JUMP!

Wow! It's been a while since I blogged. Life, like always, has just been busy. I'll just warn you before you start reading...this blog post was a way for me to get my thoughts out on what the Lord is teaching me and I wrote a lot!

Right now our current series at Journey is called "Jump." We are learning about faith and Pastor Jimmy is challenging us to "jump" and take a leap of faith to the next step in our journey with Christ. I've blogged before about the fact that Matt and I feel called to working in full time ministry together somewhere in the future. Who knows what that looks like, or when it will be. God has taught me recently that I don't know when that "future" is going to be. He's taught me to be content where he has placed me in life and to seek him as I daily try to make an impact at Wendell. It's so easy to get caught up in the negative, frustrating aspects of my job....the kids don't listen, they are disrespectful, some of my colleagues complain, and I'm always being asked to do more. He's showed me that I must seek to live in him daily, to take it day by day and to let him move as he has planned...even if that means I teach for the next 5 years and Matt continues at his job.

Part of my "jump" (being content where God has placed me and allowing him to use me at Wendell) has been to really seek the Lord on a daily basis in reading my bible & praying. I've always had a hard time with finding quiet moments to seek God on a daily basis. Mainly because I always claim that I am "too busy," which is true...I am busy, but I can make time for God. I mean, after all he certainly makes time for me. I've really tried to do this recently. I've started reading in Psalms. In the past I've always read in the New Testament...people say it's easier for us to relate to. I was inspired by a friend to read through Psalms. I've never read through it completely and I really felt called to start reading there. I have been so blessed to see David and other Psalmist cry out to God in happiness and despair. They are real, they share their true thoughts there. Today I was reminded that God knows our hearts & our minds, even when we don't speak it. Because of this, I am challenged to glorify God in all that I do, speak, and THINK. Even when a student drives me absolutely crazy and I want to kill them...I must learn to think about them the way God would. What would he say to them? What would he think about them?

No matter where I am in my life, I must learn to live in the moment. To let the God of the universe, the one who created me work in me the way HE wants to. Not the way Matt & Magan want. If it was up to us, we'd be packing up to move somewhere where we could work full time in ministry together. We may be in the house another 5 years doing the same jobs at Wendell Middle School and S&A Cherokee, but whatever God's plan is we have to enjoy where he has us and allow him to work in and through us. My prayer as I finish this blog post is that I am allowing God to work through me everyday, whether I'm at school or home on a weekend. I have so much I need to grow and to learn. I pray that he continues to teach me and that I never go back to being frustrated at where I am in life, but that I continue to allow him to use me where I am!