As I sit here and think of what to write, I am overwhelmed by the glory of God. So let me start at the beginning:
In August I began student teaching, which has been such an incredible experience! I am in a 3rd grade classroom with an amazing teacher and some awesome students. That, in and of itself, is a huge blessing. I am so thankful for such a wonderful environment to learn and teach in! However, all my fellow education majors know that student teaching is no joke; it is a lot of work. We are expected to be writing detailed lesson plans, logging hours, reflecting, going to seminars, and gradually taking over all responsibilities of the teacher. Starting this week I will be teaching all but one subject in my classroom, and while it is so incredibly exciting and fun, it’s a lot to prepare for! Along with all that, I also have to complete a performance assessment for Missouri certification. In short, this requires me to complete 4 major Tasks that I must implement and pass in order to be certified. In the middle of all this, I will be leaving in a few short weeks (ahhhhh!!!) for Training Camp!! I am beyond excited about TC, but I have a lot of preparation to do before then for student teaching. Needless to say, God has been teaching me the importance of balancing many tasks all at once and His grace has given me the strength to do so.
Since I didn’t already have enough going on, I also just finished my big fundraiser! I hosted a volleyball tournament and silent auction at my church this past Saturday. There was a lot of prayer and planning that went into preparing for this fundraiser. It absolutely would not have been possible without my amazing support system stepping up where needed. We spread the word, got donations from local business to auction off, and truly covered this event in prayer. About a week before the event, I was doubtful. I had a solid three teams signed up and was so overwhelmed by the weight of everything going on. But, I also knew that God had continuously provided and He wasn’t about to stop now.
All in all, God showed up in incredible ways. He provided 9 (!!!!!) teams to play in the tournament and many other people that came for the silent auction!! I was awestruck by His faithfulness. He allowed me to raise about $2,200 from this fundraiser, leaving me with only about $2,700 left to go! A sense of peace has since overcome me as I know He will allow the rest to come in within the next few months.
I share all of this with you to say, God will never leave you stranded and hopeless. Even when it seems like you have a thousand things going on and the season of life you are in is weird and crazy, He is the calm in the storm. I’ve been going through Psalms and a few days before my fundraiser I came across this passage:
“As for God, His way is perfect; the word of the Lord is flawless. He is a shield for all who take refuge in Him. For who is God besides the Lord? And who is the Rock except our God?” (18:30-31)
Life is moving at a thousand miles an hour and some days it feels like there is no constant strength to lean on. But I find hope and joy in the fact that I serve a God who is my Rock in all seasons of life. And no matter what He throws my way, He is walking through this crazy life right by my side. I am speechless at His abundant provision. And what excites me more than anything, is that in a few short months I get to share this good news all over the world and shout His name from the mountaintops!!
***If you has any part in helping make this fundraiser a success (helping plan and set-up, playing in the tournament, bidding in the silent auction, buying a shirt, sending prayers my way, etc.), THANK YOU!!! God used you as a vessel and it truly blessed me. So thank you for your donation and support; it means the world to me!
