A Bouquet of Freshly Sharpened Pencils

Freshly sharpened pencils. Brand new books. Notebook paper straight out of the package. There’s something about the smell of the start of school that just makes me happy.

Tomorrow I meet my 8^th group of kiddos that I get to spend the next 10 months with. We’ll spend the day getting to know each other, discussing procedures, and learning a bit about what life in 3^rd grade will look like...

I can’t wait.

Tomorrow I’ll greet students that might be feeling anxious, shy, ecstatic, energized, apprehensive, terrified, or giddy. All will be on their best behavior for the first day…maybe for the first three. They’ll sit up straight, raise their hands, and follow directions perfectly. But by next week true colors will begin to shine as they become more comfortable...

I can’t wait.

Tomorrow the tone of the year will be set as the students get a glimpse into the heart of their teacher. Who is this lady that will teach me? Will she be strict? Will she like me? Will she make learning fun?...

I can’t wait.

Tomorrow I’d love your prayers. See, God has given me 23 students this year on purpose. He’s given me a job to do, and I don't take that lightly. And it's only by His grace that I can do it. So please pray.

• Pray that I’ll depend on the Lord for strength, patience, and joy.
• Pray that I’ll love my students well, because God first loved me.
• Pray that I’ll extend grace to these children, since God has shown me amazing grace in His Son.
• Pray that I’ll affirm them in their strengths, help them in their weaknesses, and point them to their Creator who made them uniquely who they are.
• Pray that I won’t fall into complacency or mundane routine, but that each day would be seen as an opportunity to minister to 23 children made in the image of God.
• Pray that even in the times when I’m most exhausted, I'll remember His grace is sufficient for me.
• Pray that my students will see that I don’t have it all together.
• Pray that I’ll point them to Jesus every chance I get.
• Pray that the Lord will work in their hearts, even now softening them toward the truth of the gospel.

Tomorrow is my 8^th first day of school.

I can’t wait to see what God will do. Lord, be glorified in me.