Teaching in a Christian school is my calling, my passion and my joy.

I could end this essay with those words, but I will expand a bit.

Since I was second grade I have desired to become a teacher. God directed my path in such a way that I have now been blessed to teach for over 30 years. That path has included a wonderful perspective on Christian education that I received from Godly parents at home and at Dordt College. It has included many blessings and some difficult challenges along the way as my husband and I raised our daughters.

However, the calling, the passion, and the joy for teaching has become ever more meaningful. I am privileged to teach children who are uniquely created by God. I am blessed to guide them to a deeper understanding of the truth of Scripture and themselves: they are created and redeemed by a Father who has a wonderful plan for each of them. God has given each of them the capacity to enjoy His world and take care of it. I am deeply committed to helping them understand the WORD of God in order to live for Him now and to prepare them for the calling, passion and joy to which God will lead them in the future. Through fervent, continual prayer, study of His Word and dialogue with others through reading and discussion, I am challenged to allow God to use my words, my attitudes and my abilities to glorify Him every day in the classroom. Realistically, I recognize that I often fall short in my calling; but I have a compassionate, redemptive Lord and Savior who restores me daily. In gratitude for that restoration, I try to share His compassion, love and understanding with each student and see them as God sees me. My deepest desire is that God uses me to connect the heart of the child to His Father-heart.

As a Christian educator, it is imperative that I help students become aware of the need for God’s Word of restoration in our fallen world. Even though there is much brokenness, OUR WORLD BELONGS TO GOD! As I teach about His world, it is my urgent desire to begin each lesson with the reality that God’s Word is the same yesterday, today, and forever and should be integrated into every lesson. What a challenge; what a calling—it demands prayer, faithfulness and diligence as I depend on Him.

I thank God daily for His calling and the gift of Biblical, Christian education.