Join the Spiritual Thursday round up at Reading, Teaching, Learning.
Holly invites us to think about our spiritual journey. This week her theme could not have been more appropriate for the beginning of school, praying for our students.
Prayer is not enough. I am in no way discounting prayer. Sometimes it’s all you can do. But there are times when God calls on you to do more. This week was one of those times.
I don’t know why God chose me. I became the confidant of the mother of one of my students. Perhaps it was something I said in a conference with her. Perhaps it was her daughter’s trust in me. Maybe my phone number was the only teacher’s number she had. For whatever reason, I was the one who received her desperate call for help.
Many times over the course of the last few days, I have held my prayer hands pressed against my forehead. “God, give me your strength.”
Sometimes prayer is not enough.
This time I had to act. I had to turn to administrators, authorities, and counselors. I could not do this alone. I had to stay strong to tell her to stay strong. My precious student’s family was falling apart. It was not enough for me to pray. I held her tight. I helped her tell her classmates. I gave her someone to trust, someone to lean on, someone to be her advocate.
Jesus was called “teacher.” Teacher means more than educating a child. A teacher should be a stronghold for her students. She must create a safe environment. She should be open and flexible while respecting policy and authority.
Teaching is an act of the heart. My students become important in my life. Their families are important to me. Their lives are important.
In prayer, we can bring our students close to us, close to God. In action, we can express to each and every child that they matter, their lives matter. Our words should be carefully chosen, spoken with love and kindness. Because someday God may call us to action, to be His voice, and to save a child.
Reflections on the Teche 
Wow, Margaret. I’ve been praying for you and this child. One of the things I’ve prayed is a prayer of thankfulness that God placed this child in your care. I followed your journey with Emily’s heartbreak last year and saw how wonderful you were with her. She is in good hands, and her mother entrusted you with her for a reason. You’re right – prayer alone won’t be enough – but it can give you strength and wisdom, and can cover things you can’t. May God be there with you, the child, and her family during this crisis!!
Margaret, the start of school evokes so many different emotions. God chose you to be his ambassador for a reason-you are a great listener, a sensitive person, and a prayer warrior. May you and your students, especially the one that is in need now, be blessed this year.
Thanks for your response. Things are better now, but you never know when a volatile situation will explode again.
Teaching in a public school, unlike in the days when I attended school, God is not as welcome – or maybe even unwelcome. But a few of us still had a prayer group once a week before school to pray for the school and our students and their families. And I would often pray in the hallways as I walked the halls. Prayer is always what God calls you to do, but then he wants you to be the messenger, the angel; and the feet, hands and heart of the healing. He can do it without you, but what an incredible blessing when you are used of God.
Glad all looks better right now. But you are right. We always need to be prepared to do what we have been given the tools to do.