A great day from the Great I Am

[Stephmerm]

O Lord, open my lips,
That my mouth may declare Your praise.
Psalm 51:15

I wanted to just share my day because I’m in awe of THE God we serve.

Many know I’m a preschool teacher, live in heavily populated Mormon Idaho , and all my coworkers are Mormon.

A couple parts of my day to share…

1. Because this week is spring break, I didn’t have any preschool classes. I did parent teacher conferences.

My last parents were a couple where the father, 34 was a retired army veteran completing 2 tours in Afghanistan. His first deployment he said he saw so much trauma, returned to the states and dealt as best as possible with the aftermath of the psychological affects.
His 2 cd tour ended with his vehicle getting blown up when an IED was purposefully detonated. He lost his lower left arm and has a cool custom made black mechanical prosthetic. 2 in his unit were killed.
As I’m a talker , it was because as a joke he unscrewed the hand attachment while going over his preschool daughter’s progress that I cautiously inquired if he didn’t mind had happened. We got to discussing his story followed by the Afghanistan fiasco, the continued lacking respect for our veterans, military, US flag and law enforcement. ( found out he was a police officer before deploying)

I expressed to him and his wife how thankful I was to him for his service/ sacrifice and her sacrifice as well. I also told him there are people who support them and that a few times I’ve discussed with my preschool class the topic of war, veterans,service members and the US flag and honoring and respecting such things. ( he needed to know that some kids are going to be taught these things despite the school system failing in this area)

I am mentioning this because I was truly humbled and honored to meet him( I only had met his wife ) and hear their story.
We forget way too much. the sacrifices that gave us this free country and the life we are so privileged to live in the United States of America . I’m sure there’s no reason to go into what the left and the schools are doing to the concepts of the above story.

Thank you to all that served, are serving and their families. This doesn’t even touch on my appreciation

2. I have been asking God to help me with dialogue with my coworkers about the true gospel versus their Mormon indoctrination. Today while waiting for the next set of parents to show up I was cleaning some cupboards out in a room where my director was taking her break. It all started with conversation about her dating life, being 25 and not married yet which is a stigma in the church to be that “old” and single. With further conversation, she was explaining aspects of the Mormon faith. ( I knew about much is what she saying but learned some new things). From things she mentioned I was able to inquire how one gets to heaven from their teachings. ( I had asked God to let one of my coworkers bring up their Mormon faith and create an opportunity to tell the true gospel because it’s just not really feasible to just start discussing true Christianity out of the blue at work with them. They wouldn’t take too kindly to that. I try to tread lightly, trusting God to answer my prayer. Thus I am always on alert for them to create an opportunity to do so. It rarely happens BUT God … everything from being where I was, what I was doing versus what I could’ve been doing, having a staunch Mormon coworker in the room in went in to , and HER choice of conversation was orchestrated by a God that continues to amaze me as the sovereign God that he is.

I was able to tell her what I as taught from the Bible : mentioning the verse about being saved by faith and not works, how sin, Christ’s death and salvation are linked. I had think quickly and concisely so that I could keep the discussion flowing. I didn’t want to make her uncomfortable. She told me quite a bit and I could tell she explained her beliefs in a guarded way because they do not go into detail with non Mormons. But it was a great discussion and I know she was excited I was asking her questions about the Mormon beliefs.

I PRAY that even the smallest seed was planted and that God waters it and more will come from our conversation.

I couldn’t have asked for a more humbling, motivating day because of these 2 parts of my day.

Please pray for our service members,their families and the salvation of my Mormon coworkers.

Thank you all for listening about my day. And what a day it was. Gonna be hard to top it

[Stephmerm]

I forgot… she talked about their belief in a second coming ( not the biblically defined one as we know it ) which allowed me to tell her about the rapture. Hopefully, if we disappear she may recall what I said and she’ll know the true gospel at least

[Benny]

Hi! Thanks for sharing your story. Was wondering if the service member/police officer knows Jesus and if God has healed his ptsd ?

[Stephmerm]

Unfortunately, I’m not sure. We discussed conservative values as his wife mentioned they were very conservative. Biblical beliefs were not discussed as I do have to be careful with such topics given it was parent teacher conferences at work. However, I did ask about his ptsd as it affects homelife and therefore the kids. He admitted to the initial struggles but said he was doing well and his wife was in agreement. I didn’t want to add more to an already deep discussion and it became more of a getting to know them better/ bonding so that fortunately I will be able to continue interacting with them as their child will be in my class next year. So I’m always willing to take an appropriate opportunity to discuss religious beliefs and having established this bond it will be easier and more appropriate since this meeting.

We actually turned what should’ve been a half hour appointment into almost 1 1/2 hours. During which the deep turn of the conversation caused all of us to tear up. I was extremely honored to meet him and have him feel comfortable enough to share his story.
I was deeply touched by it all.

[Benny]

It’s crazy how we can discuss and be so passionate about politics and current events with each other at work or wherever, but won’t talk Jesus because that could cause? Not trying to point the finger at you, this is representative of the church as the word of God tells us in Revelation. I’m guilty like the rest of not speaking up when given an opportunity. But we know the answers when people talk about the problems of this world and why they exist? Thank you for your good thoughts and kind words towards this man and woman who sacrificed for the country. I’m a retired firefighter who has experienced trauma and survived a fatal gunshot wound thanks to God’s mercy on me. Whatever service we do in life should be for GOD. The sacrifice that was made for us is why we sacrifice for others. Faith in God used to be the shield that defended us as a nation internally and externally. As a unit, whether first responders/militarily or teachers we came together as one in GOD. I’m passionate because of my failures in what the meaning of service meant and why I was given that opportunity for the glory of Jesus. God definitely heals trauma as we all know and I also felt for this family from your writing. Apologize for my ramblings, have a blessed day.

[Stephmerm]

I understand your point. Please understand that this was a parent teacher conference. I’ve only met the mom in the mornings with no time to say much when she drops her daughter off because I have 22 three year old in that class.
I’ve never met the dad until the conference.
Should I have brought up their religious beliefs/ Jesus? Maybe. But the conversation we did end up having that was a tangent from the purpose of the meeting in my mind and heart did the following:

I created an actual relationship with them both that was founded on a deep , emotional discussion. I now have a bond ( foundation) with them that I can build more dialogue between them and myself in future interaction.

Would I put my job over Jesus? No but I believe the conversation took the path it did because of God.
If I was having this discussion with them about his military experience apart from work I would have asked some probing questions culminating in faith, the gospel, prayer.

I’ve sincerely just do not have the sense that it was what I should’ve done at the time.

The last thing I’d want is for these parents to go to my boss and say “ we came here for meeting about our daughter’s progress and Stephanie started grilling us about religion “. Would they have said that? I do not know but if that did happen, I’d be reprimanded if not fired and all chance for future discussions on faith, beliefs would be over.
So now, I have the ability to opportunistically inject such topics into the conversation.

I always have the internal “ shoulda woulda coulda” talk with myself after talking with people causing me to over think and get stressed. I obsess about it over and over leading at times to feelings of God being disappointed in me an I In myself. I do not believe God is done working in my relationship with them. He knows my heart and my circumstances and reasons for how the meeting went yesterday and what they need.

I have in other discussions with parents and grandparents asked about their faith, praying for their situation, if they go to church etc.
I’ve even given them encouraging cards with Bible verses.

When working as a nurse in Colorado I got into many discussions with the doctors I worked for and patients about the gospel, beliefs, Jesus and the Bible.

It’s not that I’m afraid to bring it up it’s more I need to sense the Holy Spirits prompting and timing to do so.

I suppose all of us could improve in this area but I’ve given it it to God at this time. I do admit though that I shoplifting be witnessing more than I am currently doing for which I really need God’s help.

I thank you for asking what you did and that Jesus came into your life and helped you ( as only the Great Physician can😁).

[Benny]

Reading what you wrote initially you were very passionate and emotional about the man and women discussing service,trauma,family, sacrifice and your appreciation for our freedom. I was just wondering if Jesus was mentioned at all in the hour and thirty minutes you spent sharing with each other. You seem very tactful in planning waiting for an opportunity with your coworker. Maybe just telling the family Jesus loves them or thank you Jesus. We can all be better soldiers for Christ.

[Stephmerm]

Very valid points! I agree
And you are correct. It was more about my stance on respecting military members, veterans and families.
I was focusing more on how God used his story to humble me regarding taking freedoms and the sacrifices for it for granted.

I certainly could have in hind sight mentioned at the least how God has his hand on his life.

I certainly am going to be more cognizant during future opportunities and I want to truly thank you for getting me to think through how I could’ve got Jesus into the conversation I had with them.

[NStallard]

The relationship could be a bridge for witness later.

[NStallard]

We all get caught up in the here and now. There are times when we all forget to witness.
But I agree that when we are sensitive to the Lord and willing to talk of Him, He leads the discussion.
You have a tender heart for the Lord.