Forty Days of Prayer for Education: Day 21

Section 4: You Have Power

Join with us today and pray our prepared prayer on page 39 from the FORTY DAYS OF PRAYER FOR EDUCATION free eBook or pray independently from our focus scripture, Hebrews 11: 1 AMP and enjoy the accompanying song entitled, "Atmosphere of Faith" by Kevin Levar.

As you continue in prayer, let the Holy Spirit lead you to scripture concerning the power of God that has been released to you through His blood, His word and His name. Write these scriptures down and commit them to memory. As you face trials and obstacles this year, recall His Word to mind and rest assured that our God is faithful and is mighty to save and deliver. 

NOW FAITH...

Now faith is the assurance (title deed, confirmation) of things hoped for (divinely guaranteed), and the evidence of things not seen [the conviction of their reality—faith comprehends as fact what cannot be experienced by the physical senses].

Hebrews 11: 1 AMP

Dear Heavenly Father,

Today we come before You thanking You for Your sovereignty. Just knowing that You are omnipotent, all wise, and all knowing is truly a comfort.

Your word says that anyone who has faith in You will do

what You did when You walked this earth. You said that

we would do even greater things than those because of Your

ascent back into heaven to take Your rightful place as King.

It is our prayer today that You strengthen our faith in You.

For You are the One who gives us the power to identify the

hurt, sick, broken, and dying in our classrooms and schools.

It is our prayer today that You help us to believe and not doubt that You have given us power to administer and declare healing to those very same people. May those who believe in You truly understand the transference of power that You provided and may we take the leap of faith to perform those works.

No matter where You lead us, may we believe in the power of Your resurrection and believe that You have placed us there to welcome in the climate of heaven; wholeness, healing, love, peace and joy.

Lord, help us to overcome our unbelief and have faith in You today.

In the name of the One who is Faithful and True, Jesus the Christ,

-Amen

Guest Blogger: Mrs. Tonya Fields-Hines

God is a Healer

December 19, 2014… 7:30am.

I'd just completed my shower.  As I dried myself off, I felt a strange knot in my right breast. I asked my husband if he could feel it. His confirmation sent a nervous feeling over my body.

I spent my Christmas holiday with the chance of cancer hanging over me. The day after Christmas, my mother overheard me making my appointment for the mammogram.  I had to break down and tell her what was going on. My secret was out.

On December 31, 2014, I had my mammogram done.  It came back abnormal, and they also were concerned with my left breast. I immediately began praying. I returned on January 6, 2015, and was told it was cancer in my right breast and I needed a biopsy for my left breast to be sure.

My lumpectomy was done on January 7, 2015. I was found to have Stage II Invasive Ductal Carcinoma in my right breast. The lump in my left breast was benign. After getting over being told, "You have cancer", I began to lean totally on God and resist temptation to worry. My family truly rallied around me. 

Since I am on a member of the Leadership Team at work, my circle is very small.  I chose only to share my health crisis with them.  However, once the staff found out, they were all very supportive.  It was rewarding to know just how much they cared.  

I worked consistently from January through May through five different surgeries and procedures, one of which was a lymph node procedure that was done in February.  It was then that I learned  the cancer had not spread!  Praise be to God! That was confirmation that I was going to be alright.

.Because of my age (42), I had to endure four months of chemotherapy and five weeks of radiation.  I thought I’d be able to push through it until the end of the school year, but sadly I could not.  Chemotherapy was a beast and I resolved that it’d be best for me to stay home.  Thankfully, my treatments were completed on November the 13th. 

 I am truly a blessed girl.  My faith and trust in God got me through.  Although, I've been back at work full time for three months now, I do try to take it easy. I listen to my body and God. So if I need to rest, I rest because I want to be here a loooong time. My hair has returned (with a curly soft texture….smile) and I'm going to continue to the fight and know that I'm still here for a reason.  OH BLESS GOD!

Yes, this experience has brought me closer to the Lord and my family. It even strengthened my 20 year marriage. I'm cancer free and ready for whatever God has in store for me. If it's to minister through song, His word, or my testimony, I just want to tell of the second chance that I was given. 

Through it all, I have learned to trust in Jesus. I have learned to trust in God.

Tonya Fields-Hines is an educator of seventeen years who has taught as a classroom teacher and specialist.  She is currently the math specialist for Park View Elementary in Portsmouth, Va.  Tonya is married and has twin daughters who are high school freshman.  She is also a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Inc. 

Did you enjoy Tonya's testimony?  Are you struggling with health issues of your own or know someone who is?  Please take the time to read, meditate and believe in these healing scriptures and share with someone else.  

Isaiah 53: 4-5

Isaiah 41: 10

James 5:14

Matthew 11: 28

Philippians 4: 19

Proverbs 4: 20-22

Exodus 15: 26

Exodus 23:25

Psalm 103: 2-4

The Lord is with you and you are loved,

Toni

Please enjoy this week's song which is a testament to Tonya's testimony of healing.    Like and share this on Facebook with an educator who needs to be reminded of the healing power of Jesus.

Guest Blogger: Dr. Shauna Mayo

Being Satisfied Where You Are

-Dr. Shauna Mayo

            Any person who has strived to be successful in their career also looks for opportunities for advancement. I am no different in that I, too, want to advance in the field of education. A few years ago, I learned a valuable lesson from God through an experience that taught me to be satisfied where I am until He tells me it’s time to move.

          About four years ago, an opening became available in my school that would have allowed me to advance into an administrative position. I thought that I was prepared for this advancement. I had completed my doctorate degree. I was knowledgeable about administrative duties because I had served in the position of the Elementary Summer School Coordinator. I had established a positive working relationship with the person whom I would be working with every day. I was READY!! Interview day came and went and I never received a phone call. I later learned that the position went to someone else who I knew well, but whom I never expected would obtain the job. When I tell you I was HURT, I cannot begin explain how I felt.

         I began to question myself. What did I say wrong in the interview? Was I too nervous? Why did that person get selected? Was it because of friendship? All of these were questions that I asked myself. When it was time to return to work for the new school year, my wounds were still open and when people would say that they knew I would get the job that just made matters even worst. It was hard for me to be positive. I wanted to be the best teacher for my students, but for a long time every day was a struggle. One day, the realization came to me that it was not my time. There was more that God wanted me to learn. It’s as if He spoke to me and said that He knew what was best for me and right now this was not it. After this revelation, I began to return to what I would call my “normal” self and began to settle into what was a good school year.

      What did I learned from this experience, you may ask. Well, I learned that it was not in my time. Things happen in God’s time no matter how badly we may want them to happen right now. It’s unfortunate that we have become a right now generation. Sometimes, it seems that not only do we lose patience with ourselves, we lose it with God.  We may obtain all of the degrees in the world and make all of the right connections, but if it’s not your time, then it’s just not your time. My reasons for seeking that position were for my own self-satisfaction and my own aspirations. I was looking for everyone to say how fast I had progressed in education, in spite of being in the field for a relatively short time. Isaiah 55:8 states “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways.” This tells us that what we want and what God wants for us are not the same. It also lets me know that God only wants the best for me and all of us, His children.

      What are you aspiring for today? Have you experienced disappointment? Is it for your own personal satisfaction?  Well, please know that it’s okay to want the desires of our heart. God tells us that. However, He also reminds us in Proverbs 3:6 to “In all thy ways acknowledge Him and He shall direct thy paths.” When we put God first, He makes everything else possible. I was not doing that. I was looking at the outward appearance of what this job would bring me. We have to learn to look for the lesson in each experience in our lives, good or bad. Sure, we are going to feel disappointment at time in certain situations because we are human. But, we do not have to dwell in that disappointment. Always know that your better is coming.

        Today, I have moved to a different position and I must say that obtaining the position was not difficult. I know that for now, this is where God wants me to me because I still have some things to learn. When I have learned those lessons, He will allow me to be moved to my next place. The same holds true for you. I encourage you to be happy where you are. Don’t compare yourself to anyone else. Use the gifts that God has given to you to make others better when you leave them than when you found them. Be satisfied and continue to praise God in all that happens.

About the author:

Dr. Shauna Mayo is a Title I Instructional Specialist for Robert E. Lee Elementary School in Petersburg, VA. She is also a U.S. Army Veteran, retiring after 21 years of military service. She is married and has 2 daughters. Dr. Mayo attends Tabernacle Baptist Church where she is a Deaconess and an Usher. She is also a member of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc., through Alpha Omega Zeta Chapter in Petersburg. She loves reading cozy mysteries, her family, and quiet time to mediate on God's word.

Thanks for reading this inspirational message from our guest blogger.  Please share this with a colleague who may need to hear this heartening word.   

Please enjoy the weekly song, “Born for This” by Stephanie Mills. 

Go With the Flow and Ride the Wind

This past weekend, I was fortunate enough to visit the Virginia Beach Oceanfront area with my family.  Since we didn't get a chance to spend any extended time at the beach this summer, I told myself that to make up for that, I would have to spend at least one morning on the beach greeting the Lord and His sunrise. 

Unfortunately, our first morning was cool, misty, overcast and the ocean was extremely rough. So instead of going down on the beach, I hung out on our balcony.  While  drinking my coffee, I saw a seagull hovering around our ninth story balcony. 

Truth be told, when they are not trying to take your Cheetos or chase you across a parking lot to get your ice cream cone ( childhood flashback...shudder), seagulls are actually inspirational to watch.  So I sipped and watched, sipped and watched, and noticed the most wonderful things.  

On that windy, wet day, the gulls did not fight the wind, but rode it with grace and agility.  If their goal was to go forward against the wind, they just hovered until the current was conducive for their progression. They would rise higher or descend with a few flaps of their wings.  Their hovering seemed effortless although the wind blew tirelessly in their faces.  

Then, as I tilted my coffee cup back to finish it off, something zoomed off to the right!  A seagull shot past me and went on his merry way.  "Wow", I thought, that gull is going faster in that direction.  

Our lives are just like that. When we make God our rear guard (Isaiah 58:8 “Then your light will break out like the dawn, And your healing (restoration, new life) will quickly spring forth; Your righteousness will go before you [leading you to peace and prosperity], The glory of the Lord will be your rear guard. success is eminent.  It is for us to let God push us forward as we shoot from faith to faith and glory to glory.

Educators, God never intended us to struggle in our own strength. Our struggle for things that are already promised to us and under His covenant are just a ridiculous as ...

When you study the Word of God, make note of His promises to YOU. As you learn these promises, your "blessed assurance" will strengthen your wings.

So, here's a promise to get you started for this week:

   Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.  Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls.  For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light.”

Matthew 11: 28-30 NLT

Whether you're having a wind in your face or wind in your back school year, God wants you to allow Him to lead and guide you. Trust Him with EVERYTHING.  There is nothing too insignificant or hard for Him.  Just go with the flow and ride the wind. 

The Lord is with you and you are love,

Toni

Please enjoy this song.  God is sovereign and nothing is too hard for Him.  Go with the flow and trust Him.

Images retrieved from:
http://www.mylespaul.com/forums/backstage/343326-seagull-tries-save-friend-seagull-vs-eagle-2.html
http://xquatrox.deviantart.com/art/Seagull-in-the-sky-303943395