I am grateful every day for the calling God placed in me to be a teacher.

It is such a source of delight and teaches me daily about our God and how much he loves us. I believe God has a plan for each of us, and when we walk in his plans our work becomes a sacred duty and it flows with his blessing. As a teacher there is something to celebrate and laugh about every single day.

The hugs and trust I receive as a teacher of young children are things I never take for granted.

When a child holds my face in her hands and says, "You're my teacher," with such love in her voice, it feels like a benediction. Later this same child tells me, "Teachers don't whip children," which gives me a chance to reassure her of the trust and love we have for each other.

Along with these great gifts comes great responsibility. Teachers work long hours with few breaks, even for the bathroom.

I have to be in top form physically, mentally and emotionally to meet the deep needs of so many personalities. This requires good self-care and mental health and vast amounts of patience. It also requires an openness to learning many new things each day.

To be a good teacher I must remain teachable.

I am responsible for the safety, nurture and education of 16 3-year-olds per class. They look to me as an example of how to live a good and decent life, and so do their parents.

The only way I can do this is to look at the example God has given me in his word and his son, the master teacher, and go in his strength and power. He is the only teacher who is all-wise, all-good and all-powerful.

As I have matured as a teacher, God has given me more opportunities to teach adults as well as children. The rewards are different, but the responsibilities remain the same. God wants me to be an example of his amazing love and try to see each person as he sees them.

When we connect in love and truth, I sense God's smile, and that means everything to me.