Change is Good!

After school today, one of my students from almost 4 years ago came to visit our school. This kid moved to Springdale from New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina, and was just a 'thorn in my side' from day one. He was very disrespectful, falling asleep in class, yelling at teachers, constantly getting suspended, and was eventually put in jail for robbery at gunpoint as an 8th grader. We had several conferences with him and there just wasn't anything that was going to change him.

Today, he shared with me that he had just gotten out of 105 days of bootcamp after he got out of jail. They wanted to give him 40 years because this was his 2nd offense. I have never seen such a change in a child. This boy said, "Yes, Ma'am" to everything I said, he told me he had asked God into his heart, he doesn't associate with anyone that he was friends with before, and he is wanting to enroll in a Seminary school. He shared scripture with me, and told how he was glad that he got caught. He is sharing his testimony with anyone that will listen and knows that God is using him to reach many others. I have never been prouder of a student, and pray daily that more of my students would turn their lives around like Josh did!! Praise God for forgiveness and that Josh found Him before it was too late!