The Teacher That Made a Difference in My Life

This is part of a writers challenge that Lori at Family Trees May Contain Nuts has posed for us to write about teachers that have made a difference in your life --good or bad.  If you click on the title of her blog, you can see other's posts on the same and participate too.
I have had many teachers in my life. There were some who were not so uplifting or found wanting in their desire to impart knowledge. Some, like my mother, were dedicated and inspiring. I am indebted to them all for various things.


The subject of this post is Wanda Beryl Gossett, born April 26, 1920 in Oklahoma, was my Junior High Sunday School teacher. She was a selfless, loving person. When she taught her classes, the students listened because she was sharing her love of Christ as well as the beauty of the love she had experienced in his love for her. Her eyes would light up as she spoke and she had a wonderful engaging smile.

I remember vividly one Sunday, she taught a class on the love that Jesus Christ had for us. I don't know if it was the passion and deep feeling she was able to impart on this subject, or if it was the fact that she, herself exemplified the very teachings she was telling us about. She and her husband were deeply involved with the youth program, so we had the opportunity of observation up close and personal of her actions. She never went contrary to what she taught.
I can truly say, Mrs Gossett, that was our name for her, was the source of my beginning testimony of Christ. She taught us to think of Him as a personal being we could communicate with. I took her up on her advice, and that was the beginning of my long talks with Christ, and the beginning of my deep abiding faith in Him. I have told many of her and her influence on me. I am glad of the opportunity to share the love I have for her and my appreciation of her willingness to serve that opened the doors for me.




While I was working as an Inhalation Therapist in a hospital in Oklahoma City, she came in for an operation. It was distressing to me that she developed an infection and never recovered. She died September 23 1968. This was my first test of faith, because I found it hard to understand why someone so young and spiritual would be taken away. It is an affirmation of her ability to impart her belief to others that my faith did not waiver and I held on tight to that which she inspired in me.

Thank you for listening about an teacher that I hold in high esteem. She is a lesson to all; that one person can make a life changing difference in someone's life.