I
declare God is going before me making crooked places straight. He has already
lined up the right people, the right opportunities, and solutions to problems I
haven't had. No person, no sickness, no disappointment, can stop HIS plan. What
he promised me will come to pass! At the start of 2018, one of the
pastors at my church called each member to the front of the church to pick up a
framed declaration for the New Year. Each declaration was different for
everyone (see mine above) and I have mine framed at my desk at work and saved
on my electronic devices so I can see it and speak it to myself every single
day. I find that the words above are especially helpful when I’m having a rough
moment in my day or just a straight up rough day. It’s amazing the power spoken
words can have over one’s life. As I continue to speak these words over my life
and declare God’s goodness, I’d like to encourage anyone reading to do the
same. Read Romans 4:17 and start speaking powerful words over yourself and
believing what God says about you. It’ll change your life.
I’m a Black educator in my fifth year of teaching middle school English, and in my third as the 8th Grade English PLC (Professional Learning Community) Lead. And while I genuinely enjoy the purposeful work I get to do, seeing the growth of my scholars, and continuing to hone my skills in a content area I’ve loved since I was a little girl, I’ve had to confront some unpleasant experiences in this space. I’d been through much worse when I was an academic advisor at a Christian university. Racism, sexism, harassment, and workplace bullying were sadly norms in that environment. However, some of what I’ve experienced as a Black educator hasn’t been normal … It doesn’t seem normal to be the only Black educator in my department – in a predominantly Black school. One of my Black colleagues once said, “It should look like a Tyler Perry movie in here.” But it doesn’t. It didn’t feel normal being reprimanded in a meeting (during my second year of teaching) by an administrator who went in on...