Purpose Driven Classroom

The purpose of this blog is to encourage Christian Educators to recognize their high calling as a teacher. We will be studying the Book of Esther for the next few months. Join us for this ten part study and don't forget to comment on how you think this applies to the classroom. May God help you to see your purpose for Him as a missionary in our schools in America.

Day 20

My dear teachers,

Relationships are worth restoring. Rick Warren has given all of us a most important, yet difficult charge this week - reconciliation.  When I looked up reconcile in the dictionary, I found “to bring into agreement; to restore to friendliness.”  As Christian educators we must take the high road to do the reconciling. I wonder how many of us can say that there has never been anyone on our campus that we haven’t offended or who has offended us.  It’s almost impossible to be among educators who naturally are in control, to not have differences of opinions.  The destructive part is when the relationship is broken.

 

I know from my own experience that when I had a colleague that I offended (even though I didn’t know I had at the time) the relationship was not only broken, but the hurt escaladed over time.  I found myself avoiding areas of the campus where I knew she would most likely be.  In those times when contact was unavoidable, I was pleasant but my heart was anxious to be far from her.  It was not until, I really understood that my prayers were being blocked that I finally repented.  I asked God to create a time and place for reconciliation.  I just didn’t know what to do, but I knew that I could not “shine my light” when I was living a lie.

 

I ran into my offended colleague at an off-campus event where neither of us were hurried.  After praying for her for almost two years, I knew this was the time to speak up.  I confessed that I had broken our relationship and that there wasn’t anything more important in the whole world than repairing it because I wanted to report back to God.  I don’t remember my exact words, but I do know that they were not planned and flowed with grace that I do not naturally possess.  We cried. We hugged and most importantly, we reconciled. 

 

It was so foolish for me to wait so long.  Time does not heal broken relationships. It only makes them worse.  I challenge you today.  If there is someone on your campus that you have been avoiding, start praying for them.  Ask God to help you find the right time and the right words for reconciliation and peace.  As Christian educators, we must take the first step and give God the praise for what He is best at - reconciliation.

 

From Rick Warren: Romans 12:18 - Do everything possible on your part to live in peace with everybody.

 

From me: Matt. 5:9 - Blessed are the peacemakers for they shall be called sons of God.

 

Until next time, I am…..

Prayerfully yours,
Karen

by: seddonk at 17:33 | link | comments

Day 19

My dear teachers,

The last two weeks we spoke about forming encouragement groups at school for the purpose of covering our schools in prayer.  This week I would like to introduce you to someone who has put this into practice, Jack Wells.  Jack is the founder of SchooLife, a non-denominational ministry that reaches out to encourage educators to pray.  Jack is also Florida’s State Director of Christian Educators with a huge heart for prayer.

 

Everything Jack does begin with prayer.  When he first felt called to start teacher prayer groups, he prayed.  Before he stepped foot on one campus in Palm Beach County to form prayer groups, he prayed.  I recall Jack telling me about the early stages of forming prayer groups (encouragement groups) in Palm Beach County.  He would ride around in the parking lot of the school while praying for direction and favor.  He would often be met by a secretary who would ask who he represented.  Jack’s answer was SchooLife.  The secretary would often ask if that was insurance and Jack couldn’t help but answer, “Kind of!”  The next question would naturally be, “What do you do?”  Jack would explain that he started encouragement groups for the teachers and the secretaries would reply, “Oh, our teachers need encouragement,” and Jack was often led right to the principal!

 

When the doors didn’t open so wide, he would pray for a Christian on the campus to be inspired to begin a prayer group and nine times out of ten, there would be a nice little car with a fish on the back or Jesus Love You sticker.  Jack would leave a card with a note and contacts were made in this manner.  There are now over 165 prayer groups in the Palm Beach County schools!  That’s the power of prayer in action.

 

In this chapter of the Purpose Driven Life, Rick Warren is admonishing us to commit to communities.  You may not have a Jack Wells knocking on your principal’s door or putting notes on your car, but you do have Christians on your campus who need encouragement.  Pray and ask God what He would like you to do.  You may be very surprised.  Please let us know what happens!

 

From Rick Warren: 1st John 3:16 - We understand what love is when we realize that Christ gave His life for us.  That means we must give our lives for other believers.

 

From me: Hebs.10:24-25 -  And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting meeting together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another….

Until next time, I am…..

Prayerfully yours,
Karen

by: seddonk at 17:40 | link | comments (2)

Day 18

My dear teachers,

“Life is meant to be shared” is the opening statement for Day 18.  Rick Warren really hits it on the head here. You can’t be a Christian and operate all on your own.  I believe that is particularly important for teachers.  In our profession it is easy to be an island.  We get in our classrooms and may not even have any adult conversation the whole day! This was especially hard for my husband to understand when I found myself talking incessantly when I got home.  I thank God for my husband’s patience and forgiveness through that stage.

 

It was not until I became a Christian that I understood that I was on this earth to serve and not to be served.  As teachers, we are in the role of service, but that doesn’t always make us a servant.  We all need to be careful to be mindful of the stresses, pressures and needs of our fellow colleagues.  When the staff is compassionate to each other, the children are treasured more.

I would like to encourage you to seek out one or more of your colleagues and consider starting an encouragement group - a prayer group.  Teachers’ plates are more full than most professions with demands upon their time like no other.  Immediately this request will sound like ONE MORE THING TO DO, but the purpose of the encouragement group is to get together on a regular basis to pray, study the Word and gain strength to forgive, encourage and have sympathy for each other.  Don’t’ worry if you group is small.  That’s even better.  This is one of  those times when smaller is better.

When you fellowship in a small group like this you experience mutuality.  Rick Warren defines it as the art of giving and receiving.  It’s depending on each other.  All of us are more consistent in our faith when others walk with us and encourage us.  There is a great teacher book entitled, “If You Don’t Feed the Teachers, They will Eat the Students.”  As Christian educators, we have the opportunity to go to Christ to be fed and ask for help for our colleagues. When we mutually pray for the wellness of our campus and let God take over, a peace that surpasses all understanding will replace our anxieties.

While you are praying this week, ask God to give you one or more educators on your campus who can band together in an encouragement group for the benefit of making a true impact at your school.  For tips and ideas for your encouragement group, go to www.ceai.org and www.prayingeducator.org. Let us help you in this noble profession to make a difference for the next generation.  As Abraham Lincoln said, "The philosophy of the classroom in this generation will be the philosophy of our government in the next generation."

 

From Rick Warren: Gal. 6:2  - Share each other’s trouble and problems, an din this way obey the law of Christ.

From me: Titus 2: 7 - In everything, set them an example by doing what is good.  In your teaching, show integrity, seriousness and soundness of speech, that cannot be condemned, so that those who oppose you may be ashamed because they have nothing bad to say about us.

Until next time, I am…..

Prayerfully yours,
Karen

by: seddonk at 17:53 | link | comments (1)

Day 17

My dear teachers,

Being a Christian is the greatest thing that can happen to a teacher.  Through my whole teaching career, I loved God, yet I did not know Him as my Lord and Savior until my 20th year.  I just can’t understand how I ever made it through the trials of the classroom without prayerful dependency upon Him for all my needs.  Once I bowed under His gracious Hand daily for humility and wisdom with my students, a whole new level of peace came over my classroom.

 

Being a Christian is also a call to belong.  If you are not a member of a local church body, it’s time.  Belonging to a church allows you to grow as a Christian while holding you accountable.  Being in a church that loves the Lord and reads the Word guarantees that you will have direction.  There is no such thing as a solo Christian.

 

This week’s study in the Purpose Drive Life, Rick Warren admonishes us to be committed to other Christians.  He says, “The local church is the classroom for learning how to get along in God’s family.  It is a lab for practicing unselfish, sympathetic love.  As a participating member you learn to care about others and share the experience of others.”  What a great way to practice loving our students!  As teachers, we see more unique individuals on a daily basis that we NEED a lab for practicing unselfish, sympathetic love.

 

I would love to encourage you as a Christian educator to first, belong to a local church, read you Bible everyday and pray. After that, I would ask that you consider joining Christian Educators (CEAI). I have been so blessed since I became a member of CEAI. What struck me immediately was that I was not alone. There are Christians all over this nation who are teaching!  Can you imagine if we all stepped up and banded together as brothers and sisters in Christ?  Christian Educators are on campus to bless their administrators, colleagues, and students.  We are not perfect, nor do we have all the answers, but we do have each other for strength in those times when we not sure “if it’s ok to…..”

 

I believe that by banding together in love we can make a powerful impact on education through networking and prayer. Check out our website www.ceai.org for more information and feel free to click deeper.  There are amazing resources for all Christian educators in public, private and home school settings.

 

May God bless you and your students this week as you ask Him for wisdom and guidance in all that you do.

 

From Rick Warren: Romans 12:5 - In Christ we who are many form one body, and each member belongs to all the others.

From me: Phil. 2:3 - When you do things, do not let selfishness or pride be your guide. Instead, be humble and give more honor to others than to yourselves. Do not be interested only in your own life, but be interested in the lives of others.

 

Until next time, I am…..

Prayerfully yours,
Karen

by: seddonk at 17:34 | link | comments