Where: My kitchen on 34B Church Street, Pembroke, NH
What: Acts 20:24 (ESV) "But I do not account my life of any value nor as precious to myself, if only I may finish my course and the ministry that I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God."
Why: After 8 months of soul-searching and major prioritizing in my life, I read the verse above. In the middle of my kitchen, I bowed my head. "Lord, I will stay in NH for 20 more years living in this apartment. I will teach middle school for the next 20 years and will deal with the fact I am unchallenged and will submit to the resulting boredom (I was busy 24/7, and loved teaching middle school! But there was nothing challenging or stretching me in my life.) if that is what You want for me. I only want to walk the course (job) and fulfill the ministry You laid out for me before I was born. In doing all this I want to do it because it will bring You the most glory and point others to Your amazing love!"
Unexpected Turn: Three days later on May 11, 2013 I was laid off due to finances at the Christian school in NH that I had been teaching at since graduating from college. Six weeks later I was dropping my parents and sister off at ILM airport in Wilmington, NC wondering if I would be able to find my way back to my new home without getting lost.
Results:
1. A website that has helped Christian educators and parents up and down the East Coast in finding resources and people as they move along their journey on this path called special education.
2. A bill presently being debated in the NC House of Representatives that will give financial relief to Christian parents across our state.
3. A growing network of parents, educators, government officials, administrators, speech therapists, doctors, and friends each with his/her own unique abilities and personality to bring to the table.
4. An opportunity to gain a much coveted special education license in the Orton-Gillingham reading method.
5. An article in Wilmington Parent about dyslexia and promoting our Resource Program at WCA.
6. A multitude of opportunities to see God work inspite of me, my fears, my weaknesses, and my own lack of knowledge thus growing my love and dependence on Him.
Extraordinary Expectations? Yes, I have experienced the truth of this phrase and the Biblical thoughts behind this title (explained on my home page) in so many ways in the last 24+ months of my life!
Who is my God? He is the One Being who is able to do "above and beyond all I could ask or think" if I live out David's cry from Psalm 62:5 "my hope is in Him." Hope being another word for expectation in this verse. He is the Meeter of my Expectation, and today I have been amazed to rehearse all He has done in the last 24 months!
Who is your God?