It is not that we are competent in ourselves to claim anything as coming from ourselves, but our adequacy is from God.

2 Corinthians 3:5 CSB

Hi Friend,

I’m still settling into some new routines, but I wanted to check-in and take a few moments to share a revelation of God’s awesomeness that I’ve been soaking in this week.

I’ve shared before that I am a teacher through-and-through; it comes out in my writing, my speech, and my overall approach to life. I entered the profession in 2003, so this May will mark my 21st year in education. I’ve been in the classroom, in content/curriculum creation, in policy-making, in professional development design and delivery, and in various leadership roles, including state level leadership and being the lead administrator for a large section of a virtual program in 2020-21.

And I’ve done nearly all of it alongside teachers and students in grades 5-12.

Despite teaching children’s church and leading kids’ musical programs and VBS lessons for several years, when God began inviting me professionally to work with younger children and professionals trained to work with younger children, I was resistant. In fact, for two years, I downright refused invitations to be a principal in elementary schools. Why?

Short and simple:

Pride.

Mostly the insecurity side of pride; not feeling qualified, worried educators trained in that developmental age would not follow a secondary-trained administrator, lack of trust in God’s plan, doubt in His purpose.

And, there was also a little bit of the ugly side of pride too – the pay was less and, from my state-level view, so was the prestige. It felt like a step back professionally.

But oh friend, God is too good to leave us to falter in our pride, the insecure kind and the ugly kind.

Fast-forward through the sabbatical, spiritual journey, wilderness testing, whatever title I finally land on to describe the past year-and-a-half, and now I’m working daily to open an early learning center for children ages 6 weeks to 4 years. Soon I’ll be hiring and working alongside teachers and aides who have vast amounts of knowledge in child development that I do not have and asking them to trust my leadership all the same. I’m going to be relying on the teachers and aides God sends my way more than I’ve relied professionally on anyone in my career.

I’m out of my depth in some areas, and I know it.

But this week, Holy Spirit has really pressed on my heart something else that I know:

I know that if God had called me to open a K-12 school, instead of an early learning center, I would have stepped forward without hesitation, confident in my own education and experience. I would have acknowledged that God gave me the education and experience, but I’m fairly certain I would have relied 99.9% on myself and asked Him to bless the .1% of the decisions where I felt uncertain.

I know that God has extended this invitation to work with Him on opening and administering an early learning center because I have serious gaps in my education and experience in that developmental area, and I need to learn to humbly depend on Him and on His provision of teachers, aides, finances, facilities, and so much more.

I know that Christ is enough for me, buuut….sometimes I don’t act from that knowledge. Sometimes I don’t look to His provision first or seek His wisdom before making a decision, especially professionally.

But in this time and place and position, I have no choice but to seek His wisdom first, to depend on His daily provision, to rely on the knowledge and experience – AND grace and patience! – of the Brothers and Sisters He sends my way.

I wrote a post or two late last year and earlier this year about 2024 being the year that I learn what it means to have faith in the fact that Christ is enough for me, and it seems that God has met me in that determination.

So friend, if God’s inviting you to do something new, something way out of your experience, something that rubs your pride the wrong way or freaks out your insecure side, say to yourself, “Christ is enough for me”. Say it again and again until you take hold of God’s extended hand. Keep saying it as you take those first few steps forward with Him. Because, dear heart, Christ is enough.

And when the enemy whispers or outright screams that you aren’t enough, because he’ll come fast and hard when you determine to join God’s invitation, say right back to that fork-tongued, belly crawler, “I’m not enough, but I’ve been purchased and purified by the One who is more than enough. Christ is enough for me, and in Him, I have all I need to keep pressing forward!”

Rest assured, I’ll be saying that daily right with you. As always friend, I’m praying over you and your walk with the Lord. I hope you’ll pray over me and my walk as well.

May 2024 be the year we each realize the fullness of the fact that Christ is enough!