"Don't Waste Your Life" is a book I just finished that has challenged me greatly. This single passion- to see Christ glorified as perishing people become eternally satisfied in him- has been a lingering thought that has caused several sleepless nights, but in the best way possible. Many of you know that Philippians 1:21 is a verse that I cling onto tightly, partly because the shadow of death often haunts me and for a long time, learning to see that it's solely through Christ that we receive eternal life has been difficult to wrestle with. However, in God's lovingkindness, He has recently brought to light how it's not for me to climb the ladder and work towards the goal of one day loosely hoping that I will garner enough strength and courage to risk my life for the sake of the Gospel. No, rather, it's driven by real truths in God's very own living words!
If we are exiles and refugees on earth (1 Peter 2:11), and if our citizenship is in heaven (Phil 3:20), and if nothing can separate us from the love of Christ (Rom. 8:35), and if his steadfast love is better than life (Ps. 63:3), and if all hardship is working for us an eternal weight of glory (2 Cor. 4:17), then we will give to the winds our fears and "seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness" (Matt. 6:33). We will count everything as rubbish in comparison with Christ (Phil. 3:7-8). We will "joyfully accept the plundering of our property" for the sake of unpopular acts of mercy (Heb. 10:34). We will choose "rather to be mistreated with the people of God than to enjoy the fleeting pleasures of sin," and we will count "the reproach of Christ greater wealth than the treasures of Egypt" (Heb. 11:25-26).
The world often places a label on the definition of a 'wasted life,' one that seems like a tragedy in the making. But Mark 8:35 proves otherwise. No, this is not a tragedy. This is glory. These lives are not wasted, and these lives were not lost. Death makes visible where our treasure is because the way we die reveals the worth of Christ in our hearts. Oh may the Lord help us not to live a wasted life and to yearn to prove that He is more precious than life!
By God's grace, He helped me through my contract period and I'm officially a form teacher now! Nonetheless, with a million 'firsts,' the start of 2025 has honestly been rough. Being responsible for my students' learning, creating lesson plans and manipulatives, constantly brainstorming ideas to bridge the gap between English and sign language or helping my young students build a foundation in sign language, working with parents and allied health professionals to build their individualized educational plan, department meetings, amongst many other responsibilities, caused a mini meltdown by the first week of school. On top of that, as much as I've been finding joy in my workplace as I recall to mind that it is ultimately a missionfield, admittedly, the temptation to approach work from a legalistic standpoint has been a real struggle. In particular, whenever I fail to have an intentional conversation with my colleagues that day, I tend to beat myself up and harbour guilt. There are moments when I fall back into a comfortable lifestyle, such as desiring to have lunch in the comfort of my classroom right after dismissal.
As much as I recognize the grace I should give myself, especially since being in a season of many 'firsts,' my earnest prayer is that I will not allow the devil to feed thoughts into my mind to pursue the comforts of this world. I fear that should this become a new habit of mine, it will be much harder to discern the urgency of Jesus's priority: to urge lost sheep to repent because the kingdom is at hand. This has also been a gentle rebuke for me as I'm reminded that this platform is not for me to hit the KPIs (boasting in my ability to bring forth the gospel in the secular workplace), but realizing that it's the mundane moments that I get to shine Christ faithfully.
Nonetheless, in God's lovingkindness, I've seen Him at work as he brought people into my life without me taking the initiative. There was once when I bumped into a fellow teacher friend, and we greeted one another with the usual "Good morning!" As we walked past one another, she turned and called my name and said, "Pollyanna! I forgot to let you know but if you ever want to have your lunch at school, my classroom is always available and we can have lunch together!" Literally the day before, I was pouring my worries and anxieties to my dad, and the very next day, this happened! Oh how I'm reminded that God really cares for us as we cast our burdens onto Him.
I praise God for the opportunity and ultimately, a privilege, to share the Gospel with one of my VI classes. One of the boys mentioned repeatedly, "I'm floating in heaven" during class. Seizing the opportunity, I got to ask them about their concept of heaven, which led to the topic of where they think they'll be going after death. By God's grace, I was able to convey the full Gospel, though with much interruptions because I have the loveliest bunch of outgoing boys! I pray that as much as I aim to finish my lesson plan agenda, the Lord will remind me of these pockets of gospel opportunities that should take utmost priority.
God has also been so kind in bringing people to me during this season when I felt especially shy, probably owing to the fact that I have been feeling like the 'new kid on the block' as a new form teacher. I'm grateful for the opportunity to be a listening ear to one of my teacher friends (Ms B.) during an impromptu conversation while taking the public transport together. We shared with one another about how we chose to work at this school, and she started to open up about a painful incident she went through not long ago, as well as how working at this school has been her only means of finding a silver lining. My heart broke for what she had to go through and I was honestly at a loss for words.
Whimsical Interlude
The bulk of my time at work is spent with these lovely students that I've grown to love over the month as their form teacher. They bring so much joy and warmth each day, despite the very real challenges faced. We also came up with a personalized handshake that we greet each other with each morning before entering into the classroom and I love how special that makes each of them feel!
Had an intentional meetup with this sweet gal, who also reached out to me to invite me into a mentor-mentee relationship a few years ago and I couldn't be more grateful for the time we have despite being miles apart now. Her trust in the Lord as she seeks Him over the securities of the world has been a humbling reminder for me as well.
This sweet lady has been one of the biggest blessings to me since I started work. As a believer too, I've been encouraged by her authenticity and humility in realizing that she deserves nothing apart from His grace. Ironically, she found out that I knew her daughter years ago when I volunteered at a children's hospital! Truly going to miss her safe and cheerful presence in school!
The Lord has so kindly reminded me time and time again of the beauty of being in the community as a body of Christ. Thankful for the faithful people He has placed in my life especially in this season of new beginnings when it's tempting to isolate myself.
Recently, one of my close sisters in Christ hosted her friend from Panama! Though we only met that evening, both of us mentioned that it felt like we've known each other since forever! She has the most cheerful heart and her sincere love for the Lord shines in her words and actions. She's also a fellow teacher and that made my heart so happy!
Partner Me In Prayer
- Would you please pray for opportunities to build a deeper relationship with Ms S. and be able to share the gospel with her? She's been such a precious figure in my workplace and I've genuinely enjoyed getting to know her! She's so quick to give without expecting anything in return and always making sure that I feel taken care of at school! Oh what a blessing!
- Pray for me to have the strength and love from Christ to intentionally reach out and journey alongside Ms. B as I learn to lament over the pain she's been through and share with her the hope we have in Christ!
- Pray for my P4 VI students, that the truth of the gospel will cause them to reflect on their state, and that God will continue to give me opportunities to sow seeds of truth into their lives for the rest of this year while they're under my wings.
- Lastly, I give thanks for how "Don't Waste Your Life" has been a book that challenged my perspective on life tremendously. Would you pray that the Holy Spirit will continue to provoke my heart to ponder and wrestle over these hard truths as I allow the Word of God to shape my life into living with a single passion in life- to see that Christ be glorified as perishing people become eternally satisfied in Him. I fear that I will be swallowed by the things of this world, resulting in me chasing the world instead of mulling over these truths.
As a side note, I'd like to sincerely thank every one of you who has taken the time to read my newsletter since September. You have no idea how much the thought of knowing that I have fellow brothers and sisters covering me in prayer means to me! If there's anything I can keep you in prayer for, please don't hesitate to reach out. Each one of you means a lot to me!
