The Power to Change

It's been a very long time since I "blogged".  My life has gotten even more busy, tho I'm not sure how that is possible.  I don't even remember the last thing I wrote on here and I don't want to take the time to go back and look.  I might get distracted and forget the things burning on my heart to say right now.
Okay, so, here I am in October of 2013, teaching High School French.  I really love my job.  That is, I love my students and love teaching them a language that I love.  More than that, though, is the fact that I firmly believe God has called me here, not necessarily to teach French, but to be His hands and feet... His presence in this classroom.  It's my daily prayer that He will use me here to communicate His love and grace to even one kid.  There may be only one student in the many that pass through my door every day, that needs a word, an encouragement, a prayer... and even if it's only one, I want to be here for that one.

Today we had an assembly "Anti-Bullying Assembly".  We have a strict "anti-bullying" policy here on our campus.  It's good to make kids aware and to remind them: 1) We will not bully others  2) We will try to help other students who are bullied.  3) We will try to include students who are left out.  4) If we know that someone is being bullied, we will tell an adult.  These are all really good things, and I hope our students will take this seriously.  (It would be nice if this were posted other places too, like Church, Board rooms, Congress, etc... *wink*).

Our speaker today was really good!  He connected with the students in a way that most of us cannot.  He challenged us to reach out and help those who are silent or broken.  He talked about the changes in his life and how he went from being a bully to being one who reaches out and helps. It was all really good.  But what struck me as I listened to this was.... "where is the true power to change?" There's a lot we can do to "better ourselves" but there is no real power for lasting change just in ourselves.  I know me.  I know that, without the Lord present in my life, helping me, changing me from the inside out I cannot be different in a way that lasts.  Only He can bring about eternal change.  We can do lots of good things and helpful things and we can make a difference.  But what about eternity?  As Christians we can make a difference today, tomorrow and on into Eternity.

"Lord, make me an instrument of Your peace.
Where there is hatred, let me sow love;
Where there is injury, pardon;
Where there is doubt, faith;
Where there is despair, hope;
Where there is darkness, light;
Where there is sadness, joy;

O Divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek
to be consoled as to console,
to be understood as to understand,
to be loved as to love;
For it is in giving that we receive;
It is in pardoning that we are pardoned;
It is in dying to self that we are born to eternal life."
-Attributed to St. Francis of Assisi