Heather and Rosalie’s Story

My introduction to SU was in my late teens, when our youth group ran a beach mission at Rottnest Island in conjunction with the then SU WA Director, David Rae.

When I think back further, I remember enjoying Sunday school as a 9 year old, my teacher being a young lady, Rosalie. I really enjoyed Rosalie and our group, even though I didn’t understand the words of some of the songs we sang. I don’t recall much else of church until as a 12 year old, I was asked if I would like help out with the Sunday school, which I also enjoyed. Later in high school I joined our very active church youth group, where I had many friends, and had the opportunity to commit my life to Jesus.

A few years ago, when at an SU prayer meeting for the upcoming school holiday camps, one of the ladies introduced herself as Rosalie. When she started talking about a church she had attended years ago, I realised that was at the same time that I was there as a 9 year old! This was a light bulb moment!! Was this really the same Rosalie I had as a teacher decades ago?? And yes! I was so excited and overwhelmed to meet her again.

It reminded me of Paul’s words in 1 Corinthians 3:6-8:
“I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God made it grow. So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow. The man who plants and the man who waters have one purpose, and each will be rewarded according to his own labour.”

God is so good – it was amazing to meet Rosalie again, to tell her that enjoying her class was an important part of my Christian journey and for her to see someone walking with God who was in her class when she was new to teaching Sunday school in her late teens.

God is in control, and there will be so many occasions where we won’t have the privilege of seeing the way God is working through us over the years. That is our trust in God, to walk with Him and share Him in the ways He calls us at the time. When we meet God again, we will have the opportunity.

1 Corinthians 15:58:
“Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labour in the Lord is not in vain.”