16-9

407.892.5651

....an unqualified recipient of His unconditional love

2 Timothy 3:16 -17- All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.

Friday, April 10, 2020

Lent - Day 39 - Faithfulness to All Generations

Dear Christian educators,

On this Good Friday, we pause to give thanks to our faithful God Who gave His only Son that we may have eternal life. Think of all the generations that have existed since Christ until now. As the God of generations, He has sustained His church throughout the ages. The good news is that our next generation has its own leaders rising up to bring glory to God.

Each day during this season of Lent, I will post one verse and pray it with you. Consider saying the verse in your quiet time and praying it also. You may use the same prayer or try your own. Each day until Easter (except Sundays) there will be a new post that contains: a verse, a small reflection, a prayer using the Scripture and an image. Feel free to share the images because I made them with the Bible Lens app and took all the pictures. What a creative God we serve!

Day 39

Psalm 100:5 English Standard Version (ESV)

5 For the Lord is good;
his steadfast love endures forever,
and his faithfulness to all generations.

Do you ever ponder this high calling of teaching is to touch the next generation? Every educator will make an impact. We can only hope that it is kingdom impact for their souls. Making an impact on the next generation is critical to passing along our heritage. One of the ways we honor the next generation is with a ceremony called, Honor the Grads. Two seniors from a set amount of high schools are honored because they walked their walk with Christ through high school. The best part is that they are chosen by their peers. The students are invited to a ceremony where they give a testimony, tell about their future plans and share a favorite scripture. The students receive a medallion, a certificate and a $100 scholarship. This is one of the the greatest impacts on the next generation we have been a part of in the Central FL area. For more information, check out our Honor the Grads page.

Dear Lord,

You are so good, Lord. Your steadfast love endures forever and Your faithfulness is to all the generations. Lord as we anticipate Your coming we yearn for the next generation to be whole-hearted for You. There are so many young people who are so in love with You. I love to hear their testimonies and take great strength in the next generation. Thank You for being a God of the generations. Thank You for allowing us to impact the next generation in our schools. We love You Lord and thank You for this gift in the faithful name of Jesus. Amen.

Prayerfully yours,

Karen C. Seddon

CEAI - Christian Educators Assoc. Int.

State Director for Florida

407.892.5651

....an unqualified recipient of His unconditional love

Thursday, April 9, 2020

Lent - Day 38 - Saving Faithfulness

Dear Christian educators,

Do you pray? Is it a pleasure or a checklist item? At an acceptable time, our God will answer in abundance. Never grow weary in prayer. He taught us to pray in the pattern of the Lord's prayer. Start by hallowing His Name, then pray for the many kingdom ministries pointing others to Christ, then ask for your daily bread. Finally pray for forgiveness and give Him thanks. May your prayers be a delight to You and especially out God of abundant steadfast love.

Day 37

Psalm 69:13 English Standard Version (ESV)

13 But as for me, my prayer is to you, O Lord.
At an acceptable time, O God,
in the abundance of your steadfast love answer me in your saving faithfulness.

So can you pray in school? Educators do not leave their First Amendment rights at the school house door. In fact, a school covered by praying educators is blessed. Learn the law and then live in the freedom you have been afforded as an American. You cannot pray with the students, but you can pray with your colleagues before or after contract time. You can always pray silently in private and personal prayer anytime. Many educators make it a practice to pray in the seat of every child at various times throughout the year before they come into the classroom. Many have joined us in the 1:16 PM prayer movement praying every school day with hundreds of Christian educators across the nation. Pray, my friends. Pray with delight. And of course, we all know that as long as there are tests in school, there will be prayer!

Dear Lord,

I love to pray to You! At an acceptable time, O God, in the abundance of your steadfast love, answer me in Your saving faithfulness. You save sinners, for which I am humbly and deeply grateful. You are always there for me. You are abundant in Your grace and I love You so. Blessed all the children and educators today with Your saving faithfulness. I ask in the incredible name of Jesus. Amen.

Prayerfully yours,

Karen C. Seddon

CEAI - Christian Educators Assoc. Int.

State Director for Florida

407.892.5651

....an unqualified recipient of His unconditional love

Wednesday, April 8, 2020

Lent - Day 37 - His Faithfulness to the Clouds

Dear Christian educators,

As we draw close to the celebration of the Resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ, we celebrate because of the Father's steadfast love that extends to the heavens and His faithfulness to the clouds! Only a gracious God can give life and life more abundantly. We love Him because He loved us first. I am so grateful for His deep, deep love and desire to save us. Aren't you?

Day 37

Psalm 36:5 English Standard Version (ESV)

5 Your steadfast love, O Lord, extends to the heavens,
your faithfulness to the clouds.

I have no idea how an educator can have such steadfast love that it reaches to the heavens or such faithfulness that it reaches to the clouds. However, this I know: Christian educators have a supernatural ability to love with the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. What school would not benefit from Christian educators on campus who purposely live their lives through the Fruit of the Spirit? What school wouldn't want educators who love, have joy and peace, show goodness, kindness and gentleness, maintain patience, self-control and faithfulness? You see against these things there is no law. We are commissioned to display the Fruit of the Spirit because He lives in us.

Dear Lord,

You alone, O Lord are over the entire universe! Your steadfast love extends to the heavens and Your faithfulness to the clouds. That is greater and more wonderful than humankind can grasp. Yet we know Your love is everything. We celebrate the Resurrection on Sunday because of Your steadfast love and desire to save us through Your Only Son, Jesus Christ. May this Sunday's celebration be a tribute to Your glory and Your steadfast love and faithfulness all over the world. I pray in the faithful Name of Jesus. Amen.

Prayerfully yours,

Karen C. Seddon

CEAI - Christian Educators Assoc. Int.

State Director for Florida

407.892.5651

....an unqualified recipient of His unconditional love

Tuesday, April 7, 2020

Lent - Day 36 - Working Faithfully

Dear Christian educators,

Work is worship! When we work hard, we mirror our Lord's hard work. His work is always done in faithfulness. Every time we come to school when we don't feel like it, we are faithful. Every time we get to a meeting on time, we are faithful. When we participate in learning communities and do what we are asked, we are working in faithfulness. When we are faithful, He is glorified.

Day 36

Psalm 33:4 English Standard Version (ESV)

4 For the word of the Lord is upright,
and all his work is done in faithfulness.

How can we display faithfulness in the classroom? Do we dress professionally? When you select your clothes, why not pray about it? Ask God how you would represent Him best. To some it may seem silly to pray about what to wear, but that focus of dedicating your day to Him, makes decisions about appearance simpler. We all know that our students notice everything we wear and often have plenty to say about it. Being faithful to your appearance as an ambassador of Christ is noteworthy.

As you drive to school and process all the things that have to be gathered and organized, be faithful to guarding your tongue. Another great prayer is to ask God to help you prepare the words you will say and that you may be a blessing to your students. Being faithful to using words of encouragement, kindness and gentleness to our students does not always come easy, but that’s why we pray!

Be faithful to the integrity of the content you have been charged to teach. Being compliant to the standards and rules set out by your district and principal are a sign of your faithfulness and help your administrators to see you as someone they can always rely on.

As a Christian educator, your expectations are higher since you work first for the Lord and then for your district. Faithfulness to prayer, your appearance, the words you say, and obedience to authority are signposts of an educator who understands their high calling. Being faithful is not always easy, but it is always rewarding.

3 John 1:3 - It gave me great joy when some believers came and testified about your faithfulness to the truth, telling how you continue to walk in it.

Dear Lord,

Your Word is upright. It is the Lamp unto my feet and the Light unto my path. There's something in the Word for every one of our human conditions. Guide us Lord to the Word for solutions to our problems. Help us to drink in Your promises and to really believe them. Lord, Your work is done in faithfulness. Its manifold witness is shown throughout the heavens and in the beauty of the earth. Lord help us to display work as worship that we may be a great example of hard work to our students and colleagues. May You receive all the glory in our work for You. We ask in the upright name of Jesus. Amen.

Prayerfully yours,

Karen C. Seddon

CEAI - Christian Educators Assoc. Int.

State Director for Florida

407.892.5651

....an unqualified recipient of His unconditional love

Monday, April 6, 2020

Lent - Day 35 - Without Self-Control

Dear Christian educators,

What an analogy! Just picture what a city broken into and left without walls would be like in ancient times. Walls protected the people from invaders, wild animals and much more. Without walls, there would likely be no city. In our lives, no self-control is the sign of a broken life. Self-control affords us boundaries to keep us safe. Remember that it is a Fruit of the Spirit for which we can ask for help. It's not easy to have self-control, but so worth it for a life well-lived.

Day 35

Proverbs 25:28 English Standard Version (ESV)

28 A man without self-control
is like a city broken into and left without walls.

As a Christian educator, we must demonstrate self-control in the classroom. We are a constant example to our students because they are always watching us. Being out of control is not an option in the classroom for the sake of the students. When a young student is out of control, it is very difficult to deal with them because they really don't know their boundaries. Modeling self-control and being merciful graces the students with hope. Students that are out of control are like the analogy in this Proverb - a city broken into without walls. May the Lord help us all to have self-control at school at all times.

Dear Lord,

Thank You for the Proverbs. The wisdom of Your Word never ceases to amaze me. Like a city broken into and left without walls is our lives without self-control. Lord, help me in the areas where I am weak and let the walls down. Send a double portion of self-control through Your Holy Spirit so that I may serve others more and they may see You in me. To You be all the glory because You are truly the only One with unlimited self-control. Thank You for Your gracious help. I ask for this in the tender name of Jesus. Amen.

Prayerfully yours,

Karen C. Seddon

CEAI - Christian Educators Assoc. Int.

State Director for Florida

407.892.5651

....an unqualified recipient of His unconditional love