Encourage One Another

On Wednesday, my roommate and I combined our small groups to talk about encouragement.  We looked at several Bible verses about the topic, then took some time to make cards (our girls like to be creative!) and write encouraging notes to friends, family members, and/or people in the community.  With colored paper, fancy scissors, and recycled magazines strewn over the floor, we put into practice what we had just read that God commands us to do.

I was also able to share these verses and thoughts with the elementary teaching staff and 4th grade students.  What a good lesson to teach over and over again to remind me of the importance of encouragement!

There have been many people in my life who have encouraged me -- to achieve, to dream, to love, to live for Christ.  I pray that you can identify many people who have made a difference in your own life at pivotal points, too.  But, who is our greatest encourager?  The Lord!  "You, Lord, hear the desire of the afflicted; You encourage them, and You listen to their cry" (Psalm 10:17).

In addition to using the words of others, God can encourage me through the truth of His Word, the promise of salvation, and the hope of His return (1 Thessalonians 4:17-18).

God calls us to be encouragers, too, even when it isn't easy:  "Finally, brothers and sisters, rejoice!  Strive for full restoration, encourage one another, be of one mind, live in peace.  And the God of love and peace will be with you" (2 Corinthians 13:11).  In the midst of conflict with friends, frustration in the classroom, or disagreements with others, I am called to seek unity and peace... and to encourage.

If I want to encourage someone with whom I've had conflict in the past, I can't just try really hard to say something nice.  My own effort to encourage will not succeed with God's love transforming my life.  To encourage someone means deliberately changing not only the words I say, but also the attitude of my heart.  God, transform my heart so that I can sincerely encourage others with Your truth.

I pray that you are encouraged by all that God is doing in and through you... and that you can encourage others with your words, actions, and attitudes in this day.  Thank you for being a huge encouragement in my life!

"Therefore, encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing" (1 Thessalonians 5:11).

Thoughts from "Forgotten God"

While reading over the chapter of Forgotten God that I'll be studying with my small group tonight, several passages really spoke to me.  This is my heart in serving here at Black Forest Academy -- because I believe that God has called me here to be taken out of my comfort zone, to take risks for Him, to impact lives, to love unconditionally.  I pray that these words are a challenge to you, too:

"It is true that God may have called you to be exactly where you are.  But it's absolutely vital to grasp that He didn't call you there so you could settle in and live out your life in comfort and superficial peace.  His purposes are not random or arbitrary.  If you are still alive on this planet, it's because He has something for you to do."

"The Spirit is meant to lead us toward holiness.  The Spirit is here with us to accomplish God's purposes, not ours.  When you decide to put to death -- to crucify -- your flesh, you are by default choosing the way of the Spirit."

"Like our Savior, who poured out His life and blood so we have reason to rejoice, we were made to lay down our lives and give until it hurts.  We are most alive when we are loving and actively giving of ourselves because we were made to do these things.  It is when we live like this that the Spirit of God moves and acts in and through us in ways that on our own we are not capable of.  This is our purpose for living.  This is our hope. 'And hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us' (Romans 5:5)."

Like I said, good stuff.

New Beginnings

The first week of the second semester of my second year at BFA is complete!  This week has been a week of relearning routines and settling back into "normal"... but it has also been one of new beginnings.

Here are some new additions to our classroom...

"Miss Brown's Fridge" is where I am going to hang excellent work, along with a picture of the featured student.  (Some parents hang good work on their refrigerators... my parents always hung it on the pantry door, but I'm guessing that "Miss Brown's Pantry" would make even less sense!  Haha!)

This is the new bulletin board in our classroom for our science unit on layers of the earth, earthquakes, and volcanoes.  The students will "travel" to the center of the earth as we study different topics in this 3-week science unit.

We also set goals for the coming year.  I encouraged the students to think about how they could accomplish these goals, so that they would be achievable, meaningful resolutions.  Here are some that they came up with:

-- I would like to call my grandma more.
-- I want to love my brother.
-- I would like to read my Bible more.  I will put my Bible by my bed to remind me.
-- I want to have at least a B in each subject.
-- I will wake up earlier so I can talk to God more.
-- I want to help others more.  I will look for people who need my help.
-- I want to study for tests.  I will show my mom the study guide and study with my family.
-- I would like to know more about God.
-- I want to get better at spelling and math.
-- I would like to read my Bible 20 minutes every day for the rest of my life.
-- I want to invite friends to my house and share the Gospel with them.
-- I want to use better punctuation.
-- I would like to get better at soccer and keep in better contact with my friends.

Great goals, right?  It's really neat to see the spiritual changes in these students, even in the last month!  I posted the goals that the students were willing to share on the bulletin board out in the hallway.  The students' pictures next to their resolutions are adorned with party hats, "2012" glasses, and other decorations!  They get a kick out of these festive photos.

Above these goals, I put the verse 1 Timothy 4:12 to encourage the students that God can use them even when they're young.  While typing up, cutting out, and posting this verse on the wall, I realized its significance to my own life, too.  As a young single woman, inexperienced teacher, and new BFA staff member, I sometimes allow myself to feel intimidated or inferior.  Instead, I am called to "set an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, and in purity."  This year and every year, I pray that my attitudes and actions will point to Christ.

Here's to the new beginnings of 2012!

Clinging to a New Lesson

Last year around this time, I blogged about my extensive list of New Year's Resolutions for 2011... and how they disappeared with one accidental click of the "delete" button on my ipod!  (Read the post here.)  In just a moment, my "perfectly crafted" goals for the year were gone.  And I realized that the best attitude for the new year was not that of deliberate planning, but rather complete surrender.

I began this year with a stomach bug.  On January 1, I flew to Scotland with my roommate for a week away.  Within hours we were both laying in bed, feeling miserable.  When we weren't feeling better by the next day, we had to rearrange our schedule for the week, figure out what attractions we would skip, and pray for good health for the rest of the trip!

While we were at the hotel recovering, I realized that God was using this miserable experience to give me a  new lesson to cling to this year:  It's important to stop, to rest, to slow down... and to cling to Christ in utter dependence.  My sickness prevented me from doing anything else, but I want to choose to consistently show my commitment to God, regardless of my circumstances.

May we slow down enough this year to hear God's voice, focus our hearts on Him, and rely on His strength with every breath.  Blessings to you in 2012!