To everything there is a season, a time for every purpose under heaven.

(Ecclesiastes 3:1)
Courage and Time
We are now in the midst of the Christmas season, a season for giving.
Recently God distributed a wonderful gift. It snowed in south Texas, something that
only happens once every ten years! Many students got to go outside during the
school day and had the opportunity to experience REAL snow. For many of them it
was the very first time in their lives. What a gift it was for all the teachers to see the
joy on the childrens faces and the wonder in their eyes as they went outside to see
and touch the snow, to hold out their hands and catch the large beautiful white flakes
and to open their mouths and taste it. A few lucky ones made and threw small snowballs before being caught by their
teachers. Some of the students were amazed that when the snow melted on them it was wet. The only snow they had
ever experienced was on TV. What a difference there is between knowledge of something and the experience of
something.
God has given us eternal gifts we experience daily. He has given us physical life, every breath and every heart
beat. He has given us His living Word, the Bible, to guide us (Basic Instructions Before Leaving Earth). He has given
us eternal life through His Son, Jesus. He has given us His Holy Spirit which fills us with supernatural gifts and life
sustaining fruit. He has given us our jobs in education. These are impressive gifts He has given us.
Christmas is Jesus birthday. What are we going to give Him this year? Have we really thought and prayed
about this or have we gotten caught up already in meeting all the expectations we have for ourselves and that others
hold for us as related to this season? There are three gifts we have to give the Lord this year and every year - our time,
talent, and treasure. I encourage you to be a wise man or wise woman and give Jesus more uninterrupted time this
year, specifically in your professional life.
Jeannine Hillis is a junior high teacher who three years ago gave Jesus the precious gift of more professional
time which is making an eternal difference in the lives of others. Like many of us, her lifes plate was full and
overflowing. At that time she was a resource special education teacher. Staying afloat with class lessons and meeting
all the district requirements for paperwork, duty, etc. was difficult. She had a husband and two sons at home to care
for also. She was deeply involved in church activities that consumed much of her time beyond family and school. She
was also the president of the parent support group of her sons boys choir that traveled all over the city, state, country
and world. Busy, busy, busy.....
One day during school, a seventh grader came up to her between classes and asked, Mrs. Hillis, I want to start
a Bible club this year. Will you sponsor it? Jeannines unspoken first response was, No way. You have to be kidding
me. I have no time for that. The Holy Spirit, however, prompted her to accept the position. Jeannine told the girl, I
will sponsor your club if you get the signatures of twelve students who are committed to starting and sustaining the
club. The next day the girl was at her doorway with a piece of paper signed by twelve students.
The rest of this story is history. By the end of the same year the club had grown from 12 to about 50 to 75
students. The following year, with the support of several youth pastors and four or five more faculty sponsors, the
group had grown to 150 students who met weekly at school, during the school day at club time, to encourage one
another in their faith. Jeannine gave God a barley loaf offering of her professional time and, as a result, God used it to
spiritually feed hundreds of students. Some of them are hearing about and being led to Christ for the first time in their
lives within a public school.
By reading these devotions each week you are giving God some time. Most teachers average a 45 to 55 hour
work week. To give the Lord 10 to 15 minutes of time daily for committed prayer or 30 to 60 minutes on a designated
day before school, after school, or during lunch means giving him just a 1% to 2% gift of your total professional time.
Our employers require us to attend workshops, team meetings, faculty meetings, partner school meetings, vertical team
meetings, and PLC (Professional Learning Community) meetings. Jesus is not demanding. He is simply asking with
an outstretched nail pierced hand for a little more time. He is saying, I want a PSC (Professional Spiritual
Community) at your school. Will you help me start and sustain one this coming year?
Prayer: Lord, thank you for the gift of time you have given us. We freely give more of our time back to you.
Application: Write on your computer screen, lesson plan book cover, or chalkboard how many minutes per day or
week of devoted time you are going to offer God in prayer where you work. Give it to Him in the new year.
Sharing: I am committed to giving Jesus ____ minutes of my undivided attention and time at school each week.
CLASSROOM LIGHTHOUSE SERIES: TEACHER! TAKE COURAGE! (For inquiries contact ceaihouston@sbcglobal.net.) WEEK 14