A Year in Review

Nehemiah 9: 6-8

“Blessed be your glorious name, and may it be exalted above all blessing and praise. 6 You alone are the Lord. You made the heavens, even the highest heavens, and all their starry host, the earth and all that is on it, the seas and all that is in them. You give life to everything, and the multitudes of heaven worship you.

7 “You are the Lord God, who chose Abram and brought him out of Ur of the Chaldeans and named him Abraham. 8 You found his heart faithful to you, and you made a covenant with him... You have kept your promise because you are righteous."

June 10th

Last Friday, I finished up my first year teaching middle school at Crossroads Christian Academy in Panama. I had great closure with my classes, handing out some special recognitions and getting to affirm them one last time before we all head out for summer.

This morning, the CCA staff got together to reflect on God's goodness this year and praise Him together. Thank you to all of you who joined with us in prayer for multiple requests! God has answered in very specific and mind-blowing ways.

Here are some lessons God's taught me this year:

-Trust in Him and He will provide.

"Delight yourself in the LORD; And He will give you the desires of your heart." Psalm 37:4

From providing a reliable car to drive to providing wisdom and words to communicate with students and parents through some tough situations, God has answered so many specific prayers this year. He knows our hearts, knows what we need before we ask Him. We can approach Him in confidence that He is faithful and He will do it.

-Many many lessons in humility. Also remembering to keep a sense of humor, whether in the classroom or in frustrating cross-cultural scenarios (ie: immigration, traffic, miscommunications)

It is impossible to accomplish this task without God. He is the only one who changes my students' lives and the only one who provides the strength and peace I need to carry out the work before me. I learned to rely on Him more, and as a result, saw more fruit (all the glory goes to Him!)

John 15:5

"I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing."

-The importance of working together as a Christian body to accomplish this work.

I was encouraged in multiple ways this year by my fellow teachers and members of Crossroads Church. Their affirmation was timely, and God appointed each of them to minister and pour into my life so that I would not lose heart. It was amazing to start every school morning with teacher devotions, joining together in one mind and spirit to lift up our students before the Lord.

Philippians 2:1-2

   "1Therefore if there is any encouragement in Christ, if there is any consolation of love, if there is any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection and compassion, 2 make my joy complete by being of the same mind, maintaining the same love, united in spirit, intent on one purpose. 3 Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves; 4 do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others."

-Patience and to listen more, especially to students who just want to be heard.

*The same lessons I was reminding the students of for each other, was a major lesson God wanted to teach me. Listen. Wait. Hold your speech for a moment and don't let your first thoughts come blurting out of your mouth. Let your speech and actions reflect Christ.

"If anyone speaks, they should do so as one who speaks the very words of God. If anyone serves, they should do so with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen." 1 Corinthians 4:11

 

"Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you." Colossians 3:13 NIV

-Pray intentionally expecting God to work!
Look for daily ways that God shows up! It could be in a conversation with a student or the way a student participates in class, scripture another staff member shares, or watching as 1 brave student  stands to his feet in chapel, compelled to adore Jesus with his all, while the rest sit slumped in their chairs.

Some pretty cool student comments this year. Teaching history has been particularly fun!:

-"Nothing good happens when people add stuff to the Bible. People just make up stuff and then it causes huge trouble for everybody."
-Daniel (in reference to the Catholic Church selling indulgences, also referred later to the Crusades, and the Great Schism)

-"Wow! God seems to have everything worked out! I mean, He knew that his followers would be persecuted and killed but that it would spread the news about Him to more parts of the world! Like all the way to Panama!"
 -Gaby (after learning about Titus and Nero's persecution of Christians)

-(During prayer time at the beginning of class) "Can you pray for the women in China? I heard that they mistreat the baby girls and if they live, they aren't wanted." -6th grader: totally getting the international perspective, the fact that we are one as brothers and sisters in Christ across the world! -Kathryn

-"Why don't people who are rich give their money to those in poverty? I mean, there's a much smaller percentage of people in the world who have a greater percentage of the wealth. Why don't they just give more money to the people who don't have any?" - Natasha's solution to global poverty

-"What does it mean when people say that they hear God's voice? How do you hear God?" -Jady

 God is at work! I am learning to pray for Him to allow me to see more evidence of this. Recording and sharing this news with others is also a mighty encouragement to us all to persevere.

As I look forward to summer and eventually next school year (teaching Middle School Social Studies and 6th-7th grade English), I can reflect back on the marvelous and memorable things that God has done. Continue to pray for CCA teachers, students, staff, and the rest of Panama!

God is faithful.

7th graders doing a presentation in class.

My faithful five!: Roots Bible Study lunch group--Gaby, Kathryn, Camila, J.J., Mateo