Taking a Beating

I really hope this doesn't sound like whining. My goal is actually to share encouragement that I have received.

Last week was awful! I was wrongly accused. I felt conspired against. I felt ensnared. I was assailed. I felt beaten down. When I left school Friday, I was seriously considering other options for a job. I was wrestling with the commitment I made to my boss about staying put with the school. I was seriously considering homeschooling the boys.

I was tired.

I left the building at 3:30 (2 hours early than my usual departure time). I had left some work unfinished, and I really didn't care. I wanted to speak briefly with my boss, but his cell phone rang at what appeared at the time (to me) to be the worst possible moment. I retreated and headed toward my truck resigned.

20 feet before I made it to my truck, I heard, "Mr. Harris!" I turned to see the smiling face of one of my brighter (and therefore more challenging) students. I turned and joined him at the window of his mother's vehicle...

I'm standing there, tired, beaten, not-quite broken 38 year old man, and I find myself being ministered to by the encouragement of a 13 year old boy with braces on his smile. "I've been good this week!" Yes, you have, and I appreciate that. We visited about the rough week I'd had with his classmates. When his mother returns to the car, she immediately begins to encourage me. Thank you. You saved me.

Today, after lunch, we went over to Wal-mart on a whim for something we didn't even need, but we just thought we'd grab since we lunched right across the street. As we were cuing up in the check-out line (after not finding what we were looking for), Yvonne smiles and says 'hi,' to one of the other mother's from school. She's also the mother of one of my eighth grade students. She introduces herself (because she and Yvonne knew each other, and Yvonne didn't know I had never met her). She immediately starts encouraging me to stand my ground, be strong and not buckle to the assaults from the students or attacks by their parents. For a long time, she works to encourage me. I'm encouraged.

I still don't know what I'm going to do about my problem students and classes, but I feel like I have people counting on me to find a way and not just people hoping I'll fail. That goes a long way.

I'm always amazed at how God sends angels to me. I'm always surprised that His encourager is the least expected person.

Let God use you as an angel. When you feel that spontaneous word of encouragement, and you don't know why, tell that person! Just be obedient. Carry that word of hope to the hurting, even when you don't know why, and think you don't know how. If it's from God, he'll give you his words, just let them flow through you to bless others.

A long time ago, I promised myself I would not stifle the Spirit in my life. Even when I feel like an idiot, if I feel like it's God moving in my heart, I open my mouth, and I'm amazed at the work God does with my tongue. It's beautiful! It's always a blessing. Just last week, I sent an email to a professor I don't know and will probably never meet thanking him for a lecture series of his that I am listening to. The reply I received that day was heartfelt gratitude for the encouragement. That's just how God works. I don't understand it, I just submit to it.

May God richly bless you, and through you, the people around you,
jody