I’m shook.

One of the latest phrases being spoken by teenagers and young adults all across America. Y’all, I’m 38 years old. I’m reaching the point where I just don’t quite get some of the new lingo.

However, yesterday at church my sweet friend sang a song that I’ve heard a million times before, and in that moment the words flipped my heart and mind upside down.

🎼Little boy, six years old

A little too used to bein’ alone

Another new mom and dad, another school

Another house that’ll never be home

When people ask him how he likes this place

He looks up and says with a smile upon his face

“This is my temporary home

It’s not where I belong

Windows in rooms that I’m passin’ through

This is just a stop, on the way to where I’m going

I’m not afraid because I know this is my

Temporary home.”🎼

In that moment the phrase “I’m shook” resonated so deeply within me that I literally was shaking.

Let me tell you when those words will shake you to the core – when it’s your 15th year of education and you walk through the halls unable to count on two hands how many kids are displaced.

Taken from their homes.

No mom.

No dad.

Shoved from house to house because nobody wants them. Nobody wants to deal with them.

Nobody wants to deal with their behaviors. Behaviors caused by their parents doing drugs and alcohol while pregnant. Behaviors due to constantly being abandoned. Behaviors that these kids literally cannot help.

But educators.

For about 8 hours a day we can be their mom.

We can be their dad.

We can be their home.

We can be Jesus here on earth.

We can, and we should.

We can’t give up on these kids because God hasn’t given up on us, and He could have – and He should have.

Y’all, I’m shook.

But I’m glad. As an educator I need to be. I need my heart to break wide open for these kids.

I need to simultaneously be focused and shook.

I need to take every step, every single day, for Jesus. I need to be mission minded, and as an educator – these kids are my mission.

Dear God, keep breaking my heart for what breaks yours.

“Love always protects, love always trusts, love always hopes, love always perseveres.”

– 1 Corinthians 13:7