God Knows My Learning Style

For over 30 years I was an elementary teacher, along with being a wife and mother. Even after I retired, teaching and learning have been big parts of my life. I have always been interested in the different ways people learn. Some of us have to call adult children just to set up our cell phones. Some use trial and error and some even read the directions. I am ever so thankful that I worship a God who knew my learning style. He knew what it would take to bring me to Him and believe me it wasn't easy.

First let me say that I was brought up in the church. You would think that being here every Sunday as a youth and singing in the choir would have been enough. It wasn't. I have a tremendous capacity to have lessons go in one ear and out the other. I never objected to going to church. After all, my friends were here. I liked coming but I missed something in the journey. I missed the personal relationship that Christ offers. I missed that He wanted to be first in my heart. I missed the peace He brings. I was very busy trying to do it all myself.

At age 33 my brother Tom invited me to come to his Adult Ed class. I respectfully declined. But God had other plans for my Sunday mornings. He had me right where he wanted me because God knew how much I didn't ever want to disappoint my family. So the next Sunday Tom had a new student. Tom talked about God loving sinners and I had my first of many "a ha" moments. There was not a dramatic change but God finally had my attention. God also brought Tom's wife Judy into my life as she started BSF (Bible Study Fellowship) in Flint. We had a group of women who met and studied and prayed for BSF. They met at my house so I had perfect attendance. I admit to knowing very little and not even knowing what I didn't know but God had set the table and I was there.
BSF was life changing but I was still a very slow learner and I didn't have much Bible knowledge on which to build. So God in His infinite wisdom made me a discussion leader. Once again I had to work harder and participate more. One of my early discoveries was the Old Testament, I am sure you have heard of it. I had always thought it was old and irrelevant. Now I saw how important it was to my New Testament faith and I was hooked. But again remember I am a slow learner.

In education circles we talk about visual learners, auditory learners and kinesthetic learners. I have needed all three. I have needed to see Christian witnesses in my life, (thank you Dad). I have needed to hear the Word preached and talked about. I have needed to feel God taking charge and moving me in His direction, sometimes it was a big push. It would be possible for me to go on and on about the many ways God has worked in my life. He continues to amaze me. He continues to meet me where I am and arrange the circumstances to move me closer to Him. I have tried to be faithful to the calling. There are still those times when His Word goes in and out before I think but they are farther and farther apart. I am so grateful to the God who knew my learning style, who met my needs and called me to a life with Him.

Thanks to all the ways I have seen God work in my life I have confidence in the future. He has been there to take me through some bad times. He has opened my eyes to appreciate and be thankful for the good times. It is not all up to me. I have an all knowing, all powerful and all loving God. Trusting Him for the future has been a big step for me. I still don't like the new aches and pains being 60 have brought but I am so sure that He is there for me that I will enjoy today and look forward to whatever may come tomorrow. I am full of joy at the prospect of spending eternity with Christ.

Peggy Anderson