This journal entry was at the beginning of my career as a kindergarten teacher in the public school system.  I wondered how I would live out my calling in an environment that was supposedly not “Christian friendly”.

From the journal. . . July 1998

I love You Lord.  Help me stay in tune with You. I was impacted by reading Oswald Chambers this morning. He writes that when we are emotionally or spiritually down, we look for thrills.[1]  Not a good idea. We must keep walking with Jesus. Chambers says, “Having the reality of God’s presence isn’t dependent on our being in a particular circumstance or place but is dependent on our determination to keep the Lord before us continually.”[2] 

Lord, music helps me with this and so does nature. They help remind me of Your presence. 

This brought questions to my mind of how I would function in the public school setting when I couldn’t surround myself with the familiar Jesus things.   

Lord, am I to stay in the public school where I am not supposed to see You?

And I Believe God Said:

No. You are to bring Me there.  By My grace you can do this. You can keep Me always before you.

I have set the Lord continually before me;
Because He is at my right hand, I will not be shaken (Psalm 16:8).

But Lord, that’s very hard without Christian music playing, or plaques, or scripture, or the freedom to talk about You with others.

I had surrendered my life to Jesus as a young stay-at-home mom and could pretty much control my environment from that point on. Jesus was everywhere in my world!  College led me to believe this would be different!

I didn’t say it would be easy, but you must let Me in every part.  Yes, do what you can. I will do the rest. 

There are spiritual things that you can’t see.  You must believe this.  I want you there.  And you have to trust Me to do what needs to be done.  As you fill yourself with Me, I will make you a light.  I will make you conspicuous – you don’t need to do that.

Your light must shine before people in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven (Matthew 5:16).

Then Jesus again spoke to them, saying, “I am the Light of the world; the one who follows Me will not walk in the darkness, but will have the Light of life” (John 8:12).

For so the Lord has commanded us, “I have appointed You as a light to the Gentiles,
That You may bring salvation to the end of the earth” (Acts 13:47).

Don’t neglect spiritual food. You need that.  Be willing to pour yourself out, even your reputation as a teacher to represent Me. 

Don’t worry about building strong ties with the staff.  Love them, but you don’t need to spend extra time. Be efficient but friendly and kind.  You can’t make them like you. 

Be confident and serve Me.  Don’t be competitive.  Love and pray for the students, be kind and respectful to the staff and parents.  Love Me and keep Me ever before you.  Don’t be intimidated by outward appearances.

I love the things that He said to me.  I also love looking back at the fears and remembering how He never left me alone.  I had many unexpected challenges, but He pulled me through. The fears, doubts, and insecurities weren’t easy, but oh my, the running to Him was.

He was and is so gracious and kind!

He is so rich in kindness and grace that He bought our freedom with the blood of His only son and forgave us.  He has showered His kindness on us along with all wisdom and understanding! (Ephesians 1:7)

He said to not worry about making strong ties but every year, there was always at least one other teacher who would gather weekly with me to pray!   Some of those teachers are still precious friends who I see on a regular basis, even now!! And YOU know who you are!!

Jesus never took Himself away from people because it was a “not Christian friendly” environment and He doesn’t want that for His Church.  We are to Go into all nations, but never ever alone.  Always with Him!

Go, therefore, and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, ²⁰ teaching them to follow all that I commanded you; and behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age” (Matthew 28:19-20).

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            [1] Oswald Chambers, My Utmost for His Highest (Grand Rapids: Oswald Chambers Publications, 2020), 222.

            [2] Ibid.