“People should feel like they’re worth something after being around a Christian.”
“I don’t know what to do with _____________!!”
How many times, as a teacher, have you said that? And heard other teachers say that? What do you do when you are absolutely at your wit’s end over a particular student? I am at that place this particular school year. I am facing challenges with students this school year where I feel completely inadequate.
This is like a “no duh” moment, but when you don’t know what to do with a kid: God does. The One who uniquely created this child, the One whose thoughts about this child are as vast as the grains of sand, the One who knows the number of that kid’s days, who knows the number of hairs on that kid’s head , the One who has a purpose and plan for that kid’s life, the One who chose you to be that child’s teacher, has all the wisdom, insight, and tools needed to reach that child.
Lord God,
I pray that you would fill me with your Spirit today. Give me Your words, Your eyes, and Your heart for my students. I pray that I would have the inspiration and creativity to meaningfully teach and guide them. I pray that I would have the stamina and perseverance to be committed and consistent. I pray that I would have a vision for each child’s future to keep before me. I pray that through my example and love, each child in my care would catch a glimpse that there’s a God who loves them immeasurably.
In the name of Jesus,
Amen
Reposted from the archives…because I needed to be reminded!
I love how when I’m studying a particular passage in scripture, a particular word or phrase jumps out at me and compels me to, for the moment, focus on that specific word or phrase. Recently, I’ve been studying my way through the book of Philippians. I was just beginning chapter 2 and looking at verse 1:
“Therefore if [there is] any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection and mercy,”
I paused at the phrase “any consolation in Christ” and contemplated…if Jesus was consoling me or others, what would He say? In other translations, the word “consolation” is translated “encouragement”, “comfort”, or “exhortation”.The word “consolation” (paraklesis) is from the Greek root “parakleo” which means to “call to one’s side, to summon” and “to speak to in the way of exhortation, comfort, instruction”. This tells me that the comfort of God is mine if I would call on Him. How would Jesus encourage me? I looked in the gospels to see exactly what Jesus said to comfort and encourage those around Him. Here’s what I found:
1.Do not worry. (Matthew 6:25-34)
2. Keep seeking and asking. (Matthew 7:7-12)
3. I will give you rest. (Matthew 11:25-30)
4. God the Father gives His children good gifts. (Luke 11:13)
5. Jesus said He came to give us abundant life. (John 10:10)
6. Let not your heart be troubled. (John 14:1-6)
7. Peace, I give you. (John 14:25-27)
8. Be of good cheer, for I have overcome the world. (John 16:33)
These are just some of the verses I found where Jesus was offering encouragement and comfort to those whom He was teaching. I plan to look at each of these portions of scripture individually…to better discern and digest how to look to God for my comfort and strength; to brand His peace on my heart that it might become part of me. And then in turn, how I might be a comfort and encouragement to others.
I recently had the pleasure of after-school detention duty. The one and only other time I had this duty this school year, I had one student. Piece of cake. This time, however, I had at least ten kids, mostly fifth graders. It was SCARY.
Their teachers have my sympathy. Their teachers now have my prayers. Prepubescent arrogant, aggravating, angels.
First, I took the hard nose approach. Sit down! Be quiet! Put your heads down! This did not really faze them.
Then I tried the bleeding heart approach. So, what did you do to get detention?
One student in particular, felt it necessary to enlighten me on how annoying other people can be, especially teachers. She said something along the lines of “if someone bothers me, I’m going to put them in the hospital.”
I asked her what she thought would happen to her if she put someone in the hospital. She said she would go to jail. The other kids thought this was hilarious.
So, I asked them.
Do you guys know anyone who’s in jail or been in jail?
My uncle.
My cousin.
My brother.
My dad.
My mom.
The time was over all too quickly. I would have loved to have been able to talk to them some more. Find out (as I believe) that all their bravado hides some sadness. Sadness that their world is not as it should be. Sadness that something or someone is missing from their world. Sad that there’s few adults in their lives for them to respect and trust.
Each student in our classrooms represent a family. In some cases, the families are emotionally and psychologically healthy (not perfect however!). In others, families are broken, dysfunctional, abusive. Children come to us needy, angry, and sad. They struggle under the weight of their burdens and long to take them out on their poor, unsuspecting teachers. 
It’s overwhelming. I can’t bear it. Nor is it possible for me to, (as I once heard one teacher say) “tell them to leave their personal problems at the door.” I refuse to become that callous.
But I believe that God can bear it, and when we pray for our students’ home lives, we are helping bear that burden, and bring hope and light into despair and darkness.
Pray for abuse to end. Pray for healing from drug addiction. Pray for new healthy ways of relating to one another be forged in families.
Pray for students’ home lives.
“I am made to rise up, do battle with my issues and, using the Lord’s strength in me, defeat them–spiritually, physically, and mentally–to the glory of God.”
~Lysa Terkeurst, Made to Crave
We manifest our understanding and gratitude for the grace of God by how we demonstrate grace towards others.
~Wendi Norwood
What if we thanked God for our weaknesses instead of begging to be freed from them? Perhaps our freedom would come because thanking God for where we are weakest actually draws us closest to Him and His grace, mercy, and power.
Thanking Him for…
873. the stronger sense of my need for Him
874. red flannel nightie on my growing girl
875. four year old birthday party
876. blessings of clothes and shoes for my growing girl
877. more new students
878. growing closer in my relationship with my husband
879. Lyli starting ballet class
880. ballet slippers on little feet
881. Lyli’s four year old retelling of the woman who washes Jesus’ feet with her tears (“Jesus had an owie on His foot, and the girl washed His foot with raindrops from her eyes”)
882. reading Made to Crave
883. ministry opportunities
884. fellowship at church
885. breakfast in bed
886. 4 day weekend
887. date night
888. Paul’s arm around me in church
He who began a good work…
So close to getting to my one thousand gifts…and still such a slacker!
Will I ever learn?
Is this where I find grace?
May I have eyes to see God’s gifts all around me…
Thank you God…
857. Lyli turning 4! that’s crazy! she was just born….
858. Additional required schooling being paid for by my district (a huge blessing)
859. Paul and Dad going to Men’s Conference at church
860. Extra help in my classroom! (with experience too, yay!)
861. Girl scout cookies (thin mints!) it’s the little things…
862. great weather
863. Tobie (the dog) getting a bath
864. Lyli loudly singing Disney tunes while in the shower
865. Lyli saying-”I love you mama”
866. Sister’s having a boy! Looking forward to holding little Isaiah Landon when he arrives
867. married couple’s study
868. free books for my Kindle
869. Missing friends…thankful I have friends to miss..(you know who you are!)
870. Finishing a journal
871. Starting a new journal
872. restful weekends
“Holy wonder will lead you to grateful worship and heartfelt thanksgiving.”
~Charles Spurgeon
“For a child in search of the blessing, the major thing silence communicates is confusion. Children who are left to fill in the blanks when it comes to what their parents think about them will often fail the test when it comes to feeling valuable and secure. Spoken words at least give the hearer an indication that he or she is worthy of some attention.”
~The Blessing by John Trent, PH.D. and Gary Smalley
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