The Loveliest Moments

So, I teach teenagers about God, except lately it's been tougher than I care to admit. At one point, I used to live for those teaching moments in front of my class of adolescents where they hung on my every word... LOL! That totally didn't happen :o) But sometimes while I would teach, I could see those whose hearts had been pricked by something I mentioned about God. It's probably one of the most beautiful sights in the world.

Except lately, I feel blind. It feels like nothing I say to the room of twenty or so kids really makes a difference. They would rather talk amongst each other, roll their eyes at groups of other girls in the class that they don't particularly care for, and have me begging God for just an ounce of patience. And after all that, I leave the class room, drained, desperately craving a nap and a whole pack of Chewy Chocolate Chips Ahoy cookies... from Target, and about $100 dollars worth of items I don't need. I leave the class room defeated, and ready to throw in the towel... again.

Yesterday, I was up to teach for the second week in a row. I was certain I would lose all my hair trying to convey the importance of the day's lesson to my teens, John 15:4 "Remain in me..." Surprisingly, they were less 'active' than the previous week. And while I don't think I did a great job teaching the lesson, they listened.

After class, I mingled with my students, and a girl (15 or 16) I had been teaching on and off for about two years said, "Hey Makeda".
"Hi Hon, I haven't seen you in a while. How are you?" By the way, this part is me.
"I know, my daddy work on Sundays now. You signed that scripture in my eight grade graduation book," she said as I opened a nearby bible to 1 Cor. 13, and handed it to another young lady.
"I sure did, didn't I?"
"Yup, that's where I go in the bible every time somebody make me mad, and I just read it over and over again."
"Really?" I said, and now that I think about it, I probably should have done a better job hiding my surprise :o)

This young girl used to be hot tempered, always ready to fight, and cared little for those around her. And while I was on my hiatus from ministry, she would call my cell phone every other month with a problem that I would talk her through. I've watched her grow into a lovely young lady, and I can only imagine the changes God still has in store for her.

Amongst the not so great teaching days, I'm privy to many lovely moments, this was one of the loveliest, to make an impact on a young life when it feels like none can be made on any.

Love 1 Cor. 13,
Makeda