The most common response I hear from others when I tell them I enjoy working with children who have special needs is, “Wow! You must have the patience of a saint!”  I admit that I do have patience when it comes to teaching those young minds and am proud of their progress throughout each school year. It’s not surprising that my favorite pastime growing up was playing “school” and I was always the teacher. I coerced my younger sister, Lyn to be my student in our makeshift classroom (a desk in the laundry room of our childhood home).

In other areas of my life, I don’t regard myself as an overly patient person. When I pray to God asking Him for guidance or an answer to a question, it can be painful to wait for a response from the Holy Spirit. Especially when my heart is hurting and it seems as if the inner turmoil will continue unless I make an attempt to heal the situation on my own. Opening my Bible and reading verses about the truth of God’s love can sustain me in these moments and keep me from making a move in the wrong direction. It’s also a huge blessing to have prayer partners who can intercede for me and lead me to meditating on certain scriptures.

I am so thankful for my relationship with my Father in heaven and the prayer warriors in my life. I don’t understand how anyone can rely on their own understanding in this crazy world.