More than Conquerers

This morning as I was driving to school I had a million and one things going through my mind. The main thing was "Why am I still teaching?" Granted, I'm sure there are many educators out there who ask themselves these questions on a daily basis, I do not. Let me go on the record first by saying I LOVE teaching. I LOVE the kids. I LOVE being their mom, dad, nurse, Jesus, and teacher. There is nothing greater than that. BUT I HATE the "politics" of the education system. By this I mean, I don't like that to other people my students are just a name on a sheet of paper. To me, they are a life that I am forever trying to help change for the better. To the system, they are just scores on a test. To me, they are students who are learning how to be successful in all things: educational, social, physical, and spiritual. This morning I was just so bogged down with this. How can I teach when no one will help these kids but me? I'm just one person. I can only do so much, then someone else needs to step in too, for the kid's sake! But then a wonderful friend of mine led our devotion this morning at school. That Word was just for me, and it encouraged me that no matter what the sorry system sees in my kids, I know what I am here for. Because of what Jesus did for me, I am more than a conqueror of everything! I just love how The Message puts it:

Romans 8:31-39 (The Message)
So, what do you think? With God on our side like this, how can we lose? If God didn't hesitate to put everything on the line for us, embracing our condition and exposing himself to the worst by sending his own Son, is there anything else he wouldn't gladly and freely do for us? And who would dare tangle with God by messing with one of God's chosen? Who would dare even to point a finger? The One who died for us—who was raised to life for us!—is in the presence of God at this very moment sticking up for us. Do you think anyone is going to be able to drive a wedge between us and Christ's love for us? There is no way! Not trouble, not hard times, not hatred, not hunger, not homelessness, not bullying threats, not backstabbing, not even the worst sins listed in Scripture: They kill us in cold blood because they hate you. We're sitting ducks; they pick us off one by one.
None of this fazes us because Jesus loves us. I'm absolutely convinced that nothing—nothing living or dead, angelic or demonic, today or tomorrow, high or low, thinkable or unthinkable—absolutely nothing can get between us and God's love because of the way that Jesus our Master has embraced us.

I absolutely needed to be reminded of that promise this morning. This past Sunday a lady asked me how school was going. She's a teacher too so I just told her some of my "frustrations". I was confused when she asked me..."Do you play the game?" I didn't know what she meant...I've never been one for playing games. She told me that whenever administrators tell her she supposed to teach to the test and only the test she says okay, but then when the door is closed she does what she knows her kids need. Not that there is anything wrong with that, but again I'll say I've never been one to play games. I can't say I even agree with someone if I don't. And I don't! Not that I'm the greatest teacher ever, b/c I know I'm not, but I do know what my kids need. I know some of these kids are never going to make it out of the legal system if the education system fails them. Some of these kids are destined to repeat generational mistakes if someone doesn't intervene. HELLO people! That's what I'm here for. The fact that someone tells me I have to teach to a test is not my life's mission. It is to reach the kids. To challenge them. To TEACH them about life, learning, and in the process have lives changed. It seems like this year more than any other I have kids who are challenging beyond belief. they don't fit the "cookie cutter" discipline that most kids follow. These are the kids that keep you up at night. But then they have a moment when they hug you! The roughest, toughest kids around and that's what you get. That's what I'm here for.

I'm so thankful that God is placing people in my life to challenge and encourage me along this journey we call life. God is daily teaching me how to follow Him. How to surrender my plans to Him. And how to give my all to Him...my ALL. Not just the parts of me that feel warm and fuzzy inside. I mean everything. The doubts, worries, frustrations. All of it. I pray that you are also at a place where you are giving God everything not just your cleaned up Sunday best. He truly wants you to come to Him so that He can be your all. When you finally come to a point where you can be honest with the Lord, that's when the true growing relationship begins...at least I know it has for me.

~Conquering life's daily challenges with the Lord,
Elizabeth