Follow Me As...

I have heard our assistant pastor quote Paul's statement to "follow me as I follow Christ" numerous times over my ten years here. As a teacher in our school, it is his own personal hope that this is what his students will do...follow his faith. I've been thinking a lot about that statement this weekend. As I said, I've heard him say it hundreds of times and have always thought, "wow, what an admirable goal" and left it at that. Last Friday, however, one of my students made a statement in her blog that made this more than a passing statement, it became a reality...some of my students are following my faith, determining to believe because I do.
     As I stated in another blog, that scares me. Am I following Christ's will in this, or simply my own. I have gone over this whole journey so many times in my head and in my prayers, asking God to show me anywhere in this journey where I haven't followed after Him. I've pleaded with Him to show any path I have gone down on my own, thus taking my students there as well. Someone has accused me of trying to control God through this prayer and that has made me a little paranoid as well...is this what I'm teaching my students...that as long as we want something badly enough and pray, we can dictate what God will do? Am I following Christ so they can?  
     Well, He was the One Who burdened my heart with the idea of asking Him for this. He asked me to step out in faith and try Him and with many misgivings, I did. I have encouraged my students to do the same, and they have. He is the One Who impressed upon me that I needed to ask for the Holy Spirit's power in my prayers, to turn myself over completely to Him as I prayed. I did and then encouraged my students to tap into that same power. From their own testimonies, they are learning to do this. When God impressed upon Stephanie to begin UNINTIMIDATED, we did and asked them to pray and seek God's will about joining. They did and all seven have joined and seen God's hand at work (I guess that means Steph, they're following your faith as well). God is the One Who led me to the story of Jarius and his choice to trust even after time had run out. He did this just before time 'ran out' for us. God asked me what I was going to do. With much help from the Holy Spirit, I too choose to trust that God can still work. Again, I've shared this with my students and they too are choosing to follow my lead and keep believing. I even found this weekend, that they've learned encouragement to stay faithful as well. When I had my utter moment of fear that God may not answer, one of my students posted verses dealing with fear and not letting it overtake us on my Face Book page.
 My students are learning and it seems I am leading them down right paths in this. I guess though, at the end of the day, it isn't so much me leading them as it is me following Him. If I keep my relationship right with Christ, if I strive to stay in the center of His will in this, I don't have to be afraid when they follow my faith because it will lead them in the right direction.