“ I’m always so busy during the holidays just trying to keep my head above water. The time between Halloween and Christmas is often a blur .” Sound familiar? This statement was made during a recent conversation I had with a teacher as she contemplated the school’s upcoming calendar. Being an educator during the holiday season is both invigorating and exhausting. There is so much fun centered on decorations, activities, and special events. However, everyone still has to teach

Sometimes the Lord gives us a glimpse into something wondrous. He provides chances in life to view familiar scenes through new eyes, eyes that see beyond the present to future possibilities. What better place to experience such events than in a school? I was recently reminded of something I already knew—teachers can impact the future of children in ways we can only imagine. Schools are changing. While much remains the same, education continues to evolve. One major change I

I want to start off by thanking you for taking the time to read this blog. I realize time is precious, and the fact that you are willing to spend a few moments here is not lost on me. I am taking a different approach this week in order to gain insight into how this ministry can better serve Christian educators. In order to do this, I need to take just a moment to share my heart with you. It has been close to twenty years since God first laid this ministry on my heart. Over

How many of you have ever asked your own children, “ What did you learn today?” I suspect many of your kids responded like mine by saying, “Nothing .” As educators, we know this answer is nonsense, but children often have a hard time articulating their learning. It’s as if they forgot the content before their backpacks hit the entryway floor. Maybe it’s just laziness. Perhaps they simply are “done” talking about school by the time they get home. Whatever the reason, as a l

It isn’t fun to write a blog on suffering. Suffering is not a topic anyone wants to talk about. It is so much easier to pretend it doesn’t exist. It was difficult to watch and listen this past week as Hurricane Ian left devastation and suffering in its wake. I was not only concerned for family members and friends but also for those educators who will be instrumental in helping pick up the pieces when the waters recede. It seems as though there has been too much suffering l

When I think of all the sermons I’ve heard, the Bible studies I’ve completed, and the books I’ve read, I don’t remember anyone ever delving deep into the goodness of God. I mean really examining God’s goodness and how understanding His goodness can literally change everything! The reason for this may stem from the fact that we all think we understand the term “good” pretty well. After all, goodness is something everyone values, believers and unbelievers alike. While goodne

I want to use this week’s blog to tell you about something that may seem a little unusual. It seems lately I have been thinking in terms of analogies. I see or hear something, and I automatically catch myself creating a spiritual application in my head. Sometimes the applications make perfect sense, but at other times they are quite the stretch! I wish I knew if anyone else did this. If you do, please tell me in the comments. I would love to not be the only one! One of my

The beginning of each new school year is always so exciting. The smell of fresh paint and clean rooms awakens our senses to a fresh start. It is exhilarating to reconnect with colleagues, make new friends, and welcome the smiling faces of students who are delighted to be back in school! One thing I love about education is no two years are alike. With each new year comes new opportunities. As believers how can we make the most of the time we are given? Before we tackle this

It is heartbreaking when students say something like the comments listed below. · “I’m not good at this.” · “I’m so stupid.” · “It’s all my fault.” · “I shouldn’t have even tried.” Even more disheartening are those kids who don’t say anything aloud but refrain from doing certain activities because they’ve already convinced themselves that they’re not good enough. As educators, we are the first to encourage these students, attempting to nullify the un

For some reason, the word “labor” conjures up weird pictures in my head. I don’t know why, but I automatically visualize men, dirty and sweating, working on railroad tracks in the heat of summer. I have no earthly idea where this comes from; it’s probably from those old westerns my husband watches! I do know, however, from long-forgotten history lessons and a little help from Google, that Labor Day was passed after many protests regarding poor working conditions, unrealistic

It probably isn’t popular or even wise to admit one’s neediness these days. For the purposes of this blog, I am not referring to individuals who have legitimate needs. We all know our world is full of people who need support financially, physically, spiritually, and emotionally. I do not want to be insensitive to this truth. There is a difference, however, between having needs and being needy. Is it OK to be needy? Neediness by the world’s definition usually reflects someone

Do you have new staff members in your building this year? According to the National Center for Education Statistics (October 2023), the answer is a resounding, “Yes!” Eighty-six percent of U.S. K-12 public schools reported challenges hiring teachers for the 2023-24 school year, with 83 percent reporting trouble hiring for non-teacher positions. Undoubtedly, there will be many unfamiliar faces walking the halls of our schools this year. Will they be seen? Will they feel ac

The beginning of the year is such an exciting time. New materials, clean classrooms, fresh faces, renewed energy—it is all so inspiring! We always start the year with high hopes. However, if you’ve been in education for any length of time, you know a typical school year is riddled with ups and downs, twists and turns, and sometimes a significant amount of drama! I don’t know why this seems to catch us off guard. While it is important to maintain a positive outlook, we also ha

You might be wondering why I would write a blog in August about solitude. To be honest, I can’t think of a better time to remind us all of this important and often overlooked spiritual discipline. Solitude is often defined as the state of being alone. I’m sure everyone has his/her own view of what solitude looks and feels like. When I think of solitude, I envision myself sitting alone in nature—maybe near a river, on the beach, or on a hilltop—taking in everything around me,

Empty school parking lots are starting to show signs of life. Many administrators and support staff are back at work, and teachers are filtering in and out to begin preparations for another school year. Whether your school year starts in a few weeks or after Labor Day, I’m sure your heart is stirring with anticipation. What will this year bring? Here is what I want you to remember. God already knows. · He knows who your students are going to be, including the names and

I hope you had a chance to read last week’s blog by Kathy Gross. If not, you can find it by clicking on the link below. ( https://www.victoriouseducator.com/post/celebrating-a-true-victorious-educator ). Her tribute to a dear friend and fellow educator, Lori, was incredibly inspiring. Lori’s example set a high bar for the rest of us. Her legacy of love, compassion, care, concern, and joy left me reflecting on my own actions and past practices as an educator. I must admit I

How many dear friends do you have because your paths crossed as educators? In my opinion, this is one of the biggest blessings of being an educator. We meet precious people along the way! This is the story of one such friendship, an encounter that changed my life. Lori Hembree and I met in my first year of teaching and grew as friends and prayer partners for the next 30 years. Unfortunately for me and others, her fight against an aggressive cancer brought our time together

I have always loved the sun. Growing up in Southwest Kansas was all about summers in the sunshine. I distinctly remember spending long days playing tennis and swimming. The heat never seemed to bother me. In fact, I was part of the generation who slathered themselves with baby oil for a good tan. The hard-core tanners would add a little iodine to the oil for good measure! Don’t ask me how I know. Sunscreen was not in our vocabulary back then, and deeply tanned skin was in.

July 4, Independence Day, is celebrated as the birth of American independence. No matter who you are, your political party, or your stance on various issues, you likely value independence. I feel like I grew up in the “independence” generation. I am a part of the Generation Jones era. I’m not sure how it played out for everyone, but as a female growing up during this time period, the value placed on independence was undeniable. The feminist movement of the ’60s spilled into

It has been a while since I have done much skipping. The last time I did so was with my granddaughters. In preparation for this blog, I decided to go outside and skip to remind myself what it felt like! I paid attention to my posture, my facial expression, and my overall feelings. As my shoulders pulled back and my body leaned into the forward motion, an inevitable smile emerged on my face. I couldn’t help it! Skipping and smiling seem to go together. Don’t you think? Any