As a substitute school teacher for the Fayette County school system, I meet a lot of students as I teach everything from weightlifting to calculus. I know as much about calculus as I do about intergalactic space travel, but fortunately I can follow a lesson plan and keep order in a class.

When a bewildered student comes up to me with a calculus question, I find some smart-looking student and ask him or her to put it on the board for us. It works every time. If the collective math test scores fall for Fayette County, it's probably my fault!

A day does not go by that I don't ask as many students as possible, “What do you plan to do with your life”? I get some very interesting answers. Believe it or not, most students do have a plan, although many of these plans will change as most of ours did also.

It was in one of these conversations that I discovered the very interesting and talented “double life” of Joy Manzel. Joy is a senior at Fayette County High School. My wife and I met Joy and her mother, Joyce, as neighbors when they lived at the beginning of Brandon Mill subdivision not far from our home. They had a beautiful home with several fenced in acres with beautiful horses that they raise, train and ride.

Joy's “double life” is very full of good things, like family, church, school, work and her Christian business on the side.

This wonderful student has taken a “hobby” and dedicated it to almighty God. In their “spare time,” Joy and Joyce created a home-based business where Joy gives horseback riding lessons in basic English and jumping using her beautiful Arabian horses. She also creatively hosts personalized “horse birthday parties.” She calls this neat business “Joyces's Elegant Steeds Under Saddle,” thus the acrostic JESUS. If that isn't just too wonderful, they also host a Christian horse camp near Harps Crossing Baptist Church

The beat goes on. With more of Joy's “free time,” she is a waitress and actress at the new Baci Italian restaurant in Fayetteville, which often hosts a dinner theater.

With all we hear in the media of how the youth of today are all going to the dogs, they need to meet many of the “Joys” of life that I meet each week. It is truly refreshing to see a teenager going through the throws of life and honoring God through her life, her family, her work, her home and her hobby. Joy is also a member of Family Harvest Church, Peachtree City. Their pastor is Rick Probst.

Good job, mom, school, work, pastor and, of course, Joy!

[The Rev. Dr. Knox Herndon is the pastor of His House Community Church (SBC) and a substitute school teacher in the Fayette County school system, and a former Army chaplain. The church is currently meeting in the American Legion Log Cabin across from the fountain on the Square in Fayetteville. Prayer line 770-719-2365; e-mail Khern2365@aol.com ]

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