Two weeks ago, on my personal Facebook page, I posted the following:
I’m so excited! Tonight, I get to start a new chapter in my life. Well, kind of an old chapter, yet new again. I can’t wait to share with you later about this journey. For now, I have a question for you: What scares you? Or what is something that you think is too big for you to handle?
There was a plethora of scares:
- Flying
- Cancer
- Drowning
- Quicksand
- Family
- Doubt in faith
- Loneliness
- Frogs
- Our country
- Snakes
- Skydiving
- Dying in the ocean
- Getting dementia
- Spiders
- Drowning
- Hospitals
- Anything out of my control
Can you relate to any “scares you” listed?
Friends would text and call with curiosity. Was I coming out of retirement? Am I writing a new book? What is going on??? I had to laugh, yet felt the love, because I guess I had posted in such a way that the anticipation was building in others. The new chapter isn’t as exciting as the buildup, but it sure feels good!
Sharing Jesus is what I desire to do. Whether it is through posting on social media, sharing on my website, or simply living out life, I want to encourage others to grow and fall in love with Christ.
When you combine sharing Jesus with teaching…I’m in. Although I have a love for teaching, the answer to the question about coming out of retirement is “NOPE!”
While others may have a fear of public speaking…wait, I can’t believe no one said they were afraid of speaking in front of others…I don’t mind it. Don’t ask why. Maybe it is because of the experience and lessons learned through the FFA, being the only girl with three older brothers so I had to speak up, or it is just a God-given ability. The age of the audience doesn’t matter, but I will say that the attention span for kindergarten and younger can be quite challenging for me. Maybe God knew I needed a challenge yet putting me back into a setting that is familiar to me.
Let’s combine the three qualities together: sharing Jesus, teaching, and public speaking. These three are needed in my new chapter…teaching and sharing Jesus with kindergarten through second grade children, on Wednesday nights at my home church. This large group of children are a part of the AWANA program that my church offers. Our children’s pastor is the large group leader for 3rd-6th grade, and he asked me to lead the younger group.
His invitation came at a time when I was just praying about how to get involved again on Wednesday nights.
Ask and ye shall receive! God said, “Here you go”.
Continue to ask, and God will give to you. Continue to search, and you will find. Continue to knock, and the door will open for you. Matthew 7:7
There are no set plans, so each week I get to create a presentation. I’ve chosen to focus on different character traits. Week one’s trait, when I asked what you are afraid of, was BRAVE. Last week was PERSEVERANCE. When praying about what trait for this week, COURTEOUS came to mind. This trait is so appropriate for the first Wednesday evening in September because I discovered that September is National Courtesy month.
When I say time flew, it did, and it will continue. I only have approximately 15-20 minutes to share with the group. You may think that that is plenty of time, but the way my mind works…I’m rushing. Rushing while trying to remain calm and collective and wanting to get the point across with real life demonstrations and a bible story, is something that I need to work on condensing.
So, this new chapter has encouraged me to share with you the lessons I prepared to share. Bible lessons are for us all…any age, any stage.
I hope you will enjoy the character trait lessons and be motivated to be the child of God that Christ desires for you to be.
“The best learning I had came from teaching.” Corrie Ten Boom
The words of Corrie Ten Boom above are so very true! Preparing each lesson teaches me so much about God and leads me to focus on Jesus.
As far as “Am I writing a new book?” Stay tuned.
If you haven’t yet purchased The Right Road, please click on the title and get your copy today.
And this world is fading away, along with everything that people crave. But anyone who does what pleases God will live forever. 1 John 2:17
I pray that you will seek God’s will for your life. Share Jesus with others through your words and actions.
Blessings to you and yours,
Stephanie
