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, March 6, 2020

Lent - Day 9 - Joy Comes in the Morning

Dear Christian educators,

We are looking at the Fruit of the Spirit during Lent, my friends and have examined 8 days of love. Let's try JOY for the next five days. Joy is truly spiritual. It's not the same as happiness, but joy often exudes happiness. Our joy comes from the Lord and we see it with each new day. A new sunrise, a new start, and new set of ideas and dreams. He is truly gracious to us and we need to remember and praise Him with great joy.

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 9

Psalm 30:5 English Standard Version (ESV)

5 For his anger is but for a moment,
and his favor is for a lifetime.
Weeping may tarry for the night,
but joy comes with the morning.

What does joy like like in the classroom? I wrote a blog post, "Joy in the Classroom," almost 7 years ago if you care to read it. Here is an excerpt:

As I looked up joy in the Word, I was delighted to see hundreds of times this powerful word was used, but was most impressed with the shouts of joy given by God’s people for what He had done for them. Let us be teachers of the Book and have shouts of joy in our hearts for His incredible gift of becoming a educator. Be encouraged to purposefully plan how you can give joy this year and displaying this powerful fruit in your life. These are a few of my favorite verses of joy.

Psalm 16:11 - You make known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand.

John 15:11 - I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete.

Romans 12:12  - Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

Psalm 30:5 - For His anger is but for a moment, His favor is for life; Weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning.

Dear Lord,

Psalm 30:5 is a beautiful reminder of Your love for us. We don't often talk about Your anger, but we do know that sin is the cause. We are so grateful that You anger is but for a moment and Your favor is for a lifetime. Thank You for your favor Lord! In those difficult times, we may cry ourselves to sleep, but joy comes in the morning when you grant us a new day, refresh us, bless us with solutions, and show us the way. Thank You for each new day Lord. It is a gift. We praise You in the mighty 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, March 5, 2020

Lent -Day 8 - Love with All Your Mind

Dear Christian educators,

In our profession of educating young minds, we know we have great influence and great responsibility. Christian educators in the public schools do well to know their religious freedoms and guidelines. If you do not know where you boundaries are in the public schools, know this: you do not leave your rights are the schoolhouse door. You ALWAYS want to be graceful and legal in how you conduct yourself and be a blessing to others. Loving God with your whole mind also includes learning. To learn more about your religious guidelines and freedoms while serving as a public school servant, please visit the Christian Educators website at www.ceai.org Love is the greatest of all gifts we can give to others and knowing how to love with our whole mind is very important.

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 8

Luke 10:27 English Standard Version (ESV)

And he answered, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself.”

Educators are always learning. There are new strategies, curriculum, methods and technology to keep our minds fully engaged. Learning about our students' learning styles, exceptionalities and personalities also keeps us on our toes. The greatest gift we can give ourselves as learners is to read, meditate, memorize and apply Gods' Word. Knowing the Word is one thing, but living the Word requires our whole mind. Did you know you can have a Bible on your desk as an inspiration to read when you are on your own time? Try to read God's Word during your private times on your campus because loving the Lord with your whole heart, soul, strength and mind is an investment. May you be blessed mighty for investing in His Word.

Dear Lord,

Thank you for giving us creative minds. Thank you for giving us the opportunity to be creative at school. As we use our minds, we are glorifying You when we exude the Fruit of the Spirit. Thank You Lord for teaching us to drink in more of Your Word. It seems, Lord, that the more we read the more we want. Why is it Lord, that there are times that we read Scripture that we have read before and it seems that we are reading it for the first time? You are amazing. Lord, I pray that my brothers and sisters grow in the their love for You in mind, body and soul. We love You and ask for Your mercy and grace each school day. Thank You in the Holy 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

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.

Wednesday, March 4, 2020

Lent - Day 7 - Love With All Your Heart

Dear Christian educators,

One week ago was Ash Wednesday, the first day of Lent. This season is an optional form of sacrifice for many, but we are trying to take a proactive approach to Lent diving into the Fruit of the Spirt. Today's verse comes from the mouth of Jesus Himself when He was challenged to tell the most important commandment. Loving the Lord with all our heart, and all our soul and all our mind and all our strength is ALL of us. I am so thankful for a relationship with the One Who loves me and helps me to love Him with ALL my being each new day. Why not tell Him you love when you arrive at school and when you leave school 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 7

Mark 12:30 English Standard Version (ESV)

And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’

God has blessed you with a high calling and though it is not always possible to say you love teaching with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength, He gives you the ability to experience glimpses of that kind of love. Who in the world works 50+ hours a week, taking more work home than what actually can be completed? That's some kind of love. Who in the world gives a student lunch money or their own lunch when a little one is hungry? That's some kind of love. Who in the world shows mercy to the unmerciful and grace to the unlikeable? That's some kind of love. You have a high calling, dear Christian educator, fueled by the God Who gives you purpose. Let's love Him with ALL we have in school and out of school.

Dear Lord,

Do we really understand what it means to love You with all our heart? Sometimes Lord, our hearts are so full because of Your majesty displayed in the beauty of the earth. Other times You convict us to help those in need, particularly our students. Any act of kindness is simply our hot-hearted love for You being displayed for others to see You. May You receive all the glory. Lord, teach us to love LARGE with all we have. Help us also Lord to love our students and colleagues with ALL we've got. It's impossible for us on our own, but with You everything is possible. We come before in the confidence of our merciful Lord 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, March 3, 2020

Lent - Day 6 - The Steadfast Love of the Lord

Dear Christian educators,

The steadfast love of the Lord extends to the heavens! What a mighty and merciful God we serve. Isn't it incredible that He loves us? Be empowered Christian educator to love your students and colleagues because He loved us first. It's a miracle, isn't it? During Lent, it's marvelous to reflect and to praise Him. David certainly knew how to do that. What a model for us. When grades are due and it seems overwhelming, praise Him. When students are not working and we don't know what to do, praise Him. When it doesn't seem possible to get it all done, praise Him because with man it is impossible, but with God all things are possible.

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 6

Psalm 36:5-7 English Standard Version (ESV)

5 Your steadfast love, O Lord, extends to the heavens,
    your faithfulness to the clouds.
6 Your righteousness is like the mountains of God;
    your judgments are like the great deep;
    man and beast you save, O Lord.

What does the steadfast love of the Lord have to do with the classroom or our school communities? When we are mindful of His love, faithfulness and righteousness, we get our minds off our worries and are better able to serve our students and colleagues. In the busyness of the day, it's next to impossible to think of anything else but what is at hand, but in those times of joy and exasperation, it is wonderful to pause and meditate on His steadfast love. He will never leave you nor forsake you. He is always with you even when the pressures are mounting. Call upon Him for help. Invite Him into your situation at school and taste and see that the Lord is good. There truly is a peace that passes all understanding in the steadfast love of the Lord.

Dear Lord,

We bless you Lord for Your steadfast love. Help us to understand Your love more. David said that Your love extends to the heavens and Your faithfulness to the clouds. Help us to look up Lord to be reminded of You when we are overwhelmed. Your righteousness is like the mighty mountains. What could be more majestic? Our momentary fears and troubles pale in comparison to the eternity You have place in our hearts. Thank You Awesome God. Your judgments are like the the great deep, unfathomable to us, yet we trust You Lord for You want us to succeed. You save man and beast! Precious Lord, thank You for being with every educator and every student this day. Help them to look up to be reminded of Your never ending steadfast love. We thank You and pray in the excellent 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, March 2, 2020

Lent - Day 5 - Love the Lord

Dear Christian educators,

I love the Lord! I love to tell Him I love Him, too. This is my favorite Scripture to pray when I am outside in my prayer garden. As I close out my prayers I recite this verse to Him. It really helps me to know His strength and power. He is my strength, my fortress, my deliverer, my God, my rock, my shield, the horn of my salvation, my stronghold, my EVERYTHING! Do you want to magnify your love for Him. Memorize this one and sing/say it to Him daily.

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 5

Psalm 18:1-3 English Standard Version (ESV)

The Lord Is My Rock and My Fortress

I love you, O Lord, my strength.
The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer,
    my God, my rock, in whom I take refuge,
    my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.
I call upon the Lord, who is worthy to be praised,
    and I am saved from my enemies.

In our school communities, praising the Lord in the classroom with students present has been disallowed, however starting your day (before contract time) with praise and worship in Your room can never be disallowed. When you pull your car into the parking lot, begin your day with a 1st step prayer. With the first step towards the entrance to the last step you take into the school, praise Him. It's a lot more joyful that worrying about all the things you have to do. When you enter your classroom, praise Him. Give Him the day. Place it in His hands and say this Psalm to Him. We are most satisfied when He is most glorified. (John Piper). Have a praise-filled day.

Dear Lord,

Thank you for the heart of David who was always seeking after You. Let us be an educator with a hot-heart for You. I love You, O Lord, my strength. You help me with all weakness. You are my Rock and my Fortress and my Deliverer. You have rescued me from a life of sin and have place a hedge of protection over my salvation because of what Jesus has done. My God, my Rock, in Whom I take refuge, where else would I go? You have the words of eternal life! My shield, and the horn of my salvation, my Stronghold. What do I fear? When You are near I am at peace no matter what the enemy throws my way for He Who is in me is greater than he who is in the world. I call upon You Lord, because You are worthy to be praised. Thank You for saving me from my enemies. I ask for this in the Mighty 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