God Teaching the Teacher

So as many of you know I am now two weeks into my dream job. For years I have waited for my own class, to call me Miss Whitaker, that I get to love on every single day, that I get to watch grow immensely, and that I get to teach how to be better friends and students. It is the most invigorating, challenging, exhausting, and joy-filled profession. The funniest part is that I thought they would be the main ones learning in the room. Amongst the MANY lessons I learn throughout the day on how to be a better teacher (or what NOT to do), the Lord is teaching me some deeper lessons.

This week the Lord used my sweet students easily distracted behavior to point me RIGHT to him. Now I can humbly say that my reaction to their lack of focus at times is not the most loving. To be honest, in my head my thoughts are far from loving. Even though I know I am blessed with my students, as a human it is impossible for me to not get frustrated (at times) with their misbehavior.

This is where the Lord rocked my world on Wednesday. How EASILY distracted am I by the world? How often do I misbehave or think that my ideas are better than my Great Teacher's? How many times does the Lord have to redirect me to make better choices or to trust in his plan for me? COUNTLESS! The best part is, is that the Lord redirects me in the most loving and sweet way I could ever ask for.

To me this was mind-boggling, humbling, and just simply beautiful. Praying the rest of this week for my heart as a teacher and that I would grow to look more like Christ to my students.

Ungrateful Yet Still Gracious

Well I know I've said it a million times that I will keep my blog updated so I won't promise that again, but I do feel like updating this evening! I just spent the past few minutes re-reading past posts and just resting in the things God has done over the past few years. What a transformation there has been in my life ALL because of Him!! Praise God!!! Sorry for the outburst but it is just incredible to me! It would take a million pages to update you on the past 8 months of my life so I will just bullet-point a few blessings!

-I passed student teaching, was a long-term sub for 1st grade, and am now am employed as a 3rd grade teacher! I am blessed to be at the same school for all 3 of these blessings, Mooneyham Elementary in Frisco.
-I went to Haiti with an amazing friend and sorority sister Amanda! I think a whole blog post needs to be dedicated to that!
-I am fully plugged in to a home group at The Village! These women have brought so much light and encouragement into my life! I finally have TRUE community, ya know the kind the Bible talks about! It's crazy how awesome it really is, it's like I'm designed for that kind of thing ;)
-I finally got baptized!!
-I am now a Younglife leader in Frisco, Texas. I am leading the Freshman girls from Centennial High School.

As I re-lived all the memories and moments I recorded over the years I just felt God's grace on my life. I think about how disobedient, distracted, and idolatrous my heart really is and it amazes me that God still calls me His. Not only am I His, but he CONTINUOUSLY blesses me in massive ways! My heart is humbled tonight as I realize how ungrateful I have been, and how gracious He has been in return.

Well I guess my college journey is complete, but my new journey is already proving to be wonderful. I am officially moved back home with the 'rents (they are excited whether they admit it or not) and have gotten cozy quickly. The material-girl in me is enjoying the comfy sectional, big screen, TIVO, the garage, and about a million other luxuries, but the family-girl in me is enjoying much more rewarding perks. Family dinners have begun again, especially since the brother and his fiance have moved home as well. Tonight we tried a Pinterest steak marinade and it was a success! I must start documenting each of my Pinterest adventures, but in the mean time I will just share the link to the recipe.

God has been so good to me this year and I am just so joyful that I am a resident of Dallas, Texas again!

A few more Thanks MUST be given for:
Long-distance with Kyle being over (3 years is way too long)
Graduating with a 3.87 officially!
Passing BOTH certification exams (phew! I don't think I could handle those again)
Getting a part-time nanny job watching a 6 week old girl and 3 year old energetic boy!
Having a gorgeous roof over my head
Finally getting plugged into The Village Church in Flower Mound, Texas!

The list is long and my heart is grateful!
I hope everyone has a great Christmas weekend!
-Look for my Christmas posts with 4 recipes-and pictures from the COWBOYS GAME!-

-Rachael-

PS: Here is the WONDERFUL Steak Marinade we used tonight: http://1fitchick.blogspot.com/2010/10/best-steak-marinade-ever-recipe.html

Are we waiting?

So I am sure most of you heard of this "end of the world" hooplah that went on this weekend. Of course my family had its fair share of jokes (especially this morning at breakfast) but on my drive back to San Marcos tonight I really got to thinking. The lyrics of the song I was listening to that sparked my thoughts were:

Sanctify us Lord, into your image
Make our whole hearts Yours, for Your Name.
Until you return, we are waiting.
Come Lord Jesus Come

I think I played these words about 15 times, before it really sank in what it means. Not only are we called to give our hearts to the Lord but we are to be constantly waiting and ANTICIPATING his return. I catch myself over and over saying, "Well I hope the world doesn't end yet because I haven't experienced a, b, or c." I know this is something almost every human struggles with but it has just really been on my heart tonight. Instead of being fearful of Jesus's return, I pray that I would be waiting and hoping that it would come sooner, so that this BROKEN world would be redeemed and God would be glorified once and for all. My favorite saying, He (God) is Better, fits this situation so well. He is better than anything earthly I desire, praying that I feel that this week.

On a side note, PLEASE PLEASE be praying for my boyfriend Kyle as he ventures of to Kenya for 7 months on Wednesday. Pray for safe travel, smooth transition, and for God to be reflected in his life on this trip.

Have a GREAT week!

Rachael

I Keep Looking

Today in my car the song my dad always deemed my song came on. Its called I Keep Looking by Sara Evans and is about someone who always wants what they don't have. I kept thinking about how this always has been an issue in my life. I struggle to be satisfied with what I have or am going through, even when what I have is WAY more than what I need. Instead of this song being a reminder of my teenage years, today it pointed to a wicked area of my heart that God has yet to take over. I have been doing the NEXT devotional series with The Village and the first few were about reflecting and being thankful for the things Christ has done over the past year. God has been so gracious in my life this year and has provided me with new and wonderful friendships and a chance to make a mark as Philanthropy chair in Delta Zeta. However all that is forgotten when I think about what I don't have, or my desire to graduate and have a family.
My prayer for this coming year is that I would find joy and satisfaction in what Christ has for me IN THE MOMENT. He is moving so fiercely in my life but if I am focused on my earthly desires I will miss the joy that He has for my heart.

Heart's Tendency

Today I was reflecting back in my journal and I came across notes from a very powerful sermon at The Austin Stone. It was just as powerful re-reading the notes as it was hearing it for the first time and it just showed me how my heart has a tendency to run back to the things that tear me from Christ. One of the biggest quotes I wrote down was "Unless my heart is healed and SEALED for Christ, I am to remain on my own or I WILL create idols." I don't know why it is so hard for me to be obedient to that but God has been fierce in pursuing my heart. At church today Christ called me to be obedient to what he has been putting on my heart so that I can press into him without the thing that can distract me the most.

I am so thankful for Christ's faithfulness in pulling me away when my hearts tendency is so wicked and sinful.
"And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ" Phillipians 1:6

Silence

This week has been a task filled week due to Delta Zeta responsibilities. Due to that, I have very little time to think about the sadness and heart-issues I am struggling with right now...until bedtime. I find myself avoiding sleep (what I am currently doing) so that I can avoid silence and time for me to think. In reality what I am avoiding is intimate time with God. Silence is when he speaks to us, its when we can truly grow near to him. I don't know what fear I have of that, maybe that it involves a lot of sadness or fear that my plan isn't his plan (sinful in itself).
I must pray against the fear of silence so that I can grow deeper to Christ. Below is an article that really has opened my eyes silence, I hope God can speak to you through it as He did to me.

www.biblicalspirituality.org/silence.html