He wants you to gain your momentum for the calling he has placed in your life. 

It is ultimately up to Him. He will lead you, He will guide you, and He will bring you through.

I am a testimony of that, because it was not me, but the strength that He gave me to get this far and to keep pressing forward.