Lesson 2: Sowing and Reaping

"Remember this:  Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously."  2 Corinthians 9:6

       The first day of school I drove to school with the radio off praying.  I didn't know what to do and was terrified of the year that lay before me.  Knowing God has placed me in this position, I resolved to take it one day at a time.  
       As I prayed in a whirlwind of thoughts and emotions (fear, resentment, etc.)  God engrained the truth of this verse on my mind.  He said:

You will reap what you sow this year.  If you approach your students with joy, they will give joy back to you.  

If you approach them with resentment, that's what you're going to get back.

In that moment God left the choice up to me.  I had a choice about how I would approach each day.  When I am tried, frustrated, or unmotivated, that's the fruit I receive back from my students.  When I am cheerful, loving, and energetic, I receive that back from my students. 
      This principle also applies to family, marriage, and friendships.

You reap what you sow

Lesson 1: Identity

"Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith."~ Hebrews 12:2

This was the verse in my devotional this morning.  I'm in a season, where the truth of the verse immediately began to seep into my soul.  

Fix my eyes.....focus on Jesus

Why?  because he perfects my faith.

What a year!  As the school year winds down, I find myself unable to express all the truths God has taught me this year.  However, I'd like to share a few lessons God's taught me in hopes that they encourage you and may even be true in your own life.

                                    My identity is in Christ.  

         As many of you know, I moved to my husband's hometown in California a few years ago.  The first few months were hard as I pursued a job, church family, friendships, etc.  God provided a job within 2 months of substituting teaching in a grade I loved.   God used my 2 years teaching at the school to build local friendships and even a Bible Study group with a few other teachers.  However, it was clear this was not where God wanted me to permanently teach.  Last Spring when I began to knock on doors of other opportunities. God had filled me with peace and joy on the way home from one of my interviews.  Afterwards I felt this was his way of preparing me for the shock of the offer, because later I was offered a 5th grade teaching position in this well respected district.   After 7 years of teaching (and loving) kindergarten-2nd grade, I worried about it all summer.  By the end of the summer I realized that though I was intimidated by teaching a grade I had no experience in and knew little about, my real battle was a spiritual struggle.  
           I felt like so many parts of my identity changed when I moved here-  living near my family, my home church, cats, friendships, my home, and so on.  Teaching "little ones" was one part of who I was that God had allowed to be constant until last summer.  I begged God to please open up a younger grade and allow me to do what I loved.  He said no.   
           He wanted me to learn that my identity was in HIM.....not in the grade I teach.  
           The first 3-4 months of the school year were just as hard as I thought they'd be.  Once December hit, I began to relax.  I've learned that I love teaching period...yes I still prefer the younger grades, but God can provide purpose in any grade.  and.....I LOVE my students.  Saying goodbye to them and sending them off to middle school in a few weeks is going to be very bittersweet.  God's used these students to bring joy, encouragement, and growth in my life.  I will miss their smiles and laughs.  I will miss the relationships God's grown over the last 10 months.  His faithfulness to me this year humbly brings me to my knees. I'll NEVER forget this year. 
           I needed to learn this lesson from God.  He's placed me at a great school with a great team and staff and now, next year, he's allowing me to go back to first grade.  However, in the future, if he decides to move me back to an older grade, I desire to  trust him and go without such a fit.