Book excerpt: Teaching Tips from Week 36

As we come to the end of our school year, I just wanted to share a few pages from my book that will help you coast your way to the end.  Sometimes you just need a little reminder...  

Ten Tips For Better Teaching

1. Purpose – Remember that you have been destined and designed for this.  Regardless of what you think, God has created you, everything about you to impact the life of your students.          Jeremiah 1: 5
2. Prayer – Continue to pray without ceasing.  Be specific in what you desire and what you need. God has promised to give you wisdom and rest.  Just A.S.K. (ask, seek and knock)  Matthew 7:7 and Matthew 11: 28-30
3. Power – Understand that you have been given power from on high to trample the enemy.  Your words, God’s Word spoken again by you are weapons against the enemy and they are life to your every need.  Speak life.           2 Corinthians 10: 4-5
4. Preparation – Plan up to the very end.  Kids who have nothing to do can and will begin to get on your nerves.  You don’t need the bible to tell you that!
5. Pollinate – Although you may feel a little stretched, be willing to speak encouragement or help out a fellow teacher (especially the new ones) during this time of year.  Help out those who need help in growing. 
6. Perseverance – 2 John 1: 8 Says it best: Watch out that you do not lose what you have worked for, but that you may be rewarded fully.  Don’t give up now.
7. Personality – Nehemiah 8:10 says that “the joy of the Lord is your strength”.  Now’s not the time to be a sourpuss.  Draw joy and love from Jesus so that you can be a reflection of His joy, His compassion, His loving kindness towards others.  Let your light so shine…
8. Pleasing – Hebrews 13: 20-21 says “May the God of peace,… _v21 equip you with everything good for doing his will, and may he work in us what is pleasing to Him, through Jesus Christ…”  Allow God to do the work in you so that you will be pleasing to Him.  In doing so, you will also become pleasing to those around you.  
9. Placement – Jeremiah 29:11 God knows the plans He has for you.  This tip on placement is not just about a choice in grade level, school or district, but it’s much deeper than that.  It’s really about trust.  Trust God to place you in situations, in ear shot of conversations, around your colleagues so that you can be used HOWEVER God needs for that particular need.  Someone may just need your smile or encouraging word and God places you two in the hallway alone.  Every time, every situation belongs to God.  
10. Peace - Isaiah 26:3 You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in you.  Trust in God and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him and He will direct you paths.  Peace comes directly from God. Seek Him and you will find it.

Hold His hand and finish this race.

Remember keep starting your Monday with the Master.

Young, T. (2014). Start Your Monday With The Master. Sandston, Virginia: JDI Publisher Co.

Image retrieved from:  https://www.pinterest.com/pin/471611392198706215/

Afraid...Yet Filled with Joy

He is not here; He has risen, just as He said... He has risen from the dead and is going ahead of you into Galilee...So the women hurried away from the tomb, afraid yet filled with joy, and ran to tell his disciples.

Suddenly Jesus met them.

Matthew 28: 6-9

Whelp!!! We are nearing the end of our school year is some shape, form, or fashion.  Some of us are heading back after a puff of smoke Spring Break, some are falling into their much needed Spring Break and others are pushing headlong into statewide testing.  Because a plethora of emotions run throughout school systems at this time, I just wanted to give you an encouraging word today.

The women who followed Jesus so diligently throughout His time here on earth are found here in Matthew 28 verses six through nine as meeting God's angel and hearing the astonishing news that Jesus has risen from the dead.  Following the angel's directions, they ran away from the empty tomb, "afraid...yet filled with joy". 

Afraid...yet filled with joy...

This is a combination of emotions familiar to those of us in the teaching profession.  Many of you are feeling this right now as you are apprehensive of the strenuous testing season that we're entering, yet you're keeping a countdown calendar of the days until summer break arrives at home, at work, in the car, tacked on the garage wall, and layering the bottom of each one of your dresser drawers! 

If you set yourself to follow directions like those women and go tell His disciples the marvelous news that He is risen, you too will be blessed with the opportunity to be met by Jesus and worship Him.  How?  God ALWAYS has a remnant.  You are not the only Christian in your school.  Seek out others and encourage each other with His word.  Remind each other that you serve a risen King who has all power in His hands.  Remind each other that your King has given you authority to speak those things which are not as though they were.  Remind each other that your King has blessed you to set the declare an atmosphere of peace and understanding in your school and classroom.  Remind each other that your King has placed His Spirit in you to declare His authority over any rebellion, stupor, dissension, and defiance that arises.  Your King is all powerful, has all wisdom, and more importantly, He loves us with an everlasting love. 

Chin up, shoulders back, eyes to the heavenly throne, and heart fixed on King Jesus!

Go run and tell that!

The Lord is with you and you are loved!

Toni

The Key To Being the "Best Teacher Ever"

So now I am giving you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other.  Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples.   - John 13: 34-35 NLT

As a present and former teacher of children ages four to ten, I've often been told by them that I'm the "best teacher ever".  I just smile sweetly and thank them while thinking, "You've only had two other teachers. Come back in twenty years kid".  

But just what does it take to truly be the "best teacher ever"?  How does one transcend in effecting a student's life in such a way that the student grows to be the "best person ever"?  The lyrics to a song I was listening to during my quiet time with the Lord began to resound in my spirit as the foundation of my answer. 

“You traced the line of my fingerprints.”

I looked at my upturned palms and gazed in wonderment at the unique intricacies of my hands.  My mind immediately went to Psalm 139 and Jeremiah 1 where both David and God let us know that our births are not just some random events that He "allowed" to happen. Each and every one of us was known by God before we were born.  We were specially designed by Him. He is the One who drew every line in our hands in such a way that no one else would ever have that pattern.   There is such an overwhelming, amazing, uncomprehending amount of concentrated love God has poured into creating our bodies and every day of our lives. 

It's the same God, who took the time to etch lines into your palms, that takes the time to love on you each and every day.  He daily loads you with benefits and offers you the wisdom, strength, and love that you need to teach His children. So, if you truly desire to be

the "best teacher ever", you must first realize just how much God loves you so that you can love as He loves.  When you wholly understand the fullness of the grace, mercy, forgiveness, unlimited provision, council, protection, and wisdom that He provides, there will be no limit to your willingness in allowing God to use you for the betterment of your students. Operating in the same love He provides is what should be our daily aspiration.

 The bible says,  "Ah, what love the Father has lavished on us that we should be called children of God."  Read about the depths in which the Father shows His love for you in the words and verses (click on link to read the scriptures) below and remember that as you head back into the classroom this week, to make sure and begin each day with reminders of His love for you. Place a copy of these scriptures around your desk, in your lunch box, on your computer, or even in your car. Post these love notes any and everywhere you can!  

He collects your tears in a bottle and records them:  

He has written your name on the palm of His hands:

He set you apart for this work before you were even born:

He knitted every part of you together in your mother’s womb:

The hairs on your head are numbered by God:

He knows everything about you:

He wants you to live eternally with Him:

 Realize His love.

 Bask in His love.

But more importantly...

Share His love.

The Lord is with you and you are loved,

Happy New Year!!!!

If you haven't done so already, check out my webpage: www.educatordominion.com.  There are new resource links for bible studies, meditations, and words of encouragements available to aid you as an educator in your walk with Christ.  Please share with a coworker or use it as a tool for evangelism.

This week's song is part of an hour long prayer soaking. It's amazing! Enjoy.