A GOD WHISPER, A GOD MOMENT

So do not fear, for I am with you. Isaiah 4: 10

In 2019, the memories of my 46 years of teaching were finally put to print (Rescue the Teacher, Save the Child!). A year earlier I initiated a blog (rescuetheteacher.com) advocating for teachers. To date, the passion of my writings speaks to the plight of teachers and the muddy, choppy waters they traverse. In the two years since sharing my thoughts in this book, I often wonder what purpose my life holds. Covid struck and book sales plummeted. Colleges and universities closed which thwarted my goal to speak on campuses everywhere for the better preparation of our future teachers. Where is God in my journey? How could He give me such wisdom and vision to write a book and then pull the rug out from under me? Has He slammed shut the door of opportunity for good?

So today, I write of my faith. The same faith which raised me up all those years ago as a struggling teacher. The faith I must never take for granted.

In this Covid infused culture, procuring a manicure and shopping for the fun of it is mind numbing. Making an appointment for said manicure takes hours if not days to gather the courage to make that call. And shopping? In a mask? Not a productive way to spend free time.

After mounting all my strength to have my nails scrutinized by a manicure technician, I decided I might as well do a little browsing in the nearby shops. Or should I just drive home? My nails, newly polished, caused worry. So I drove my car slowly past the many empty businesses, contemplating if any open store could offer me a moment of doldrum escape. Then I remembered. My glasses disappeared earlier in the day so I needed to purchase some “cheater” glasses. I walked in, looked around the store for about five minutes and found nothing worth buying. I sauntered back to my car and drove a short distance to the interstate. And there it was: a massive traffic jam in the middle of the afternoon. Cars and trucks literally parked on the interstate.

I slowly entered the on ramp and kept driving until I could finally squeeze in. At that moment, God reminded me nothing in my life is by coincidence. On my left was a crushed car lying upside down in the middle of the interstate. The ambulance had not yet arrived. Firefighters circled the vehicle looking very worried. This horrific accident had happened in the last 10 minutes. The last 10 minutes. Let that sink in. 

Some will say it was circumstantial, some will say I got lucky and only a few will address it in the reality that God intervened in my life for 10 minutes and allowed me to miss devastation. Does He love me more than the victims of that accident? Absolutely not. Did God protect me because I am special? No, because He loves all His children equally. Was it my time to fall victim to horrific circumstances? No. At least not on that day. Why? I believe my life’s purpose is not yet fulfilled. My destiny still has a few more miles to log. 

Let us not ever take for granted those God whispers or moments which potentially can change the direction we are headed. Praise be to my Father God for looking out after me even when I could not fathom His presence. Oh and by the way, I found my glasses later that evening in the pocket of my robe, where I’ve never placed them before.