Read Proverbs 3:5-6

My name is Tammy Finney, but I go by “Mrs. Finney”, “Mom” and “Hey”. My husband of 13 years calls me Tammy and we have 4 wonderful children who call me mom. I am fortunate to teach in the elementary school where three of my four children attend school, so for most of each day, I am called Mrs. Finney. Then, you may be wondering who calls me Hey! Well, I hear that greeting a lot from people who are unsure if I am Tammy or Teri. You see, I have a twin sister and some people aren’t sure which one I am, so they just say “Hey!”

My story begins with a wonderful upbringing in a Christian home. I learned to trust God with my life in a very personal way as I ventured out to college. On my own, I realized I had to make choices to either follow God’s way or the way of the crowd. It was the first time I had to be intentional about my walk with God. I learned that what I put into my relationship with God was what I would get out of it. I became involved with the four14 ministry at Grace and grew in my faith throughout college. I pursued my career of being a teacher upon graduating and spent the next 10 years at Smithville High School, my alma mater. In those 10 years I planned and attended prom 4 times, earned a Master’s degree, got married and had 2 of our 4 children. Being a full-time mom was my dream job, so I made the decision to stay home after that. Recently, I returned to the classroom and enjoy the opportunity to teach young people again.

Just as everyone experiences the ups and downs in life, I have too.  One pair of verses that I have relied on during struggles is Proverbs 3:5-6:

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.”

Time and time again, I would find myself questioning God as to why He would allow certain hardships to be a part of my life. Why do I seem to be the only one not married? What good can I bring to this child of mine with special needs? What direction do I go with my work that balances my family and career? How do I reach this person for Christ? Often, these verses would remind me that I am not God and I do not have to have the answers. I need to faithfully follow God’s leading and rely on Him, not myself. When I get to the end of me, God will be there waiting to show me the way. My hope is that by sharing my experiences through writing for Every Day with God, others will be encouraged to trust God’s way and pursue Him.

Tammy Finney