Dear Christian educators, The verse says, "If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all." If you reverse the order, it says, "Live peaceably with all, if possible, so far as it depends on you." Either way, what is our responsibility? Yes, you guessed it. We are to initiate peace if we are followers of Christ. It's so difficult when others are not trying. As I write to you, our neighbors have allowed their dog to bark incessantly for the last two hours. It was such a peaceful evening with exceptional weather, but suddenly we had to come in, shut all the windows and we can still hear the dog. Yet, this Scripture rings out, "if possible, so far as it depends on me....." In the meantime, Air Pods and headsets are amazing inventions! 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 17 Romans 12:18 English Standard Version (ESV) If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all. On the school scene, this verse is very important. As the adult Christians on campus we have a special charge to live peaceably with our students, colleagues and parents. What do we do when the angry parents shows up? What do we do when a student is out of control? What happens when our administrators or colleagues are fired up and we lose our sense of peace? How we react is critical? If we snap back, no one would blame us and in fact, there may even be a little cheering section. If we give them what they deserve, we become the judge and jury. As Christian educators, if possible, so far as it depends on us, we have to react peacefully. That clause doesn't let us off the hook when it seems impossible because our testimony needs to be guarded. They know we are Christians by our love. As impossible as it seems, we can live peaceably in an environment that is the total opposite. That's where the Holy Spirit will have to do it for us. Dear Lord,
If possible, Lord? Is it ever possible to live peaceably among those who are not peaceful? You said, so far as it depends on us. I am not capable of being peaceful on my own. Send the Holy Spirit to all your people in the public schools as a sign of Your intervention because with us it is impossible. Help us to show those who are angry, distressed, depressed or violent that there is a better way when you know Jesus. Oh Lord, we love You so much. Grant us peace. We ask in the peaceful Name of Jesus. Amen. Prayerfully yours, Karen and the CIPE Team
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Dear Christian educators, We all want to be blessed. Doesn't always seem like the way of Jesus is the opposite of what we would do? If we went through all the Beatitudes, the topsy-turvy, inside-out, opposite way of Jesus would be obvious. The poor in spirt would have the kingdom, those who mourn will be comforted, the merciful will receive mercy, those who hunger and thirst for righteousness will be satisfied and the peacemakers will be the sons of God. Aren't we so thankful for Jesus? He is the greatest gift to mankind! 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 16 Matthew 5:9 English Standard Version (ESV) “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God. How can we be peacemakers at our school? First, we must pray for that ability. It is not natural in many heated situations. Next, we need to be still and know that God is Who He says He is and that He does what He says He does. He has promised that the Holy Spirit will guide us and give us the words we need. When you are a peacemaker, others notice that you are in a peaceful state amidst a chaotic setting. It is often the opportunity to share Jesus’s love with our colleagues when they ask why we are so calm. Just like a river so smooth and inviting is a Christian educator in a classroom of peace. It’s not by our efforts only that we can be peaceful, but by the enabling of God’s power through the gift of the Holy Spirit. Peace. Dear Lord,
We want to be peacemakers! Help us Lord to listen to Your promptings. Send a double portion of peace-giving that we may be known on our campus as an educator of peace. We know that it's not about our personality or about our natural way, but we do know that all things are possible with You. We are your children, Your sons and daughters and we want to carry the love of Jesus to our students and colleagues each day through being a peacemaker. Help us Lord we pray. Amen. Prayerfully yours, Karen and the CIPE Team Dear Christian educators, Christ will guard your hearts and minds dear friends. A peace that surpasses all understanding is definitely not something you can experience without Christ. How can you share that kind of peace? It may be impossible because only Christ can give us that kind of peace. It's not something that can be taught, nor even caught, but experienced through a deepening relationship with the One we love. 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 15 Philippians 4:7 English Standard Version (ESV) And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. If only we could live in a state of peace that surpasses all understanding throughout the school day! I don't know about you, but I didn't even have time to think about anything except making sure my 150-180 students coming through the door were served. We can asked the Lord to bless us with peace before each school day, before each lesson and give Him thanks for what He has done. This promise reminds me of the saying you see on church buildings from time to time. Know Jesus know peace. No Jesus no peace. We need His peace to guard our hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Dear Lord, Send Your peace Lord. Guard our hearts and minds in Christ Jesus because this is bigger than we can comprehend. Please show us Lord what you mean by a peace that surpasses all understanding. You are the God of Comfort, the One Who cares and the One Who shows up. In that we have great peace. You are the Only One Who can guard our hearts and minds through Jesus Christ. Lord, limit our distractions that we may spend more time with You. Lord of peace, we love You. Thank You for Your peace in the peaceful name of Jesus we pray. Amen. Prayerfully yours, Karen and the CIPE team Dear Christian educators, Peace can be so illusive at school. The hamster wheel effect sets in the minute we step through the door. Yet Jesus has promised to give us His peace. The world cannot give us peace. Our school community cannot give us peace. Only Jesus can leave us with peace. I just started praying in a Prayer Triplet this week and we are praying for your peace and success in these last 9 weeks. It's not impossible. It's supernatural to experience His peace. Ask God to show you. 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 14 John 14:27 English Standard Version (ESV) Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid. How can we experience peace in the classroom? I wrote a blog post years ago that I'd like to share - Peace in the Classroom. This is a short excerpt from the post. When Jesus left the earth, He gave us the Holy Spirit to be our peace. As a Christian in the public schools, there is no door or barrier that excludes the Holy Spirit. He is with you in every moment and in every place you go. We must learn to ask God for that peace that surpasses all understanding. Since peace is not a natural component of the everyday classroom, how can we seek peace as a gift to those we are in contact each day? The first and most important step is to begin the day peacefully. If your habit is to jump into the shower or dash to the computer or device as soon as you get up, consider reading the Word FIRST. If it seems impossible because you start far too early, purposely waking up 15 minutes earlier (and going to bed 15 min. earlier) for the express purpose of adding 15 minutes of being in the Word will begin to place purposeful improvement into any hectic life. Second, try to memorize just a few scripture relating to peace so that when you find yourself in the craziness of the day, repeating the Word in your head is a blessing of peace to a weary soul. Third, practice saying nice things to others. Go out of your way to greet people. Make every effort to ask others how their day is going. Look for ways to compliment (especially when you don’t feel like it.) God has designed us to be givers. It is not just a monetary act. We can be givers of our time, our talents, our energies, our word and be a gift of peace. Dear Lord, What a promise! Thank You for leaving Your peace with us. The world has no peace and though there are some peaceful times, there is nothing like Your peace that passes all understanding. Lord, You also told us not to let our hearts be troubled nor be afraid. Lord, help us to believe. Forgive our unbelief. Lord, help us to lock this scripture in our hearts so that when there are stressful or even dangerous times in our lives or at school we can keep the words as a scroll on our soul. Thank You Lord for Your peace. We love you and pray in the Mighty Name of Jesus. Amen. Prayerfully yours, Karen and the CIPE Team Dear Christian educators, Don't we all love this verse? Isn't it what we yearn for as a follower of Christ? Someday He will say to us, "Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little, I will set you over much. Enter into the JOY of your Master!" Oh dear friend, the call on your life to be an educator is no small thing. Oh faithful servant, you are faithful in all the little things. He will reward you in eternity with the big things. 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 13 Matthew 25:23 English Standard Version (ESV) His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.’ What are the little things you are faithful to in the school community? When you give your assignment your all, you are faithful. When your lessons take time and you don't give up, you are faithful. When you go out of your way for one of the little ones, you are faithful. When you look at your position as a way to serve, you are faithful. The Lord knows your heart and will bless you for your faithfulness in the classroom. It reminds me of a scripture we could all memorize so that we can bring it to mind on the hardest of days - Colossians 3:22-24 -Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ. Please remember that whatever you do at school, you are working for the LORD! Dear Lord,
Thank you so much for the encouragement of "Well done!" Lord, we need help being a good steward so that we may be faithful to the work you have purposed us to do. Show us Lord how to be faithful in the little things and prompt us through Your Good Spirit when we are forgetful. You are the Rewarder, the Blesser and the God Who is gracious to us now and into eternity. We praise You Great King in the awesome Name of Jesus. Amen. Prayerfully yours, Karen and the CIPE Team Dear Christian educators, Work! It's not a four-letter word in the sense that some may try to degrade it. Instead, work is worship. Isn't it encouraging to know that God loves to work with His hands? He created it all! Your work is worship, my brothers and sisters. Going to work to earn a pay check is a job. Going to work on purpose, on mission is worship. Each day that we are purpose-driven, mission-focused and spirit-led on our campuses, we are doing the work of God. Be graciously legal dear friends, for there is no law against the Fruit of the Spirit. 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 12 Psalm 92:4 English Standard Version (ESV) For you, O Lord, have made me glad by your work; at the works of your hands I sing for joy. How do we help our students understand that work is important? How can we instill the desire to work? Too often, our students are robbed of the benefits and blessings of work because they do not treasure it. Of course, we can not teach them that their work is worship in the public schools, but we can live our lives like work is the most important way we can worship while on the job. Work worship includes: being on time, being approachable, being attentive to their needs, being merciful and kind and exuding the love of God for His image-bearers. What a privilege we carry. Dear Lord,
Thank you for Your work, the work of Your hands! You own the cattle on a thousand hills. Everything in the heavens and earth are Yours, O Lord and this is Your kingdom. You have made me so glad by Your works. When I look around, I see the work of Your hands everywhere I go. Help me to bust out in spontaneous songs of joy when I see the works of Your Hand. Lord, You are so beautiful. Everything You have made has Your stamp of beauty upon it. What a gift You are to us. Bless this day, Your way. We ask in the Holy Name of Jesus. Amen. Prayerfully yours, Karen and the CIPE Team Dear Christian educators, How beautiful are shouts of joy! I think Lent reminds us not only to try to take in what our Savior has done for us, but to also shout for joy that He is such a marvelous Savior. When do you feel the most joy? Is it a certain time of day? Is it because of people that surround you? Is it when your lesson pops and the kids really get it? Is it when you hear of someone's healing? Perhaps it's a little of all of the above. We certainly have a lot to be joyful for each and every day. Let's sing a song of praise today with a joyful voice (even if it's only joyful noise!) 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 11 Psalm 71:23 English Standard Version (ESV) My lips will shout for joy, when I sing praises to you; my soul also, which you have redeemed. Shouts for joy happen in school all the time when you think about it. When the teacher gives the students a break from homework for the night, the students shout for joy. When the soccer, football, basketball, or favorite team makes it to the championship, there are shouts for joy. When Spring Break finally arrives, there are shouts for joy. How can we keep that kind of joy in the day to day maintenance of a classroom or school community? It's not simple, but a daily praise to our King for all He has done for us in the past, in the present and the future to come will help. Shout for joy in the privacy of your classroom at the end of the day for the help He has given you in success or even failure. He will never leave you nor forsake you. Dear Lord,
I want my lips to shout for joy! You are Marvelous! You are Wonderful! You bring me joy each day. Thank You Lord. I will sing praises to You each day. Praise God through Whom all blessings flow. Praise Him you creatures here below. Praise Him above ye heavenly hosts. Praise Father, Son and Holy Ghost. Lord, my soul is full of grateful thanks for You have redeemed by soul. Thank You for showing me my Savior. I love you and need you in every aspect of my day. I ask in the beautiful Name of Jesus. Amen. Prayerfully yours, Karen and the CIPE Team Dear Christian educators, Some of you are on Spring Break now or in a few weeks. Others will have your break during Easter. What a great time to get into Psalm 51. This incredible Psalm by David will bring strength and joy for the last quarter of the year. From verses 10-12: "Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me. Cast me not away from Your presence, and take not your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of Your salvation, and uphold me with a willing spirit." Consider praying this whole Psalm for your wholeness for the rest of the school year. 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 10 Psalm 51:12 English Standard Version (ESV) Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and uphold me with a willing spirit. In our school environments, we don't see enough joy. Younger children exude a more natural joy as they play and laugh. Jesus taught us that we must be like little children if we are to enter the kingdom. How can we intentionally be more joyful? Joy comes from within and is shown on our persona. Others on our campus are drawn to us when we are joyful. As a Fruit of the Spirit, joy is from God. When we know Him, desire Him, talk to Him, sing praises to Him we have His joy. If your environment needs more joy, sing more, praise more, give thanks more and serve more. Joy is not for us, but to bless those we have contact with each day at school. May the Lord restore the joy of your salvation. Take a trip down to a kindergarten class during planning one day to experience some joy! Dear Lord, Forgive us Lord in those times when we don't display joy. Restore to us the joy of our salvation. There is no greater gift than the saving grace of Jesus Christ. Thank You Lord. Bring His gift to our remembrance when we are feeling low or anxious. Uphold us with Your willing spirit that we may live a life of joy, especially on the tough days, particularly during the sicknesses we or our loved ones experience. Help us Lord to display the Fruit of the Spirit because we are unable on our own. Send Your willing spirit today. We love you and petition You for joy in the Gracious Name of Jesus. Amen. Prayerfully yours, Karen and the CIPE Team 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. 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) 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 and the CIPE team 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. 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 and the CIPE Team 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. |
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