Two Are Better Than One

The concept of relationship has been brought to my attention and has been a focus of my studies time and time again. Nonetheless, I find myself returning to it yet again. And, finally, I think I am realizing why it is a topic that keeps surfacing. It is that important. God doesn't just keep laying things on our hearts that are unimportant, right? So, relationship is going to be another one of the things that I focus on this year. Relationship with my husband, my friends, my family, my coworkers...

In all aspects God tells us, “Two are better than one because they have a good return for their labor.” Ecclesiastes 4:9 (NIV). Now, I would clarify that to mean two working together to further his kingdom and his will, but nevertheless, two that come together can get twice the work done in half the time! God has provided us with a variety of people in our lives to serve as vital resources to us and us to them. Bottom line, He is a relational god, and we are relational people (because He made us that way)! So, as we progress throughout this thing we call life, let's not go it alone. Call on God, call on people, and let others call on you.
--Leesha

If You Believe It...

In my personal and professional life this week, I aim to focus on this key verse--Matthew 9:29, "Then he touched their eyes and said, “According to your faith let it be done to you...” My pastor's message the past few weeks has been entitled "The Forces That Form You," and has discussed the different ways that what we expose ourselves to, meditate on, and allow in our lives shapes the people we are today as well as who we are destined to become. It's truly been a powerful message, and I cannot wait to see how the rest of the series continue. The key concept that I really pulled from this week's message was the idea that "If you begin to believe you are a failure, you will fail. But, if you begin to believe you are a success, you will succeed." That being said, we need to consider and select what we believe, and likewise, we need to have faith in that which we forsee for our lives. Matthew 9:29 gives us hope and a belief that if we truly do have faith, God will bless what we do. So, by focusing on what promises God has given us and believing we do have a purpose and a design, we believe it into being.  Let's hold onto that faith and bring into being the things you desire for your life.
--Leesha

A Different Perspective and a Few Things I've Learned...

Through no method of my own, I have truly found and embraced (at least for now) a different perspective for this second half of my school year and first half of 2013. While I spent the past 5+ months chasing my tail, trying to stay afloat (professionally) on my own, and adjusting to life as a full-time teacher, wife, sister, daughter, friend...I didn't have time to look much outside of my own little box (or classroom door, haha). And, let me tell you, while I am please enough with how those months were spent, I am not satisfied with that as a so called life, and especially not one that is called by Christ. That being said, through a little R&R, I think I was able to catchup with myself a little as well as with God and have a renewed vision for what he wants me to do here and to be in life in general. The following is a list of realizations turned motivations for a life lived with a different perspective. Join me in reading as well as in living them.

1. Life is not just about me.--You may get tired of hearing that this year, but as it's a recurring theme I keep hearing in my own devotional time, I believe it's something that I need to keep reiterating for myself and most likely for those of you as well. So, this year is to be a life lived with an outward focus, one not just on me, but on those around me. We were all born to be world changers, so let's take up our charge and live lives that focus on more than just us.

2. There is plenty of time to not be wasted...--No, I did not make a typo here, that came out exactly the way I intended it. All throughout school and now even into my professional career, I have been super-organized, overly time-oriented, and unbelievably focused on getting things done ahead of time. Thus leading me to believe I needed to get everything done right now and, in turn, forcing me to periodically miss out on simply living life. Having a classroom and 2 different grade levels to manage as a first year teacher, I have done a great deal of this "over-planning and under-enjoying." So, nonetheless, I have decided (and figured out) that there is plenty of time to not be wasted doing simple tasks away from others. My focus needs to be on doing things with people, for people, and about people.

While I could generate an unending list of life learnings, I'll stop there. But, in doing so, I just ask that you join me. Let's make 2013 a year spent doing, being, and living a life called by God and focused on others.
--Leesha

Life Isn't Just About Me (Or Us)

With almost half a year of marriage and teacher under my belt, I've been able to take a great deal of the past couple of weeks (Christmas Break!) to reflect on what the past 6 months has held. While marriage has been exciting and blissful and everything I hoped that it would be, I have to admit that life has not necessarily been everything that it should have been. You see, through no one's fault but my own, I have been quite selfish and self-centered, which many would probably agree is to be expected when starting life as I have been doing in the past several months. Nonetheless, I have refocused a bit and hope to be able to share my new found focus and direction through this outlet. All to say that God is gently reminding me that life is not just all about me (or even us, my husband and I). There really is more to life than supporting myself, encouraging my husband, and teaching my students. Essentially through the encouragement of others, I have realized (and remembered) that God really does have an even greater calling for my life than all of those (awesome, wonderful) things! As such, while planning, organizing, teaching, and simply living (haha) is keeping me quite busy at this point, I hope (intend, plan...) to be able to share weekly (or possibly monthly) insights via blog. (Bear with me, as I am just venturing into the "blog world" and don't know all the ins and outs yet...)

So, hear goes for week one. My focus verse for this month comes from Proverbs 4:20b-22, ""Listen carefully to my words. Don't lose sight of them. Let them penetrate deep into your heart; for they bring life to those who find them, and health to their whole body." Proverbs 4:20b-22 (NLT). Like I previously mentioned, through the encouragement of others as well as personal study, God has been reminding me that He wants more for me, He wants me to be sharing with others as well as allowing his word to be seeping into my heart and life. So, I am taking the "new year" as a new opportunity to renew my previous endeavors to encourage others as well as to reaffirm my personal relationship with God. I intend to use this verse as a focus of my time, my work, my life, making it focused and centered on God and his word first. 

Please join me in posting this verse in my home, my classroom, and my heart! Much love!
--Leesha