Letter from the editor: We are never going to be enough

By Courtney Warren

At a recent chapel, our amazing middle school principal shared the importance of responding to God’s call. He talked about surrendering your all and being able to know that we don’t have any regrets. 

One of his examples was never missing a tea party. He showed a slide filled with pictures of him attending various tea parties with his three daughters throughout the years. He talked about how any time his daughters invited him to a tea party, he always said yes, ensuring he would never regret missing parts of their childhood. 

After chapel, he invited teachers to hang around, in case any students wanted to talk to us. While we are preparing them educationally, we are also truly striving to ensure our students are equipped spiritually as well – making ourselves constantly available for those conversations. 

I hung around and watched a few students talking to various teachers. When no one came up to me, I headed back to my classroom to help lead small groups. It was a great small group, with wonderful discussions as usual. 

However, once the bell rang, another student from a different group came into my room. I thought she just wanted to say hello, but she lingered. 

Eventually, she got to her true reason for being there.

 
“Mrs. Warren, I’ve given my life to Christ, but I just don’t feel like I’m doing enough. How do I know if I’m doing enough?” she asked. 

This one blew me away. This scholar student, top of her grade, house leader, was feeling like she wasn’t doing enough. She is a student that I can always count on, one who I know goes above and beyond, and “falling short” is just not in her vocabulary. 

It was a great conversation. We are never going to be enough. 

I equated it to loving my daughter. She doesn’t have to do anything to earn my love and attention. I just want her to be a good person. I just want her to love and be kind. Even if she falls short and doesn’t do those things, it will never make me love her less. She doesn’t have to be “enough,” because she is already so much more than that. 

Unfortunately, we are always going to feel like we aren’t doing enough – especially if we are overachievers. We will always feel like we are rushed, or fall short, or let someone down. I think that’s why it’s so important to tell people they matter. Tell people we are proud of them; even if they seem to know that already. 

I shared all of this with that student. We agreed that we can pray and leave these feelings of inadequacy with God. We are going to fail every day. But every time we come back to God, His arms are wide open. He’s missed us. 

He’s always ready for a tea party. 

No regrets. No missed opportunities. No missed moments. I’d hate to look back on my life and see chunks of it missing. Because I felt too busy. Because I felt like it wasn’t worth my time. 

I’m seated. I’ve got time. I want to be at all of the tea parties.