I have
ALWAYS loved school. I was that kid who
asked for a white board for Christmas so I could teach my stuffed animals how to
write in cursive. I was that kid who
couldn’t wait to open a fresh spiral notebook and begin filling it with
notes at the start of the school year. I was that kid who wouldn’t let
any of her friends copy her homework, but instead insisted on tutoring them for
an hour before school to make sure they understood it. I was that kid who couldn’t wait to read
through her syllabi on the first day of classes. But as much as I loved school, I never, ever,
ever wanted to be a teacher.
ALWAYS loved school. I was that kid who
asked for a white board for Christmas so I could teach my stuffed animals how to
write in cursive. I was that kid who
couldn’t wait to open a fresh spiral notebook and begin filling it with
notes at the start of the school year. I was that kid who wouldn’t let
any of her friends copy her homework, but instead insisted on tutoring them for
an hour before school to make sure they understood it. I was that kid who couldn’t wait to read
through her syllabi on the first day of classes. But as much as I loved school, I never, ever,
ever wanted to be a teacher.
I wanted to
be a doctor. I figured since I loved
school so much, becoming a doctor would be perfect because I would basically be
in school forever. I also always loved
science – a subject that there was ALWAYS more to learn about, so I knew if I
chose a career in science I would get to be a forever student. I had visions of my life being full of travel
and saw myself healing orphans in Africa as I worked with Doctor’s Without
Borders. I was going to live the
dream.
be a doctor. I figured since I loved
school so much, becoming a doctor would be perfect because I would basically be
in school forever. I also always loved
science – a subject that there was ALWAYS more to learn about, so I knew if I
chose a career in science I would get to be a forever student. I had visions of my life being full of travel
and saw myself healing orphans in Africa as I worked with Doctor’s Without
Borders. I was going to live the
dream.
But then my
life got wrecked in 2008 when I heard the Gospel for the first time and
realized my life wasn’t actually about me at all. I remember reading the book of John and
hearing about Jesus and thinking – if only had I known this sooner. A seed was planted in my heart that my life
needed to be dedicated to sharing the truth of who Jesus is with high school
girls because once I heard this truth, my life was changed forever and my only
wish was that I had known sooner.
life got wrecked in 2008 when I heard the Gospel for the first time and
realized my life wasn’t actually about me at all. I remember reading the book of John and
hearing about Jesus and thinking – if only had I known this sooner. A seed was planted in my heart that my life
needed to be dedicated to sharing the truth of who Jesus is with high school
girls because once I heard this truth, my life was changed forever and my only
wish was that I had known sooner.
I fought
this though. I didn’t want to have a job
working with high schoolers. I have
always been so bad with kids. I am not
patient. I need to be a doctor. I need to fulfill my desires to always be
learning, and to do something awesome like SAVE LIVES with all of my knowledge.
this though. I didn’t want to have a job
working with high schoolers. I have
always been so bad with kids. I am not
patient. I need to be a doctor. I need to fulfill my desires to always be
learning, and to do something awesome like SAVE LIVES with all of my knowledge.
But as I
went through college as a biology pre-med major, the Lord kept tugging on my
heart. He told me I was meant to live
out my love of school by being a teacher.
He would give me a heart to love high schoolers. He will give me the patience I need. I will always be learning because every kid
is different and I will constantly be pushed to learn how to best meet my
students’ needs and learn how I can bring out the best in each of them as
individuals.
went through college as a biology pre-med major, the Lord kept tugging on my
heart. He told me I was meant to live
out my love of school by being a teacher.
He would give me a heart to love high schoolers. He will give me the patience I need. I will always be learning because every kid
is different and I will constantly be pushed to learn how to best meet my
students’ needs and learn how I can bring out the best in each of them as
individuals.
Most of all,
God told me I am going to spend my life
dedicated to saving lives. Just not in a
physical way, and not in a way that I will necessarily ever get to
witness. I was called to spend my life
dying to myself in order to reflect Jesus in me more and more. I was called to plant seeds in the hearts of
high school students that their lives are so much bigger than they even can
imagine, and that there is a sovereign and good God that wants to take their brokenness
and their blindness and give them wholeness and sight.
God told me I am going to spend my life
dedicated to saving lives. Just not in a
physical way, and not in a way that I will necessarily ever get to
witness. I was called to spend my life
dying to myself in order to reflect Jesus in me more and more. I was called to plant seeds in the hearts of
high school students that their lives are so much bigger than they even can
imagine, and that there is a sovereign and good God that wants to take their brokenness
and their blindness and give them wholeness and sight.
In short, I
never chose this profession. I never even wanted this profession. But like
most things, God often likes to wreck the plans we create for ourselves and
replace them with His – which are so, so much better than we could ever
imagine. He puts us into situations that
challenge us and push us towards dependence on Him. Being in a job that requires the maximum
amount of patience, I am pushed HOURLY to Jesus (causing me to regularly call on the wisdom of Carrie Underwood as I pray “Jesus take the wheel.”)
never chose this profession. I never even wanted this profession. But like
most things, God often likes to wreck the plans we create for ourselves and
replace them with His – which are so, so much better than we could ever
imagine. He puts us into situations that
challenge us and push us towards dependence on Him. Being in a job that requires the maximum
amount of patience, I am pushed HOURLY to Jesus (causing me to regularly call on the wisdom of Carrie Underwood as I pray “Jesus take the wheel.”)
And let’s be honest. I still get to be a forever student. I still get to wear a lab coat. But
best of all, I still get to play a small part in saving lives.