Más Fuerte - #LaAventuraDeLaVida

Welcome to my time capsule. 😊 We are traveling back several years to meet a girl much like me, but far younger and more naive. I will be telling you her story through her eyes over the coming weeks and months. I hope you enjoy it and see the many ways her Savior has guided her every step of the way! All of my posts marked with #LaAventuraDeLaVida are a part of this ongoing series.

~ Dec 5, 2013 ~

It’s hard to believe that only 3 short months ago the kids I teach were nothing to me but names on a page and birthdays on a wall. It’s been slow and steady, but praise my loving God, He is shaping me in this race.

The first two weeks were really rough. I didn’t know the names of any of the students (in all 3 classes), and without names, I felt totally lost. I was scared stiff of my 8th graders and trying not to show it, but they could tell. I didn’t know what I was supposed to teach, and every day was a minute-by-minute battle. I felt like all I could do was desperately tread water until the weekend, then try to catch my breath before I got pushed in again.

I still can’t say I really know what I’m doing, but I’m trying more and more to focus on what I came here to do – build leaders for the Kingdom. Shape souls with love. And while there are still some days where I want to duct tape every kid’s mouth shut, and while there are still some days where I want to crawl in my hole and not come out until the weekend, I have come to see my kids not as an unruly mob, but precious (and precocious) individuals. I am able to enjoy their individual personalities and roll with the class instead of constantly living in fear of losing control. I still struggle. I struggle with how much to let go and how much is important to crack down on. I struggle with when to be their teacher and when to be their friend. I struggle with knowing what English is important for them to know and what doesn’t really matter. I’m still swimming upstream. But I’ve gotten stronger.

Five most recent posts in this series (most recent listed first):

Rápido y furioso - #LaAventuraDeLaVida
Raindrops on Noses - #LaAventuraDeLaVida
Muchas cosas estan haciendo! - #LaAventuraDeLaVida
Mas Que un Vencedor - #LaAventuraDeLaVida
His mercies are new "cada mañana"! - #LaAventuraDeLaVida