A Teacher's Prayer for Pre-planning

To many, it may sound unbelievable, but most of our southern brothers and sisters are returning to school this week! Praise God for those who are called to our profession. Pre-planning days are exciting and exhausting. It's so great to catch up with colleagues we haven't seen since school let out and to meet the newest staff members. Let us as Christian educators, step out and welcome all who are new to our schools and check in on them, particularly if they are a first-year teacher. Please find two or more colleagues to prayer with before Open House and the start of this brand new school year.

Dear Heavenly Father,

Thank you Lord for calling us to teaching. Please show us how to represent You well this school year. Let us be Jesus with skin on: may our eyes be Your eyes to see the needy, may our feet walk where You want us to be, and may our hands bless the children with creativity, passion and the gifts You have bestowed upon us. May all that we do be to Your glory and honor. Help us Lord to be merciful, to do justice and to love kindness in our school. Let us display the Fruit of the Spirit in everything we do that we may win the hearts of our colleagues and students contagiously for Your glory. What an exciting time of refreshing, rejuvenation and redesign. You make all things possible, Lord. We love you. We ask for all things in the Name of Jesus. 
Amen.

1st Peter 1:13 - Therefore, preparing your minds for action, and being sober-minded, set your hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.

Heb. 6:17-18 -  So when God desired to show more convincingly to the heirs of the promise the unchangeable character of his purpose, he guaranteed it with an oath, so that by two unchangeable things, in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled for refuge might have strong encouragement to hold fast to the hope set before us.

Ephesians 1:16 -  I do not cease to give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers, that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him, having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to the working of his great might that he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places, far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come.

As always, I am prayerfully yours,

K

Note: To more fully understand the 16-9 Movement, please read the first blog entry by clicking here.

Join the Movement!

http://www.one16pray.com

www.aw180days.com

Download the CEAI app

PS. Don’t forget to spread the word about the 1:16PM Prayer Movement and Around the Word in 180 Days:

•      Go to www.one16pray.com  and www.aw180days.com for more information.

•      Visit,  "like", and add comments the 1:16PM Facebook page and the Around the World in 180 days Facebook page.

•      Sign up for text message prayer prompts from Remind  

May God bless you as prepare for the 2019-2020 school year.

Christian Educators Association International is the only professional association in the United States specifically for Christian educators in public schools.  CEAI protects our members first in prayer, next with excellent professional liability insurance and other benefits while helping them live out their high calling as a Christian in the public school. 

Prayer, posture and practicalities

Some have started back, some are just a few days away and others still have some time, but educators, it's time to pray! Prayer is truly the educator's greatest tool. Prayer is love in need appealing to Love in power. What a privilege it is to have an audience with the Great Creator! He numbers the hairs on our heads. He's purposed us to be educators and He is concerned about all the details in your school life. Praying now and throughout the school year is essential to the success of your classroom, your school environment and school community.

In the public schools we often wonder if we can pray and then if so how? As long as there are tests in school, there will be prayer! Amen? I've entitled this post: Prayer, posture and practicalities to address how and when to pray in school legally and gracefully.

Here are just a few suggestions:

Prayer:

What are some legal and graceful ways to pray in the public schools?

• Join our new Facebook private group: CEAI Christian Educators Prayer & Encouragement where you can engage in prayer with your brothers and sisters across the nation and get ideas for prayer and praise reports.
• Sign up for the 1:16 PM prayer prompts. Christian educators across the nation pause and pray at exactly 1:16PM each school day (Romans 1:16) www.one16pray.com
• Start 1st steps prayers - Each day you arrive on campus and begin your walk to enter the building, pray instead of worrying and planning.
• Chair prayers - sit in the seat of each of your students before they come to school and pray for them by name. This may take the whole year!
• Prayer walking - Get a partner and begin prayerwalking every hall in your school. As you walk and talk (pray) others will think you are on a wellness kick. (Yes, the great wellness plan available - prayer!)
• Form a prayer group at your school. They can be called anything you like: encouragement groups, LIFT groups, fellowship groups, but we need to gather on a regular basis to pray on campus. These groups must be before or after contract time.
• Consider forming a Prayer Triplet group where 3 gather to pray. For more details, see www.tinyurl.com/prayertriplets
• Learn to pray scripture. You know you are praying in God's will when you are praying His will.
• Join us on Around the Word in 180 Days (beginning August 12, 2019) where we will be praying a scripture daily in a portion of the podcast called "There's A Word For That!"

Posture:

What posture of prayer can I have during the school day?

• You can pray with your eyes open! God is always listening. When you are praying the 1:16PM prayer you go about your daily tasks pausing and praying momentarily. To be discreet, you don't bow your head or fall to your knees.
• Prayer walk (with your eyes open, please!)
• Come in early each day and bow your head in your classroom privately. If you are able, you can kneel in your classroom or sit at your desk.
• Pray in your doorway and anoint the threshold with oil.
• Join others in prayer with your heads bowed in a pray group before or after school.

Practicalities:

Is it really practical to pray during the school day?

• What seems impossible, is possible! Prayer in school is private and can be said throughout the day as needed. 
• Praying at 1:16PM seems impossible, yet it's quite practical. Set an alarm and as you move toward the alarm to release it, pause and pray quietly in your mind and then return immediately to what you are doing. The best part is that you are joining your brothers and sisters in the public schools across the nation. There are hundreds of us praying, but there are thousands of us in the public schools. Let's pray!
• Set a time for your prayer group before or after school. Not everyone will be able to come. It not practical. Gather those who come and pray with hands held or not, eyes closed or not for those who could not come and your whole school community.
• Listen to Around the Word in 180 Days in your car through our CEAI app on your ride to school. Yes, keep your eyes open!

Many more suggestions and ideas will be shared throughout the 2019-2020 school year on our podcast: Around the Word in 180 Days. Remember, prayer is the educator's  greatest tool! Be a blessing this new school year.

As always, I am

Prayerfully yours,

K

http://www.one16pray.com

www.aw180days.com

Download the CEAI app

PS. Don’t forget to spread the word about the 1:16PM Prayer Movement and Around the Word in 180 Days:

•      Go to www.one16pray.com  and www.aw180days.com for more information.

•      Visit,  "like", and add comments the 1:16PM Facebook page and the Around the World in 180 days Facebook page.

•      Sign up for text message prayer prompts from Remind 101 

•      Follow us on Twitter for the prayer prompts @one16pray

May God bless you with success His way this 2019-2020 school year.

Note: To more fully understand the 16-9 Movement, please read the first blog entry by clicking here.

Christian Educators Association International is the only professional association in the United States specifically for Christian educators in public schools.  CEAI protects our members first in prayer, next with excellent professional liability insurance and other benefits while helping them live out their high calling as a Christian in the public school. 

Honor the Grads - Osceola 2019

The Osceola Honor the Grads picture album


The 4th annual Honor The Grads ceremony in Osceola County, FL was held Thursday evening, May 9, 2019. This prestigious award, sponsored by the Christian Educators Association, Int. in Osceola County, has become one of the most important events of the year in the lives of these students. Can you imagine being chosen by your peers as an example of integrity and living out your faith throughout high school?

For the first time, the Honor the Grads celebration was livestream on Facebook by Iglesia Nueva Church. You can watch it on their Facebook page.


The format of the Honor the Grads program is beautifully simple. The family and friends of the award winners were led in a few praise songs by a the youth group from Iglesia Nueva Church who graciously hosted Honor the Grads this year. After the praise time, the graduates were given the opportunity to share a favorite verse, tell about their future plans and give a testimony.  It never ceases to amaze us how the students can so boldly and passionately share their love of the Lord and their desire to serve and give thanks to those who helped them along the way.

The graduates shared their testimonies and most share words of encouragement  such as the ones below:

• God gave me a second chance.
• God loves you.
• God cares about me.
• I knew God, but I didn't KNOW God until now.
• FCA youth groups as schools save lives.
• I went from a goodie-goodie wanting to please everyone to a pleaser of God.
• Be intentional.
• Keep moving.
• I really need God. I fall into His arms.
• God is always there.
• What can I do for a revival in me?
• Are you willing to be different for the sake of the gospel?
• We spark an interest.

Future plans include:

• Warner College
• Valencia State College (3)
• Southeastern University to become a pastor
• Valencia for electrical engineering
• University of Florida or Hillsong College in Australia
• Clemson University for engineering
• SUM, Hot Springs, Arkansas
• Valencia > FIU for pediatric physician assistant
• Valencia's Honor program with a full scholarship
• Johnson University for preaching and church leadership
• Bridges program at Valencia for health science > Lee University for chiropractic studies
• University of Florida for pre-medicine

After the student testimonies, the families and supporters gather around for a time of prayer. All were then invited for a time of fellowship and snacks.

The 2019 Honor the Grads awardees are:

Celebration High School

Darian Huston

Matt Enyon

Gateway High School

Emily Garcia

Emily Jimenez

Harmony High School

Allison Hicks

Vanessa Bolen

Liberty High School

Ephraim Murphy

Monica Castaño

Osceola High School

Joanna Mounts

Hernan Espinal

St. Cloud High School

Emanuel Caraballo

Hannah Mittan

Poinciana HS and Tohopekaliga HS did not have seniors in their Christian clubs this year.

Congratulations to all the graduates and their families. 

Visit our main page for more information about the three Honor the Grads events in Florida.

https://tinyurl.com/HonortheGrads2019

As always, I am

Prayerfully yours,

K

http://www.one16pray.com

www.aw180days.com

Download the CEAI app

PS. Don’t forget to spread the word about the 1:16PM Prayer Movement and Around the Word in 180 Days:

•      Go to www.one16pray.com  and www.aw180days.com for more information.

•      Visit,  "like", and add comments the 1:16PM Facebook page and the Around the World in 180 days Facebook page.

•      Sign up for text message prayer prompts from Remind 101 

•      Follow us on Twitter for the prayer prompts @one16pray

May God bless you with success His way this 2018-2019 school year.

Note: To more fully understand the 16-9 Movement, please read the first blog entry by clicking here.

Christian Educators Association International is the only professional association in the United States specifically for Christian educators in public schools.  CEAI protects our members first in prayer, next with excellent professional liability insurance and other benefits while helping them live out their high calling as a Christian in the public school. 

Teachers Who Pray Conference

The 6th annual Teachers Who Pray conference was held May 3-4 in the University Center in Chicago. On Friday evening, Marilyn Rhames, Founder and CEO of Teachers Who Pray, kicked off the conference with the introduction of her new book, The Master Teacher. The powerful book is a must read for any educator who has the call of God to teach. She masterfully organized the art of teaching around 12 spiritual lessons that can transform schools and revolutionize public education. These 12 principles follow how Jesus taught. Why not model our teaching after the Master Teacher? 

The Master Teacher is presently available at Amazon in Kindle format and on Marilyn's website at The Master Teacher Book. Marilyn Rhames is an author, educator, blogger, TEDx speaker, faith and thought leader who has blessed the educational community with this gift of The Master Teacher. You can follow her on Twitter@MarilynRhames or on her website/blog - Marilyn Rhames. On Friday evening, we enjoyed awesome praise and worship and time to fellowship and share a meal.

On Saturday, May 4th, the conference included breakfast, fellowship, praise and worship and learning. Our keynote speaker was Dr. Caroline Leaf who stunned us with her expertise in the mind-brain connection. Her topic was called Mental Health Learning - Think, Feel, Choose. She admonished us to realize that we are NOT our brains! Today's science dehumanizes us by only looking at our brains without looking at the image of God in each of us. Dr. Leaf's research over 30 years has focused on self-determination. The mind is NOT the brain. The brain is your physical part (about 1% of us) while our mind controls 99% of us. She is the author of many books including:

• Think & Eat Yourself Smart
• The Perfect You
• Switch on the Brain Every Day
• Think Learn Succeed

Our free will typically gets in the way of optimum thinking. Everything is related to thinking, feeling and choosing. We can control our reactions! We are not victims. Our children are over drugged. They are not medicines - they are addictive drugs, anesthetizing your brain. They have been numbed. Psychotrophic drugs are destroying our children. It is child abuse.

MAD in America - physicians who do not medicate.   https://www.madinamerica.com 

Psychology drugs patients for the brain 1%, but applied to the 99% - spiritual. What we see in the brain, is a response to the mind.

Romans 12:2 - Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.

Dr. Leaf has a TED Talk and a new app coming out soon called SWITCH. She proposes that to maximize the brain, activate the mind. Have deliberated, disciplined, practice NOT mindless repetition. Challenge just beyond the comfort zone.

The afternoon was complimented with breakout sessions: Daughters of the King (Mama Linda), I Must Take Care of the Temple (Erica Harris) and Social Emotional Learning in Sports: Awakening the Giant Within (Dr. Daniel Buggs). We close the conference in prayer and thanks. 

Teacher Appreciation Day 2019

On Teacher Appreciation Day, please know that you are loved all year long. At Christian Educators (CEAI), we count it a gift to be able to remind teachers and the ones who love them to celebrate this great profession. We offer these encouragements as a lift and act of love.

Taylor Mali, poet and teacher, wrote a powerful poem, "What Do Teachers Make?" put to video after encouraging 1000 people to become a teacher. Hope you pass it on to other teachers who need a little encouragement. He's made his poem available on this website for you also.

Encourage

You are a blessing to so many children of all ages, all races, all beliefs, all shapes and sizes. It's incredible how many lives we really touch. If you actually try to count the children whose lives have been impacted by you by the end of your teaching career, it's impossible. It's so touching when a previous student meets you at a store or restaurant and tells you how much they loved your class. Isn't it amazing how many names are forgotten? They remember how we treated them more than they remember what we taught them. Be a blessing to the children today.

Little girl song

Equip

Going to God's word each day reminds us of what is important and how much help we need as teachers to be an educator of excellence. 

Ps. 143:10 - Teach me to do Your will, for you are my God; may Your good Spirit lead me on level ground

Empower

Dear Heavenly Father,

Thank You dear Father for the children You have placed in our care. Help them to be listeners today and to yearn for new knowledge. Help them to be open to new ideas and to be curious. Thank You for creating each and everyone of the children who come to our rooms today. It's a miracle how You made each and every one of them unique. Lord, help us to see them as You see them and to treasure these last few weeks with them. Erase any negative influence we may have had on them and forgive us for our failure to always be good to them. Show us how to finish strong in Your Power and be a teacher of excellence inYour way with Your power. We love you. Amen.

As always, I am prayerfully yours,

K

Note: To more fully understand the 16-9 Movement, please read the first blog entry by clicking here.

Join the Movement!

http://www.one16pray.com

www.aw180days.com
www.one16pray.com

Download the CEAI app

PS. Don’t forget to spread the word about the 1:16PM Prayer Movement and Around the Word in 180 Days:

•      Go to www.one16pray.com  and www.aw180days.com for more information.

•      Visit,  "like", and add comments the 1:16PM Facebook page and the Around the World in 180 days Facebook page.

•      Sign up for text message prayer prompts from Remind  

May God bless you with success His way this 2018-2019 school year.

Christian Educators Association International is the only professional association in the United States specifically for Christian educators in public schools.  CEAI protects our members first in prayer, next with excellent professional liability insurance and other benefits while helping them live out their high calling as a Christian in the public school. 

Lent Begins on Wednesday March 6th

Dear Christian educators,

Would you consider joining me for 40 Days of God’s Word during Lent with a verse a day that will encourage, equip and empower through God’s Word.

Lent is the season of 40 days (not counting Sundays) which begins on Ash Wednesday (3/6/19) and ends on Easter Eve (4/20/19). Lent comes from the Anglo-Saxon word lencten, which means spring. The season is a preparation for celebrating the Resurrection of our Lord on Easter Sunday. Historically, lent began as a period of fasting and preparation for baptism by converts and then became a time of penance by all Christians. (from the United Methodist Book of Worship)

This year I will be hosting a proactive view of living an educators' life during Lent. Although, we may be "giving up” something we enjoy, let us use these 40 days to see the beauty of the Fruit of the Spirit in our school communities.

Would you like to join me in this 40 days of reflection into God’s Word for encouragement?  It will be a short and sweet daily message in this pattern:

• A word based on the Fruit of the Spirit
• A reflection of how the word can be profitable in the classroom
• An educators’ prayer
• An image with the verse for the day

I will host the verses on this blog, and on the CIPE (Christians in Public Education) website. There's nothing better than being in the Word with our brothers and sisters.

Prayerfully yours,

K 

Karen C. Seddon

CEAI - Christian Educators Assoc. Int.

State Director for Florida

kseddon@ceai.org

407.892.5651

....an unqualified recipient of His unconditional love

www.ceai.org

http://the16-9movement.blogspot.com/

CIPE website
Around the Word in 180 Days
1:16 PM prayer movement

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.

Christian Educators Association International is the only professional association in the United States specifically for Christian educators in public schools. CEAI protects our members first in prayer, next with excellent professional liability insurance and other benefits while helping them live out their high calling as a Christian in the public school. 

Christian Educators Association International is the only professional association in the United States specifically for Christian educators in public schools.  CEAI protects our members first in prayer, next with excellent professional liability insurance and other benefits while helping them live out their high calling as a Christian in the public school.