Whispers of Truth

     While preparing for a lesson, I came across an informative text simply entitled "Pearls." The piece was a very simplistic description of how a pearl is formed, but it reminded me that the irritating things in our lives that really get under our skin, the burrs that just won't let go, after a period of time can result in beautiful gems. When a small piece of organic material gets trapped between the shell and the soft tissue of an oyster, irritation occurs, and a substance called nacre is excreted, which encapsulates the irritant and daily adds layer upon layer, until what was the irritant becomes the pearl that we value so much. Just so are the hurts and bumps and bruises of our battered souls that get wrapped layer by layer in the grace of Christ until after enough time and pressure have occurred, we become treasured pearls--jewels He has created. It is so easy for us to forget who we are and why we are here in the urgency to escape from the torment of pain and...

           To say that the last year of my life has not been challenging would be a lie. To say that regardless of the situation facing me, I have reflected the glory of God would also be a lie. But it is in the challenging times in our lives that force us to grow and find value. As I said in an earlier post, I have been doing a lot of secular reading since June of this past summer because my job has required it of me. I have to say that I haven’t missed this particular type of reading, which might surprise the people that know I am an English teacher and an avid reader. However, years ago, at the request of my wise husband, I put aside secular literature and immersed myself in the Word and in only Christian literature. At the time, I wasn’t very happy about the request, but in retrospect, it changed my life for the better. I learned to be discerning about what I put in my mind. Now, as I read works of “literary merit” for the teac...