So, this week in my lifegroup Bible study, we're looking more closely at the discipline of witnessing (probably the one that is the weakest discipline in my life). It seems such a daunting, scary task to share Christ with a world that doesn't want anything to do with Him. This was my idea of witnessing: I just assumed that those around me who aren't believers will see Christ in me, and then if it really interests them, they will inquire about it themselves. Then, I'd be more than happy to share my salvation story with them. I have so missed the point of being an ambassador for Christ...
This morning, I was reading and responding to the lesson "Telling Your Story." I was reading the passage in John 4 about the Samaritan woman who met Jesus at the well. She talked with Jesus, realized who He was, and couldn't wait to go back to tell her friends, family, and neighbors about Him. John 4:39 & 42 say, "Many of the Samaritans from that town believed in Him because of the woman's testimony...They said to the woman, "We no longer believe just because of what you said; now we have heard for ourselves and know that this man really is the Savior of the world." All the woman at well did was share her story of her encounter with the Savior of the world. Because she was willing to share, others came to know Him too.
I've been challenged to share my story, and I'm starting here: I became a believer and follower of Christ in the 6th grade. I had attended church my whole life, and one night at home, I realized that I needed to make the decision to follow Christ and live my life for Him. I had heard it hundreds of times, and I did believe that God was the Creator, that he sent his son Jesus to earth to live and to die so that my sins and the sins of the whole world could be forgiven. I believed that Jesus rose again and the Holy Spirit is given to those who believe in Him. I am promised eternal life in Heaven when I die, and my purpose on earth is to give God glory and point others to Him. Since becoming a christian, I have found joy in times of discouragement, peace in times of turmoil, and hope in the promises of my Savior. I have not lived a perfect life, but God still loves me and forgives me when I confess my sins to Him; I strive to live a better life as I continue to grow and learn about Him. I've learned that He has the best plan for me, and so I choose to follow Him.
Would you be willing to share your story? Would you tell someone in your life about how you became a Christian and how life is different now that you are a follower of Him? It's really that simple, and you can do it because you've experienced it. I'm so thankful for God's saving grace, and I am praying that I will have the courage to share my story with those who need to hear it.
Tuesday, May 31, 2011
Saturday, May 28, 2011
Going to the Chapel
So, I'm packed and about to hit the road. I'm so excited that Kara Lee Carraway is getting married today! I laughed to myself because I texted her this morning to wish her a happy wedding day, and her reply to me was that she was exhausted from tossing and turning last night. Made me think back 6 months ago to the night before my wedding...
We had rehearsal on Thursday night, so Friday was a day off of work and a day spent getting pampered with friends. Rebecca (college roomie) was already in town and we had gone with Sarah (MOH) to get manicures and pedicures and then back to the 1BD shotgun apartment to watch taped episodes of Glee. Fun times. We had jambalaya at Tyler's parents' house with his out-of-town family, and then all the girls went back to my apartment (with a new addition, Holly) to enjoy my last night as Ms. Blount (see, when you're a teacher, your last night is basically your identity). I remember trying to come up with as many things to say with "This is last time I'll ever _______ as a single woman!" It was great fun. We all "watched" The Wedding Singer (I was actually just trying to keep my mind occupied so that I could sleep, and Rebecca was sleeping before the title even appeared for the movie). Unlike Kara, I did actually get some sleep that night, but I woke up extra early the next morning SO excited that it was finally my wedding day. I creepily looked over at Holly with a cheesy grin on my face as she was still half asleep and said, "I'M GETTING MARRIED TODAY!" The rest of the morning consisted of me going to the church for final touch-ups in decorations and hair/makeup while the girls at my apartment baked muffins and brought them to me. What great friends!
So, HAPPY WEDDING DAY, KARA! I wish you and Dennis years of fun, love, and happiness!
We had rehearsal on Thursday night, so Friday was a day off of work and a day spent getting pampered with friends. Rebecca (college roomie) was already in town and we had gone with Sarah (MOH) to get manicures and pedicures and then back to the 1BD shotgun apartment to watch taped episodes of Glee. Fun times. We had jambalaya at Tyler's parents' house with his out-of-town family, and then all the girls went back to my apartment (with a new addition, Holly) to enjoy my last night as Ms. Blount (see, when you're a teacher, your last night is basically your identity). I remember trying to come up with as many things to say with "This is last time I'll ever _______ as a single woman!" It was great fun. We all "watched" The Wedding Singer (I was actually just trying to keep my mind occupied so that I could sleep, and Rebecca was sleeping before the title even appeared for the movie). Unlike Kara, I did actually get some sleep that night, but I woke up extra early the next morning SO excited that it was finally my wedding day. I creepily looked over at Holly with a cheesy grin on my face as she was still half asleep and said, "I'M GETTING MARRIED TODAY!" The rest of the morning consisted of me going to the church for final touch-ups in decorations and hair/makeup while the girls at my apartment baked muffins and brought them to me. What great friends!
So, HAPPY WEDDING DAY, KARA! I wish you and Dennis years of fun, love, and happiness!
Friday, May 27, 2011
Jehovah-Jireh, but not how I expected
Dishes were done (until I made deviled eggs for Tyler, and apple pie for myself) and clothes are now folded but not put away. Nonetheless, it's time for my first meaningful post. If you know anything about my life at the present, the topic won't shock you: job hunting.
A year ago, I graduated from Tech: Kayla Renee Blount, B.S. Elementary Education. Now, it's time to change the world, one student at a time. At least, that's what I thought. So, I move back home and put my name on the sub list in Livingston Parish. I sub here and there, and then I am offered a maternity position- hooray! Things are off to a great start! I take a day off, hire a sub (a sub for a sub, haha), and attend the Livingston Parish Public School job fair, along with about 600 other people. They announce that there are only a handful of jobs available, grades PK-12, in the parish for next year, and I proceeded to hang out the rest of the day handing out resumes during the 15 min. "browsing" times. Amazingly, I was approached by a principal to interview for a half-year position at the school that I was currently at. I was ecstatic, and the interview went great. To make a long story shorter, I was offered the job only to find out it was 1st grade! AHH! I had one summer to accumulate 1st grade things and change my whole mindset about teaching from 4th grade to 1st grade; and it was only going to keep me employed for half of a year...I was about to get married and start supporting my own family! But, I did it, and in the end it all worked out.
I worked the first semester, taught 1st grade, then searched for jobs to finish out this year. I ended up filling 2 6-week maternity positions (one in SPED, 4th/5th grade; the other with my same students from first semester); so, out of 18 weeks of the second semester, I was employed for 12. Praise God!
And now it brings me to the title of this entry- Jehovah-Jireh means the God who provides. God provided so much for Tyler and I, but not in the ways that we expected:
1. God provided a job for 1 semester, when the parish technically "had a handful to offer" (to 600+ eager applicants, keep in mind).
2. God provided me the opportunity to teach 1st grade- a grade I vowed NEVER to teach- and I ended up loving it and learning such valuable lessons with those sweet and crazy kids!
3. God provided jobs for me for 12/18 weeks second semester. And, I got to go back to my sweet 1st graders that I had taught the semester before.
4. God provided Tyler and I a challenging and sometimes discouraging situation (that so many new teachers find themselves in right now), and he gave us each other to encourage one another and to strengthen our relationship even more.
5. God provided us a home (the one I grew up in) to live in when my parents moved, and now my classroom things have a place to live until they find a new classroom.
6. God provided me with friends, family, and a church family that have done nothing but speak words of encouragement and have faithfully prayed for me.
7. Finally, God provided this difficult time so that I would draw closer to Him. This is the closest I've ever been to God, and I know that it is no accident that he has me in this place right now. When the world thinks I should be falling to pieces, God has provided me with peace and joy. That's better than any teaching job this world can offer me. As our pastor said during Life Group one night, we (Christians) don't really know how to pray, and maybe it's because we've never really had to cry out to God. Well, let me say that I have been doing some crying out, and it is so evident that He hears me. He is so faithful, and He is my Jehovah-Jireh.
I hope you can look at your own life, wherever God may have you, and discover ways that God's provided for you. Maybe it's in unexpected ways, but I am confident that you'll find at least one...
AND, a "P.S." to go along with the topic...I had a second interview today at Country Day School, a private school in Baton Rouge, and should know something by next week!
P.P.S. It's a 1st grade position :)
A year ago, I graduated from Tech: Kayla Renee Blount, B.S. Elementary Education. Now, it's time to change the world, one student at a time. At least, that's what I thought. So, I move back home and put my name on the sub list in Livingston Parish. I sub here and there, and then I am offered a maternity position- hooray! Things are off to a great start! I take a day off, hire a sub (a sub for a sub, haha), and attend the Livingston Parish Public School job fair, along with about 600 other people. They announce that there are only a handful of jobs available, grades PK-12, in the parish for next year, and I proceeded to hang out the rest of the day handing out resumes during the 15 min. "browsing" times. Amazingly, I was approached by a principal to interview for a half-year position at the school that I was currently at. I was ecstatic, and the interview went great. To make a long story shorter, I was offered the job only to find out it was 1st grade! AHH! I had one summer to accumulate 1st grade things and change my whole mindset about teaching from 4th grade to 1st grade; and it was only going to keep me employed for half of a year...I was about to get married and start supporting my own family! But, I did it, and in the end it all worked out.
I worked the first semester, taught 1st grade, then searched for jobs to finish out this year. I ended up filling 2 6-week maternity positions (one in SPED, 4th/5th grade; the other with my same students from first semester); so, out of 18 weeks of the second semester, I was employed for 12. Praise God!
And now it brings me to the title of this entry- Jehovah-Jireh means the God who provides. God provided so much for Tyler and I, but not in the ways that we expected:
1. God provided a job for 1 semester, when the parish technically "had a handful to offer" (to 600+ eager applicants, keep in mind).
2. God provided me the opportunity to teach 1st grade- a grade I vowed NEVER to teach- and I ended up loving it and learning such valuable lessons with those sweet and crazy kids!
3. God provided jobs for me for 12/18 weeks second semester. And, I got to go back to my sweet 1st graders that I had taught the semester before.
4. God provided Tyler and I a challenging and sometimes discouraging situation (that so many new teachers find themselves in right now), and he gave us each other to encourage one another and to strengthen our relationship even more.
5. God provided us a home (the one I grew up in) to live in when my parents moved, and now my classroom things have a place to live until they find a new classroom.
6. God provided me with friends, family, and a church family that have done nothing but speak words of encouragement and have faithfully prayed for me.
7. Finally, God provided this difficult time so that I would draw closer to Him. This is the closest I've ever been to God, and I know that it is no accident that he has me in this place right now. When the world thinks I should be falling to pieces, God has provided me with peace and joy. That's better than any teaching job this world can offer me. As our pastor said during Life Group one night, we (Christians) don't really know how to pray, and maybe it's because we've never really had to cry out to God. Well, let me say that I have been doing some crying out, and it is so evident that He hears me. He is so faithful, and He is my Jehovah-Jireh.
I hope you can look at your own life, wherever God may have you, and discover ways that God's provided for you. Maybe it's in unexpected ways, but I am confident that you'll find at least one...
AND, a "P.S." to go along with the topic...I had a second interview today at Country Day School, a private school in Baton Rouge, and should know something by next week!
P.P.S. It's a 1st grade position :)
The World of Blogging
I attempted this "blog thing" once before. It was entitled "Nearlyweds" and my intentions were to post about the wedding planning process; however, as a first year teacher trying to keep my head above water on top of the joys of guests lists, reservations, florist appointments, and thank you cards, I posted once. Pitiful. Let's hope that this attempt is better.
Why blog, you may wonder? (And to tell you the truth, I'm wondering the same thing). It may be because I've had LOTS of extra time due to my current state of unemployment, or it may be because I've enjoyed reading and following a variety of blogs recently. Whatever the case, I'd thought I'd give it go...
So, here it is-the first blog post. It doesn't seem appropriate to share anything of importance in this particular post, so I'll share about my day (because it really was an exciting one) after the dishes are put up and the clothes are folded and put away. That will give me a little time to gather my thoughts together for my first "official" blog post. Until then...
Why blog, you may wonder? (And to tell you the truth, I'm wondering the same thing). It may be because I've had LOTS of extra time due to my current state of unemployment, or it may be because I've enjoyed reading and following a variety of blogs recently. Whatever the case, I'd thought I'd give it go...
So, here it is-the first blog post. It doesn't seem appropriate to share anything of importance in this particular post, so I'll share about my day (because it really was an exciting one) after the dishes are put up and the clothes are folded and put away. That will give me a little time to gather my thoughts together for my first "official" blog post. Until then...
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