Amber Prentice, who earned her Doctor of Education in leadership from Hardin-Simmons University in 2024, keeps a binder on her desk. Inside are letters from parents, cards from former students, and children’s drawings — what she calls “God whispers.” On the hardest days of teaching, she opens it and remembers why she is here.

“This binder has reminders of lives that I have impacted in a positive way,” she said. “On the hard days, a look back at the reasons ‘why’ often refuels me for the next day ahead. Oh, and a little prayer never hurts either.”

Those reasons go back to the very beginning. An assistant professor of educational studies in the Irvin School of Education, Prentice said she never experienced a single defining moment of calling. Instead, she simply always knew teaching was how she wanted to impact lives.

“I have always loved children and all people. It comes very naturally to me; thus, I feel it is a gift from God and not really my choice,” Prentice said. “Stating that teaching was not my choice is not a negative perspective but one of biblical calling.”

Her understanding is rooted in Scripture, including 1 Peter 4:10 and Romans 12:6-8, which encourage believers to use their spiritual gifts to serve.

“I find myself to be both a teacher and encourager by nature. When I strayed from the classroom, I was constantly called back to it,” Prentice said. “I have tried various administrative positions within education and gone back to the classroom on several occasions. One cannot outrun one’s gifts. I feel most fulfilled when teaching.”

Across 26 years, that gift has touched countless lives, and she said she has felt God’s affirmation of her calling along the way.

“Just recently, a parent of a student I taught many years ago approached me to share the impact I had made on her child,” Prentice said. “Letters, cards, visits, and more are all reminders that sometimes we know the reach of our impact and other times we don’t, but God always knows how we treat the students He places in our paths. The affirmation is a nice gift from above, but also not necessary to continue serving in this field.”

What drives her is not recognition but relationship. She hopes her students feel seen, valued, and loved during their time in her classrooms.

“Teaching is more than content; it’s about relationships,” Prentice said. “I once had a student tell me that they liked that my actions and my words always matched. That was such a powerful message to me.”

That sense of calling sustained her through one of education’s most challenging periods. Viewing teaching as a calling, she said, allowed her to stay the course during difficult times.

“Teaching during COVID was not the most conducive situation for teachers or students. Many left the profession during this time for various reasons, but many also persevered to continue in the calling,” Prentice said. “A calling can endure the difficult times; a profession is merely a job that can be left without regret.”

Prentice’s path to Hardin-Simmons University also reflects her willingness to follow where God leads, even when the direction is unexpected. She said she felt content in her previous position, yet sensed that God was preparing her for new opportunities He was placing before her.

“I am so blessed to be able to teach in a Christian university where I can share content knowledge but also mentor openly about Christ Jesus,” she said. “Students can acquire knowledge so quickly in today’s technological age, but mentoring and loving students where they are, in an attempt to also shape their future decisions biblically, is vital to their overall growth.”

To those discerning whether teaching might be their calling, Prentice offers guidance shaped by both experience and faith.

“First and foremost, continue to pray into it. I remind my students to pray all the time in their decision-making process, and we even pray together at times,” she said.

She also speaks honestly about the realities of the profession, sharing that all careers have hard days — there is no exception.

“Jesus reminds us to use our gifts for His Father’s glory. Having a servant heart leads teachers to not only serve in actions but also minister in words,” Prentice said.

It is this understanding that fills her binder with God whispers, steadies her on the difficult days, and brings her back to the classroom year after year.

And it is this same understanding that grounds her work at Hardin-Simmons — a place where calling, academic preparation, and Christ-centered purpose come together to shape the next generation of educators.