Whether we like it or not, testing season is right around the corner! I wish I had a dollar for every time I heard the question, “Do we have to take the test?” I would be rich right now! Educators know testing is a necessary part of our job, but it is not always something we or the students enjoy. Granted, authentic testing sheds important light on our students’ progress. However, it also reveals our effectiveness as educators. Perhaps this is why it is so stressful. Eve

If you’re an educator, you might be a little obsessed with doing things right. Wanting to do things well is a good thing. In fact, doing our best is Biblical ( Colossians 3:17, 23 ). However, speaking from experience, when “doing our best” morphs into perfectionism, we might find ourselves looking up from a deep, dark pit. Before delving into a couple of pitfalls, it might be wise to clarify the meaning of perfectionism . Merriam-Webster defines perfectionism as a disposit

Jabez cried out to the God of Israel, “Oh, that You would bless me and enlarge my territory! Let your hand be with me, and keep me from harm so that I will be free from pain.” God granted his request. (I Chronicles 4:10) The Prayer of Jabez is the type of prayer we can pray every day. Friends, God hears every word we utter. He knows our deepest thoughts and desires. What He loves most, however, is our intentional decision to make it a priority to connect with Him authentica

Dear children, let’s not merely say that we love each other; let us show the truth by our actions. 1 John 3:18 Talking about, reading about, and thinking about love never gets old. Love is something we all yearn for. Why? I believe it is because you and I were created out of love and for love ( 1 John 4:7 ). I realize love can seem complex and confusing at times, but the love we were created for is quite simple. We love because He first loved us ( 1 John 4:19 ). We just fi

Valentine’s Day is tomorrow, and love is in the air! Do you remember your first love? Thinking of our first love transports many of us back to middle or high school. Emotions and feelings we couldn’t quite identify began to surface. Having taught these grade levels, I learned to identify these affections brewing in my students. It’s hard to explain but easy to see! Something special was happening. As we all know, this type of love can be fickle and fleeting, unlike the love

Pilate said, “So you are a king?” Jesus responded, “You say I am a king. Actually, I was born and came into the world to testify to the truth. All who love the truth recognize that what I say is true.” “What is truth?” Pilate asked. John 18:37-38a The question Pilate asked almost 2000 years ago is still being wrestled with today. Everyone seems to be seeking truth as if it can’t be found, as if it exists in some undiscovered cavern of mystery. Truth today ebbs and flows on t

What do you see when you look into the eyes of your students? Joy? Excitement? Wonder? Despair? Loneliness? Anger? Many believe our kids are in trouble today. Our culture is full of mixed messages, and many of these ideas have caused people to devalue the church. Approximately 50 million children leave home each day to attend public schools. Most are unchurched, and many of them have never heard the name Jesus . To say our schools are a mission field is an understatement.

I think it is safe to say that 2022 isn’t panning out as anyone thought it would. As the pandemic rages on and schools struggle to stay open, frustration and discouragement are running rampant. It really is a helpless feeling. It’s time to pray! Like most of you, I set some New Year’s resolutions for myself. One spiritual discipline I know I need to grow in is prayer. One of my memory verses is Luke 5:16. “But Jesus often withdrew to the wilderness for prayer.” Two words sta

This week’s blog is inspired by a good friend and fellow victorious educator, Lindsey Nelson. With her permission, I want to share with you the powerful words Lindsey sent me this past week. I keep feeling the Lord is saying to our VEM educators, “Approach this year with expectancy! Expect God to show up. Expect God to do big things. Expect God to walk with you when you are running on empty. EXPECT! We have a God we can expect great things from and who doesn’t disappoint!”

Each new year brings with it new resolutions, different goals, and special terms to encourage and challenge us. Social media feeds are bombarding us right now with advertisements and friendly targets for 2022. A typical pledge in the new year is to adopt some type of exercise and/or diet regimen, a promise to get healthy in the new year! The holidays can certainly take its toll on our waistlines! Physical health and fitness should always be a priority for us, but as with an

Have you ever looked back on a past life event and said to yourself, “Oh, now I get it!” I’m sure we all have done this at one time or another, especially at the culmination of a long, challenging year. I can remember heading into 2021 with great expectations. I think we all did. Although things have been somewhat better, many would say 2021 was nearly as difficult as 2020. In fact, the Omicron variant is soaring as we speak. As the pandemic drags on, confusion and uncer

Christmas 2021 is in the books. All the hype is over, and as much as we want to embrace the spirit of the season, many educators are already thinking about 2022 and their return to school. Before you allow yourself to delve back into a work mindset, I want to encourage you to take some time to internalize Christmas. In doing so, our hearts will be strengthened and our minds will be ready to take on a new year! I’m taking my inspiration from Mary. We all know the story. Gabri

It is impossible to think of Christmas without thinking about gifts. For the last few months we have been bombarded by advertisements for the “perfect” gift! For believers, however, Christmas goes far beyond material gifts. It reminds us of the gifts we receive through our Savior, Jesus Christ! While material gifts bring temporary satisfaction, the gift of Jesus changes our lives forever. He truly is the gift that keeps on giving! So what are the “gifts” we receive as belie

Mary responded , “I am the Lord’s servant. May everything you have said about me come true.” And then the angel left her. Luke 1:38 In preparation for Christmas, I have been reading back through the Book of Luke. The verses are familiar, but it feels like I am reading it for the first time. There is so much packed into each chapter. I catch myself wanting Luke to slow down and give me more details! It doesn’t matter how many times we read the same passages, the Holy Spirit

Signs of Christmas are everywhere. From the poinsettias in the grocery stores to the bright lights decorating our downtowns, a spirit of celebration fills the air. You can’t go anywhere without seeing evidence of the upcoming holiday. Even the stewardess on my flight today had on red and white nail polish! Everyone is so excited about Christmas…or are they? I couldn’t help but wonder if there are students in our schools today who are experiencing a sense of dread this holida

As educators, we make hundreds of decisions daily. Experts estimate we make nearly 1500 decisions during the course of a single day. Some decisions are made impulsively; others require serious contemplation. Wise decision making doesn’t come easy. It is something to be cultivated. Life is a series of choices, and we all know choices have consequences. No one wants to make unwise decisions. I know hindsight is 20/20, but wouldn’t it be nice to have clear vision BEFORE we ma

Thanksgiving is a holiday that conjures up warm feelings for me. It isn’t quite as crazy as Christmas, and it represents many things I love – good food, family, cooler temperatures, and fall colors. As educators it is often a time for us to help our students focus on gratitude. It’s not unusual to see bulletin boards decorated with turkey feathers acknowledging all we have to be thankful for. Many teachers use this holiday to choose writing prompts emphasizing thankfulness.

Every time I hear the chant , “Go! Fight! Win!” I am transported back to high school. I grew up in a small town in Southwest Kansas. Friday nights in the fall were all about football and cheering our local team to victory! I feel certain “Go! Fight! Win!” was and still is a staple at most sporting events. As weird as this may sound, I was reminded of this cheer when recently reading about an Old Testament battle. Most of us are familiar with Moses and his difficult job of

“What are you thinking about right now?” the teacher asked the daydreaming student. “I don’t know,” came the honest response. The teacher inquired further, “Well, you have to be thinking about something.” “No, not really,” the student replied. Teachers sometimes refer to this mental state as la-la land. This often happens to me when I go on a walk, especially if I’m by myself. There have been times when I have walked for half of an hour just gawking around and suddenly real

Today is Halloween, and I imagine most teachers are not looking forward to the “sugar-high” most students will be experiencing on Monday! The only thing worse is when Halloween falls on a school day. I can remember years ago when we used to let everyone dress up. I have to admit it was fun, but I’m not sure much learning actually occurred. Thank goodness most communities have opted for fall festivals as an alternative. Everyone seems to enjoy this holiday, which is now cons