One Year After the Race…
Sometimes God answers our prayers in unexpected ways. He calls us to be patient, to endure, and to trust that His plan for our lives is better than ours. – Rich Warren
God answered my prayers – He provided me with a job with a steady income. Now this was not the ideal job I had in mind. In fact, since I have about a junior in college and all throughout my world race trip, I said I would never be a teacher. But God was molding me and making me into the person I am today, and after all, I did graduate college with an Art Education K-12 degree. I am now an art teacher at Lexington Elementary School. I teach 19 classes and about 400 kids pass through my classroom each week. Talk about impact… Wow.
God’s plan for my life was so much better than my own. I know without a doubt this is where I am supposed to be – God has created me to be a teacher. I am so thankful that God has clearly directed my paths. I plan to stay where I am at until God directs me to something different.
Some people think that God is more visible overseas, but that is because when you are overseas you are looking for God to show up. In America, we become complacent in our faith and stop looking to God in the simple things. Prayer works in America just as much as it works in Kenya, and I have been able to see so many prayers answered by working in a school.
The district I work for is top of the notch as we provide students with quality, personalized learning experiences that development 21st century learning skills. In working for this incredible district – I developed a big dream. I wanted to have iPads for my classroom. I talked with several key people at my school, but my idea was looked down upon since I am an art teacher. I felt like no one believed I could do it, but I wrote a grant for 8 iPads. And with God’s favor, I received these iPads – everyone was amazed. It was truly a God thing. These iPads have been such an incredible resource in my classroom, my students use them weekly. Even better, the district ordered me 8 iPad styluses to go with the set (which wasn’t even in my grant). God is incredible good.
God shows up in the big things, but God also shows up in the little things. The mornings that I spend time with Jesus, the whole day seems to go smoother. When I have a really challenging class about to come in, I say a simple prayer of patience and he grants it. When I have a pop-in observation and the entire lesson goes smoothly – I know it’s a God’s thing. When it is drizzling rain and my 5th grade class is about to go on a walking field trip, I prayed for the rain to stop and it did. Prayer truly works. God has granted me favor, wisdom, and patience that can only come from him.
I absolutely love my job, and I know that I am making an impact on my students through my actions.
We find contentment once we learn to see everything in life as a gift or opportunity. Perspective is everything. Happiness is a choice. – Rick Warren
