As an elementary teacher in a Christian school, I had the responsibility, as do most teachers, to create classroom bulletin boards. I did not have all the fancy pre-designed material that other teachers had, but I did have an imagination and the desire to create a display that would teach the children an important lesson.
I covered the board with colored paper and created an eye-catching border. The large-lettered title simply read “Answered Prayers.”
On the body of the board, I cut out small, paper hand-shaped cutouts and stapled enough on the board for every student. Above the cut-out, I had the child’s name neatly printed. In the center of the hand, I placed a small, lined piece of paper.
As the students looked around the classroom on their first day, they saw the small museum I had built for them in the front of the class, along with an aquarium on the other side of the room. They observed the many other bulletin boards, but all eyes stared at the “Answered Prayer” board. It appeared to them that it was unfinished. Indeed, it was not.
After introductions and other first-day formalities, I pointed to the “unfinished bulletin” board. I remember telling them how I knew God answered prayer and how, if they learned anything that year, I wanted them to learn the power of prayer and how God would meet their needs.
I told them that if they would take the piece of paper under their name and write their prayer requests, we would pray for those needs. My other requirement was that after God had answered their petition, they had to put a checkmark next to their need, showing everyone that God met their needs. Every child grabbed their paper, wrote some requests, and returned them to the board.
First thing every school day we prayed for five of the children’s requests. The next day we prayed for five more student’s petitions and continued praying for all the class’s needs during the school year.
Slowly, more requests were written on the papers. Soon small checkmarks appeared next to the need. More and more check marks appeared each day as God’s answers were recognized.
It was not long until many children ran out of room on their papers and wanted more. By mid-year, it was a ragged, worn board that I would not refurbish, as it was a trophy to God’s goodness and to His meeting the needs of those young people
By the end of the year, the board was “finished.” It was ragged and dirty with many check-marked pages, but it showed them something they may never forget. They learned God was there for them and would meet their needs.
You may not be a teacher, but you can create your own “bulletin board.” Write your needs on a piece of paper or write them on a blank page in your Bible. Check the needs off as they are answered, and you will learn the power of prayer and be reminded of what God has done in your life.
that was amazing idel love it