You Changed My Name......
This post is not in response to my question this week. I will write about that soon.
I have a precious story that I want to share with you. As many of you know, I teach in an area where there are many foster homes. You can read more about my heart of the subject here..."god-is- the-father-of-the-fatherless"
I get very attached to my kids........well the sweet ones anyway hahahhahah, just kidding. Art is very personal and I work very hard to create an atmosphere that makes everyone feel at ease so that they can produce the best work.
Well, there is a little brown haired, blued eyed girl, no taller than 4'11 that has some special needs in certain areas. She prefers to keep her head down and make little eye contact. I have her 6th period, which is every other day and for 90 minutes. My goal, from day one, was to get little Kayla to look me in the eyes and talk with me. I placed her at the table right in front of me and often sing directly to her with the radio hahahhahahahhaahhaha. The kids think I'm crazy but I know they love it hahaha. Anyway, slowly but surely she has opened up to me. She prefers to not talk with other students......i understand....and likes for me to pat her on the back when she is doing a great job....i am a great patter!!!!!
Kayla is a foster child. On Monday morning, I was standing outside me class door when she appeared in front of me. Lifted her head.......A PRAISE, looked me in the eyes.....A DOUBLE PRAISE, and said .......
"Ms. Hughes, I will not be in class tomorrow. I am getting adopted"........she grins from ear to ear..I say my words of joy to her and hug her. She then says........"and my name will change".
All I did was hug her again at that point. I tried to keep my tears from her. There were so many miracles playing out in front of me. First, being that fact that a high school girl, with special needs, was finally getting a home. A family of her very own. I cry every time I talk about this because kids always say that they won't get a family at their age.....people don't want to high school kids. I was so taken back because I usually lose kids that move from home to home....but this time....for the first time in 5 years.....one of my students was becoming apart of a home. A home of her very own. With her very own room....and her very own parents.
The second thing that I just can't shake are the words
.."AND MY NAME WILL CHANGE".
Praise God. She has been given a new name. A family name that states that she belongs to somebody. I mean, do we not all deal with rejection on different levels? I can't even begin to know what this child feels. BUT SHE HAS JUST BEEN CHOSEN! I can't stop thinking about how her heart must be filled in such a way that she has never experience. What joy she must have tonight as she goes to sleep. A new type of joy.
There is one song that popped in my head later Monday afternoon while I was thinking over the celebration.........
You Changed My Name by Travis Cottrell....
you can click the title and it should take you to hear the song......which i think you might want to read the words and listen...YOU MUST LISTEN!!!!!! the song says this.
Who I am
is a mystery I can't explain
'Cause Your mercy fell like
Healing rain
And washed away my PAST
Who I was-
All my secrets,
All my hidden pain
Now Your grace has broken
Every chain
And set me free at last
And who I was before
DOESN'T MATTER ANYMORE
You changed my name
when you called me forgiven
You changed my name
when you called me redeemed
You took my shame and
Wrote a new beginning
TO the story I was living
And I'll never be the same
You saw what I could be
And reaching out for me
You changed my name
You changed my name
Now I live
in the light of Your
Redeeming love
And I bear that marks Your
HEALING TOUCH
Has written on MY HEART
With each step I take
I'm reminded of the price
You paid
And the living sacrifice You made
To set my soul apart
My life is YOURS ALONE
YOU HAVE MARKED ME AS YOUR OWN!!!!!!!!!!
chorus again
I'm not the man I once was
Behold, all things are new
Cause you changed my NAME.
Kayla, I am praying for you tonight. I am overjoyed that you have been given a new beginning to the story you have been living. How beautiful of GOD to write this part for you. He is a GOOD GOD. I know you love HIM. He did not forget you dear. This is your story, this is your song. He as given you earthly roots so that you can grow and learn how to love more. You have a new last name. A name that is actually an instrument that plays beautiful music. That we hear when babies are born, when wedding take place, and when new believers enter into the Lambs Book of Life. This family is your very own. You have been picked out to be taken home.......to be honored and treasured from this day on. Hold your head high and look straight into the eyes of others.....YOU ARE VALUED and YOU ARE WORTHY OF THIS BLESSING!
You, oh God, are the only true source of joy. I give you all GLORY AND HONOR. You see each one of them.......you have a new name for them whether now or in heaven. Praise you for what you have just done. Heal her past....and create for her a future of serving you! I just love you so much. I wish, right now, that I could be in your arms.... i just long to praise you face to face. Thank you for this new family!
I have a precious story that I want to share with you. As many of you know, I teach in an area where there are many foster homes. You can read more about my heart of the subject here..."god-is- the-father-of-the-fatherless"
I get very attached to my kids........well the sweet ones anyway hahahhahah, just kidding. Art is very personal and I work very hard to create an atmosphere that makes everyone feel at ease so that they can produce the best work.
Well, there is a little brown haired, blued eyed girl, no taller than 4'11 that has some special needs in certain areas. She prefers to keep her head down and make little eye contact. I have her 6th period, which is every other day and for 90 minutes. My goal, from day one, was to get little Kayla to look me in the eyes and talk with me. I placed her at the table right in front of me and often sing directly to her with the radio hahahhahahahhaahhaha. The kids think I'm crazy but I know they love it hahaha. Anyway, slowly but surely she has opened up to me. She prefers to not talk with other students......i understand....and likes for me to pat her on the back when she is doing a great job....i am a great patter!!!!!
Kayla is a foster child. On Monday morning, I was standing outside me class door when she appeared in front of me. Lifted her head.......A PRAISE, looked me in the eyes.....A DOUBLE PRAISE, and said .......
"Ms. Hughes, I will not be in class tomorrow. I am getting adopted"........she grins from ear to ear..I say my words of joy to her and hug her. She then says........"and my name will change".
All I did was hug her again at that point. I tried to keep my tears from her. There were so many miracles playing out in front of me. First, being that fact that a high school girl, with special needs, was finally getting a home. A family of her very own. I cry every time I talk about this because kids always say that they won't get a family at their age.....people don't want to high school kids. I was so taken back because I usually lose kids that move from home to home....but this time....for the first time in 5 years.....one of my students was becoming apart of a home. A home of her very own. With her very own room....and her very own parents.
The second thing that I just can't shake are the words
.."AND MY NAME WILL CHANGE".
Praise God. She has been given a new name. A family name that states that she belongs to somebody. I mean, do we not all deal with rejection on different levels? I can't even begin to know what this child feels. BUT SHE HAS JUST BEEN CHOSEN! I can't stop thinking about how her heart must be filled in such a way that she has never experience. What joy she must have tonight as she goes to sleep. A new type of joy.
There is one song that popped in my head later Monday afternoon while I was thinking over the celebration.........
You Changed My Name by Travis Cottrell....
you can click the title and it should take you to hear the song......which i think you might want to read the words and listen...YOU MUST LISTEN!!!!!! the song says this.
Who I am
is a mystery I can't explain
'Cause Your mercy fell like
Healing rain
And washed away my PAST
Who I was-
All my secrets,
All my hidden pain
Now Your grace has broken
Every chain
And set me free at last
And who I was before
DOESN'T MATTER ANYMORE
You changed my name
when you called me forgiven
You changed my name
when you called me redeemed
You took my shame and
Wrote a new beginning
TO the story I was living
And I'll never be the same
You saw what I could be
And reaching out for me
You changed my name
You changed my name
Now I live
in the light of Your
Redeeming love
And I bear that marks Your
HEALING TOUCH
Has written on MY HEART
With each step I take
I'm reminded of the price
You paid
And the living sacrifice You made
To set my soul apart
My life is YOURS ALONE
YOU HAVE MARKED ME AS YOUR OWN!!!!!!!!!!
chorus again
I'm not the man I once was
Behold, all things are new
Cause you changed my NAME.
Kayla, I am praying for you tonight. I am overjoyed that you have been given a new beginning to the story you have been living. How beautiful of GOD to write this part for you. He is a GOOD GOD. I know you love HIM. He did not forget you dear. This is your story, this is your song. He as given you earthly roots so that you can grow and learn how to love more. You have a new last name. A name that is actually an instrument that plays beautiful music. That we hear when babies are born, when wedding take place, and when new believers enter into the Lambs Book of Life. This family is your very own. You have been picked out to be taken home.......to be honored and treasured from this day on. Hold your head high and look straight into the eyes of others.....YOU ARE VALUED and YOU ARE WORTHY OF THIS BLESSING!
You, oh God, are the only true source of joy. I give you all GLORY AND HONOR. You see each one of them.......you have a new name for them whether now or in heaven. Praise you for what you have just done. Heal her past....and create for her a future of serving you! I just love you so much. I wish, right now, that I could be in your arms.... i just long to praise you face to face. Thank you for this new family!