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My Pastor has been seriously hammering on paying tithes and giving offerings. He has been praying for us every service that we would prosper financially, etc. He has also talked about us given a seed offering and to wait and watch God restore it back to us many times over again. A month ago I applied for a grant called REACH for first year teachers. If I was accepted I could receive $5000 just for teaching for one year. I completed the application and asked a few people to help me pray that God would reward me. Well a few weeks ago a man was at our church from Venezuela. He is native to that area, Holy Ghost filled, and is working with extremely poor people. With absolutely no extra money to my name, I wrote a check for $50. I knew that somehow I would work my budget out, but this man needed the money way more that I did. Today, I got a letter in the mail stating that I have been chosen as a REACH Recipient! I will receive $2000 at the end of December and $3000 at the end of the school

As a result of new leadership positions I'm stepping into, I'm getting some leadership training from my pastor. Being as though I share almost everything possible with my blog and its readers, it seems only right that I go through all of this with you! My first homework assignment is to come up with 5 personal character flaws. At a risk of sounding extremely cocky, I will say that this is not an easy task. Now wait a minute before you start gagging, and let me explain. I will be the FIRST to admit that I am not perfect and that I have tons of issues. But I've always looked at a lot of my personality traits as just some big, all combined issues. To directly pinpoint them out and give them a name seems pretty difficult. Plus some of my biggest flaws are what I would consider some of my greatest strengths. For example, I'm an opinionated person, but I wouldn't characterize that as a character flaw. I don't force my opinions on others, but if someone asks m

I wish I could come back and post that I've gotten all the answers to all my questions. I can actually say that I may not have all the answers, but I do have one important answer! That answer is trust in Jesus . Most of my questions are justified, but the only thing I can do is wait, pray, and trust in God that it will work out accordingly. In the meantime I must serve God to the best of my abilities, while keeping a watchful eye out. As long as I am sincere before God, He will take care of me! Surprisingly I am at peace with leaving it all in God's hands, and I must say what an awesome feeling that is! While facing all these new transitions in my life, I'm very glad there is someone giving me honesty. I met with some colleagues tonight, and it was so refreshing to hear straight talk. No beating around the bush. "Here's the situation, let's not pretend it doesn't exist. Let's deal with it head on!" I'm very comfortable with that type

Wow. I got home tonight with tons of questions and no answers. I'm trying my best to be patient, to go with the flow for now. Yet far in the recesses of my heart, or maybe it's just my mind, I have a lingering doubt. Am I compromising what I believe for a position? Is the opportunity of this position worth compromising a few things. Are certain beliefs really not that important that I can push them aside for the greater good? Or will pushing my beliefs aside be selling my soul? I've had a burden for a while and it seems as though doors are opening for me to minister in that specific area. However I'm being bombarded with all these changes at the same time and not all of them I agree with. There are things I'm not comfortable with. It's nothing I'm being forced to do, yet it things that I would be supporting and by default a part of. I'm not too sure I want my name associated with that? Yet I could be making more of it than I should. It cert

I'm not normally a big celebratory person when it comes to brithdays, but this year was pretty decent. A few friends from church gave me some nice gifts, I got some money, and a couple of gift certificates. I got several texts and even more messages left on myspace. Even though it was a day late, SD sent me yet another tree ! Now all my co-workers are really talking about me. Most of my students wished me a happy birthday and one class even sang to me! Overall it's been a good few days. As recently reported, I had plans to hear Matt Maddox preach on my birthday. However, Bro. Maddox's flight was delayed and wasn't able to make it to the conference. Instead, a preacher with the same initials, Bro. Mark Morgan, took the pulpit. I'll be honest and admit that I was a bit bummed out. I thought, I drove 2 hours to hear Maddox preach, not Morgan . I was ready to call it an early night and head back home. However, it was church and you go there for God, not who&

I would consider myself to be very open minded. It's why I can embrace change on most occasions. I'm usually looking for a new/better way to do things. I'm ok with moving things around or switching things up. There is a lot of changing going on right now, and for the most part I'm ok with it all. Yet somewhere in the deep recesses of my mind or perhaps my soul, I'm a bit nervous about it all. There are some things I'm ready to run with, but there are a few other things that are holding me back. I'm just jogging along with it right now, waiting for the moment to pick up the pace or stop dead in my tracks. I'm always willing to compromise on most things. Although, there are certain beliefs that I cannot compromise, no matter what results may come from it. I think there is a middle ground that can be reached. We can get results without compromising the very thing we were built on! Can't we?? ****** In other news, tomorrow is my 23rd birthday.

Proverbs 18:24 A man that hath friends must shew himself friendly: and there is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother. There are times when I'm not as friendly as I should be. I've been called a snob when people first meet me because I'm not a small talker. I have to make myself walk up to someone I don't know and introduce myself. Not because I'm scared of rejection or shy. I just don't like the awkwardness of small talk. It's something that I'm working on. A friend of mine even gave me some pointers on how to beat the awkwardness. Overall, however, I'd consider myself a friendly person. I can hang out with just about anyone, anytime. I'm active in ministries at my church, my school, and I try to make time for anyone else in between. I do things I don't want to do a lot because I know it's the right thing to do. I make it a point to hang out with people even when I'd rather be at home by myself because I want them to

No I'm not talking about the Ben Stiller movie or a potential boyfriend. I'm talking about the parents of my students! What a role reversal! I remember sending my mom and dad off to PTA night with my class schedule so they could meet all my teachers. Never had I actually attended one. Yet there I was last night, shaking parents hands, introducing myself not as Kimberly but Ms. Rigney. When did I become old?? I dressed up, took my contacts out, and put my glasses on. I had to compensate for my age, so I tried my best to look older. I didn't want these parents thinking their child's teacher was as young as them. A couple of parents asked if I was new, but for the most part nothing was said about my age! Many of the parents said their child was enjoying my class. A few even said I was their child's favorite teacher! YES! Score a few points for me! My principal commented on how professional I looked, and several of my co-workers told me that I looked very ni

A co-worker and I were discussing the attempted Terrorist attack halted in London this week. I was sharing how I had just returned from England a month ago, and she had a daughter who just flew out of Heathrow Airport on Sunday! How blessed we were to arrive home safely! We also discussed the fact that authorities have probably been aware that something was about to take place far in advance. How far in advance? Is that the reason why my passport was checked not once but twice? Is that the reason for the more than usual strict questioning?? Probably so! ************ The first week of school has been ok. I've been working my tail off, writing lesson plans, continuing to decorate my room, memorize names, do paper work. The list goes on and on! I've decided that I should buy a cot and live here at school. It would be a lot easier! I've also come to the realization that I don't mind all the extra work because I love my job. Now, don't get me wrong, there are

I'm definitely feeling Kermit the Frog right now! Although our definitions of the term green differ, I know exactly how he feels. As a new teacher, it seems I have SOO much work to do and not enough time to do it in. As I said earlier, I was not prepared for anything when I got to school the first day. And Sunday night lying in bed, I thought of everything I needed to do but it was too late. Students reported to school Monday morning. So I may be a little late, but I'm getting things done. Do you remember all the things your teacher had lined up for you. Handouts on classroom procedures, grading scales, project lists, etc. I didn't have any of that. I've never taught before. I don't know how I want things to run. I'm more of an off the cuff kind of person, but students need structure. So here I am last night trying to put rules and regulations together for students. I teach 4-seventh grade classes and another coach teaches 2 periods of the same sub

Awestruck Wonder! I don't know how else to explain my feelings right now. I'm just completely in awe of God and how great He really is. I've been in church my whole life, but I don't think I've ever experienced what I'm experiencing now. I can honestly look back over the past 5-6 years of my life and see why certain things took place and how God used those times to bring me to this exact moment. I am living Romans 8:28..."all things work together for good to them that love God..." I turned down the opportunity to go back to college to get my Master's degree. Many people thought I was stupid for walking away from such an opportunity. I struggled with making the decision, but in the end, I knew it wasn't the right thing for me to do at the time. I took a not so great paying job at a local high school, hoping it would get my foot in the door to teach. It did that! Thankfully, it did so much more! This past school year I was able to talk

All preparations have been made; Students report to school on Monday! Ok, ok. Let's rephrase that. All preparations should have been made; Students report to school on Monday! That's more like it! My room is half way ready for students. I still have some decorations that will be coming in later in the week. But most importantly, I still haven't prepared any lessons to teach. I'm hoping to wing it for the first few days. Get a feel of the class and then forge ahead. Of course, as a new teacher, that's probably not the most logical thing to do. I'm sure it would be highly recommended that I be strict, unwavering, and start to work the first day. This is the best time to take charge of my class, etc. Well that's not me. I can't be who I'm not, especially when it comes to teaching. So say a little prayer for me that the 7th graders don't kill me. I have a peace, a calmness, and I'm not stressing. Maybe it comes from knowing that I