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Dorina Lazo Gilmore-Young

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Back to School: Choosing Love over Fear

The following is a post I wrote five years ago. It’s hard to believe my little girl just started 7th grade last week. We are still choosing love over fear and having our ears open to those who need us to hear their stories. Read on.

I’ve always loved the start of the school year. I love pointy pencils, folders with clean edges, fresh bottles of glue and crayons neatly lined in their box. My oldest daughter started second grade this fall, and she is much like her mama. Eager to learn. Excited about diving into new subjects. Unfortunately, our first month of school has been trying.

I knew it was bad when the first day of school my eager learner came home from second grade and told us the teacher had yelled at the class all day. My mama heart was alarmed but I wanted to give grace. After all, many of my friends and family are teachers, and I know how hard it can be to start up at a new school with new systems and administration.

As the weeks slipped by my daughter started saying things like, “I don’t like school.” She was coming home tired and frustrated because she felt like kids in her class were always getting in trouble and she was missing out. As a mama, fear and anxiety started to fester in my heart. I started talking to friends for ideas, even looking into other schools.

Some suggested homeschool but I knew that was not the answer for our family right now.We tried to encourage our first-born, rule follower that things would get better. We prayed together on the way to school for her teacher, her class. I tried to make an appointment with the teacher but it took several weeks before I got a call back and finally nailed down a date.

Last Thursday my husband and I finally had a chance to meet with the teacher. I sat down prepared to defend my daughter, but God had a very different plan. We quickly learned that the teacher had more than her hands full. She was facing several personal challenges – a mom with cancer, a dad who recently had a heart attack, her own husband dying two years ago. She also faced a class with more than half a dozen kids who had serious behavior issues and difficult home situations. As tears pooled in her eyes, we saw how overwhelmed she was.

Something pricked my heart in that moment. Maybe God had put my daughter in this specific class this year so our family could BE a blessing to this teacher. Maybe it was less about our needs and ideals and more about hearing her story, entering into her world. My husband asked if we could pray with her, and she breathed an audible sigh of relief. We ended our meeting with teary eyes and hugs.

It was amazing to see how much this woman seemed to transform right before my eyes once I knew her story. Do you have your own example? Someone who is difficult in your life or your child’s life? Maybe it’s a teacher, a soccer coach, another kid at school? Maybe it’s that neighbor boy who seems to live at your house or even a coworker who has a continuous chip on her shoulder. I challenge you to ask them a little more about their story. Be brave. Enter in. You might be surprised at what you discover.

I know that was true for me, for our family. Now we can be a blessing to my daughter’s teacher. We have the chance to walk alongside her and support her, to pray for her.

The Bible says, “Perfect love casts out fear” (1 John 4:18). As a mama, it’s my job to model that for my kids. This year my daughter is learning a more powerful lesson about granting grace and covering others with love than if she were sitting in a “perfect classroom.”

Her parents are learning too.

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August 13, 2018 Categories: GeneralTagged: back to school, Back to School: Choosing Love over Fear, brave, dorina lazo gilmore, fear

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Meet Dorina

Aloha, friend! If you love stories, you are in the right place. I write about grief, glory, running, food, and more. I hope these words inspire you to chase after God’s glory in your life today!

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Woke up at the crack of dawn to go on a photography adventure with my middle girl. The Clovis Fest Hot Air Balloon Show did not disappoint! 🎈Hope floats.

🫶🏾Hop over to @thefeatheronline to see Giada’s first photo post for the student newspaper!

@old_town_clovis #clovis #hotairballoonfestival @clovischamber

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Sep 24

Open
Woke up at the crack of dawn to go on a photography adventure with my middle girl. The Clovis Fest Hot Air Balloon Show did not disappoint! 🎈Hope floats.
🫶🏾Hop over to @thefeatheronline to see Giada’s first photo post for the student newspaper!
@old_town_clovis #clovis #hotairballoonfestival @clovischamber
78 4

📣Today we celebrated the launch of our new web site with the @thefeatheronline newspaper staff! I’m so proud of these students! What a joy to step into a new role this year as a writing coach and to partner with @korijamesphoto to equip these young journalists!

My @meilanigilmore is the new Arts & Entertainment Editor and Giada joined the photojournalist staff! Also, good celebration always involves good eats! Hop over to www.TheFeather.com or download our app through Student News Source and check out their work! 🎉 #studentjournalism @fresnochristianschools

View

Sep 23

Open
📣Today we celebrated the launch of our new web site with the @thefeatheronline newspaper staff! I’m so proud of these students! What a joy to step into a new role this year as a writing coach and to partner with @korijamesphoto to equip these young journalists! 
My @meilanigilmore is the new Arts & Entertainment Editor and Giada joined the photojournalist staff! Also, good celebration always involves good eats! Hop over to www.TheFeather.com or download our app through Student News Source and check out their work! 🎉 #studentjournalism @fresnochristianschools
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Join me as I walk through Psalm 140 today! This psalm comes from the pen of David, who is crying out for deliverance. He appeals to God who is full of mercy and justice.❤️‍🩹

🫶🏾Friend, do you need someone to guard you today? Are you feeling hunted, tempted, discouraged? Drop an emoji below so I can pray for you. And go read Psalm 140!

📝Hop over to DorinaGilmore.com to sign up for my Glorygram and enter for a copy of Pilgrim by Ruth Chou Simons.

#devotional #prayer #biblestudy #psalm #david #deliverer

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Sep 22

Open
Join me as I walk through Psalm 140 today! This psalm comes from the pen of David, who is crying out for deliverance. He appeals to God who is full of mercy and justice.❤️‍🩹
🫶🏾Friend, do you need someone to guard you today? Are you feeling hunted, tempted, discouraged? Drop an emoji below so I can pray for you. And go read Psalm 140! 
📝Hop over to DorinaGilmore.com to sign up for my Glorygram and enter for a copy of Pilgrim by Ruth Chou Simons. 
#devotional #prayer #biblestudy #psalm #david #deliverer
23 3

My heart is full after a week of teaching, preaching, and listening to the stories of the beautiful women of my church. We are going through a study called Foundations written by our pastor @bell_brad

I got to teach on this week’s theme, “Sharing Your Story,” and illuminated the powerful testimonies of three women in the Bible who met Jesus, were transformed by His love, and then were sent out to share their stories.

In our small group time, women were invited to share their 3-minute stories around the tables. There were lots of tears, but also laughter and breakthroughs.

✍🏾Did you know God designed our bodies so that physiological healing happens in sharing our stories? Trauma can get dislodged from places it might be stuck in our brains and new pathways are formed.

🎤 You can listen to my message here: https://thewellcommunity.org/podcasts/womens-bible-study/foundations-week

#sharingstories #womensupportingwomen #ladypreacher #biblestudy #womensbiblestudy #samaritanwoman #bleedingwoman #marymagdalene #sisterhood #brainscience @wellchurch @melissadanisi

View

Sep 22

Open
My heart is full after a week of teaching, preaching, and listening to the stories of the beautiful women of my church. We are going through a study called Foundations written by our pastor @bell_brad 
I got to teach on this week’s theme, “Sharing Your Story,” and illuminated the powerful testimonies of three women in the Bible who met Jesus, were transformed by His love, and then were sent out to share their stories. 
In our small group time, women were invited to share their 3-minute stories around the tables. There were lots of tears, but also laughter and breakthroughs.
✍🏾Did you know God designed our bodies so that physiological healing happens in sharing our stories? Trauma can get dislodged from places it might be stuck in our brains and new pathways are formed. 
🎤 You can listen to my message here: https://thewellcommunity.org/podcasts/womens-bible-study/foundations-week
#sharingstories #womensupportingwomen #ladypreacher #biblestudy #womensbiblestudy #samaritanwoman #bleedingwoman #marymagdalene #sisterhood #brainscience @wellchurch @melissadanisi
86 4

I’ve created this compassionate resource for your personal journey with grief. This book was 8 years in the making and offers a comforting, giftable resource for those who are processing their own loss, whether of a loved one, a season of life, or a dream. Breathing Through Grief includes 25 short devotionals that each focus on a different aspect of grief from my personal experience.

The journal also includes special resources such as:
•
breathing exercises
•
reflection questions
•
soul care tips
•
ample writing space
•
advice on how to talk to children about death
•
suggestions on how to approach triggers
•
creative ways to honor a loved one’s memory

If you or someone close to you is walking through loss⁠, let the comforting words in Breathing Through Grief encourage you with the knowledge that you are not alone and bring you a semblance of peace as you continue forward on the road to healing.

The book releases Nov. 14. You can pre-order today. For more information, visit www.waterbrookmultnomah.com.

View

Sep 21

Open
I’ve created this compassionate resource for your personal journey with grief. This book was 8 years in the making and offers a comforting, giftable resource for those who are processing their own loss, whether of a loved one, a season of life, or a dream. Breathing Through Grief includes 25 short devotionals that each focus on a different aspect of grief from my personal experience.
The journal also includes special resources such as:
•
breathing exercises
•
reflection questions
•
soul care tips
•
ample writing space
•
advice on how to talk to children about death
•
suggestions on how to approach triggers
•
creative ways to honor a loved one’s memory
If you or someone close to you is walking through loss⁠, let the comforting words in Breathing Through Grief encourage you with the knowledge that you are not alone and bring you a semblance of peace as you continue forward on the road to healing.
The book releases Nov. 14. You can pre-order today. For more information, visit www.waterbrookmultnomah.com.
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