Telling it from the Moutain
"...that Jesus Christ is Lord"
I went from living at sea level to living in the sky in a year. Being in the mountains for the first time I can't help but use the song "Go Tell it on the Mountain" to share this holiday season.
"While shepherds kept their watching, o'er silent flocks by night."
It was fascinating to go back to the song and read through the lyrics with new eyes. If you think about it, the shepherds were just doing their job, the job they had done every day before, when God choose to share His good news with them. Similarly, life at RVA is mostly about doing my job as a teacher in support of the sheep, I mean students. Occasionally, I get to "go and tell it" from this mountain, but in the inbetween time my role is to do my job to the best of my ability.
"When I am a seeker, I seek both night and day; I seek the Lord to help me, and He shows me the way."
My first two months at RVA were challenging as I worked to learn new curriculum, classrooms and people. I can now "tell it" on this mountain that God gave me the what I needed to settle here.
"Rang out the angel chorus, that hailed our Savior's birth"
The highlight of the term was the Christmas Program. It was fun to add a few innovations like, having the groups trade off throughout the program, giving the students the opportunity to introduce different songs, and allowing for two student directors (one pictured below) to conduct the closing songs. It was also nice not to have to put on the whole program by myself. Overall, it was wonderful to see the students do so well as we glorified God with beautiful music.
"He made me a watchman upon the city wall."
The role of a watchman was to watch both inside and outside the community for threats and then give a report when needed so others could be gathered to help. As a watchman here at RVA I have a few things to report, hoping that you will gather to help.
Watchman's herald:
Five students are on my heart, and here's why. I have a third grader who is particularly squirrely in class but it goes beyond that - he can be mean to others. I have noticed that he craves attention from those around him, so my prayer is that he will not go further down the path of seeking negative attention. Pray with me that he would know God's love for him and therefore become more peaceful.
My next student similarly likes people, but has a hard time making friends. Pray for her to have wisdom in how to get along with her peers.
There are three students in choir whom I am praying for. A ninth grade boy in my class is new to the school, which is a challenge on its own, but he regularly does half of what is required in my class, even with coaxing. It seems he is struggling inside and outside of class. Pray for him to find his joy in Christ.
Two of my senior girls give me pause. One has taken on leadership in the choir and does a great job with the younger students. She has shared great words of wisdom about God with our class, but seems to have a different life outside of choir. She appears to care more about being popular than carrying out her responsibilities. Whenever she sees me she seems to put on an act of sweetness. I know she genuinely cares for those in choir, so please pray for this to come out in all areas of her life.
The second girl is growing in her relationships with God, but her apathetic attitude clashes with her testimony. Every once in a while she has a demeanor that makes me sad. My prayer is that she will recognize this ugly part of herself and look to God for the strength to change and to stop when her attitude threatens to take over.
My last request is for myself. There are a couple of items, like a better mattress and a water filter, that I have found would be helpful. My borrowed mattress has caused regular back pain. Additionally, RVA is replacing rusty pipes around campus, but in the meantime many of us are buying water filters. Together these items come to $200. If you are inclined to send a Christmas gift to help with these items, please add "Christmas gift" to your check to AIM, including a note with my name, and mail it to: Africa Inland Mission, P.O. 3611, Peachtree City, GA 30269.
I went from living at sea level to living in the sky in a year. Being in the mountains for the first time I can't help but use the song "Go Tell it on the Mountain" to share this holiday season.
"While shepherds kept their watching, o'er silent flocks by night."
It was fascinating to go back to the song and read through the lyrics with new eyes. If you think about it, the shepherds were just doing their job, the job they had done every day before, when God choose to share His good news with them. Similarly, life at RVA is mostly about doing my job as a teacher in support of the sheep, I mean students. Occasionally, I get to "go and tell it" from this mountain, but in the inbetween time my role is to do my job to the best of my ability.
"When I am a seeker, I seek both night and day; I seek the Lord to help me, and He shows me the way."
My first two months at RVA were challenging as I worked to learn new curriculum, classrooms and people. I can now "tell it" on this mountain that God gave me the what I needed to settle here.
"Rang out the angel chorus, that hailed our Savior's birth"
The highlight of the term was the Christmas Program. It was fun to add a few innovations like, having the groups trade off throughout the program, giving the students the opportunity to introduce different songs, and allowing for two student directors (one pictured below) to conduct the closing songs. It was also nice not to have to put on the whole program by myself. Overall, it was wonderful to see the students do so well as we glorified God with beautiful music.
"He made me a watchman upon the city wall."
The role of a watchman was to watch both inside and outside the community for threats and then give a report when needed so others could be gathered to help. As a watchman here at RVA I have a few things to report, hoping that you will gather to help.
Watchman's herald:
Five students are on my heart, and here's why. I have a third grader who is particularly squirrely in class but it goes beyond that - he can be mean to others. I have noticed that he craves attention from those around him, so my prayer is that he will not go further down the path of seeking negative attention. Pray with me that he would know God's love for him and therefore become more peaceful.
My next student similarly likes people, but has a hard time making friends. Pray for her to have wisdom in how to get along with her peers.
There are three students in choir whom I am praying for. A ninth grade boy in my class is new to the school, which is a challenge on its own, but he regularly does half of what is required in my class, even with coaxing. It seems he is struggling inside and outside of class. Pray for him to find his joy in Christ.
Two of my senior girls give me pause. One has taken on leadership in the choir and does a great job with the younger students. She has shared great words of wisdom about God with our class, but seems to have a different life outside of choir. She appears to care more about being popular than carrying out her responsibilities. Whenever she sees me she seems to put on an act of sweetness. I know she genuinely cares for those in choir, so please pray for this to come out in all areas of her life.
The second girl is growing in her relationships with God, but her apathetic attitude clashes with her testimony. Every once in a while she has a demeanor that makes me sad. My prayer is that she will recognize this ugly part of herself and look to God for the strength to change and to stop when her attitude threatens to take over.
My last request is for myself. There are a couple of items, like a better mattress and a water filter, that I have found would be helpful. My borrowed mattress has caused regular back pain. Additionally, RVA is replacing rusty pipes around campus, but in the meantime many of us are buying water filters. Together these items come to $200. If you are inclined to send a Christmas gift to help with these items, please add "Christmas gift" to your check to AIM, including a note with my name, and mail it to: Africa Inland Mission, P.O. 3611, Peachtree City, GA 30269.
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