Teachers

I heard this during a talk by Guy Doud on His Radio (100.5 FM) tonight in the card driving home. Sometimes I feel like I spend my whole life in the car and sometimes I love it. Tonight (after another long & stressful work day) God spoke to me. He reminded me of his calling on my life - to be a teacher. Tonight I was driving home from a missions council meeting at my church. David & I have felt called to become part of missions within our church and I'm learning how it correlates to teaching. I LOVE teaching children at school and I LOVE teaching people about Jesus. I've found (insert a 'duh!' here) that the more open I am about surrendering to God's will for the direction of my life, the more he refines his call on my life - especially in ways I never thought would happen. God never ceases to amaze me and meet me where I need him to ... tonight it was in the car driving home after a stressful day at work. Even if you're not a teacher maybe you can get something from this, I certainly hope you do!


A little back story: Guy Doud was a former national teacher of the year (1986) and was recognized by meeting Ronald Regan in the oval office! This poem is what the president personally gave him by an unknown author.

Teachers ...
You are the molders of their dreams
The gods who build or crush
Their young beliefs of right or wrong.
You are the spark that sets aflame
The poet's hand or lights the flame
Of some great singer's song.
You are the god of the young, the very young
You are the guardian of a million dreams
Your every smile or frown
Can heal or pierce the heart
You are a hundred lives, a thousand lives.
Yours the pride of loving them
And the sorrow too.
Your patient work, your touch
Make you the gods of hope
Who fill their souls with dreams
To make those dreams come true.

Hope

As I've been back into a routine, stressed beyond belief, I'm reminded that I'm a child of a living God. I'm reminded in the car while I listen to the radio. I'm reminded when I see a beautiful sunset on the way home from school or a sunrise driving over the bridge on the way to church. I'm reminded when I look into the eyes of a child in my class that has survived leukemia. I'm reminded when I sit - quiet - even for just a few minutes that I'm not alone. This God I'm speaking of has such a great gift - for anyone to receive. He offers hope. Hope is, by far, the best drug out there ... Hope is, by far, what can pull you through any situation ... Hope is, by far, what has been allowing me to float these last two weeks. There's more to the offer of hope and I wish I had hours to explain, but I don't. For now, I'll leave you with this verse. It's been reminding me to keep the conversation between me & God open through prayer. It's been reminding me to be patient during the tough times. It's been reminding me that there is hope for good to come. I love how God knows how to meet me where I am exactly when I need him to be there ... I hope that you can have this comfort too.


Romans 12:12 (Different translations so you can get a good picture of the encouraging words Paul wrote)


"Rejoice in our confident hope, be patient in times of trouble and keep on praying." (New Living Translation)
"Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer." (English Standard Version)
"Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer." (New International Version)
"When you hope, be joyful. When you suffer, be patient. When you pray, be faithful." (New International Reader's Version)

A Good Quote

Saw this on a friend's blog and loved it ... 


"The irony is that while God doesn't need us, but still wants us...we desperately need God, but don't really want him most of the time."


What an awesome God we serve!