“Train up a child in the way he should go; and when he is old, he will not depart from it” (Proverbs 22:6 KJV).
To say that Lutheran education is engrained in me may be an understatement. My dad is a retired Lutheran school educator, principal, coach, and everything else that goes along with serving in a small-town, combined-classroom Lutheran school that you can imagine. My mom served many years as the secretary at my Lutheran grade school, and two siblings, including myself, have attended Concordia University River Forest. Go CURF! (Yes, I know, it is now Concordia University Chicago in River Forest, Ill., but it will always be CURF to me.)
My dad is my hero; throughout his teaching career he displayed the ultimate example of being a servant in all circumstances, and everything that I want to be. As a teacher at Trinity Lutheran School in Reed City, Mich., I also have the opportunity to teach in a combined classroom, have my own children in my class (for two years), and build relationships with children which will last a lifetime. I not only love serving in a Lutheran school, but I love serving in a small Lutheran school.
Trinity is my first call, and I have been serving here since 2002. I absolutely love serving God in a place where I know each and every child, family, and even extended family. Parents know and accept that each child that walks through my door is treated as if they were my own children. The opportunity to train up a child each day in a godly way is an experience like no other. My favorite part of each day is prayer time. With first and second graders the prayer requests may seem random, but from their hearts, such as a naughty cat, snow, a bruised knee, going out to eat, money for our future school … salvation. Knowing that my students understand Jesus’s salvation is priceless, and that is my ultimate goal for each and every one of them and their families.
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I also love serving in a small Lutheran school because of the close-knit faculty and staff. The people I serve with are my family. They accept me when I am obnoxious, emotional, and straight-forward. They love me and I love them. To me, Trinity is unique. As we look forward to building a new school, my prayer is that we also anticipate training many more children in their faith walk with God for many years to come.
I am thankful for God calling me to serve him at Trinity. I thank my mother and father for setting great examples of servanthood. I am thankful for my student’s parents as they daily entrust their children to me. And finally, I am thankful to the students who over the years listened to me teach, and as they continue to listen, each day, to God’s Word.
