A New Year

Well, we are now in 2007 and no one knows what this year will hold. What I do know is that in this year I will face a lot of changes. In September my school will be merging with another so everything will be changing. There has been a lot of debate amongst staff, pupils and parents about whether this will be a good thing and obviously this is not the place to raise such issues but it has meant we have all had to have a good look at the future. Whether we like it or not change is coming!

It is time to make choices: stay and deal with the changes, find a new teaching job or take this opportunity to try something new. It would be good if there was a nice easy choice but to be honest all these options will take hard work and courage (I really don't like interviews!). I really wish God would speak through big neon signs, I could do with a very clear sign what to do next!

On Sunday night the preacher spoke on the prayer of Jabez, now I have heard of this before but have been wary because of the hype about it in certain circles. However this week it really spoke to me:

“Oh, that You would bless me indeed, and enlarge my territory, that Your hand would be with me, and that You would keep me from evil, that I may not cause pain!” 1 Chronicles 4 v10 (NKJV)

It is slightly different in the New King James version to other places I have read it but I think I like this version best. Maybe all the changes happening are God's way of enlarging my territory, which I actually find quite scary, I like a small familiar territory!

I think I need to hold on to this verse from Jeremiah:

"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." Jeremiah 29 v11 (NIV)