By the Grace of God

When we led summer camps that were 8 weeks long, we always had plenty of energy, until the last week. By the end, we knew we couldn’t make it one more day.

When our camps were 4 weeks long, we felt the same way. We had just the amount of energy to make it to the end.

The End of Teaching

As you know, I have been a long-term substitute teacher for past four months, besides the two months last fall. I loved the opportunity, and I really love the school. But at times, I was doubtful I could make it to the end.

Even though we did little school work the last week of school, I was exhausted those last few days. We all were. We were excited to launch our students into next level, but the adrenaline has run out. We made it by the skin of our teeth.

I honestly could not have crossed the finish line without the supportive leadership, and without my helpful and encouraging co-workers. Above all else, I know that God gave me the grace and strength to endure, to His glory.

The Grace of Crying Out

Now that I’m done and have had time to reflect, I am amazed that teachers do this every year. I am ashamed of how I treated so many great teachers when I was in school. (Maybe the way my middle school students acted was karma for what I did.)

Through all the struggles and trials I endured, I know that God was carrying me. I often felt alone and cried out to Him. Sometimes I got an answer to my satisfaction, but that was rare. Usually, I prayed my heart out at 6 AM, and got ready for another day, another battle.

But that was the answer. Not the silence, but the fact that I was even seeking Him was the answer to my prayers. If hit hadn’t been for God’s grace, I wouldn’t even have been calling out for His help.

If not for Jesus being Lord of my life, I would have quit time and time again. I’m not saying that there aren’t good teachers who aren’t Christians. I’m just saying that I couldn’t have done this job if I wasn’t captivated by Him.

Do It Again?

If I could rewind the clocks, I would do a lot of things differently. I made 2000 mistakes, even if I did 1000 things right. (Hey, a 0.333 average gets you into the baseball Hall of Fame, right?)

But if I had to go back to February, and I had to re-make the choice of teaching at Lead Academy, I would say “yes” in a heartbeat.

Because if I said “no” I would have missed out on a big helping of God’s grace.

And Now . . .

Here is my encouragement for you: find something that completely exhausts you, and which is a blessing for others. Get involved in something which, when you are done, you know that God had to work.

Get exhausted. Be poured out. Crawl across that finish line.

All for the glory of God.

“For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure has come. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the course, I have kept the faith.”  2 Timothy 4:6-8