It was a Friday morning August 15, 2014 and I was running late, as usual. but nothing was usual about that morning for it was a morning I had been dreading for a couple of months. Friday was the day that I was going to have to say goodbye to a co-worker that I was dreading to saying goodbye to Francine was a woman with unbelievable grace, she fought to be like Jesus and it showed by the way she lived everyday. There was not a moment or thing that she could not fix or help me with, and more often than not our classroom was filled with conversations about Jesus. She encouraged me to always be myself, and I miss seeing her more and more each day and more and more each day I realize how not so far away she is from me. Her words, all the words through her conversations always seem to pop up just when I need them.
Francine taught me a lot of lessons, so many I think that I would be here for days writing, but there are four really profound things that she has taught me in my 6 years that I knew her, four Godly things that should not just be in my heart but on yours too. So with out further adieu...
NEVER EVER GO ANY WHERE WITH OUT YOUR EARRINGS!
When I met Francine I was a single girl not really sure of what God wanted from me. Every single time I told her I was going to church or anywhere there could be potential guys she made sure I promised I wore my earnings. Basically it was code for always look your best and be prepared. God also wants us to look our best and be prepared. God wants us to put on HIS armor, in Ephesians 6:10-17 Peter talks about what exactly that is,
10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. 11 Put on the full armor of God,so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. 12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.13 Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. 14 Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, 15 and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. 16 In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. 17 Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.
LOVE WIDE, LOVE HARD, and LOVE UNCONDITIONALLY
With Francine there was never a day where you didn't feel loved. She made it a point to help you out and take care of you. With in our classroom of 15-18 preschoolers she loved them the most. She wanted them to succeed and never gave up trying. Childcare is no easy task. There is a lot that goes on within a day and there are a lot of families that you care for. There are many days, even though I truly love kids, where I wished that I had a large wall and lots of duck tape. Sometimes when I didn't think that I could handle certain children anymore, Francine was always there to swoop in and remind me that I could. She would always take care of me. It was the little things she did. For example one day somehow my computer screen had cracked. It wasn't to bad; I mean I could still do things on my computer. Francine said nope you need a new one and I am going to get it for you. She did she paid for my new screen, with out a hesitation; she just did it.
There was a man in the bible that knew a lot about what having REAL LOVE was. Paul knew that being rooted in love was something a person could not afford to miss. It was something that couldn't be ignored. It was truly the foundation on which God stood. Love is POWERFUL and when you combined that with God's word you will be unstoppable. Remember though unstoppable doesn't mean unbreakable. Dear reader know that God never promises an easy life He just promised he would be there to pick up the pieces, to be with you when things get tough, and love you no matter what.
16 I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, 17 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, 18 may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, 19 and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.
FIGHT:
Now Mrs. Francine never has condoned fighting she actually hates violence, but standing up for yourself was something different. She is all about putting on the full armor of God. Recently before she left I came to her with a situation I was dealing with; something that was really hard for me to understand. Every morning I would come to her and sit in her room and just talk and she did what she always did best listened. In her simple but firm way she reminded me of the many people of the bible and how when they faced a big trial they always went to God with it. She encouraged me to not give up the fight, and remember what God told me through prayer and not let the words of this world to be in the way, but go to God and ask for guidance.
God wants us to fight for him, but remember that we don't have to do it alone.
17 You will not have to fight this battle. Take up your positions; stand firm and see the deliverance the Lord will give you, Judah and Jerusalem. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged. Go out to face them tomorrow, and the Lord will be with you.’” (2 Chronicles 20:17)
He also wants us to remember that even though though we have this fight and in these cases i am talking about standing up for your self. That when you realize that you can't do this alone that if you take your stuff to God you can do all things.
12 I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want.
13 I can do all this through him who gives me strength.
(Philippians 4: 12-13)
BE PROUD OF WHO YOU ARE:
Until a few years ago I never felt like I had anything to say. I was a christian but I was the christian that just simply found God because it just made more sense than anything else did. I didn't go through huge trials, I was never beaten as a child, or battled any addictions. I was simply a plain girl that loved God.
So instead of having to explain why I didn't have a boyfriend I just never mentioned it. In some way I was embarrassed by the fact that I was probably the only girl left in the world that was single. At least that is how I perceived the world around me. It was then that the lies that I wasn't good enough started to seep in. The day I told Francine my story was the day I wasn't allowed to think those thoughts. She wouldn't allow it! She would remind me of how truly blessed I really was. I would often talk about the man that I hoped the God would bring me and she would always say that God would bring my "nothing less". She would tell me that God has great things planned for me and would reward me for my patience, I remember one time I was in my room early and Francine came in. She sat down and said, "Angie, I saw a girl today. She was wearing all black and her hair was all different colors. She wasn't smiling and just looked so sad. I remembered what you said you were before God and I thought that could have been you, and I just cried because God didn't let that happen. He is preparing and saving you for something great. Never forget that!" To this day I haven't yet and pray that I never do!
(Disclamer if you want to read my story of my single life just click here
http://themanyramblingsofangela.weebly.com/heart-on-my-sleeve/god-has-my-heart-may-the-right-man-climb-up-to-him-and-ask-to-take-care-of-it-here-on-earth)
LISTEN:
I will never ever as long as I live be able to thank Francine enough for all the hugs, love, attentiveness, and most of all encouragement that she gave me. I can however honor her by living by her example by making sure i wear my earring, loving hard, wide and unconditionally, Fighting for what i believe in, being proud of who i am, give with all my heart, and really listening. So Francine (even though you might never read this) Thank you forever everything. Thank you for believing in me when I felt like no one else would. Thank you for hugging me when I felt sad and alone and then rejoicing with me in my happiness. Thank you for reminding me to always be a woman of proverbs 31 and encouraging me to dig deep into scripture. For being an example of what a Godly woman is suppose to look and act like. You will be forever my adopted Mama, and although I am sad that I wont get a chance to see you everyday and have our morning talks, I am EXCITED for you and your new adventure. May God keep blessing you more than you could ever imagine.
Dear reader, I hope that in your lifetime that you get blessed enough to meet someone like Francine. Until then I hope you will take these words from the screen and apply them to your own life. Put on your armor for God, love unconditionally, never give up on someone, fight, and always believe in yourself.
Also, if you are struggling with God questions DO NOT BE AFRAID TO ASK. The only dumb question is the one not asked, but please remember following God is a journey and not a magic potion. God is crazy about you no matter where you are in your life and He wants so much for you to know that. My prayer is that one day you find that.
Francine taught me a lot of lessons, so many I think that I would be here for days writing, but there are four really profound things that she has taught me in my 6 years that I knew her, four Godly things that should not just be in my heart but on yours too. So with out further adieu...
NEVER EVER GO ANY WHERE WITH OUT YOUR EARRINGS!
When I met Francine I was a single girl not really sure of what God wanted from me. Every single time I told her I was going to church or anywhere there could be potential guys she made sure I promised I wore my earnings. Basically it was code for always look your best and be prepared. God also wants us to look our best and be prepared. God wants us to put on HIS armor, in Ephesians 6:10-17 Peter talks about what exactly that is,
10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. 11 Put on the full armor of God,so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. 12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.13 Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. 14 Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, 15 and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. 16 In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. 17 Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.
LOVE WIDE, LOVE HARD, and LOVE UNCONDITIONALLY
With Francine there was never a day where you didn't feel loved. She made it a point to help you out and take care of you. With in our classroom of 15-18 preschoolers she loved them the most. She wanted them to succeed and never gave up trying. Childcare is no easy task. There is a lot that goes on within a day and there are a lot of families that you care for. There are many days, even though I truly love kids, where I wished that I had a large wall and lots of duck tape. Sometimes when I didn't think that I could handle certain children anymore, Francine was always there to swoop in and remind me that I could. She would always take care of me. It was the little things she did. For example one day somehow my computer screen had cracked. It wasn't to bad; I mean I could still do things on my computer. Francine said nope you need a new one and I am going to get it for you. She did she paid for my new screen, with out a hesitation; she just did it.
There was a man in the bible that knew a lot about what having REAL LOVE was. Paul knew that being rooted in love was something a person could not afford to miss. It was something that couldn't be ignored. It was truly the foundation on which God stood. Love is POWERFUL and when you combined that with God's word you will be unstoppable. Remember though unstoppable doesn't mean unbreakable. Dear reader know that God never promises an easy life He just promised he would be there to pick up the pieces, to be with you when things get tough, and love you no matter what.
16 I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, 17 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, 18 may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, 19 and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.
FIGHT:
Now Mrs. Francine never has condoned fighting she actually hates violence, but standing up for yourself was something different. She is all about putting on the full armor of God. Recently before she left I came to her with a situation I was dealing with; something that was really hard for me to understand. Every morning I would come to her and sit in her room and just talk and she did what she always did best listened. In her simple but firm way she reminded me of the many people of the bible and how when they faced a big trial they always went to God with it. She encouraged me to not give up the fight, and remember what God told me through prayer and not let the words of this world to be in the way, but go to God and ask for guidance.
God wants us to fight for him, but remember that we don't have to do it alone.
17 You will not have to fight this battle. Take up your positions; stand firm and see the deliverance the Lord will give you, Judah and Jerusalem. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged. Go out to face them tomorrow, and the Lord will be with you.’” (2 Chronicles 20:17)
He also wants us to remember that even though though we have this fight and in these cases i am talking about standing up for your self. That when you realize that you can't do this alone that if you take your stuff to God you can do all things.
12 I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want.
13 I can do all this through him who gives me strength.
(Philippians 4: 12-13)
BE PROUD OF WHO YOU ARE:
Until a few years ago I never felt like I had anything to say. I was a christian but I was the christian that just simply found God because it just made more sense than anything else did. I didn't go through huge trials, I was never beaten as a child, or battled any addictions. I was simply a plain girl that loved God.
So instead of having to explain why I didn't have a boyfriend I just never mentioned it. In some way I was embarrassed by the fact that I was probably the only girl left in the world that was single. At least that is how I perceived the world around me. It was then that the lies that I wasn't good enough started to seep in. The day I told Francine my story was the day I wasn't allowed to think those thoughts. She wouldn't allow it! She would remind me of how truly blessed I really was. I would often talk about the man that I hoped the God would bring me and she would always say that God would bring my "nothing less". She would tell me that God has great things planned for me and would reward me for my patience, I remember one time I was in my room early and Francine came in. She sat down and said, "Angie, I saw a girl today. She was wearing all black and her hair was all different colors. She wasn't smiling and just looked so sad. I remembered what you said you were before God and I thought that could have been you, and I just cried because God didn't let that happen. He is preparing and saving you for something great. Never forget that!" To this day I haven't yet and pray that I never do!
(Disclamer if you want to read my story of my single life just click here
http://themanyramblingsofangela.weebly.com/heart-on-my-sleeve/god-has-my-heart-may-the-right-man-climb-up-to-him-and-ask-to-take-care-of-it-here-on-earth)
LISTEN:
I will never ever as long as I live be able to thank Francine enough for all the hugs, love, attentiveness, and most of all encouragement that she gave me. I can however honor her by living by her example by making sure i wear my earring, loving hard, wide and unconditionally, Fighting for what i believe in, being proud of who i am, give with all my heart, and really listening. So Francine (even though you might never read this) Thank you forever everything. Thank you for believing in me when I felt like no one else would. Thank you for hugging me when I felt sad and alone and then rejoicing with me in my happiness. Thank you for reminding me to always be a woman of proverbs 31 and encouraging me to dig deep into scripture. For being an example of what a Godly woman is suppose to look and act like. You will be forever my adopted Mama, and although I am sad that I wont get a chance to see you everyday and have our morning talks, I am EXCITED for you and your new adventure. May God keep blessing you more than you could ever imagine.
Dear reader, I hope that in your lifetime that you get blessed enough to meet someone like Francine. Until then I hope you will take these words from the screen and apply them to your own life. Put on your armor for God, love unconditionally, never give up on someone, fight, and always believe in yourself.
Also, if you are struggling with God questions DO NOT BE AFRAID TO ASK. The only dumb question is the one not asked, but please remember following God is a journey and not a magic potion. God is crazy about you no matter where you are in your life and He wants so much for you to know that. My prayer is that one day you find that.