Smiling

So right now, I am cuddled up in lots of blankets and smiling:) I like blankets, especially when it's cold outside and inside. But I'm not just smiling because I get to be wrapped in blankets, I'm smiling because God has blessed me with another Sunday of hearing His Word preached. I'm smiling because I love being inspired and I love to inspire others. In fact that was one of my reasons for becoming a teacher. Though recently I have been doubting my teaching abilities and wondering how in the world I'm going to get my students to learn, let alone inspire them to love learning. In my own life, I feel most inspired when I'm living with Jesus, knowing that He is at work in and through me...this helps me dream big dreams and set out to do the impossible, because nothing is impossible with Christ! Hence I moved to New Zealand and followed the call the Lord put on my heart to serve Him overseas. This was/is an impossible dream that God made happen. Now that I am here, I am in the process of figuring out just exactly what it is I'm supposed to do here. I've been here for about three months and the desire to get churches connected with schools by sending mentors to encourage and love "at risk" kids is burning on my heart. I have a vision of seeing churches caring for their communities by caring for the education of the children in those communities and at the same time bringing the Love of Jesus into the hearts of these kids and their families. I've approached World Vision with questions about getting Kids Hope started here in NZ, similar to the States and Aussie, however, they are not going to go forward with that right now. So now what? I still feel like this is something God has placed on my heart.

This morning I was reminded that Jesus did not give up on Peter. Peter denied even knowing Jesus and yet Jesus later told him that He was going to use Peter to build His church. Peter was impulsive and spontaneous (i.e. jumping out of a boat), yet Jesus led him, gently corrected and taught him through his actions. Trust Jesus, don't doubt, and you might just end up walking on water. Impossible for most, but with God, all things are possible. So, starting a church/school mentoring program to bring Jesus into our communities...difficult, yes!, but impossible? No way! Nothing is impossible with God!

This evening God spoke to my heart with the same Scripture that He used to bring me to New Zealand, Isaiah's Commissioning, Isaiah 6:1-8. Isaiah realized that God put a calling on his life to prophesy to the nations, Isaiah realized He was sinful and unworthy to be used by God, then Isaiah realized that God was willing to cleanse him and was prepared to speak through him. Finally, Isaiah says ok, here I am, I'll go for you, I am yours. I am going to be diving more into the meaning behind the word "calling" in the next few weeks. I am confident that the Lord has given me a passion to point people to Him, to inspire others to know Him, to help people know Him, to encourage those who are currently walking with Jesus to grow and deepen that relationship. I hear Jesus saying, "Bring the little children unto me."

Right now, how am I going to see teaching music as more than a task? That is going to be difficult, I need to be intentionally thinking about how I respond to my students and what I say. I pray that even though I find myself in some pretty hard situations that God steps in and redeems those situations for His glory. Pray with me about bringing the children to Jesus. Pray that God shows me where to start. Pray that God continues to fill me with passion to serve Him one day at a time in all circumstances. I pray that I can continue smiling with the joy that God has put in me so my students see Jesus drawing them to Himself.