Hello, My name is Emily, and I am a.....

I chose my post title because I have been thinking recently about the roles I am currently playing in life. I know when we hear that phrase we automatically think about someone in rehab but I think it is a great phrase that represents who we are and how we view ourselves. If I were to fill in that statement, I would say...


Hello, My name is Emily, and I am a...

....a wife, follower of Christ, aunt, daughter, granddaughter, friend, lover of money (i.e. accountant and shopping - a dangerous combo), teacher.....

Many of these were easy answers and ones that have been a part of me for awhile. However, the last one (teacher) I would have never imagined I would add to my roles. You see I liked school - elementary, high school, college...but I preferred the role of student to teacher. I don't feel I possess the skills to confidently teach students. And yet, alas, I come to Spain and God puts me in a position to stand up in front of a classroom expected to teach something. Fortunately I get to teach things that I like and that He has gifted me with, and that's how I am realizing that being a teacher is truly a passion. Now my husband will not tell you that every day he gets great joy from teaching about genetics, soil, diseases, chemical equations, etc. (he does get extreme joy from teaching about birds). But he is very gifted in teaching students. I, on the other hand, not so much. But, this role of teacher I currently have, I do have a joy for. I don't see myself becoming a professional teacher. I have no desire to get more schooling and I prefer dealing with financial statements, policies and procedures, and conducting audits. However, my accounting class has definitely brought me joy this semester. I get happy butterflies teaching T-accounts, debit/credits, balance sheets, etc. I silently cheer for all my students to make 100s on all their tests and love accounting as much as I do. There is one student who is considering business and I truly get a thrill as she grasps these concepts well and looks forward to taking more business classes in college next year. If I would have known that I was coming to Spain to teach an accounting class, I would have told you no way - I'm not qualified to be a teacher. I don't have a teaching degree. Have never taught in a classroom and my only experience speaking in a group is during meetings at work. But somehow God has placed me out of my comfort zone to let me have joy doing something I thought I would be miserable in.

I'm so glad God is smarter than me.

So where are you? Is God opening a door for you to do something that is "out of your element"? I will tell you that here in Spain I am definitely out of my element. I have to communicate in a different language with my neighbors every day praying that I don't sound like a uneducated 5 year old, but I see God work every day here, and it's pretty awesome to see his workings.