Any of you who have seen me teach for any length of time have probably seen me pick my Bible up and hold it in both hands, so that the pages fall open while I talk about my firm conviction that God's Word contains all that we need for life and godliness, that there is a principle within those pages for every question I will face. I learned that from a very special lady named Robyn. She was my 11th grade Sunday School teacher, and a hero in my life. Robyn didn't just show up on Sunday mornings with her effervescent personality to teach Sunday school, she played the piano on Sunday afternoons for Youth Choir, opened her home on Tuesdays at lunch time for us to gather around her kitchen table with whomever we happened to drag with us, and spent countless Friday or Saturday evenings laughing and watching videos with us. Robyn lived on my street, and we had a special signal. Every time I passed her house, I'd honk my horn twice. Two short beeps and Robyn promised that wherever she was, whatever she was doing, she'd stop and pray for me that day.
Over the years since high school, I've done my best to live by the things Robyn taught us, especially when it comes to standing firmly in the Truth of God's Word. I am thrilled anytime anyone comments on my love for Scripture because I get to tell them about Robyn. I've done my best to invest in the lives of women around me, especially younger women. And now, I have a job that involves investing in women of all ages, mostly women older than me. I was at a training conference for this new job last week and we spent a lot of time talking about mentors and mentoring. On Day One when they asked me to identify a mentor in my life, I briefly mentioned a high school Sunday School teacher. On Day Four, when we went around the room and affrimed each member of the class, I was delighted to hear someone mention my love for God's Word as it gave me an opening to tell them about Robyn. ;-)
Those days of training were difficult. I was blessed with joy over the task entrusted to me, but battled many doubts along the way. One particular day, I was being hounded by doubts about my ability to lead women older than me, and I was especially haunted by thoughts of a woman I'd been in a discipleship relationship with a few years ago. She was about 15 years older than me, and we met to study the Bible together weekly for several months but for a variety of reasons that relationship ended, and there was very little communication between us afterwards. I kept thinking, "If I couldn't make a difference in her life, how in the world am I going to make a difference in these women's lives?"
Would you believe I received a phone call from that very woman on that very evening while I was still at training? I was nervous when I realized it was her, wondering if whatever she had to say was going to be confirmation that I was in over my head and should run the other direction. But, what she said took my breath away. She explained to me that God has been doing great and mighty things in her life that she is so excited about, and she was calling to say "thank you" to me for the time that we spent together. Tears streamed down my face as I stood in the chilly night air and listened to the Lord remind me how BIG He is. I think His words to me sounded something like, "I am the Vine, you are the branches. If you remain in me, and my words remain in you. You will bear much fruit. Apart from me, you can do nothing." Yes, Lord. I can't do it. But, oh, what You can do!
The story gets better.
I came home from training and made an appointment to have coffee with my old friend and find out what exactly the Lord has been up to in her life and how she came to call me that night. We sat and chatted excitedly, picking up where we'd left off and moving forward quickly to the place where God began to reveal Himself in powerful ways. As she shared with me about the things she had been learning and experiencing and the women she was touching, she put her hands together in front of her as though holding out a book and pretended to let the pages fall open. She said, "Someone told me once that God's Word contains all the answers and principles I need to live a life that pleases Him." Tears came again. I couldn't help it. Watching her was like watching Robyn, and I realized the two had never met, might not ever meet, but their stories are inextricably linked. Robyn taught me. I taught this woman. She taught another.
When I got in my car to leave that encounter, I called my mom and asked her to look up Robyn's phone number for me. I'd tried to dial what I thought it was and gotten a disconnection notice. But, when Mom looked it up for me, I realized I'd been one number off. Considering it's been 10 years since I dialed that number on a regular basis, I felt pretty good about getting so close! Anyway. I called Robyn. Her husband answered the phone and said the garage door was just going up, signaling she'd arrived home. I heard him say "It's Kristen" as he handed her the phone, and the sound of her voice made me smile and tear up all at the same time. I quickly told her my story, told her I just had to share with her what was happening. She, of course, gave all credit to the Lord as is His due. She kept saying, "It's not me; it's Him." And, more than ever, I knew that was true because when I thought about my own role in the story, I could so clearly see that it was not anything of me but all of Him that impacted others near me.
Before we got off the phone, I told Robyn I just wanted her to know that something she'd said had stuck and was still making a difference. She sighed and told me she's got 12th grade girls in Sunday School this year and that she's really been wondering if she was getting through at all, but hearing from me encouraged her to keep trying.
I don't know that I have ever been a part of a more exciting story. My heart is so full heading into this week of thanksgiving.
Thank you, Lord, for godly men and women who keep speaking Truth. Thank you for your Word which is powerful and effective, living and active, which does not return void and contains all that we need for life and godliness. Thank you for using broken vessels.
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