Pray

Four courses and three final exams later, with Christmas and New Year celebrations completed, I find myself in this moment, poised to begin a new term of learning. I feel slightly exhausted as I contemplate the work load ahead.

The last four months have taught me a few things about myself. First, I can academically compete with the millennium generation. I am not sure if college became easier or these courses are a perfect fit for me or the instructors are better or my life experience has given me an edge over my competition. Nonetheless, my achievement is the highest it has ever been at this level of learning. Now, keep in mind, while the content is not rocket science, it has been a lot of work. I strove tremendously hard at keeping up and keeping ahead. God has overshadowed me with wisdom!

Second, I do not envision myself sitting behind a computer entering numbers into a spreadsheet for a living. I possess a passion to teach, exhort, encourage, motivate, present, inspire, research, and organize. While I seem to be a natural at accounting thus far (next term will provide me with a deeper reality check), I do not plan on obtaining my Chartered Accountant designation along with the 3+ years of school to get there. Someone would have to offer me a substantial financial incentive along with guaranteed employment to convince me to change my career path from teaching to accountancy.

Third, I realize I often make decisions in life to avoid boredom. There were many moments this term where I wondered why in the world I was subjecting myself to hours upon hours of studying. Apparently, I cannot stand being bored! Substitute teaching intellectually bores me. I guess the thought of returning to the life of a sub after an engaging semester of teaching was so negative that I was willing to take on the life of a student, again. For someone who claims to detest change, I have embraced uncertainty time and time again. After all, I have taught in six different academic institutions over my professional teaching career and entered post-secondary institutions as a student three times. I will seek change to avoid boredom.

So where does that leave me now? I have seven courses to complete in the next six months. I suck my breath in with slight dread as I envision the onslaught of assignments and exams. Part of me wants of quit, thinking that I have academically challenged myself enough and boredom would be a welcomed reality right about now. Yet, I can't quit. I committed to finish this even though it may not lead to any sort of meaningful career. Instead, I am viewing the experience as a call to pray. Yes, pray. 

God has been impressing on my heart the need to pray intentionally for people. Daily, I rub shoulders with people who have no idea about the beautiful freedom found in Christ. I often feel overwhelmed. How do you share your faith with others without ending up in a stressful debate that I am usually under-equipped at handling, and quite frankly, rather avoid? Lately, my answer is to pray. Pray for an opportunity to share some small faith detail. Pray for chances to plant a spiritual seed or two. Pray that people will see my tenacious working ethic as a mid-forty-year-old and attribute it to my faith.

A few days ago, I bumped into two people multiple times in a day. A whisper echoed in my heart to pray for them and possibly go for coffee with each of them. A counter-whisper sowed some doubt, "Are you really supposed to focus on prayer this year?" Just then, as I was driving up a hill from downtown towards my home, a saw a B.C. license plate with the words PRAY.

I believe the message is clear.

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