he kicked him in the penis

bloom where you're planted.

This past weekend, I visited one of my best friends down in Raleigh, NC. In addition to fabulous Bahama food, shopping, a concert, and an attempt to play outside (next time, Dana!), we fit in a Sunday sermon. The little old papaw man preacher was talking about how we should bloom where we're planted. (Figuratively, friends).

I love this concept. For the longest time, I foolishly tried to fight God on certain things in my life: region, relationships, and right career. Who am I to doubt the work of God in my life? I still wonder about what my future holds and what God has planned for me. However, I'm so much more concerned with being as effective as I CAN be, where I am, right now, today. I'm supposed to bloom where I'm planted right now.

I debated for months whether to stay in this career or not and God is making it clearer, day by day, just how important it is for me to serve Him in this capacity. Somewhere, in the midst of prayers, papers and parents, parents, and Scripture, federal standards, and unmotivated students, the clutter of it all just vanished and the abundant opportunities to pray for and share Christ presented themselves. The people who walk past me every day and the students who become citizens of my classroom are in such need.

I'm not sure how long I'll stay at this particular school or even how long I'll stay in Virginia: whatever doors God opens and closes are at His choosing and it's my job to seek Him. I am sure, however, that as long as I'm teaching in the public schools, that it's my job, as a Christian, to pray for those surrounding me: those who need to know and see the love of Christ, those who need His comfort and healing, and those who need encouragement.

I left a law firm job because law seemed to be a very negative place for me (at that time). The hallways of academia are no more negative or positive than the law firms. Imagine what changes we would see in U.S. schools if the Christians who worked there got together to pray for their students, colleagues, and adminstrators frequently. That would truly be blooming where we're planted.


You might hear very similar ideas in sermons and Bible study books: "look for the opportunities around you." When you're drenched with stress, it's hard to even want to search, much less serve. Thankfully, we have a God on whom we can cast all our cares and with whom all things are possible.