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Many years ago, I began my first full-time teaching job with high hopes that I would be able to use and enjoy my gift of learning languages easily. My new assignment in the far north of British Columbia, Canada, was a tall order for a new teacher — teaching French to grades 8 through 12 in a small school. I hoped to impart my love of the French language to classes of students eager to learn. The reality of the situation, however, was far from my dream.
By January of that first year, I was floundering. The students in that remote corner of the province were unsophisticated and not at all interested in learning a second language. Classes were large, especially at the junior high level. I lacked the experience to make adjustments to the curriculum; its emphasis at the time was speaking and oral practice — there was no writing. The classroom situation deteriorated. By the end of my second year, it was gently suggested to me that I resign. I did resign, and for a long time, I felt that I had failed in my career.
1 Corinthians 1:8-9 – He will keep you strong to the end … . God will do this, for he is faithful to do what he says, and he has invited you into partnership with his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. (NLT)
Apart from the setting and circumstances, in hindsight, I see another reason that I was not successful in my first teaching post: I didn't partner with Jesus.
Matthew 11:28-30 – Then Jesus said, "Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light." (NLT)
I was a believer, and I knew the first part of this Scripture about coming to Him when weary and finding rest.
I did not, however, put into practice the rest of the Scripture.
I now understand the concept of Jesus as my fellow yoke-bearer. A pair of oxen wore a wooden yoke on their shoulders to equalize the burden that they had to pull. Two together, pulling equally, made the burden manageable. Putting into practice my relationship with Jesus would have changed my difficult situation into one with which I could have coped. At the time, I wasn't used to partnering with Him in every aspect of my life. I'm sure that I didn't pray about my work in more than a superficial, desperate way. I hadn't yet learned that Jesus is my teacher and that He could teach me the strategies that I needed.
I'm glad to say that over the years, my faith in my ability as a teacher has been restored. I've had another opportunity, in another school, to teach French, and have been teaching French to my grandchildren.
Let's remember that we don't have to struggle alone. In partnering with Jesus, the burden of any heavy situation is eased.
Prayer: Thank You, Jesus, that we can partner with You through life. Thank You that You have promised to give us rest when we can no longer go on. In Your name, we pray. Amen.
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AMEN, Alice!!!!!!
Good thoughts, Alice.
long as it’s with Jesus.
Thank you for sharing. I needed to hear these words today.
Thank you for sharing and for your devotional today.
Keep writing.
A lovely, comforting, reassuring message of God’s grace, goodness, and provision. Thank you for sharing today, Alice.
Language is communication. If the students saw no need or opportunity to use French to express their needs – they were not interested. I have taught English as a foreign language and had to learn Portuguese to survive. I retired as an ESL teacher in Toronto.
Thank you, Alice. I had a similar experience when I took over mid-year from a teacher who had a very loose classroom organization, and I didn’t have sense enough to be “the one in charge.” It was rough and, like you said, I didn’t partner with Jesus to find a solution. I’m happy that both of us recovered from that!
Thanks, Alice, for another of your very positive and encouraging devotionals. Yes, we can be surprised how our Lord is ever present and ready to co-partner with us and help us through so many different and unexpected situations. He is so deserving of our faithful thankfulness and praise. Blessings for these special writings you prepare.
Hi Alice, I see your devotionals regularly and thank you for them. Today’s, in particular, was inspiring and an excellent reminder that sometimes it is our setbacks that we learn from, especially as we look back. Thank you for sharing this experience and how good it was to read that you did recover.
Thanks again, blessings.
Tres bien, my friend. I’m afraid I’ve forgotten most of my French! I too love the language but have scant opportunity to use it in rural Pennsylvania where the Amish speak Pennsylvania Dutch. Where I served in Northern Ontario, a combination of French and English is spoken. They call it Franglais I believe. Thanks for sharing this encouraging devotional with us. Blessings.
Good morning, Alice!
I am happy to hear that you didn’t give up on teaching French. Thank you for reminding us that we should pray beforehand and ask our Lord Jesus Christ to be our guide in all we do. What a privilege it is to take everything to the Lord in prayer. Today your precious grandchildren are blessed to have their own personal French teacher. God is good!
Good morning Alice,
You are very good at sharing openly from your life’s experiences to really make the point clear that you would like us to receive. I know I still fail to “partner with Jesus” in many situations where I try to do it alone. I know better, but I still catch myself and end up not where I would like to be.
It is nice that you did tell us that you did successfully teach French to students and your grandchildren and that you now “partner with Jesus” and share the load with His help. It is always encouraging to her how God is working in the lives of others. Blessings.
(Translation follows)
Merci Alice pour ce beau message de vie. Comme toi, j’ai passé une bonne partie de ma vie sans marcher avec le Christ à mes côtés. Je savais qui Il était mais pas vraiment.
Aujourd’hui Il est mon Compagnon de vie, mon Roi, mon Sauveur.
Il me donne en ce moment le goût d’apprendre une autre langue, qui me permets de faire briller l’Amour de Jésus dans la vie des gens que je côtoie autour de moi au Mexique.
Que sa Paix et sa joie t’accompagne aujourd’hui et toujours,
(Québec)
Thank you, Alice, for this beautiful message of life. Like you, I have spent a good part of my life without walking with Christ at my side. I knew who He was but not really.
Today He is my Life Companion, my King, my Saviour.
Right now He is giving me the taste of learning another language, which allows me to make the love of Jesus shine in the lives of the people I meet around me in Mexico.
May his peace and joy accompany you today and always.
(Quebec)
Inspiring – our dedication to God never returns empty!
Blessings.