I came in to blog about my lesson plans this week. Since it seems like we are going to have unpredictable weather, I have been inpsired to not blog about anything school related (surprise, surprise). It’s just a cold, wet, unpreditable mess of a school week. Therefore, I have concluded that this post will be another denial that we are supposed to go back to school tomorrow.
(I’m saying “supposed” to…which means I am still not convinced it’s happening).
I have done an excellent job of blogging about everything other than school over these two weeks.
Why start now?
I just got done reading A Teeny Tiny Teacher’s post today about her student, Jon. Warning before you head over to read it…get your tissues ready. The word “Faith” has been swirling all around me these past couple of weeks. Abby, from Babbling Abby, has a whole new perspective on Faith. Reading and following her story has been beyond inspiring.
A new year is always exciting for people because they feel like they get to start fresh. Today, our pastor talked about goals he makes and talked about topics as sort of a guideline to set goals this year.
Sometimes, when I go to church I feel like my pastor is talking directly to me in the entire room with hundreds of people. He said, “More faith…less fear”, this morning and it was like bells were going off.
My first thought was about Abby and her Faith (actual faith and baby Faith 🙂
Then, I started to think about Hunter.Â
When Hunter had his accident, it was terrible and scary.
I don’t really have friends with kids. Emily, another K teacher, has been one of my best friends ever since I started teaching. Meaning, we vacay together with her kids in tow. She caught the bouquet at my wedding. She’s always the strongest person in the room that doesn’t take $h*% from anyone. 
She is my friend with kids. Kids that I like.
Despite our age difference, we became instant friends and have stayed that way.
We just get each other.
Walking in to that Huntsville ICU and seeing my friend so devestated will always be seared in to my brain. It rocked me and, quite frankly, scared me. Emily, my rock of a friend, was broken.
After the initial shock and grief that I felt, I had this overwhelming sense of peace. I was saying things that day like, “I just know he is going to walk,” because I was so convinced that this was not how Hunter would be spending the rest of his life. My fear was replaced by this feeling of hope and I’ve leaned on that every day since this happened.
I had (and still have) faith.
The doctors told Emily and then Hunter that he wouldn’t walk again. I just knew it wasn’t true. Even the day after it happened and there were still so many uncertainties. There were many people around him, including his amazing Grandmother, who thought the exact same thing.
Hunter will walk again.
I haven’t written too much about Hunter because I never wanted to make what happened about anyone other than Hunter. This isn’t about me or my friendship with Emily and her family. These stories are about knowing and having faith in God’s bigger plan for our life. I have been schooled by a 15 year old boy on faith. Perhaps Kristen’s post and that scripture was the extra push I needed to write about it.
This is a picture of Hunter taken a couple months ago. 
My word for 2014 (thank you, Hunter) is Faith.
Amen!!!!!!!! What a beautiful post!!!!
i KNEW I liked you!!! I attend Crosspoint too, it is SUCH an amazing church! Keep the Faith Love
Love your post! My word for 2014 is Shine. Today, I was reassured that I had picked the right word when it appeared in my devotion this morning and then a verse was on the cover of the church bulletin about shining. I pray that you are able to have more faith in 2014!
I read this with tears in my eyes. (As I did Kristin’s post too) I continue to pray for Hunter and his family every day. You are amazing and I love your word for the year. Love you friend!
Faith—such a small word with such HUGE meaning. He said if we just have faith the size of a mustard seed, we can move a mountain. Praying that this mountain will move for Hunter.
My OLW this year is promise—I’m standing on my faith for His promises–to one day be a mom, for my marriage to continue to grow, and for so many more things.
Hugs your way!
Nicki
I’m convinced you are an old soul, my dear. You have wisdom beyond your years. Sending my guardian angle Hunter’s way!
Whoops! angel, not angle!!!
Love and love. Faith can move mountains! Praying for Hunter!
Continuing to pray for Hunter, Elizabeth. God is faithful, and so good. Praying for strength, peace, hope, and FAITH for you all.
I certainly have learned something about faith since my grandson’s accident. The Bible teaches that Jesus is the author and perfector of our faith and at 60 yrs old, I just now begun to understand what that means through this experience. Yes, I believe that Hunter will walk again. I’m as sure of it as I am of the nose on my faith. I’m sure because Jesus has given me the faith to believe it. I have been led to scripture about walking, I have seen things just out in the world like the church marquee that I passed on my way to Huntsville and as I passed it, I only saw the words “your children will walk…”. There was more but that’s all I saw. A friend said that’s all God meant for u to see. I have a handicap sticker in my car because I was supposed to have a knebe replacement this month and one day as I was praying about Hunter, I looked up and saw the words “temporary disability”. I knew then that’s what it was for Hunter-temporary! I didn’t ask God for any signs. More importantly for me has been the scripture God had led me to one way or another: Malachi 4:2; Isaiah 40:31; Hebrews 12:11-13; and Acts 3:2-9. I didn’t look in my concordance for these. It’s Jesus authoring and perfecting my faith that my precious will walk again. I told Dr. Leslie, the Medical Director of the Shepherd Center, was a nurse told Emily in Huntsville that she needed to be “realistic”. I love his reply! He said, “Faith IS real!”. I’m simply just believing God.