To everything
there is a season, a time for every purpose under heaven. (Ecclesiastes 3:1)
Courage and Time
We are now in the midst of the Christmas season, a season
for giving. Recently God distributed a wonderful gift. It snowed in south Texas, something that only
happens once every ten years! Many
students got to go outside during the school day and had the opportunity to
experience REAL snow. For many of
them it was the very first time in their lives. What a gift it was for all the
teachers to see the joy on the children’s faces and the wonder in their eyes as
they went outside to see and touch the snow, to hold out their hands and catch
the large beautiful white flakes and to open their mouths and taste it. A few lucky ones made and threw small
snowballs before being caught by their teachers. Some of the students were
amazed that when the snow melted on them it was wet. The only snow they had ever experienced was
on TV. What a difference there is
between knowledge of something and the experience of something.
God has given us eternal gifts we experience daily. He has given us physical life, every breath
and every heart beat. He has given us His living Word, the Bible, to guide us (Basic Instructions Before
Leaving
Earth). He has given us eternal life through His Son,
Jesus. He has given us His Holy Spirit which fills us with supernatural gifts
and life sustaining fruit. He has given us our jobs in education. These are
impressive gifts He has given us.
Christmas is Jesus’ birthday. What are we going to give Him this year? Have we really thought and prayed about this
or have we gotten caught up already in meeting all the expectations we have for
ourselves and that others hold for us as related to this season? There are
three gifts we have to give the Lord this year and every year - our time,
talent, and treasure. I encourage you to
be a wise man or wise woman and give Jesus more uninterrupted time this year,
specifically in your professional life.
Jeannine Hillis is a junior high teacher who three years
ago gave Jesus the precious gift of more professional time which is making an
eternal difference in the lives of others.
Like many of us, her life’s plate was full and overflowing. At that time she was a resource special
education teacher. Staying afloat with class lessons and meeting all the
district requirements for paperwork, duty, etc. was difficult. She had a husband and two sons at home to
care for also. She was deeply involved
in church activities that consumed much of her time beyond family and school.
She was also the president of the parent support group of her son’s boys’ choir
that traveled all over the city, state, country and world. Busy, busy, busy.....
One day during school, a seventh grader came up to her
between classes and asked, “Mrs. Hillis, I want to start a Bible club this
year. Will you sponsor it?” Jeannine’s
unspoken first response was, “No way. You have to be kidding me. I have no time for that.” The Holy Spirit, however, prompted her to
accept the position. Jeannine told the
girl, “I will sponsor your club if you get the signatures of twelve students
who are committed to starting and sustaining the club.” The next day the girl was at her doorway with
a piece of paper signed by twelve students.
The rest of this story is history. By the end of the same
year the club had grown from 12 to about 50 to 75 students. The following year,
with the support of several youth pastors and four or five more faculty
sponsors, the group had grown to 150 students who met weekly at school, during
the school day at club time, to encourage one another in their faith. Jeannine
gave God a barley loaf offering of her professional time and, as a result, God
used it to spiritually feed hundreds of students. Some of them are hearing
about and being led to Christ for the first time in their lives within a public
school.
By reading these devotions each week you are giving God
some time. Most teachers average a 45 to
55 hour work week. To give the Lord 10
to 15 minutes of time daily for committed prayer or 30 to 60 minutes on a
designated day before school, after school, or during lunch means giving him
just a 1% to 2% gift of your total professional time. Our employers require us
to attend workshops, team meetings, faculty meetings, partner school meetings,
vertical team meetings, and PLC (Professional Learning Community)
meetings. Jesus is not demanding. He is
simply asking with an outstretched nail pierced hand for a little more time. He is saying, “I want a PSC (Professional Spiritual Community) at your school. Will
you help me start and sustain one this coming year?”
Prayer: Lord, thank
you for the gift of time you have given us. We freely give more of our time
back to you.”
Application: Write on your computer screen, lesson plan book cover,
or chalkboard how many minutes per day or week of devoted time you are going to
offer God in prayer where you work. Give it to Him in the new year.
Sharing: I am committed
to giving Jesus ____ minutes of my undivided attention and time at school each
week.
CLASSROOM
LIGHTHOUSE SERIES: TEACHER! TAKE COURAGE!
(For inquiries contact ceaihouston@sbcglobal.net.) #14
Prayerfully dependent,
K
PS. Don’t forget to spread the word about the 1:16PM Prayer Movement.
• Follow us on Twitter for the prayer prompts @one16pray
May God bless you with success His way this 2013-2014 school year.
Christian Educators Association International is the only professional association in the United States specifically for Christian educators in public schools. CEAI protects our members first in prayer, next with excellent professional liability insurance and other benefits while helping them live out their high calling as a Christian in the public school.
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