Introducing Crystal – Qualified.

Hello!  My name is Crystal Bobier and I’m going to be sharing some of my stories and insights that I happen upon as I walk out this life.  There are a lot of things that I could define myself as: Christ follower, missional teacher, devoted wife, farm girl, Cyclone fanatic, foster parent, infertility warrior survivor (still working on that one), friend, sister, daughter… The list could go on and on.  And I’m sure you’ll see a glimpse into these things as I share my heart with you in the coming months.

The truth is that I feel completely inadequate for this task – I feel like none of the labels that I just listed above give me an OUNCE of credibility to be able to share my heart through a blog.  When Jody asked me to consider this I almost messaged her back and asked if she knew that I wasn’t equipped for this.  I could tell her so many more people who are more qualified than I am – people who have journalism degrees (like my sister) or are artists with their words and pictures (like my cousin).  I didn’t think that people would want to hear what I had to say – piddly ‘ol me… who is just trying to survive and be obedient to our Heavenly Father. There is nothing in me that qualifies me to write to you.  NOTHING.  I don’t have degrees or fancy words or even the right labels.

And then I realized something – isn’t that what’s so great about it? Me, who is not qualified at all… Who doesn’t have the right labels or credentials.  Nothing qualifies me to do it.  But God.  God comes in and makes it right.  On my own, I am nothing.  But God comes in and makes me a child of His.  He brings me into His family and because of that I am chosen.  I am not qualified to do this.  I will never be. But God is.  

Throughout history, God has taken unqualified and inadequate people and has qualified them to do His work.  Just look at the bloodline of Jesus.  Even the coming of Christ came through families of messed-up monarchs and battling brothers, through affairs and adultery and more than a feud or two, through skeletons in closets and cheaters at tables. Through these people, this blood line, Christ entered into the world.

I’ve looked at these stories as I walk through Advent (I am reading The Greatest Gift by Ann Voskamp during this Advent season, where I walk through the lineage of Christ).  And over and over again, I am reminded to lean into my inadequacy.  I am not qualified.  On my own, I am inadequate.  And that can overwhelm me at times.  But I can not stop at the inadequacy.  Because God meets me right in the middle of that inadequate, “not enoughness” (I figured since it’s my blog I can make up words, right?!?) and wants to teach and mold me and qualify me to be His bearer of truth. He wants me to give up my rights and submit to Him in order that He can fully work.  He wants me to lean into the inadequacy in order that I can fully feel how deeply adequate He his.  

I am not.  But God is. 

So although I’m not qualified to do this, my God is.  I pray that what He speaks to me might speak to you as well.

A little more about Crystal:  

I grew up on a farm outside of Cumberland, Iowa with a great mom and dad, three siblings, two thousand pigs, a handful of cows, and a sweet dog named Butch. I graduated from Iowa State in 2006 with my Bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education and Special Education.  I went on to get my Master’s degree from Iowa State (Cyclone is in my blood) in Educational Leadership in 2010.

I’ve taught elementary special education, middle school special education and middle school language arts, in both inner city Des Moines and suburbia Waukee. Currently I’m in my eleventh year of teaching, and I teach Leadership Development to three hundred sixth graders at South Middle School in Waukee.

My husband, Ben, and I live in the great little community of Adel, which is about 25 miles west of Des Moines.  When I’m not working at school, I enjoy spending time planning parties, hanging out with Ben and doing fun dates together, spending time with family and friends, reading, and throwing tea parties. We are involved in an amazing church body and a fantastic small group in Adel. Ben and I are also newly foster care licensed and host children for both foster care and another great organization, Safe Families.

I love cheering on the Cyclones, counting our blessings, the Iowa State Fair, Minnie Mouse, traveling, farm life, my big family, and all things Disney.