16-9

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 2014-2015 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.

Tuesday, May 5, 2015

Teacher Appreciation Week - Tuesday

Today is officially Teacher Appreciation Day during this Teacher Appreciation Week. Our mission at CEAI is to encourage, equip and empower you according to Biblical principles. Each day this week, we will post a blessing that includes:

a video to encourage you
a verse to equip you
a prayer to empower you

Encourage

We have heard many great quotes about what an inspirational teacher can be for a child. But one of the ones that encapsulates them all is "Thank A Teacher Today." Today's video made me very grateful to my own teachers and for being a teacher. Even though this video ends up being a plug for an ed-tech product, its message is great.

Link to the video

Equip

Equip yourself with the sword of the Spirit today as you walk the halls of your school.

Col. 4:5-6 - Walk in wisdom toward outsiders, making the best use of the time. Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer each person.

Empower

Dear Lord,

You are the Teacher of teachers. Thank You for calling us to teach. Lord, we know that we have a captive audience each day and that we need to guard the words that proceed out of our mouths. Let the words we speak today be a blessing, a soothing ointment that one student needs today. Lord, we realize that we will never know the true impact of everything we say and do to each child that comes under our charge over the years, but please help us act like every word and every moment does count for eternity. Thank You Lord for this Teacher Appreciation Day. May we be a blessing to our paraprofessionals on our campus today. Thank You for the gift of teaching. Amen.

As always, I am

Prayerfully yours,

K

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 2014-2015 school year.

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

Monday, May 4, 2015

Teacher Appreciation Week - Monday

Teachers, we just want to bless you. Thank you for your high calling. This week we would like to present you with three little things each day:

a video to encourage you
a verse to equip you
and a prayer to empower you

Encourage

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.

Equip

Roll this verse around in your mind all day. Read it, say it, meditate on it and act on it.

Hebrews 10:24 - And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works....

Empower

Dear Lord,

Please bless the teachers today. Give them the wisdom and strength to be excellent. Help them Lord to look at their students as fearfully and wonderfully made particularly when that student is not so lovable. Lord, can you help them to encourage their administrators today no matter what relationship they may have with them. Show them your love and help all teachers to be givers, not just receivers during this Teacher Appreciation Week. Please help our teachers to understanding their high calling. We love you, Lord and thank You for making us teachers! Amen.

Have a great Monday!

As always, I am
Prayerfully yours,

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 2014-2015 school year.

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

Sunday, April 19, 2015

In Every School

A note slipped to me by a 6th grade boy

In every school that I visit, I find the same dilemma - a fear to be identified as Christian. How has that happened? Over decades of misinformation, Christians in the public schools have been told that prayer is a violation of the separation of church and state. That one phrase has been used over and over again without real understanding. Separation of church and state is not even in the Constitution, but in a letter from Thomas Jefferson. What was passed by the Supreme Court in 1962 was to disallow prayer sanctioned by the "state." In other words, teachers could not lead prayer nor could a time of organized prayer by the school be held.

Is it any wonder that there is confusion? Truth be told, students of all faiths are free to pray alone or in groups during the school day, as long as they don't disrupt or interfere with instructional time. Teachers are allowed to pray with each other and for the students BEFORE or AFTER their contract times. Yet, so many of us have believed that separation of church and state is part of the Bill of Rights when in fact you cannot even find that phrase in the Constitution at all. What the First Amendment says is: Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances. Prayer is free speech and as Americans, we do not leave their 1st Amendment rights at the school house door.

No matter where you find yourself on this matter, the reality is that most of the public school community is misinformed or overzealous or over concerned. As long as there are standardized tests in schools, there will be prayer in school! Because I have the unique opportunity to visit scores of schools each year, I purposely seek out the Christians on campus to encourage, equip and empower them in their Godly walk. At times, it is very easy to identify a Christian, but at other times, I will find that when I finally find one, it slowly leads to many more. Being in Christian fellowship with your colleagues, in a gracious, open-ending way is not only a blessing personally, but a blessing for the schools. Educators who walk their walk, will love the unlovable, provide for the needs of the less fortunate and see the children and their colleagues as fearfully and wonderfully made.

If you are a Christian in the public schools, seek out a colleague that you can pray with before or after school. Ask God for the specific needs of your campus and begin to serve as an ambassador. There are thousands of Christians in the public schools who feel unsure of what they can and cannot do and therefore fall into the misinformed arena. Here are a few things you can do right away:

Understand your legal parameters. Read the first entry of this blog.
Research what tools are available to you on the Christian Educators' website - www.ceai.org
Read the post "Be Jesus"
Pray each school day at 1:16PM. www.one16pray.com
Read/listen to the Word of God each school day in unity with your brothers and sisters in the public schools. www.aw180days.com
Visit, "like" and add comments to our Facebook pages (there's one for Christian Educator, 1:16PM and Around the Word in 180 Days)

You are not alone. You have thousands of like-minded Christians in the public school who, like you, are wondering what they can and cannot do. The most important thing is to frame everything you do around "What Would Jesus Do?" There is really no need to use words, but instead just "Be Jesus."

As always, I am
Prayerfully yours,

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 2014-2015 school year.

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

Saturday, March 7, 2015

The Book of Esther - Part 10 of 10

St. Augustine, FL

We have reached the end of the Esther study and praise God for how he is active in the little things and the big things of life. This last Chapter is the shortest in the whole book and makes a classic summary statement in the last verse, “Mordecai the Jew was second in rank to King Xerxes, preeminent among Jews, and held in high esteem by his many fellow Jews, because he worked for the good of his people and spoke up for the welfare of all the Jews.” I want to be Mordecai when I grow up! I would love to have it said about me that I worked for the good of Christian educators everywhere and that I spoke up for welfare of all teachers. I love how it is put in the English Standard Version (ESV). “For Mordecai the Jew was second in rank to King Ahasuerus, and he was great among the Jews and popular with the multitude of his brothers, for he sought the welfare of his people and spoke peace to all his people.”

Put your name and your passion or mission in those verses. "________ sought the welfare of ________ and spoke peace to all people, or _______ worked for the good of all ________ and spoke up for the welfare of all ________." Who are you working for? Who do you get up each morning and seek to be a blessing to? Is it your family, your spouse, your children, your parents, your students, your colleagues, your administration? It doesn’t matter who it is, but try to fill in those blanks each day and you will live your life more purpose driven, mission focused and spirit-filled. As we take our eyes off our problems and focus on how we can be a blessing to others, we represent Him on earth. It’s not easy, but it is rewarding.

I have been so grateful for your patience with my through this study. I believe that the book of Esther is one of the most important and inspirational studies “for such a time as this.”

As always, I am
Prayerfully yours,

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 2014-2015 school year.

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

Saturday, February 28, 2015

The Book of Esther - Part 9 of 10

Miami, FL

What goes around, comes around. I love the way it is put in Chapter 9 of the Book of Esther - “On this day the enemies of the Jews had hoped to overpower them, but now the tables were turned and the Jews got the upper hand over those who hated them.” God is sovereign over all. Casting our cares upon the Lord is not just a pithy statement. Allowing Him to carry our burdens is the priceless gift of being his child. The problem is that we cast our cares upon Him and then take them back. Why do we do that? The beginning of the school year is a most unique time. As we begin to establish relationships, routines and procedures with our students, there are times when our students don’t always see eye-to-eye with us. At times, our lessons don’t come off as we hoped or we just can’t get it all done. All these added together can be a sleepless night or more. If you ever find yourself in the position of worry, or if you have students who seem to be the enemy, it’s time to cast your burden upon Him. Do you think for one minute that anyone in Xeres’s kingdom ever thought that an edict to kill all the Jews could be turned around to a victory celebration for the Jews? He is sovereign in the affairs of men, both great and small. If He can completely change a kingdom, how hard could it be to change a classroom environment? We must believe that He really is the God of our classrooms, our schools, our communities and our world.

The next time you walk in your classroom, particularly if you have students who are giving you trouble, ask God to take over. I personally witnessed an intervention of the Holy Spirit this year when one of my students came in all fired up about something totally unrelated to our class and then proceeded to be a disruption. I stood behind him and ask God to intervene because this was going to be too big for me. I ask Him to give this young man a touch on his spirit from the Spirit to give him a sense of calm and compliance. I walked away to start class, basically forgot about my request and about half way through the class I realized that the young man was peaceful, working and basically on task. That’s victory. I could have used my own devices and it probably would have resulted in referral of some type. God is good. He has fearfully and wonderfully created each of those students in your class and has a vested interest in each one of them. Let the Lord fight your battles for you. He is so much more able than we.

Please read Chapter 10 for next time! Don’t be shy. You can enrich this study with your own voice in the comment section. You are loved.

As always, I am
Prayerfully yours,

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 2014-2015 school year.

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

Saturday, February 21, 2015

The Book of Esther - Part 8 of 10

St. Cloud, FL

“If I find favor with you, O king, and if it pleases your majesty….” Can you imagine if anyone spoke like that in the school setting? What if we were truly concerned with authority, we would be open to addressing our superiors in a like manner and teaching our students respect. In Chapter 7, Esther’s very life is at stake, so her motivation is much higher to address the king, but I believe she had confidence to know that he would protect her once he knew her petition. When Esther explained to the king that she and her people were sold for destruction, slaughter and annihilation, the king was outraged and demanded to know who the perpetrator was. Haman was exposed and disposed. What relief it must have been for Esther to experience the protection and covering of her king.

Our Protector and King is far more powerful and wonderful than any earthly king. We can go to Him for protection and provision for all our needs with the absolute confidence that He will avenge our enemies and provide a way of escape for us. Like Esther, I would like to propose that any time we have an idea, conflict, or even a proposal for our administrators, why not approach them like Esther? Perhaps, opening the conversation with, “If it pleases you or I find favor with you,” may sound a little old fashion, there is no doubt that it will focus our administrator on our true heart. If we have gone before our true King first and sought permission to make the request, then it would be wisdom to use the model He has prepared for us to petition our superiors.

An example may be a field trip for your students that would be of great value, but most field trips have been disallowed. (unless, of course, all field trips are not permitted). Seek God for the words to write up your proposal. Do your homework and research the details. Present it in written format (perhaps a brochure to be unique) in order that you may leave your idea with your administrator for further thought. Arrange for an appointment for his/her undivided attention and pray before the meeting for wisdom and the words that would communicate the vision. When you begin the meeting, use Esther’s words, “If I have favor with you and it pleases you - would you allow me the opportunity to propose a field trip for my students?” After a brief discussion, leave your written proposal and ask that your administrator take a deeper look at it when he/she has time to read it through. Thank them for their time and leave it in God’s Hands. Please understand that you are not trying to get your way through God’s approval, but that you are seeking to do only those things in your classroom that are pleasing to Him , your administrator, your students and their parents. The beauty of asking God’s provision for even field trips is that we cannot always see through our own selfish desires and the Holy Spirit, the great Convictor, can guide and correct us. It is my prayer that all Christian educators become prayerfully dependent up Him for all their needs and are gracious in word and deed to all on our individual campuses.

Please read Chapter 8 for next time! Don’t be shy. You can enrich this study with your own voice in the comment section.

As always, I am
Prayerfully yours,