There are times when things feel completely hopeless. You keep trying, but you can't see any results of your work. It is discouraging, isn't it? I completely understand.
Yesterday, after Sunday morning service at my church I was standing talking with a parent of a couple of the teenagers that are in my Sunday school class. Suddenly, from no where another teenager from my class comes up to me and gives me a hug and says, "Bye, Nickie!" I wanted to cry right there! The person that gave me a hug had a really bad week. I won't go into the details, but it was a week I wouldn't wish on anyone. I had prayed before I got to class that morning that God would give me direction in how to pour into him and the rest of the class, because I knew that they all really needed some encouragement. It was like God answered my prayers when I got that hug. I could hear God say, "I'm in control."
Don't ever give up. I have a keychain attached to my work keys that's a Chinese proverb. It says that if we pour into the next generation we will receive happiness for a lifetime. For me, it is so true. I am happiest when I am in that Sunday school room.
When I started teaching three years ago, I had no clue what would happen and if I would turn out to be the worst teacher ever. But, now, I wouldn't trade a single moment. The class I have right now are an amazing group. They are so smart and even when I wonder if they really listen to what I say, they suprise me by bringing stuff up that I talked about months ago. I have so much fun with them. We can all laugh and joke around and be serious too. Every week I ask each person as they are coming in how their week has been. They never fail to tell me a story or two. They crack me up, because sometimes I am just tempted to let them teach the class because they have a story to tell for every point in the lesson that I make. They are constantly raising their hands, which is funny to me, because I will look up and see that almost everyone of them has their hands up and they want me to call on them. Some of them just get impatient and say, "This is REALLY REALLY important and it's about what you just said...." I finally have to break down and tell them to hold it until the end of class and then they can say what they need to. They always beg to spend at least 15 minutes telling me about what they have learned throughout the week and to ask me questions. I just have to laugh. I've been watching them and I am so proud of them! I watched two of them get baptised this last week and I started tearing up watching them. They are all so much fun. They have no idea what a priviledge it is to spend an hour a week teaching them.
Be encouraged today! Know that what you do DOES matter.
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