Life

She stared at me with the hope and innocence of youth, yet I needed to be the one to give her a bitter taste of reality.

“What if God doesn’t give you what you want?” I asked.

Her expression deflated. “But He has to,” she said with more doubt than she realized.

Years of being a Christian had schooled me differently. “No. He doesn’t.”

Every year I teach a life skills class to high schoolers, I discover the same basic facts:

1/4 of the students think they know everything
1/4 KNOW they know everything
1/2 of the class is a mixture of those who are unsure they want to know anything; those who are certain they don’t and a few who actually believe they can learn something that they don’t already know.

In an age where technology is teaching our kids faster than the rest of us can keep up, the last thing they’re interested in is learning how to write a check. For that matter, several will look at me and ask, “Isn’t that the same as using a debit card?”

Then why teach life skills? Because life is more than what these students can learn in a textbook (or on Facebook). Life is meant to be experience and if done so unintentionally, there’s so much to miss.

I encourage my students to shoot for the stars when they think about their futures. But if they land on the moon, it’s a good thing. When we work on goals, I always have a few students whose goal is to marry a Godly person, have Godly kids and live a happily-ever-after Godly life. Just like the young girl with whom I spoke with above.

“Mrs. Perkins, are you saying this is an unrealistic goal?”

I smiled and looked into her beautiful blue eyes. “Yes, it is because a goal is something you work toward to make happen. But it is a realistic desire. One you will need to trust God for.”

She nodded. “I can do that.” She closed her notebook, gathered her things and headed for her next class.

I found her quick response to trusting God refreshing. I said a simple prayer asking God to one day give her the desires of her heart. And when she struggles, that she can still respond with, “I trust you, Lord.”

God, may I respond as quickly as my student when you ask me to trust you.