Today started off like any normal back to school day. But as the day started at school I was once again reminded of God's greatness to me and others.
In our devotions this morning before school started, we had one of the middle/high school teachers come and share her testimony with us. I have known this teacher for, well, over 20 years now. She and I had a summer together you might say. (She was about to become a senior and I was to be a junior in high school.) She began to share her testimony with us and parts of it I already knew simply because of spending that summer with her. She and I were never close as far as best buds, but she and I and a few others from church seemed to always hang out together. Her life that summer was in shambles. She had gone down the wrong path and had run away from home and was going with a boy that was not the best influence. Her parents had to step in and take action before their daughter continued to go down a path of drugs and alcohol. Well, she shares with us today that our little group from church, and then she mentioned me by name, had made the biggest difference in her life that summer.
ME???
I was humbled.
I knew how I was as a teenager. I wasn't into what she was into at the time, but I was by far perfect. I had dated my own "basket case" of a boy at that time! I look back now and see how MUCH I have grown in the Lord since then. Of course, I can look back just a week and see how much I have grown in Him. Each day is growth. I just couldn't believe I could have had that much influence over her at that time in my life.
Apparently, I had more influence than I even realized.
She went on to say that we all accepted her unconditionally that summer. We gave her encouragement, scripture, songs, and thoughts that helped her understand what her parents were trying to show her. She said that I went with her to her boyfriend's house for her to say goodbye. (I vaguely remember doing that.) She said I was just there to be by her side as she began to turn a corner in giving her life to the Lord. Shortly after that trip to her boyfriend's house, she was sent to a Christian Girl's Home where she got her life straight and accepted the Lord as her Savior.
She thanked me openly in front of all the teachers and it brought tears to my eyes. Tears that made me look back and see that, even though I know I feel I was inadequate at that time in my life, God still used me. God used an everyday person (a teenager to boot!) to help someone else know the love of the Lord. I said it before, but I'll say it again..... I was humbled.
She came over to me after devotions were over and I felt like I was stumbling all over myself to tell her my thoughts. I just told her I knew how I needed to grow so much then myself and I couldn't believe I could make that much of a difference in her life. She said there were things we all said, or just the way we lived our lives that summer that helped her to see the love of Christ.
I truly didn't know what to say. How could I put into words something for which I had no words because I felt so inadequate for how I was at that time of my life!
Believe me, I am still not perfect. I have not reached a "plateau" and arrived at some point where I know it all. I truly hope no one is reading this and thinking I am trying to "toot my own horn." I am far from that... I am still learning, growing, maturing. That will not end until I see Christ face to face!
What I do know is that I thank the Lord that He used me that way some 20 years ago.
I am thankful that He has seen fit to bring me through my own trials and valleys where I have learned to continue to put my trust in Him, time and again. Today caused me to look back on my life and see how far the Lord has brought me, yet how far I have to go in becoming more like Him. It continues to help me see what an impact I have in the lives of my students and parents every day. Only the Lord can help me be all I need to be.
Humbled. Thankful.
Those two words would describe my day.
6 comments:
Hi Kellie, I thank you for sharing this story and do not think that you are "tooting your own horn" at all! I give God all the glory for using you in this capacity! :) But I think it is a great reminder that we never know who is watching us and what example for Christ we are! It may be that we will never know, or not know until so many years later! And I think another key, was that you all loved the girl unconditionally! How easy it is to judge others, even when we are so far from perfect ourselves! I really do thank you for this post and think that God has used again to speak to my heart! Bless you friend! ~Rhonda :)
Look at you, and what you did 20 years ago, and you are still doing that today for many that know you.
As for the "basket case" boyfriend.......
Isn't it so neat when God gives us small bits of affirmation when we are least expecting it? YEA!!
P.S. WE got our good camera...soon, I will hopefully be taking amazing pics like you. :)
How refreshing!
God is so caring to give us those moment of affirmation, when we least expect it!
I immediately thought of Wilbur too, what cute little piggies!
And what a beautiful experience you shared with us. Reminds me that every moment in front of everyone matters, even the small things.
Amy :)
Love the pig pictures! Thanks for sharing that story! It just reminds us that we never know who is watching us. We can be a huge influence in someone's life without even knowing it. We need to show the love of God at all times!
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