HIS Encouragement #17

Good morning, and welcome to His Encouragement Thursday! I don’t know about you, but Thursdays are my struggle day of the week. By Thursday, I have already been working hard at school and at home, and I just wish it would hurry up and be Friday already. LOL! I definitely need a little extra Jesus time on Thursdays.

Trisha, my blogger friend at Joy of Reading, and I decided on calling this post “His Encouragement” because our real source of peace, strength, and security can only come from Jesus Christ. He, and He alone, is our constant! We pray and hope that these Thursday posts become a real encouragement to you and help you end your week strong in God’s love and purpose for you. God bless!

Today’s Thursday Encouragement comes from:

Psalm 143:10 (ESV)

Teach me to do Your will, for You are my God! Let Your good Spirit lead me on level ground!

Teach me to do YOUR will, Lord God!

I have been a high school English teacher for 13 years. My high school is located in an exceptionally poor part of town. Most all of my students have serious need, and most all of my students were not raised to see education as a gift. Because of this, the student population at my school tends to be a little rough. So, I have to assert dominance from the very first second students enter my class, or I will lose them for the entire year. At my school, I have a reputation for being one of the hardest teachers on campus. I have actually been told, “I want to take your class, but I just don’t want you” — yes, this hurt my feelings deeply! Many see me as bossy, uptight, and rigid. Due dates mean something in my class. Common courtesy to write a quick email when a student is absent is a must. There’s no such thing as late work in my class (unless there is an actual life emergency or situation…I’m not cruel). I wear a “Mrs. Santana, the Teacher Who Means Business” mask every day.

I don’t put on this mask because I want people to hate me. I do it because I know kids need boundaries. They need an adult to confidently and firmly tell them where the line is. They need a small glimpse into what reality will be like the second they are in college or in the workforce. For 180 days, my students struggle with me, fight me, and try to push me. BUT, they will follow my will for them and they will learn. They will grow and become next year’s 10th graders and first year college students (I teach 9th and 12th grade). For 180 days I wear a “tough guy” mask because I desperately want my kids to find their success. I want them to be the men and women God made them to be. It’s exhausting though! Doing a job where kids hate me, parents hate me, and society hates me is rough.

Why am I telling you all this? Because, if I am honest, many times that teacher mask gets stuck on and carries a little into my personal life. Often, I forget that God is the real Boss, the true Teacher. And, I realize that I am not doing HIS will for me when I carry my teacher mask into other areas of my life. I desperately need the Holy Spirit to lead me on level ground. When I follow God’s will, when I allow the Holy Spirit to join me in doing my daily activities, my teaching is so much better, my friendships are stronger, my marriage is more joyful, and my relationship with my daughter is fantastic. I just need to remember everyday that God is my Teacher and my Guide, and that I need to give my teacher mask a break every now and then.

What about you, dear readers? What mask do you sometimes leave on (knowingly or unknowingly)? Leave a comment and I will add you to my prayer list and ask God to grant you a little extra guidance and peace! God bless you on this Thursday!

Now, it’s your turn!

What Biblical verse is encouraging you today?

And, check out more Thursday Encouragement from my fellow blogger friends:

Trisha @ Joy of Reading

Jacquelyn @ A Heavenly Home

Jessica @ A Baker’s Perspective

If you would like to join us: please contact Trisha or Nicole