chapter closed

Last Thursday was one of the more emotional days of my week. The day started out with senior chapel where one of my "5" gals shared her life testimony. After hours of preparation with her in my apartment a few weeks back, I knew she was nervous to share her heart but God pulled her through it so flawlessly. She shared her story of God's grace and redemption with such confidence and joy. I was so proud and thankful to God. I laughed, rejoiced, sorrowed and cried- all at the same time! Go God! You are the great REDEEMER! Adam Ross & I

Around lunch time, Adam Ross showed up in the office with his mom, Jeannie. Adam has a fatal double condition of Crohn's Disease which inhibits him from absorbing the nutrients he puts in his body and Celiac's Disease which prevents him from eating gluten. It's a terrible combination and one that has threatening this sweet young man's life. He is quite a sad sight to behold as his weight continues to drop- his body his own enemy. It was a real treat to see him and hug him and tell him we are praying for his healing and ultimately for his faith to be strengthened daily. Gah...more tears Then the afternoon came... 2:30- I return from a late lunch and find a note on my desk from Mr. Kincaid reading, "Mr. Mac would like to see you and I at the end of the day." I figured this was probably about senior chapel testimony's- a debrief if you will, of how the girl's sharing time went. 3:45- I enter Mr. Mac's office, Mr. Kincaid follows after me. We sit down and Mr. Mac immediately grabs my hand and says, "Danelle, let's pray." We pray. Then he starts off the conversation with, "remember a few months back when we talked about your progress here?" And my heart dropped... "He's going to fire me"- I said inside. "really? Is this happening, Lord?" "Oh, hold my heart. Don't let the tears come so easily!!" But they did. I couldn't help it. Mr. Mac went on to say that they loved me. They loved the impact I have had on the students; my kind attitude with the staff & faculty and the Godly example. But the attention to the details was lacking. "It's just not working out, Danelle." I tried hard to humble myself and nod my head in agreement. I know this about myself. I'm not a detail-oriented person. Given the situation where a student is having a bad day and they stumble into my office to talk while I have 4 tasks waiting to be accomplished by the morning, I will almost always make time for the student and forgo the tasks. This is my heart. I admit that I struggled to balance the face time with the task time. My heart for the students always came first, but to my demise. This hit very hard in my heart. This year at Calvary Christian School has been a tremendous year of spiritual growth for me. I am so thankful that the Lord gave me the opportunity to mentor teenage girls: to get involved in their messy lives and laugh and cry with them. I'm thankful for a season of learning how to respect men who are so different from my husband. It's one task to respect the man D.R. is (and I'm still trying to figure that out at times) but to work for two very different men was no easy task. It was humbling, sobering, and matured me a great deal. I'm thankful for new friendships with brothers and sisters in Christ. I got to work with some of the classiest people I've ever met. Hard-working teachers and staff members who encouraged and convicted me daily to "work as unto the LORD, and not for men." It's been a precious year of my life. But now that door is closed. Back to the "wide-open" where I remember that God is truly the Guide and was all along. I don't know what's next, but I know the past. The past has been full of God's faithfulness and love. He has opened wonderful doors so far in my life and I expect the same for my future. I am hopeful for what's to come. A new place to serve Him. New friends to labor alongside. A new season of my marriage to grow in. Tis so sweet to trust in Jesus. Just to take Him at His word. Just to rest upon His promise, And to know, "Thus saith the Lord!"