But...suddenly, I’m a math teacher.
But I hated math. I
graduated high school with a 3.96 GPA all because I couldn’t get a perfect A in
math. That GPA might seem deceiving
though, because I certainly wasn’t the smartest kid. Actually, my brother Justin would drive me
crazy. He was 2 years younger but one
grade behind me, and he was brilliant.
He wouldn’t study, wouldn’t do his homework, and would drive his
teachers crazy. He could ace tests, but
his grade never showed that because he never turned in his work. I, however, had to study for hours and hours
to get a high score on a test. You could
say I enjoyed school. Okay, I loved
school. Of course there were times where
I had a love-hate relationship with learning, (especially math—I mean,
seriously, when have I ever used MOST of what I learned in high school math?!) but
overall, my high school experience was one of the best times of my life. It’s
not surprising then that I chose to pursue a degree in education when I went to
UW-L for college.
I was an English teacher.
But now I’m a math teacher. And a
science teacher. And a history
teacher. And still an English
teacher. And…
I homeschool two high school girls, and I would’ve never
guessed I would say these following words: I love math!
Having to relearn all this content actually excites me! It’s a great challenge and I really enjoy
it. I realized that math isn’t about
content that I’ll never have to use, but it’s about critical thinking skills,
problem solving, and so many other important life skills we need. One of the girls recently told her counselor, “I
really love math. It’s my favorite
subject. And I love my math teacher.” (As
if she has other teachers for other subjects.
I’m her only teacher. I guess she
has to love me. Lol.) But I couldn’t help but smile hearing
second-hand that she enjoys math with someone who only recently has discovered
its thrill.
*
Suddenly, I’m in front of a room full of a hundred people,
ready to give a presentation. My heart races
and my stomach threatens to reveal itself to the audience, but I love
this. I enjoy giving speeches and
inspiring others.
But I flunked
pre-school because I refused to speak.
Yep, that’s right. My teachers
held me back because as they told my mom, “We don’t even know if she can talk!” To which my mom responded, “What? She won’t stop talking at home!” Even as I grew up, I was intensely shy. I hated being singled-out, raising my hand in
class, and especially standing in front of the room to talk. Who would’ve thought that the pre-school
failure would end up being a teacher or running a non-profit—speaking or giving
presentations as a joy of her job?
Only God. It’s just
like God, isn’t it? To take the
unlikely, take the least and surprise us all.
I would’ve never chose this life I have if it had been presented to me,
all boxed up and bow-tied. But now that
I have it, I could never choose anything else!
I love this life of missions. I’ve
experienced God in the most insurmountable ways. I’ve tasted and seen the goodness of the Lord
in the least likely of places. And now
all I want is to share it with as many people as possible!
Will you help me share it?
I used to complain about my teacher salary. One time, when I was at the doctor’s office,
I brought my students’ papers along with me.
When the doctor came in and saw me correcting papers, he laughed out
loud. “You know,” he said, “There are
only two professions I ever see bring their work into the doctor’s office. Teachers and lawyers.” It’s too bad the pay scale isn’t in that
order, too.
But, now?
Woowee! To have that teacher salary
again would be AHMAZING. They say you
don’t truly appreciate something until it’s gone. I must admit, I didn’t appreciate my salary
until I gave it up. But those meek
digits look pretty mighty now.
The missionary salary I need to live off for the next year
is half of what I used to make. But the thing
about missionary salaries is we have to raise it. I’m sure you don’t like it as much as I
do. I really hate having to continually
ask people for financial support. We’re
taught to build our American Dream, work for our futures, be independent. I’d rather do that. (And I’m trying to by writing a book.
Hopefully to be published by the end of the year!) But the truth is, the life of a missionary is
nothing but dependent. Some people see
me as a very independent woman. I don’t
know people’s perceptions of me, but seriously, I am the least independent
person. I am solely dependent on
God. And because I sold myself out to
the mission of the Kingdom, that means I need to depend on His people. Isn’t that ironic? That missionaries seem to be these crazy,
independent people doing bold things, but in reality we are meek, dependent, ordinary
people. That’s just like God, isn’t it?
So, as the leader of an army is dependent upon the warriors
that stand behind him in order to achieve victory, I, too, am dependent on you
to join this army of finances, prayer, and love—that I may continue to march
onto the battlefields to which God has called me, to minister to the
brokenhearted and those fallen and forgotten in the heat of battle.
Will you join me? Please consider supporting me monthly
($20, $30, $40 or any amount) for the next year. Or you can also give a one-time donation ($100,
$300, $500, or any amount on your heart).
You can also support me through prayer commitments or sending letters or
packages. Your prayers change
things. Seriously. It’s even better than a salary. Please see the images below for more
information. Please contact me if you
are willing to support me.
Who knows what else God might use in my past to surprise us
in the future.
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