Jesus Rescues

I find that no matter how many times I am asked to help teach from the Bible, I am the one who ends up learning the most.  Last week was VBS week at our church and I was asked to help work in the station where we shared the daily Bible lesson.  The theme of the week was “Shipwrecked” and each day the students learned a “Bible point” to which they were to respond “Jesus Rescues!!” 

I can’t lie, I have been struggling a lot the last few weeks.  I miss my friends, I miss having my family close, I miss our home (shoot- I miss HAVING a home of our own! Though I ADORE the family that has taken us in and I am so incredibly grateful for them!!), I miss the familiar.  And as (a) still goes through a nearly daily ritual of asking for beloved people and places I choke back tears as I remind him we don’t live close to them anymore.  One of my big worries also has been about a teaching job.  I carry our family’s health insurance, so that was one of my big “fear factors,” but beyond that I loved teaching.  In leaving Indiana, I walked away from a small, rural school that I loved, a position in 3^rd grade that was a perfect age group for my personality and gifts, lots of wonderful friends and mentors, and a grade level teaching partner who is out-of-this-world amazing as a teacher and more importantly my very dear friend.  Ever since April, when we knew this move was coming, I had been checking DAILY for teaching job postings within a 45 minute radius of our new town.  As soon as postings would appear I would hustle to get my application pieces sent in to the district.  And then I waited…… and it was total radio silence.  The beginning of last week marked 2 months of this daily ritual of checking postings morning and afternoon, being prepared to send my materials as soon as something popped up that I was qualified for, and answering the painful question “Any luck on a job yet?”

As I said earlier, the VBS themes for the week surrounded the idea of being shipwrecked and the point of the first night was “When you’re lonely… Jesus Rescues!!”  Loneliness was a feeling that resonated (loudly) deep within me.  The next night the point was “When you worry… Jesus Rescues!!”  Worry feels like all I have done lately.  On night three the lesson was “When you struggle… Jesus Rescues!!”  By this time, I was really feeling overwhelmed with the thought that I didn’t know if these lessons were created for the kids or me.  They seemed to be hitting on everything I was feeling. 

Amid the busy schedule of VBS Monday night, my phone rang during our brief break.  I glanced at it and saw that it was a local number.  Since the local numbers are not the same as my area code any longer, I am quick to answer because I know it is actually someone trying to get ahold of me instead of those annoying junk calls that now use numbers similar to your own.  It was the superintendent of one of the area school districts.  My heart started beating very quickly as he introduced himself on the other end of the line.  In two months of waiting this was my FIRST call.  But my heart quickly sank as I listened.  He had some teaching jobs available, but already had candidates to fill those positions.  What he was offering me was an interview for a classroom assistant position that paid less than half of the salary I left in Indiana, and offered no benefits.  I went from thrilled to devastated in a matter of seconds.  Nothing in me was interested in the position, but I have always been taught to “suit up and show up” so I agreed to take the interview the next morning.  My thought was, administrators talk- maybe he will talk to someone who is still needed a teacher and mention me.  But as I shared the news with (A) I couldn’t help but cry about how frustrated I was feeling.  It was a hard night with little sleep.  As I struggled, I kept admitting that I know God called us here, but why did He call us to walk away from our whole life and me still feel so much heartache in so many areas of my being. 

Tuesday morning began with intense thunderstorms and pouring rain.  The combination of weather, little sleep, and tears through the night led my day to begin with a pounding headache that would not let up.  Nothing about me wanted to go to this interview to discuss a job I wasn’t interested in, but through my tears I fixed my hair and makeup, put on a professional dress and heels, and headed out the door. 

As the interview began, I quickly liked the superintendent (which is also the role of principal in these small rural districts) and I could feel the interview changing a little as we discussed my experience and teaching style.  He was also “farm raised” as I am, and he was pretty transparent with me about many things.  About an hour into the interview, he asked how would it work for me to come to the school board meeting that evening.  He explained that in these small districts things work a little differently than I was used to.  Admin does not just choose their people and then take it to the board for a “rubber stamp.”  The admin chose candidates, but then the school board interviews and actually makes hiring decisions.  He said he had no idea what was going to happen at the meeting that evening, but there were three positions open and three candidates coming to be interviewed.  He would like to put me in as a fourth candidate to be considered.  This was a big change from the position we had discussed just 14 hours earlier, so I jumped at the chance and was grateful the time block he had for me would still allow me to fulfill my role at VBS first, then head to the school for my 8:30 pm interview.  I left his office that morning feeling the slightest bit of optimism that things were maybe headed in the right direction. 

(A) And I spent the afternoon praying that the right thing would happen.  I realized that there would be some very unique challenges with a district that is so incredibly tiny, largely including the fact that most classrooms include 2 grade levels put together.  Mostly we just prayed that who I am as a person and as a teacher would shine through in the interview.  And if they liked what they saw they would hire me, and if not then I wasn’t really the right fit in the first place. 

As soon as we finished our last group in VBS I quickly touched up my lipstick and jumped in my car.  I was a little nervous as I walked into the interview, but quickly calmed as I began simply answering questions as “just me”, who I am and how I teach.  I walked out feeling as though our prayers had been answered… I was able to give them “ME”, which was all I wanted, and they could make the decision.  I couldn’t help but notice the sky as I walked out the front door of the school which faces west.  As I mentioned earlier, the day had begun with intense storms, and they had continued off and on throughout the day.  There were still huge black clouds hanging in the sky, but just below them the most beautiful and brilliant sunset was taking over the sky.  I pulled out my phone and snapped a quick picture because I couldn’t pass up the beauty of it.  And I quickly remembered the words from one of the VBS songs... “In the eye of the storm, you remain in control.”  It felt like a gentle reminder that amid the storm of life I was feeling, He still had me in His hands. 

An hour and 10 minutes later, the phone rang offering me a teaching position, and not just any position… the grade level position I wanted.  Within 26 hours I had gone from not one single phone call back or interview offer, to a teaching position of the same setting and grade level I had given up.  It’s true, Jesus rescues. 

I can’t say I am no longer struggling with all the change in my life… and I would be lying if I said I wasn’t terrified of the unique challenges this new job is going to bring.  But I am so grateful that He loves me enough to keep me right in the palm of His hand while I weather the storms of life, and that when I feel all hope is lost, Jesus still rescues. 

“You turned my wailing into dancing; you removed my sackcloth and clothed me with joy” Psalm 30:11