Thursday, October 31, 2013

Courage for the Climb - Classroom Lighthouse Series #3



Be strong and very courageous.  Be careful to obey the law my servant Moses gave you.  Do not turn from it to the right or left that you may be
successful wherever you go. (Joshua 1:7)

Courage for the Climb


You stand before your classroom.   You have spent several weeks now establishing boundaries and routines getting your students ready for the long march through the high and long mountain range of academic objectives. You tell them, “Be strong and courageous when you face assignments you don’t understand. Be careful to obey all the instructions I have given you. Seek me and ask me for help when you need it and you will be successful.”
            You know it’s true – if the students listen, stay in their seats, do their homework, stay awake and focused in class, ask for help when they need it, and take the time to receive the help, then they will have a successful year.
            Tony was a student lost in a deep valley of depression. He was a twelve year old sixth grader being raised by his grandmother while his mother served time in jail.  Tony had never met his father. He did not even know his father’s name. Tony couldn’t climb the academic mountains or even the foothills his teachers were leading him into. He kept tripping over his broken heart. This young man was becoming rebellious and would randomly break out in tears several times a week.  He began failing several classes.  He was referred for special education services and qualified as emotionally disturbed.   Samantha (Sam) Keene, a special needs instructor, started working with him several hours a day as his math and language arts instructor in a resource setting.
            Sam didn’t have a masters or doctoral degree in psychology but she was the Master’s (Jesus’) teacher. Sam knew and believed that Jesus was a great physician. She went to him in prayer and asked, “Lord, what’s up with Tony? How can I help?”
            As Sam prayed for Tony, the Lord gave her a vision of a very young child standing on the edge of a deep dark pit.  The child was leaning over the pit looking down into it for someone or something.  Tears were streaming down his face and he was losing his balance. Soon after this vision, Sam spoke with Tony.  She told him, “Tony, when I think of you, I see you standing looking into a dark hole crying. Tony, your life is not in the hole.  Your life is out here.  You need to turn around and get on with your life.  Turn around!  You have a great hope and future but not at the edge of the hole. You must walk away from the hole.” She spoke to him in love firmly and emphatically.  She made no references to God or the words “vision” or “prayer”. She violated no separation of church and state issues; she simply spoke the truth in love to him as the Lord led her.
            Tony listened and was encouraged. He knew he was understood. He walked away from the pit and began to make good choices.  At this same time an adult male  mentor from the community took Tony under his wing as well. Tony soon stopped weeping and began making the honor roll. Six years later, Tony led his high school basketball team to a state championship, was named MVP, and got a full college scholarship. 
Tony needed people telling him to be strong and courageous at a critical crossroads in his life..  He needed teachers praying in their closets for him and agreeing in prayer for him, as they did at the school where Sam worked.  The prayers of righteous people [educators] were powerful and effective. (James 5:16) Sam didn’t have to pray with Tony or lay hands on him or take him to church.  Most of Jesus’ healings and deliverances took place beyond the synagogue, the church. Jesus believed and knew what his Father in heaven could do in and through him.
            Do you know what Jesus can do through you in your professional life if you give him a chance? Do you understand that no matter what student or how many students have been placed in your classroom or what administrative decisions are made, or what any parents may say or do to you or their children – through Christ you are more than a conqueror? Seek and ask Him for help when needed. Do these things and you will have the most successful school year of your career. 
Prayer:  Lord, help us to follow Jesus’ directions here where we work. Keep us on your narrow path, Keep us from straying to the right or left.  Thank you for the professional success we receive as a result of following you.
Application: Ask Jesus for help in your professional life and then follow his instructions.  Pray in your closet for professional needs.  Agree in prayer with other teachers for your professional needs and concerns on a regular basis.
Sharing:  When have you felt God supernaturally working through you in a special way to meet the needs of a student, parent, or staff member?

CLASSROOM LIGHTHOUSE SERIES: TEACHER! TAKE COURAGE!  (For inquiries contact ceaihouston@sbcglobal.net.) #3



Prayerfully dependent,
K


PS. Don’t forget to spread the word about the 1:16PM Prayer Movement.
      Go to www.one16pray.com for more information
      Go to www.ceai.org for more information (which will point you to the above address!)
      Visit,  "like", and add comments the 1:16PM Facebook page.
      Sign up for text message prayer prompts from Remind 101 (we have 205!)
      Follow us on Twitter for the prayer prompts @one16pray
      Look for the prayer prompts on the 1:16 PM website or Facebook page.

May God bless you with success His way this 2013-2014 school year.

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

Friday, October 25, 2013

Rungs on the Career Ladder - Classroom Lighthouse Series #2



Be strong and courageous for you will bring the Israelites [students] into the land I promised them on oath and I myself will be with you.                                                                                    (Deuteronomy 31:23)

Rungs on the Career Ladder


            
Take a good look at all of your new students. No matter what colors, sizes, shapes, conditions, attitudes, aptitudes or behaviors you see, know this: God sees the plans He has for them, not to harm them but to bless and prosper them, to give each one a hope and future. Each one has a promised land. Not only does God have awesome creative lesson plans for them in your classroom this year, He has an awesome creative life plan for them as well. You are a part of a divine plan in each child’s life! God has handpicked and placed each student in your classroom! Wow! Your classroom is not an assembly line created by men. Your classroom is unique. It will be custom handcrafted by God himself if you let Him hold and fashion you in the palm of His hand.  (Isaiah 64:8)
            God has chosen you to lift students up, to lead them to a higher place for brief periods of time each day for a brief season in their lives. Using the faith, wisdom, and knowledge you impart, they move farther into their hope and future.  You are a rung on each child’s ladder to heaven. (Remember that when you feel all “wrung” out or like you are being stepped on! God wants to remind you that you are not the only rung on the ladder. Don’t be discouraged if a child won’t climb your rung. God has a whole warehouse of rungs and He has angels to help the children that are too frightened or wounded to climb.)  As your students step and climb upon you they will find a sure foothold, not because of who you are, but because of who Christ is in you.
            Some of your students’ peers, siblings, parents, and media idols may be digging pits for them to fall into.  Some students are already busily digging their own pits.  Some are dwelling deep in these pits and tunneling, but you are the ladder.  You are a part of the straight path, the highway, the higher way of life, because you are letting Jesus lead you in your classroom this year as never before. You are choosing to follow His teachings – to forgive, return good with evil, go the extra mile, pray in your closet, agree in prayer with other teachers, pray for those above you in authority, continually thank and praise others, encourage always, correct in love, share the fruit of the Spirit, etc….  Against these things there is no law.
            God handpicked Keith, a fifth grader, for Mrs. Carson to serve. Keith was one of those students who was dwelling and actively tunneling in the deep dark pits. He had severe behavior disorders and had been suspended numerous times at his previous schools.  He was academically four grade levels behind all his peers in all his subjects.  Keith had given up on himself. Previous staff members had given up on him as well. Staff members at Mrs. Carson’s school began praying for Keith before and after school at their daily and weekly campus Encouragement (share, care and prayer) meetings. They asked God to lead them while working with this young man. They didn’t know the way.
            Mrs. Carson began returning good for the evil Keith regularly shared with her. Mrs. Carson constantly encouraged, praised, and thanked Keith. Mrs. Carson integrated Keith’s gifting, his love and talent in sports, into his daily program. Firm boundaries and consequences were set. Mrs. Carson was honest and spoke the truth to Keith and corrected him in love. Keith’s physical need for sleep was fulfilled. Mrs. Carson worked with Keith one-on-one for hours with custom teacher-made curriculums and programs. Five staff members worked with Keith throughout the day.   At year’s end Keith had built a trust relationship with the staff and had come to understand educators are ladders, not just more dirt throwers and pit diggers.  By the grace of God, Keith even passed his modified state mandated grade level reading and math tests, the first time ever in his academic career.  It was a miracle. Mrs. Carson and the supporting staff brought Keith one step closer to his promised land.
            May you and your fellow staff members be the rungs of God’s ladder that help young people climb out of their dark pits, see the Son shine, and get a vision of the hope and future God has planned for them throughout the new year. 

Prayer:  God, we apologize for throwing dirt into students’ pits in years past. We apologize for murmuring and complaining when students, parents, and staff have stepped on us. Thank you for making us rungs on your career ladder. Grant us more faith, wisdom, and knowledge so we can withstand more weight and help more students.
Application: You know the teaching of Jesus. JUST DO IT.
Sharing:  What was the most challenging student you ever taught who you helped out of a pit? Explain.

CLASSROOM LIGHTHOUSE SERIES: TEACHER! TAKE COURAGE!  (For inquiries contact ceaihouston@sbcglobal.net.) 

Monday, October 21, 2013

Faith-Friendly Public Schools




I love how Facebook has the power to bring family, friends and even important news to the forefront for me. As I was adding our 1:16PM prayer prompt to the our 1:16PM Facebook page this morning, I noticed this great article about being Christian in the public schools and how we can make a difference. Eric Metaxas, from the Chuck Colson Center, writes and records in his own voice, the truth about religious freedoms in the public schools in a commentary posted on October 16th called, “Faith-Friendly Public Schools: We Can Make a Difference.”
My favorite part were the two stories of errors made by teachers who disallowed students to express themselves only because they really didn’t understand the law. One of the school districts even stepped up to the plate and made sure that all educators and administrators were educated on the religious freedoms afforded under the Constitution.

Eric Buehrer, advocate and speaker for Gateways to Better Education has supplied a great Checklist for School Improvement to help your school and district better understand the religious freedoms. Please download it and share with your colleagues and district leaders.  Be a blessing!

For the full article in written and audio recording, please visit “Faith-Friendly Public Schools: We Can Make a Difference.” at the Colson Center website.


Prayerfully dependent,
K


PS. Don’t forget to spread the word about the 1:16PM Prayer Movement.
      Go to www.one16pray.com for more information
      Go to www.ceai.org for more information (which will point you to the above address!)
      Visit,  "like", and add comments the 1:16PM Facebook page.
      Sign up for text message prayer prompts from Remind 101 (we have 205!)
      Follow us on Twitter for the prayer prompts @one16pray
      Look for the prayer prompts on the 1:16 PM website or Facebook page.

May God bless you with success His way this 2013-2014 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.