Matt Parker

Primary School Teacher

Prayer works. I’ve seen this for myself in the way God has provided me with jobs. When I finished University in Lancaster, I wanted to stay in this area but I needed a job and somewhere to live! So I prayed, asking God to give me both if he wanted me to stay here. Someone from church invited me to live with them, but how would I afford it without work?

“Prayer works.”

Time went on, and it was getting very close to the end of the summer term. Most teaching jobs have gone by then, so I started to worry. So I got praying again, and decided to have faith that God would give me a job.

“He is faithful in His time and in His way.”

I went to that person from church and said yes, I would live with them. A week later, right at the end of term, I got a job in Kendal! Since then, God has provided work every time I needed it. When I didn’t have a permanent job, I still managed to earn a full-time wage as a supply teacher. And again, when a temporary job ended, God provided right at the last minute. I went to teach in a different area than I’d been looking for, and in a different year group. It just shows that God’s plans are not always the same as ours!

“I never did anything to earn his love, but he loved me anyway.”

Following Jesus isn’t like any other religion in the world. It’s all about his resurrection. He died and came back to life again – who else can say that? And we don’t have to do good works to be saved – it’s a free gift from God. That’s what we call grace. I don’t have doubts about my faith because I have learned to believe what the Bible tells me about life. One thing I’m amazed about is why God chose me. I never did anything to earn his love, but he loved me anyway.