"For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them" (Ephesians 2:10).

The tales of our lives are unique. Each of us has a story to tell and share. Just as God makes each snowflake differently, everyone has been made perfectly in His image. Because our focus as educators is on helping individual students learn, I wanted to briefly share my story.

As a young student, I was filled with lots of energy. In fact, my energy level was not received well by my teachers. Listening to a teacher or filling out a workbook was not my way of learning, and although my grades were high in most cases, my detention time was also enormous.

By my sophomore year, I wanted out of school. Its rules, regulations, and restrictions were overwhelming to me. Because I was a doer, I asked our guidance counselor what I needed to do to graduate. With about 13 credits to go before the finish line, my guidance counselor took me under his wing through independent study. At the end of each credit, he would motivate me with a poem of encouragement, and by May of that year, I was finished.

At age 16, I began a 30-hour-per-week job with a Christian publishing company, where one of my required tasks was trash duty. I emptied the trash at the writers' desks, and whenever I had an opportunity, I visited with the authors.

One author who took a special interest in me was a man named Gordon. Gordon had a deep love for Jesus, and while my teachers never seemed to care about my opinion, theories, and tall tales, Gordon showed a genuine interest in our debates and dialogues. As we shared many conversations about science, history, and Scripture, I began to realize how powerful a personal relationship can be in one student's life.

Gordon encouraged me to learn, ask questions, and verify the truth. He taught me the power of mentoring, and a life-long friendship was developed. Because of one man's influence, I made a career choice to make a difference in students' lives one by one. Since 1994, I have worked in the area of innovative learning methods, and in 1999, I began to implement Switched-On® technologies into schools.

I encourage you as educators to explore interactive methods that focus on student-centered learning instead of teacher-centered instruction. After all, you never know what a student can do or will be. Choose this day to make a difference. Focus on each student's style of learning and remember each student's need to be heard.

Lord, thank You for creating me to be a unique reflection of You. Thank You for placing people in my life who have encouraged me to accomplish more for You! Help me to listen to Your will, rely on Your wisdom, and look to You as a guide for everything I say and do. In Jesus' name, Amen.