Teaching is more than a job—it’s a calling. But some days, it’s just plain hard.
If you’ve ever felt tired, overwhelmed, or unsure you're making a difference, you’re not alone.
From the Playground to the Battleground is a 40-day devotional written just for teachers like you. Michelle Ruddell, a teacher with years of classroom experience, shares real stories, Bible verses, and short prayers to help you feel seen, supported, and full of purpose again.
What You’ll Find Inside:
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40 short devotions you can read before school or during a break
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Real-life stories from a teacher who’s been in your shoes
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Bible verses and prayers to give you strength for the day
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Questions to help you reflect and grow in your faith
Why You’ll Love It:
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It’s easy to read, even on your busiest days
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It speaks to the real struggles (and joys!) of teaching
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It reminds you that God is with you in your classroom
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It helps you feel encouraged, not alone
Even when the classroom feels chaotic, God is at work.
Let this devotional help you see your classroom as a place of purpose and impact.
What a beautiful reminder of the exhilarating joy of teaching (along with the challenges!) through our relationship and conversations with God.
Michelle brings thoughtful, reflective, and yes, humorous ways of viewing the day-to-day of teaching God’s wondrous gifts to us, our students.
They matter. We matter. God is always with us.
The heart of a teacher is that of a warrior, born out of love and grit and faith. Michelle Ruddells’s From the Playground to the Battleground captures all three with humor and unequivocal grace.
Her words serve as a daily lifeline to those in the classroom trenches, pointing our way back to joy and reminding our hearts what we do matters for eternity.
Michelle Ruddell nailed it! As a former middle school teacher, this book spoke straight to the heart of classroom life. Teaching is a calling filled with joy as well as exhaustion—all in the same day. She does not shy away from the real emotions we face.
I highly recommend it to any teacher looking to blend purpose, patience, and prayer in their daily walk as they prepare to teach our leaders of tomorrow who are in their classrooms today.
About Michelle
Michelle Ruddell is a writer, speaker, and former public school teacher who knows firsthand the deep sorrow of loss—and the surprising joy that can follow. After the death of her son, Michelle cried out to God in desperation. What she found was not judgment, but grace. God met her in her brokenness, offering healing, forgiveness, and the promise of His nearness.
For 26 years, Michelle served in the classroom, where she discovered both the beauty and the challenge of shaping young lives. Today, she encourages others through honest stories, biblical truth, and a message of hope: God is faithful, even in our weakest moments.
Michelle is a single parent turned joyful empty-nester, and she loves her new role as “Grandma.” She co-leads the Waco Christian Writers Workshop, leads a life group, and teaches in Freedom’s Gate, a jail ministry for women in her community. Whether through the written word or a heartfelt conversation, Michelle invites women to trust God, find joy after loss, and boldly step into the places He calls them—especially beyond their comfort zones.
Feeling worn out in the classroom? You’re not alone.
From the Playground to the Battleground is a 40-day devotional created just for Christian teachers. With real-life stories, honest prayers, and Scripture-based encouragement, this book will help you find fresh strength, renewed purpose, and joy in your calling.
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Favorite verses, funny stories, upcoming events, and other random thoughts.
