Practicing for Teacher

Whatever may have been your past experience, however discouraging you present circumstances, if you will come to Jesus just as you are, weak, helpless, and despairing, our compassionate Saviour will meet you a great way off, and will throw about you His arms of love and His robe of righteousness. - Thoughts from the Mount of Blessing, pg. 8 Standing in front of my class of eleven student Violinists in Bolivia, I started another lesson. I had quite a diversity of students; some had never seen a Violin before, and others had been picking our notes for a while. Some of my students were sheer naturals in music, while others... found it much more challenging. But there was one girl in whom I saw potential, but she just wouldn't practice! I begged; I told her how much better she could get if she practices, and I finally put her on the schedule to do a special music. Her name was Shelly; her father had bought her a violin and told her to learn it. It was never her choice. One day, out on the soccer field, Shelly came running up to me all smiles calling: "Teacher! Teacher! I was just practicing! I love it!" Oh, the joy in that moment as I hugged Shelly tight and encouraged her to keep practicing. Shelly had finally gotten the experience; she had finally made that decision. When I decide to be a Christian, not because my parents are, but because of my own experience, then Christ sees me a great way off and throws His arms of love around me.