“…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.” (Jer. 29:11) I taught technology classes at Cleveland High School and was the Chaplain for the Football team during that 15 year period of time AMY. We were blessed to see a little over 400 football players give their hearts to the Lord of which I am so very grateful. In my classes I was able to minister to many students as well as teach them Computer and Engineering classes.
“If you keep yourself pure, you will be a special utensil FOR HONORABLE USE.” (2 Tim. 2:21) There was a need of my qualifications at the Teen Learning Center, so I agreed to go there and introduce what I was teaching at CHS. I was in for the surprise of my life… students are sent to TLC because they could not make it in the “regular” public high school. They come here because of fighting, drugs, carrying weapons, truancy or failing classes. Often, they are ordered by the court to attend and are not really happy about being here. It is pretty much up to the teachers to come up with innovative ways to keep order in our classrooms. We are told that we need to learn to be tolerant with these students disrespect and bad language, because many of them have given up hope of being “normal” and just don’t care about what they say or do. One day AMY, about two weeks into the semester I WAS OVERWHELMED. NOTHING I SAID OR DID WAS WORKING, so out of desperation, I whispered “LORD, WHAT AM I GOING TO DO TO REACH THESE HEATHENS?” The Lord spoke to me in His wonderful still small voice and said: “BE STILL AND KNOW THAT I AM GOD. I WILL BE EXALTED AMONG THE HEATHEN.” (Psa. 46:10) The next morning, I started the daily practice of anointing the doorposts and chairs in my room and ASKING THE LORD TO HELP ME TO BE OVERWHELMED WITH THE “AWESOMENESS” OF GOD AND NOT THE “AWFULNESS” OF THE STUDENT’S ATTITUDE. It wasn’t long AMY, until things MIRACULOUSLY TURNED AROUND and then I saw God’s wonderful calming presence in the lives of these students and was able to minister to many of them.
This time of my life was so very memorable because of how the Lord used me, I was even allowed to teach my daughter, which was a great blessing for me. What a joyous spiritual highlight in my life. Well, the devil hated it and ended that wonderful ministry career. I suffered a very disabling “stroke” I just fell to the floor and was out of it for four months, very slowly recovering in the Siskin Hospital, I was released and came home spending another month “out of it” When I woke up and realized I was no longer publishing my devotions. I tried to go back to teaching but it just was not going to work so, I began the full time ministry of posting blogs. Which I LOVE doing!!
-Bill Stockham