I love all kinds of Christian music.  The upbeat tempo of Toby Mac, the spirit of Micah Tyler, the diversity of Mercy Me and Casting Crowns.  You will hear this music blasting from my car’s speakers, echoing in my classroom, and powering me through workouts on my ear buds. 

Christian music is essential for me to thrive in life!

Although Tauren Wells’ “Take It All Back” is my theme song for the year, there is another song that provides comfort and purpose to what I have endured over the last few years.  For those of you who don’t know, unexpected plans led me to leave the comfort of my job in the Olathe School District.  I spent a year teaching in Osawatomie, and it was a difficult transition for me. 

I must admit … I have a few scars I am dealing with.  That is why I find so much beauty in I Am They’s hit song “Scars.”  To get the full meaning of my message here, I encourage you to stop.  Breathe.  Slow down and play the video below.  Let the words speak truth to any scars left in you. 

How do you feel now?  I just watched the video myself.  So much symbolism.  So much heartfelt encouragement.  And I love how the song builds from a slow tempo to a more powerful, positive tempo.  I need to walk through this song again.  It has become a part of me, and I want it to do the same for you.

Waking up to a new sunrise
Looking back from the other side
I can see now with open eyes

A new sunrise has risen upon this school year.  Yet as I look out my window now, I see rain.  Just like the video.  Rain can be seen in two different ways.  It can be interpreted as sad, depressing, cold, and sorrowful.  Or it can be seen in an entire different light, as a source of newness.  Life.  Rebirth. 

Two movies show this so well.  The first comes in Shawshank Redemption when Andy Dufresne escapes prison for the first time and tastes the sweetness of freedom.  The second comes in Holes when the boys celebrate a welcome shower at Camp Green Lake, cooling them from the blistering heat. 

Back to the lyrics …

Darkest water and deepest pain
I wouldn’t trade it for anything
‘Cause my brokenness brought me to you
And these wounds are a story you’ll use

When we as Christians experience pain, we cry out to the Lord for help!  David does such an amazing job expressing this in Psalm 59.  He knows Saul is hunting him and wants him killed.  His brokenness led him to cry out in desperation!  And in that brokenness, he knew God would use this story to provide comfort.

Has your brokenness ever done the same?  Has God ever showed up for you when life threw you a curve ball?  Maybe it was losing a family member or enduring depression.  Maybe it was working your way through an impossible school year like COVID.  Or maybe it was changing jobs against your wishes. 

Take heart.  Romans 8:28 reminds us that God will work EVERYTHING for our good.  Even the messed up, dysfunctional times when we rebel.  Or even the times we don’t understand what God is doing.  It all comes down to trust.  Trust Him!  He knows better than we do.  And He will use your story to inspire others.

Back to the lyrics …

So I’m thankful for the scars
‘Cause without them I wouldn’t know your heart
And I know they’ll always tell of who you are
So forever I am thankful for the scars

Thankful for the scars?  The thought is quite radical.  Thank you, God, for losing my job?  Thank you, God, for taking my Memaw before she was supposed to go?  Thank you, God, for allowing depression to rack me for two continuous years that nearly destroyed me? This is crazy talk!

Maybe from the world’s perspective.

These are all parts of my story, and I see God smiling.  His message to me is clear in Jeremiah 33:3 which says, “Ask me and I will tell you remarkable secrets you do not know about things to come.”  What I gain here is that God wants us to talk to Him during times of turmoil.  He will reveal Himself to us! 

The recent scars I have are already healing.  They will never go away completely, but I am okay with that.  They led me to a deeper faith in my God who led me through those difficult times.  The scars tell a story of perseverance and hope in something higher.  Something I wish everyone could experience. 

Now I’m standing in confidence
With the strength of your faithfulness
And I’m not who I was before
No, I don’t have to fear anymore

I have gained and lost confidence like a roller coaster throughout my teaching career, and right now, I am brimming with confidence.  Totally overflowing with faith, hope, and love.  The greatest of these is love (1 Corinthians 13:13).  God’s strength is powering me.  I may not be the man I was before, but do you know what? 

That is completely okay! 

No more fear.  No questioning His motives.  He knows things I have NO CLUE about!  My thoughts are not His thoughts (Isaiah 55:8-9).  God is working!  He is telling me truth in Habakuk 1:5b, “For I am doing something in your own day, something you wouldn’t believe even if someone told you about it.” 

Do you believe?  Let’s continue with the lyrics …

I can see, I can see
How you delivered me
In your hands, in your feet
I found my victory

This is beautiful.  Seeing the world through God’s eyes is mind-blowing.  You think you know what is best, then God shows you a better way.  I thought the comfort of working in the same building for nearly 20 years was what I desired.  God wanted me to grow.  He grew me in Osawatomie this past year.  He provided a new hope in a new opportunity at Heritage Christian Academy. 

I find my victory through Jesus Christ!  He led me through it all.  He never abandoned me.

Be careful with the last of the lyrics.  See if you notice any differences …

I’m thankful for your scars
‘Cause without them I wouldn’t know your heart
And with my life, I’ll tell of who you are
So forever I am thankful

I’m thankful for the scars
‘Cause without them I wouldn’t know your heart
And I know they’ll always tell of who you are
So forever I am thankful for the scars
So forever I am thankful for the scars

Did you catch it?  It took me a while to realize why they slowed the song down for this part.  I have a feeling they wanted you to think.  All that changes in that first line is one word, but OH what a difference that makes!  Thankful for YOUR scars. 

Jesus’ scars.  The cross.  The pain He endured for you.  For me.  For all of mankind.  Even those who hated Him.  I can see Him showing his scars to Thomas.  The doubter.  The one who said, “I won’t believe until I see it.”  Jesus’ response comes in John 20:27 when He lovingly states, “Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe.”

What are you doubting right now?  It is quite normal to be a Thomas.  I think we all have a tendency to be a Thomas at certain times.  For me it was not so much in losing my job but in finding a new one in the summer of 2023.  Can I recap a quick story?  The scar is still there, but it needs to be shared.

I definitely doubted.  I was panicking.  I had no job, my last paycheck was coming on July 31, and my summer was nearly over.  I had put effort into sending out my resume and trying to network.  I even started to wonder if God wanted me to leave teaching.  I applied at places like Scheels and considered being a manager at QT. 

Much like David did when Saul was on his heels, I cried out to God.  It was a prayer of desperation.  I had tried so hard, and not a single interview?  Really, God?  He welcomed my prayer.  I crawled up into His lap, and He embraced me.  He whispered the same words Jesus said to Thomas above. 

“Stop doubting and believe!”

I wept later that day.  Almost immediately I had not one, not two, but three job interviews over the next two days.  The third opportunity was from a small town in Osawatomie, Kansas.  When I went into that interview, I didn’t know what to expect, but I let God take the wheel. 

I knew it was crunch time for them as well.  The school year was about to begin, and they needed a 6^th grade ELA teacher.  I felt compelled to be honest and ask how many people were being considered for the position.  The superintendent paused, looked around the table, and smiled at me, saying, “Right now, it is only you.”

You can go back to get the full story on my blog from this time last year.  I think about where God has taken me since May of 2023, and I smile.  My scars from that entire ordeal are His handiwork, and I would never doubt for a second that God was wrong in what He accomplished through my story. 

I am indeed thankful for my scars.  Without them, I would never be able to tell this story to my new colleagues at Heritage Christian Academy.  As they read this, they will know a little bit more about the man God created in me. 

But I wonder … What about you?  What scars are in your life that God intervened in?  How is His handiwork present through your own trials and tribulations? 

Be bold.  Share your scar story in a reply below.  Tell us how God has worked His magic in your life!  Think about how many teachers will read your story here and be inspired. 

May the Lord bless you all as we dive into the newness and fresh hope of 2024. 

Teacher Olympics Update:

Hello, Mike Tirico, back here with the winner of the Bladder Hold, Clint Daniels. Clint, you really dominated that competition today! Walk me through your gold medal performance.

Well, Mike, I was writing on my blog here, and I just got on a roll. I couldn’t stop! The Holy Spirit was flowing through my fingers onto the keyboard. I didn’t want to quench the spirit.

Even with all that coffee coursing through your veins?

Even with all that coffee. It was so worth it!

And I hear you are off to meetings now? You are being commissioned to be a teacher at Heritage Christian Academy?

You got it, Mike! But, yes, I plan on visiting the restroom before anything else.

Any final words before we part?

I just want to thank my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, who helped me hold my bladder this entire time. This gold medal belongs to Him!