Sometimes I've felt the way a lot of others have felt...do my prayers go unanswered? Am I asking selfishly? Do my prayers matter? This week I've been overwhelmed by answers to prayers, not that they all just "happened" this past week, just a week of very obvious realization of those answered prayers.
It was a really tough week for many people in our community. A young boy, a friend of many, including my son, was killed in a car accident. This community has mourned the loss but has also poured love into the lives of his family and others who have been affected by his death. Why would I include this horrible tragedy in this post about answered prayers? Let me explain. A long time ago, I began praying for my children to have friends that were strong believers in Christ; that they would have good influences around them, friends who were not afraid to share their faith with others, despite the peer pressure of other teens. Carter and Nick went to middle school together, played X-Box, hung around each other in our neighborhood, and most recently, roomed together at CIY (the church camp that over 90 kids from our community went to in July). I don't know a single conversation that Nick and Carter may have had this summer at camp, I don't know a single thing about the last time they hung out. I do know this, Nick's faith was lived out loud and it was evident at his funeral, he made a lasting impact on many people, and as an answer to my prayers, he made an impact on my son as well.
As I was struggling this week with the loss of Nick, the teachers at my school gave me hugs, asked how I was, told me they were thinking of Carter and of Nick's family. The teachers I work with are simply amazing. They, too, are an answer to prayers.
When I was in college (not very long ago) preparing for my second career, I prayed for 2 things; I wanted to be in a school where kids really needed me and I wanted to be in a school where I would have other believers as co-workers. My first few days of getting my room ready in August of 2014 I had my first "A-HA, God answered my prayer" moment. I walked by the first grade teachers room, she had on Christian music, I stopped and said that I liked that kind of music too. We began a friendship immediately and while I'm practically old enough to be her mom, she's a mentor to me in my faith. Where I am impulsive and quick to anger, she's calm and slow to get irritated. Where I am easily frustrated with different challenges, she reminds me it's all ok, we can work it out. We were able to share rides last year with another teacher who is also a sister in Christ. (And also very young...is there a theme here???) I was blessed to have her join my women's Bible Study group last year and spend time with her learning about the Lord together.
As the year progressed, I knew of others in my building who are believers and this year we started meeting one morning to share a time of devotion and prayer. How amazing it is to know that people not only share your joys, but comfort you in times of need as well. Again, what an amazing and overflowing answer to my simple prayer to be with other believers in my school.
I know sometimes the answers seem to come so slowly, sometimes they feel like they don't come at all, but on a day when God chooses, he reveals so many answers, it's a bit overwhelming. I've been given the chance to have a mission field right in my little tiny classroom with 21 little humans that I love so dearly. What better way to practice being a faithful servant? I get a chance to give unconditional love every day. Sometimes I fail, I always get another chance. I tell my littles that I will always give them another chance as well. It's my responsibility to teach them unconditional love, even if I don't say it with those words. We all have a chance each day to do a little better the next time.
I told one of the pastor's of our church today that within the last week, so many lives have been impacted, it's the strangest feeling. In the midst of such a tragedy, to see so many people who are hearing the message of the love of Christ, to see the faith of people moving so fiercely, and to watch God do amazing things, I'm definitely overwhelmed. I know that my life has such a bigger purpose than what I see in the day to day routine. The days when I don't think I can tie one more shoe, fix one more ouchie, or sing the calendar song one more time without losing my mind, I know God can strengthen me to do those silly little things, because in His Kingdom, they are not silly, not little, and actually very significant to the lives I'm impacting.
