Back to School
As a student and an educator, I love this time of year-going back to school time. As a kid, I was always giddy with excitement as the first day of school approached. I was ready to get back to school to see my friends and to meet new teachers. As an educator, I welcome the new school year with great enthusiasm because it provides another opportunity to reach and teach students. I am always looking for ways to grow and better myself so this is also the time of year that I set new professional and personal goals. I am very grateful that God has blessed me with everything that I need to accomplish my goals; however, I have come to understand the importance of ensuring that my goals and will are aligned to His will and what He wants for me: "Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make straight your paths (Proverbs 3:5-6). As this new school year begins, I reflect over my life and the million of decisions that I have made, and realized that it was only when I prayed and sought God before planning and moving forward that things worked entirely in my favor. None of us are perfect-we are flawed and therefore we make mistakes. However, I am convinced that there are many times in my life that had I trusted God instead of depending on my knowledge, abilities, and faculties I could've saved myself a lot of frustration, pain, and time. Trusting God with all of our hearts requires total surrender. It means that we allow God to be the center of our lives and everything that we do. There are still times in which I find myself trying to take the reigns and move ahead of God. There are still times in which I hear God giving me direction and I hesitate. During times of weakness, I pray for strength to fully trust and acknowledge Him. God is faithful. He leads and guides us: The Lord says, “I will guide you along the best pathway for your life. I will advise you and watch over you (Psalm 32:8). It's all about trust. I am thankful to God for every challenge, obstacle, and situation that He gives me to grow my faith and trust in Him. To trust God, we must have faith in Him. We must believe Him and take Him at His word. Recently I came across a quote that I found impactful: "Faith is not belief without proof, but it is trust without reservation." Trusting God with all of our hearts means that we believe that He is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him (Hebrews 11:6). Trusting God with all of our hearts, leaning not upon our own understanding, but acknowledging Him in all things is recognizing that His way is the only way. His way is the best way.