A few years back when I first started this ministry, I remember receiving a message from a teacher thanking me. She explained as a Christian educator that she felt very alone. I want to share with you what she said. Dear Jackie, Thank you so much for starting this ministry. I feel so alone in my school. Teaching has become increasingly difficult with so many administrative changes. I feel I have no one to talk to that can really understand. It is hard not to get discouraged.

If you have ever taught middle school or high school, you have probably been that “someone” a student could talk to. You may even be the type of person colleagues feel they can approach when they need a listening ear or sound advice. As human beings we all have an innate need to share our thoughts, needs, worries, and aspirations. I believe God made us this way on purpose. He placed in us a need to speak and a need to be heard. Who is your “go-to” person when you need to talk

As we celebrated Easter this past week, my daughter shared a song with me called “I’m Alive” by Rich Tolbert, Jr. It is a simple song with a simple message. God knows the plans He has for me. He knows the thoughts He thinks toward me, And nothing is an accident. I'm alive because there's more. I became fixated on the phrase “ because there’s more .” This may sound a bit morbid, but I grew up around death. My father was a funeral home director, and our residence was connected

I’ve been in education for over 35 years. As a result, I’ve been exposed to my fair share of competition. I’m always amazed at how you don’t have to teach children to be competitive. It seems we are wired to want to win. All you have to do is watch a group of five-year-olds play soccer and you will inevitably see a temper tantrum or two when the opposing team makes a goal. Victory is always much sweeter than defeat! As believers, we are in an ongoing competition—a competition

My office has several windows. I love keeping the shutters wide open so I can enjoy the sunshine and admire the signs of spring. But this year is a bit different. The hard freeze here in Texas left its mark. All over town shrubs and trees appear naked, leaves gone, branches brown and brittle—no life in sight. Many of us are going to have to face the music and just rip out the dead foliage and start over. I’m not quite ready to do it yet. I’ve been pruning away the dead branch

It has been a busy week. Traveling, training, coaching – long days and short nights. The life of an educator. But it’s all good. I didn’t get started on the blog as early as usual, but God always seems to provide the time and inspiration…even on an airplane! I literally said out loud, “Lord, it’s late, and I’m tired. What do you want me to write about?” The first thought that came to my mind was “resilience.” I decided not to question Him, so resilience it is! I began by doin

Years ago I read a book entitled “Hoda” by Hoda Kotb. It was quite entertaining. I don’t remember much of the details, but one particular question felt like an arrow directed straight at my heart. “What do people say about you when you leave the room?” One of my first thoughts was the faculty lounge; this is what we called it years ago. Now, we more appropriately call it the workroom, which I happen to like much better! Anyway, this question preyed on my insecurities and my

Has your “want to” ever taken a hit? Have you ever lost your desire for the work to which you once felt called? If not, hang on. It may happen someday, and if it does, it can be very confusing. We can catch ourselves wondering where these strange feelings are coming from. How can something that was once so meaningful become hollow? Case in point. Picture a dynamic teacher, one who is loved by his/her students. This teacher goes above and beyond the call of duty, always seeks

This past month our daughter and her family moved to a larger home. I had the opportunity to help them unpack. I never turn down a chance to be near my granddaughters, even if it involves work! As I was emptying a box of miscellaneous items, I pulled out a small paperback book entitled, The Cross and the Switchblade . The book was written in 1962, so it may not be familiar to many. I couldn’t wait to read it! Let me tell you why. Several years ago, I had the privilege of spea

It's been a long, a long time coming, but I know a change gonna come. Oh yes it will. Sam Cooke The last year has changed me. I am not the same person today I was twelve months ago when this pandemic started. My world, like all of yours, was flipped upside down. What was once certain became uncertain. What I counted on became unreliable. My bucket went from being full to being empty. Everything changed. If you’re an educator, change is undoubtedly part of your daily life. Eve

I don’t like to wait. I feel quite certain that if there is an impatience gene, I have it. As far as I can remember, I have always struggled with waiting. I was reminded of this the other day in a conversation with my five-year old granddaughter. It went something like this. Harper: “ Mema, I need you to…” Me: “Harper, I can’t help you right this minute. You need to wait.” Harper: “But Mema, you know I don’t like to wait!” Me: “I know, Harper, but you just need to b

The topic of breadth or depth has been a long-standing issue for educators. With increased testing, teachers are often faced with a dilemma. Do they push through concepts to ensure exposure to a wide range of ideas (i.e., breadth), or do they linger and address fewer topics extensively (i.e., depth)? This is tough choice. However, I suspect every educator would agree that not much is retained by simply skimming the surface. If our students are going to use and apply what they

When the pandemic hit over ten months ago, just about everything shut down. I went from being so busy I couldn’t catch my breath to making choices on how to prioritize my time more efficiently. For the first time in a long time I felt proactive rather than reactive. I made a commitment to myself to make my physical health a priority. As a result, my husband and I began walking every day. Our long walks would come to benefit us both physically and emotionally in ways we never

I had been praying all week, asking God to give me words of encouragement for this week’s blog. Several thoughts had come to mind, but nothing took hold until the morning of writing day. I literally opened my eyes, and a verse I had read earlier in the week rushed over me. All I could say was, “Thank you, Lord.” The topic was confirmed for me when I sat down to enter my quiet time. I opened my journal to the VERY page I had written on this verse days earlier. I smiled, knowin

Guard your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life. Proverbs 4:23 No one likes to feel vulnerable. No one wants to yield to despair. No one wants to be disenfranchised. Unfortunately, many educators find themselves sinking into one or all of these emotions. While there does seem to be light at the end of the tunnel, relief may still be months away. This is a harrowing thought for many as the daily grind of teaching during a pandemic zaps what little en

Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles of any kind come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing. James 1:2-4 Educators have always had to be strong. Teaching, while fun and rewarding, is inherently challenging. Being in a room with 25 little (or big) humans all day is n

2020 is over, and many are claiming, “Good riddance!” 2020 was a year of disappointment, frustration, hardship, and anger. Needless to say, none of us want to take these feelings into a new year. We all had to come to a place of acceptance, acknowledging (but not liking) the current situation and doing what we could to make the best of it. I would venture to say most of us did not feel like we were in a place of thriving these past nine months. There might be a tendency to tr

As I sit down to pen this blog, it is my prayer that your heart is full of beautiful Christmas memories. Christmas may have looked different for you this year (i.e., less family, food, and fellowship), but we know Christmas is about so much more. When all is stripped away, Jesus remains . This is why we celebrate! Christmas isn’t a once-a-year event. Christmas should live in our hearts year-round. As we approach a new year, I have put together a Christmas acronym to encourage

Christmas is almost here. Are you ready? When I drafted my initial blog, Preparing for Christmas , I had no idea it would turn into a three-part series! We first addressed repentance (i.e., getting our hearts right with the Lord and removing the sin barrier). Next, we tackled our beliefs (i.e., reminding ourselves to hold firm to what we believe about Christmas while keeping doubt at bay). What should be next in our preparation for Christmas? How about… Repent – Believe – Pro

Do our beliefs matter? Consider the following illustrations. · A student believes he is poor at math. He thinks he is incapable of handling new content and often refuses to try. Contrast this with a student who believes in her math abilities. Are the thoughts and actions of these two students different because of their beliefs? · A student believes no one likes her. She internalizes the perceived rejection and withdraws from others. Contrast this with a student who believes s