I am a teacher. And as I tell my students on days that they don’t want to listen, work, or even be at school, I believe I am a teacher because that is God’s plan for my life, "so, don’t mess with God." I know I don’t always honor that plan on a daily basis because, like this time of the year, my students and I really get tired with achievement tests, banquets, and the rush to get everything rapped up for the year. It is very easy to get discouraged and look down the years to retirement with great envy. However, God always shows me the way and my purpose for being a teacher when I need it most.

Not long ago, I wrote a letter of recommendation for one of my students for a college scholarship. This was an easy task because she is an excellent student and will be successful in every area of her life. Two days after I handed her this letter, she came to my door with a special "Thank You" gift. Knowing my love for reading, she gave me a book called Forever by Flavia and Lisa Weedn.

The book reminds us of God’s purpose for our presence in each other’s lives. Some of the lines I cherish because they help me remember God’s plan for me life are these:

"Throughout our lives we are sent precious souls meant to share our journey. However, brief or lasting their stay, they remind us why we are here... Some people come into our lives by chance, or maybe not really by chance. Perhaps in Destiny’s Grand Design there are not random meetings and all is meant to be ... Some people give of themselves and never know the depth or breadth of what they have given, perhaps this is the power of love in its purest form. Because they have touched the core of our being, we have change and become more."

That day I remembered why I became a teacher 21 years ago and why I am still one today not because I love to teach Romeo and Juliet or comma usage or the writing process, but because of all of my students that have passed through my life and made me who I am. This book is awesome to remind us that because the power of God’s guiding hand is everywhere, "We are given a deeper understanding of what matters most in this lifetime.

I am reminded that I am a teacher, but I must be forever willing to search for and learn the special purpose of every day and everyone in my life.

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