“So we are always confident, knowing that while we are at home in the body we are absent from the Lord. For we walk by faith, not by sight. We are confident, yes, well pleased rather to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord.”
These Friday staff devotions tend to involve some personal insight on the staff member and how the Lord is currently working in them so I shared a little bit about my life thus far, emphasizing that I have always lived “comfortably.” And by comfortable, I mean that I have always had a nice cushion of family, friends, and familiarity surrounding me.
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| A Joshua Tree in bloom with Emil's classroom in the background |
“For we walk by faith, not by sight” had been a pretty easy verse for me to live by. By faith I went on several mission trips, by faith I was the first graduating class of a brand new high school, by faith I attended college half way across the country in a familiar farming town, by faith I married the love of my life before graduating college, and by faith, Emil and I accepted jobs in a school completely across the country from our homes without ever visiting.
Then all of the sudden I found myself in this completely unfamiliar place with an unfamiliar climate, landscape and people. Whoa there, where did all my cushion go?!
Our first month or two was tough going. Not only was I adjusting to a new neighborhood, house, community but a new role as teacher. Gym/field management, last minute facility changes, the HEAT, and then making it to the weekend filled with no friends, no nearby college activities, no family parties was depressing.
To add to it, Emil and I flew back to NJ for my cousin’s wedding. That whirlwind weekend ‘home’ left me questioning: Why did I choose to leave all of this? Why in the world did I follow this calling leading me to the opposite coast of my wonderful family? Why am I so far from my brothers who are changing and growing by the day?
As I sat in Newark International waiting for our flight to LAX and sobbing, the familiar arms of my husband wrapped around me and I was reminded of OUR family. Just the two of us and how much we had grown in the 2 hard months we had spent traveling to and living on the West Coast.
I was reminded of the excitement of pulling into our new town, of seeing the school for the first time, and of our first day as music and PE teachers. I was reminded of this dream God had given us to travel and live someplace completely unfamiliar. I was reminded of all God had blessed us with. I was reminded that I need to “walk by faith and not by sight” and not necessarily surrounded with “comfort”.
Without all the comforts of family and friends and familiarity, I returned from that quick trip to realize more than ever that all I need is my Father and to remember I am His child and that’s all the family I need - my brothers and sisters in Christ here at Joshua Springs.
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| Exploring the rocks near Barker Dam |
If you’re a control freak like myself, you understand that life without foresight can be daunting. Thankfully, there’s one who can guide and direct our every step for His will and His purpose and when we do, transforming challenges and unimaginable blessings await us.
I shared with the staff about a post-it note written at the start of the school year by one of my fourth grade students. Their teacher had directed them in a first-PE-class-debrief. The post-it reads: “I wonder if our PE teacher will be here next year.” I have this stuck in a prominent place on my desk and whenever I am tempted to toss in the towel; face in hands, I see this reminder knowing that I must “fix my eyes on Him until the race is finished.”
So by faith, our school will be undergoing some major changes going into 2015-2016. Starting next school year, families will be able to send their children to our school paying no tuition. Rather they will be able to provide a Christian education by tithing 10% of their take home pay and by volunteering in one area of our church. You can watch the presentation here.
I concluded our time of devotion with the Getty hymn “By Faith”. May this be a blessing to you as you strive to walk by faith today and everyday.
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