Tuesday, April 29, 2014

Returned

Just a quick post to say I am still alive, the kiddos didn't eat me! :)

Really it was an amazing experience, totally confirmed my call to kids' ministry. God has given me the biggest passion for the salvation of HIS children, it's amazing. Love it. They're exhausting and wearing and teaching and working with them takes every bit of me and then some, but He came through and is still coming through every time. I can't wait to see where He's going to put me!

This summer is going to be fairly relaxed, at least on paper it looks like that. I'm taking my Praxis exams (teacher professional exams) in less than a month, and then I have the rest of the time to work in the office, read, write, and enjoy my last summer as a college student. Praying about opportunities for ministry throughout the summer, though. I don't want to stop just because there aren't continued opportunities through the college!

Anyway, hopefully I will have more time and more coherent thoughts to blog about over the summer. We will see. :)

Sunday, April 6, 2014

Teacher Diaries: Starts Tomorrow!

Tomorrow is our first day of intensives! It's supposed to be super rainy and windy so please pray we don't blow/wash away on our way down there!

Nervous, but can't wait to meet the kids and get started--at least it's not our first time at this school, or in longer-term placements. It will be my first long-term time in a multi-grade placement since freshman year (and freshman year was 2nd-8th grade), so that will be interesting. One step closer to where I really believe God's calling me--hopefully it'll confirm that even more. :) One way or another, He continues to guide. :)

Friday, April 4, 2014

To Decrease

I keep trying to write this post and it keeps not coming together. Perhaps now, proctoring a test for the next hour and 15 minutes (love my job!), I'll be able to make it sound coherent...

Remember John the Baptist? How when his disciples came to him complaining,“Rabbi, that man who was with you on the other side of the Jordan—the one you testified about—look, he is baptizing, and everyone is going to him" (John 3:26), John's response wasn't anything like what we would have given... "He must increase, but I must decrease." (vs. 30)

Because I mean, you think about it. Do I like to decrease? In anything? I can't handle decreasing sleep, let alone something more "major."

But anyways (says the part that likes to avoid) John was talking about Jesus--God, really. Aren't we supposed to have Jesus increase in our lives?

Well yes...but also...take a look at this verse...

"For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, that you through His poverty might become rich." (2 Cor. 8:9)

Jesus (our Example right?) had the same attitude His cousin did. Only, He decreased for our sakes.

People's sakes. Humanity's sake.

So shouldn't I?

Tuesday, April 1, 2014

Teacher Diaries: Countdown

So. Six days from today I'll be starting long-term intensive placements!

Intensives is a three-week period during the infamous "Methods Block" in which all of us elementary majors spend all day, four days a week (Fridays are debrief day), in pairs in K-4 classrooms. My friend S and I will be going downtown to a little multi-grade school in an urban area and spending the time in their grades 1-4 room!

I'm feeling super excited and encouraged as I have wanted to teach multi-grade for a long time and this will be my second long-term multi-grade placement! I am really feeling God's encouragement and leading in this and can't wait to see how it turns out! Hope to write down some of what happens so I can remember. Tomorrow is orientation day, so I'll probably be writing about that later. :)