“Take delight in the Lord, and He will give you your heart’s desires”. Psalm 37:4 NLT
God knows what the best is for all of us. If we take delight in Him, spend time to learn about Him, to love Him, to honor all that He is and ask, He will give us the desires of our heart. This is how God led me from an early age to acknowledge and grow the gift of love for “Littles” that He gave to me.
As far back as I can remember I have had a sense of love for kids. I remember playing “school” with my girlfriend and being the teacher, not realizing then that it was a preface to my career choice. I did not understand back then that this deep seeded love I have for children is a God given gift to me.
I have always had a love for kids. I do not recall my earliest acknowledgement of it; it just “always was”. I remember helping my mom in the Sunday school class that she led and loved helping her with the “Littles”. My first job was getting to babysit for neighbors across the street from my house. In my High School years, I babysat (childcare) every Saturday in the Summer, and even worked as a Nanny for a family with eight kids when I moved to Chico for college.
In High School the students all took a Career Assessment test. We were told then that the average college student changes their school major three to five times before really settling on their career. My test results landed in the area of childcare/teaching. With that information and the love I had for kids, the logical decision for me was to take Child Development classes. My path was chosen, and it was a good one.
I earned my AA Degree in Child Development, then decided to head off to a University. When I got to Chico State I decided to go into the Liberal Studies program, because I was supposed to be heading into a teaching career, Elementary Education, or so I thought. I did not have joy when beginning that program. In fact, I had a spiraling sense of not knowing what I was doing. Time to make the “first” of those class major changes I was told would happen back in High School. I toyed with the thought of going into Social Work but knew that I would bring every issue regarding kids and the tough issues that faced them home with me. I realized I would emotionally go under. What I did not give thought to at the time was that it was God directing those thoughts and emotions.
Early Childhood Education became my final choice. I had a sense of direction, peace and true joy being in that arena. I cannot explain the immense joy I have when seeing “Littles”, relishing their hugs, witnessing the wonder they have, and the joy they express when discovering something new. That is God!
Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.” Matthew 19:14
When I had my own children I felt a confidence in showing them new things, reading to and with them, and helping in their Preschool classes.
“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” Jeremiah 29:11
God had been directing my path my entire life. It took me a bit to see how all the small brush strokes throughout my life painted this picture for me of embracing God’s gift as my calling.
Many opportunities came to me to work in different Preschool environments as support help. It was a blessing to be able to volunteer as a Parent Aide, and then to be hired as a Paid Parent Aide, hired before my application was even filled out. That was such a sign from God that I was following the path God desired me to take.
For a while, I served as a one-on-one aide for a child who had a low level of special needs. So, here I find myself in the Elementary realm of education that I didn’t think was a good fit for me. Looking back, again I see God’s hand in that experience. It gave me the opportunity to see that I worked well with these children and had something to give them: love.
As a volunteer with the 2-year old “Littles” in the NeighborKids program at Neighborhood Church, I was in a very happy place emotionally and spiritually, but looking back, I don’t think God had me where He wanted me yet.
While working in the Public School district and volunteering with NeighborKids, I was given the opportunity to work ten hours a week with NeighborKids leadership scheduling other volunteers and getting lesson information out to them. The Director at the time had asked me as I was leaving one day, where I saw myself the next year in relation to the NeighborKids program. She asked me to think and pray about it. I said that I really was not sure, that sometimes I think God just needs to knock my head to show me the way, (ha ha).
Later, as I went to my other job, within 20 minutes I had broken my ankle while shadowing my student. I was in a classroom aide position that did not accommodate for being in a wheelchair or being on crutches while in the classroom. I began to wonder, very quickly, if this was not a redirection from the Lord. Based on that accident, my thoughts both then and to this day, are that God picked me up by the shoulders to take me out of one job and placed me into the next.
This accident happened in March of 2014. I called the Director and told her about it and how I felt it was a redirection to me from God, and so she hired me. I have had many roles within the NeighborKids program but ALL of them include getting to love on the kids.
I may not be in an active teaching role with the kids, but I get to see them on Sundays and events and love on them, sharing the love of Jesus. And, as the parents of kids in our program I get to love on you also!
“By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” Matthew 13:35 ESV
Our Sunday Morning Worship Service in the Dome begins at 10:00 a.m. We hope to see you there.
You can also live stream our service on Facebook and YouTube at 10:00 a.m..
If you missed last Sunday's message (or any other messages, from our summer series 1000 Names: #11 "El Elyon, the Lord of Heaven and Earth", click here.
