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As a young girl growing up in New England, Evie struggled in school. She couldn't remember dates or names or even put together a sentence that made sense. When her older brother found the Lord and enrolled at ORU, he encouraged Evie to join him, but because of her grades, she wasn't able to be admitted. Finally, her brother persuaded the school to admit Evie.


As could be expected, nothing came easy for Evie at ORU, and she struggled to pass her classes. After hearing Oral Roberts preach one day, she wrote him a letter asking him to pray for God to heal her severe disability. Oral's office phoned her and said that he wanted to pray for her after the basketball game. She was to go to the game, enjoy herself and then there would be prayer afterward. When the time came, Oral prayed for God to heal Evie's fear. She was shocked and told Oral that she needed healing of her disability. He said, "Trust me, Evie you will know when the Lord has healed you of your fear." 

The next day she received the book Bread for the Wilderness, Wine for the Journey by John Kilinger. She never found out who left the book for her, but as she read the book, she learned that if you see yourself as handicapped, you are handicapped. Evie decided right then and there that being handicapped was over for her. Under the direction of Dr. Wanda Hartman, she began taking classes in special education, hoping to discover some strategies that might help her.

Though it was never easy for her, Evie graduated with a B.A. in Learning Disabilities and Mental Retardation and then eventually went on to get her M.A. in Learning Disabilities from the University of Tulsa. By chance, or by God's leading, Evie ran into a former professor from ORU at a local event and she asked Evie if she would be interested in becoming an adjunct professor. 

She came back to ORU and today teaches nearly all special education classes offered on the campus. Not long after she returned to ORU, her dean told her it was part of her job to pursue her Ed.D. Trusting God and having a positive attitude, Evie completed the coursework but is still working on the dissertation for her doctorate. It was only at the end of her oral exams that Oral's words from so long ago came back to her, "You will know when the Lord has healed you of your fear." Evie commented, "I know God put me here at ORU for a reason. I am to help and counsel students who are struggling. I also understand why I haven't been completely healed of my disability. God wants me never to lose sight of what it is to struggle so I never lose my empathy, understanding and compassion for students with learning disabilities."

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