God's Miracles

At church this past Sunday and during Granddad Bass' beautiful service yesterday, I was reminded that we need to share with others how God helps us overcomes trials in order to glorify His name. The situation that first came to mind were the kidney problems I faced when I was 18.
I was a freshman in college adjusting to a new town, new people and harder classes, which made the pain and fear about what could be wrong that much more difficult to deal with. When the problem was finally diagnosed as kidney stones and I learned that I was going to have to have major surgery at Duke, I was very scared and I often asked, "Why is this happening to me?" No one I knew had ever had to have such an intense operation at that age. Then when I learned that I was not going to be strong enough to return to USC in the Spring I was very disappointed. I couldn't see the plan that God had for my life. I suffered through a semester at Tech and eventually transfered to Francis Marion, which was not my dream college. But then through FMU, the amazing opportunity of teaching in New Zealand came along, which I feel was one of the defining experiences of my life. I also got a job at the Darlington Raceway which was a very fun job that led to many exciting opportunities. I was then very eager to move back to Columbia once I graduated after living in my hometown during college.

Daddy helped me get a job as an assistant in the President's office at a bank. I worked there for a year and a half as I continually searched for a job teaching. I got to know the mail courier Gary very well. He happened to be married to someone who worked for the Human Resource Department of a local school district. She sent word through Gary that one of the best schools in her district, right down the street from my grandparents old house, had an opening for a first grade teacher. I interviewed, was offered the position and 2 weeks later I was teaching a class of 15 first graders.

The school had a book buddies program in which 2 classes in 2 different grades would get together for 30 minutes a week so the older students could read with the younger students. I became really good friends with the teacher in the classroom beside mine. She was switching to a 3rd grade book buddy class and asked if I would be book buddies with her former 2nd grade class. I agreed and the teacher of this class became one of my best friends. She introduced me to lots of her friends who eventually introduced me to Daddy L.

Years after I got my job teaching, one of the first grade teachers who had interviewed me for the position said, "Mandy, did you know that the other person we interviewed had years of teaching experience when you had no experience?" I didn't even know they had interviewed anyone else. She told me that all of the first grade teachers who interviewed me recommended the experienced teacher be hired because they didn't feel like training another new teacher. Then she told me how thankful she was that the principal had hired me anyway, in spite of their recommendation. It then hit me that the ONLY reason I got the job was because of my connection from the mail courier's wife.

It is amazing to think that if I had not had those painful kidney stones, I may not have met Daddy L or had the joy of having Baby B. God does indeed work in our lives even through our most difficult situations.

Love to Pamela's Girls!

Mommy M