I should start with the informative, because no one seems to know where in the world I am these days.
After three years of teaching high school in Boston, I decided to leave my teaching job and launch into the unknown. The decision was made for myriad reasons. Essentially, I really love high schoolers, but as I became more involved in my school and summer camp programs, I was increasingly drawn to program and curriculum development and student support rather than to classroom instruction. I realized that staying where I was would not allow me to focus on doing what I really wanted to do. So, I think I'm headed to grad school... ideally in sociology and education at Columbia University, looking at how we as educators can better understand diverse students and use that diversity to enhance their education. We could do so much better in "getting" our students... I want to learn how to do that. I say I think I'm headed there because I'm not in yet, so if you think about that, I'd appreciate prayer.
The goodbyes at school were incredibly hard. I really love my students...
Yet, I am fully confident that this was the decision God had for me. I spent the summer directing another high school leadership program, this time in New Hampshire, and now I'm living at camp for a few months, developing the leadership training curriculum.
It's an ideal location. The camp is on Lake Winnipesaukee in NH, just south of the White Mountains, which means lots of opportunities for water and hiking fun.
This picture, taken on a sunrise hike last week, really symbolizes where I am right now. It has been hugely beneficial to slow down and get healthy in a beautiful place with some pretty great people. I miss my Boston life some, and my Boston friends dearly, but I now realize how burnt out I was and how unhealthily I was living my life. My desire in these next few months is to recenter my life around Christ and what he has for me, and to learn to rest in his truth.
I'll leave you with a Puritan prayer I found in The Valley of Vision this week... this is my prayer for now:
O God,
Thy main plan, and the end of thy will
is to make Christ glorious and beloved in heaven
where he is now ascended,
where one day all the elect will behold his glory
and love and glorify him forever.
Though here I love him but a little,
may this be my portion at last.
In this world though hast given me a beginning,
one day it will be perfected in the realm above.
Thou hast helped me to see and know Christ, though obscurely,
to take him, receive him,
to possess him, love him,
to bless him in my heart, mouth, life.
Let me study and stand for discipline,
and all the ways of worship,
out of love for Christ;
and to show my thankfulness;
to seek and know his will from love,
to hold it in love,
and daily to care for and keep this state of heart.
Thou has led me to place all my nature and happiness
in oneness with Christ,
in having heart and mind centred only on him,
in being like him in communicating good to others;
This is my heaven on earth,
But I need the force, energy, impulses of thy Spirit
to carry me on the way to my Jerusalem.
Here, it is my duty
to be as Christ in this world,
to do what he would do,
to live as he would live,
to walk in love and meekness;
then would he be known,
then would I have peace in death.
No comments:
Post a Comment