  Sometimes I find wisdom stated from the most unexpected places. I was reading through my Kaplan training material, and found something that I slightly knew but never really thought about. It stated that the teachers are not to expect students to gain mastery in the classroom, but out. We're to lay the groundwork for mastery; our job is to present concepts and foundation, point them to sound practice tools and techniques, and watch them use all of the elements to gain their own mastery. I think that I'm learning more and more that my frustration in life has always come from expecting instant mastery of subjects in life, instead of realizing that I first must learn the foundations that would lead to mastery. Mastery, or the mark of excellence in a skill, comes as a product of our inherent properties. I have been taking the step to become more patient about things, thanks to the God above that has been leading me all the way.
I have so much more to go, but the Master Teacher is laying the foundations. God, if You desire, grant me vision, faithfulness and perserverance, for my benefit, for Your glory. Let my progress in life never be a testament to my greatness, but a testament to Your graciousness and Your omnipotence. Let my failures in life never be a testament to any lack of care on Your part, but to be a testament of Your loving acts of discipline. Transform me from deep within, and let me be Yours in my spirit, in Truth. In Jesus' name I bring these requests, with full thanksgiving for the privilege to make them. Amen. 
