A Direct Answer to Prayer

This true story is why I decided to create this blog in the first place.  On April 4, 2024, I asked for forgiveness of my many multiple sins and gave my life over to God.  The road there is another story entirely, however, this is something that happened since that amazing day.

I am a teacher.  I have been a teacher for 23 years.  I teach 8th grade Computer Programming at a rural school.  Frequently, I have had issues over the last few years with the principal.  She is strict, not a bad person, but it seemed as if nothing I did was right or good enough for her.  My fellow teachers even noticed and would bring it up to me how I was being treated unfairly.  I decided this past summer that I could not take the treatment any longer and would not only look to transfer, but to leave the profession entirely if it was necessary. 

Over the summer, I began applying for multiple jobs elsewhere.  I didn't restrict myself based on distance.  I didn't care.  I would go anywhere or perform any type of work just to get out from under her thumb.  Just thinking about going there made me deeply dread getting up on Monday mornings.  I have worked many types of work and never felt this way.  I have worked everything from construction to welding to being literally in a war zone while in the military and never dreaded work like I did when I would go to work for her.  I was ready to leave... but nothing panned out.  

Summer ended and the first day for teachers came.  I had been praying about this day for some time and decided to try something I had not tried before.  I tried turning it over to God.  I said a simple prayer that God would let me have a good day. but I still felt the dread and had the hope the day would go fine.  I thought this was turning it all over to Him.  I was wrong.  He answered my prayer that day..  The day was a good day, mainly because I woke up on the right side of the dirt.  Other than that, it began.  Complaining.  Grumbling.  Smart-mouthed snapping for no reason to me in front of others.  I did not return it.  This was normal for her.  What was NOT normal was that I prayed about it as she was talking down to me.  She continued the rest of the day and, in fact, the next two days before students came finding fault, it seemed, with everything I did.  Business as usual.

The last night before students arrived at school came and I literally must have spent a solid 20 minutes or so praying that the first actual day of school would go well.  I began the prayer differently.  Instead of beginning by asking for something, I began in thankful prayer for everything my Heavenly Father had blessed me with, but I didn't stop there.  I thanked Him for the problems. I thanked Him for the troubles that my principal was causing me because it taught me humility and patience.  I thanked Him for the issues I went through before summer and during summer and for not getting any of the dozens of jobs I applied for and yielded to His infinite wisdom.  I thanked for the good things and the bad.  I thanked him for the blood of His son Jesus that was the only thing sufficient to wash away my sins allowing me to one day enter His kingdom.  I asked for forgiveness for the sins that I had committed that day and the days before whether I did them consciously or unconsciously.  Then I asked Him to bless the coming day.  I asked Him to bless my boss and to "soften her heart" towards me.  I told God that I would truly do as He asked and cast my cares completely on Him.  I thanked Him again and said, "Amen."  I felt like a weight was really lifted from me and that I was no longer anxious about going to work the next day, but there was a little nagging fear that tomorrow would be like the rest.  I could not have been more wrong.

To truncate everything before I left for work, I said a morning prayer of thanks, ate breakfast, brought my daughter to school and went to the school where I work.  From the moment I entered my classroom before any students arrived things seemed to be trying to go backwards.  Everything was slowing me down.  I had to get to my duty post, but the computers were not coming up as quickly as I needed them to.  Little things were starting to find ways of getting under my skin.  The only thing I needed was for the Principal to come at me with something else to plop down some icing on the dirt cake.  Thankfully, I had not seen her yet.  

I was getting thirsty and at that moment, I looked at the clock.  I had about 1 minute to get to my duty post.  I blew out some frustration.  I guess I will just get something after duty.  

I walk to my post and I am standing there when a kid comes up to me out of nowhere with a drink in his hand.  He smiled and turned and started to walk away.  It was hot outside, being early August, but this kid decided to wear a hoodie.  The back of the hoodie spoke to me.  It said, "Faith over Fear.  Psalm 118:6" I knew in that moment God was speaking to me.  The verse says, "The Lord is on my side; I will not fear. What can man do to me?"  I am convinced that God knew that a kid bringing me the drink would be something that would get my attention.  I may not even have noticed the back of the kid's hoodie without the actual interaction with him.  The kid's words were, "Just bringing some things to my teachers for the first day.  I thought you might want a drink.:"  When I the words on the back of his hoodie, I felt God's hand.  Shortly thereafter, and honestly, every day since, the Principal at the school has been kind, understanding, even friendly.  

This hoodie was purchased over the summer before I had even prayed.  The child brought me a drink when I was thirsty.  Actually, until right now, I had not made the other connection between thirst and drink until just this very moment as I put the words to this page.  Matthew 25: 35-40, "For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me"   God knew what I would need even months before I had asked.  A year ago, before I became a believer, I would have looked upon these things as being simply a coincidence.  I went back to my classroom before my students entered and I prayed a prayer of thanks.

The night before, I was thirsting for righteousness, forgiveness, and relief from the things that caused me problems.  That day will always act as a reminder when I feel the pangs of doubt invade my faith. 

I hope that God lets you see this at a time when you need it and that my witness will help lead someone to the joy I now feel as a Child of God.  Never be afraid to walk with the Lord.  He's there.  He's listening.  He will answer.  You may not always get the answer you want, but he will always answer.

May God bless and keep you.