Honor your father and your mother that it may go well for you

Someone asked me for something particular they could pray for. There are obviously many areas we need to keep praying for in general, but the specific burden on my heart this fall has been for all those in our school system with elderly parents, some who have died this fall. Some of us have recently watched our loved ones struggle with disease and fought alongside them to the end. Others had parents taken suddenly and without warning. Either way, it is a painful void. Pray for healing and comfort.

For many of my peers and coworkers, our parents are aging and are needing our care and we are finding ourselves in the position of trying to balance work and raising a family, along with assisting our mom and dads. It's not easy. Pray for those you know who are in that position but please pray as well as the ones being cared for. It's not easy for them, either, to acknowledge the loss of independence and youthful vigor.

We place a lot of emphasis on teaching our students to respect, honor, and obey their parents. As much as we remind our children to do that, it is something we all need to remember. 

Leviticus 19:32 “You shall stand up before the gray head and honor the face of an old man, and you shall fear your God: I am the Lord."

Parent-Teacher Conferences

This Thursday and Friday are our scheduled Parent-Teacher conferences. Please pray for those meetings, for the faculty, for the parents, and for the students. 

While our students are thrilled they get the day off, little do they know how critical these face-to-face meetings are for their educational success. The faculty at our schools truly and intentionally get to know the children they serve. They pray for them. They invest in them. They mentor them. 

As a parent, I always look forward to these meetings as they always give me invaluable insights as to the academic strengths and weaknesses of my children. However, not only do I get to find out where my children are academically, I also learn about their character. My children's teachers see them through a different set of eyes than I do and let me know where they are socially and spiritually. 

The teachers see our children interact in groups; they see them struggle socially; they see them lead or follow. They see the ways they help reach out to each other. They listen to their prayers and can give us insights to their praises and sometimes their fears. 

In other words, I have always been blessed beyond words by the conferences and walk away assured that my children are in the best hands!! Remember to thank and pray for those teachers who pour into our students' lives and partner with our families. 

1 Peter 4:9-11 As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God's varied grace: whoever speaks, as one who speaks oracles of God; whoever serves, as one who serves by the strength that God supplies—in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ. To him belong glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.

Fall Concerts

Pray for our student-musicians!

XC held their fall concert last Friday night, and DC hosts their fall concert tomorrow night at 7PM in the DC cafeteria.  These programs are led by faculty who absolutely love music and know how to work with their students to get the best results. 

For weeks, families have been listening to their children and siblings diligently practicing. Measures are repeated over and over, as the musician strives for perfection. I, for one, am always eager to see how the struggle of learning new pieces works out for the child. And I am always pleasantly surprised to hear how the "part" fits into a "whole" and beautiful music is made. It's kind of like life, isn't it? 

I highly encourage you to attend one of the concerts this year. You will be blessed!


Psalm 150:1-6

Let Everything Praise the Lord

Praise the Lord!

Praise God in his sanctuary;
    praise him in his mighty heavens!
2 Praise him for his mighty deeds;
    praise him according to his excellent greatness!
3 Praise him with trumpet sound;
    praise him with lute and harp!
4 Praise him with tambourine and dance;
    praise him with strings and pipe!
5 Praise him with sounding cymbals;
    praise him with loud clashing cymbals!
6 Let everything that has breath praise the Lord!

Praise the Lord!

Praise!!

In the last two posts, we prayed for DC's Spirit/Homecoming week and XC's Spiritual Emphasis Week. Both were a resounding success, much to His glory!!

During our 50th anniversary year, we are being deliberate in reconnecting with our alumni, friends, and families who have supported us. DC alumni and family plus veteran faculty and staff were warmly welcomed back for several alumni-specific events Friday and Saturday. Relationships were renewed and strengthened, and we are already looking forward to next year! DC's first ever social dance was well-attended, and I have heard nothing but positive feedback from faculty and staff regarding the demeanor of our students and how they made sure everyone felt a part of the event.

A faculty member accidentally "stumbled upon" the end of spiritual emphasis week at XC. She entered a hallway, noticed that it was filled with middle schoolers, yet it was extremely quiet. (Middle school students and "quiet" don't normally go together.) Then it hit her: they were praying at lockers of fellow students. She was taken with how serious and respectful they were as they prayed and wrote notes of encouragement under prayer requests that were taped to the locker fronts. No one said a word but were silent in their petitions as they moved from locker to locker. Then she entered the high school building and found the same sight there. It was extremely touching. She said, "This is what it is all about!"

Praise God!!!!


Jeremiah 15:16

Your words were found, and I ate them,
    and your words became to me a joy
    and the delight of my heart,
for I am called by your name,

    O Lord, God of hosts.

Forgiveness

Going to a Christian school gives us remarkable opportunities which are unheard of in public schools - it was Spiritual Emphasis Week at Xenia Christian with the theme of Project Forgiveness. Please read the following from Joe Batchelor, XCHS Principal:

Today was the final day of Project Forgiveness, our fall spiritual emphasis week. It is amazing how God works out His plans. When we had a last-minute speaker cancellation, Robb Fogg came to share his heart with our students. In his own inimitable style, he made four main points, sharing examples and testimony of what God has taught him: 1) I choose to forgive, 2) I choose continually to forgive, 3) I will wait on the Lord for my healing, 4) I will leave vengeance to God. In an extended response time, scores of Ambassadors responded to the Holy Spirit and asked others for forgiveness. I was humbled by the authenticity and sensitivity of our ambassadors.

On Wednesday, Pastor O’Guin of Mt. Zion church spoke on Matthew 18. He led us through a prayer for those who may have wronged us in the past, remembering that God has forgiven us for so much.

Today we had a chapel time this afternoon followed by times of prayer in hallways and classrooms to close out Spiritual Emphasis Week. 

Please pray for our students who need to ask forgiveness. Please pray for boldness and healing.

Please pray for those who need to forgive and let go, even when the offender has not asked for forgiveness. 

Please pray that our students cultivate a relationship with the Great Forgiver.

Colossians 3:13  Bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive.

Spirit Week for DC

It is time for DC's Homecoming! I've already felt the excitement that this week engenders, as I walked through the halls during Purple and Gold day and saw quite the assortment of outfits. The friendly class competition this week culminates in the spirit stick being given away at the big game on Friday night. In the meantime, the students (and teachers) are showing their creative side as they choose outfits reflecting their school colors, favorite cartoon character and superhero, and decorate their hallways with board game themes. And then there is the "The Outfit" for the Saturday evening formal dessert and Dance.

Pray for the faculty and staff at the Dayton campus this week. As much fun as Homecoming can be, it also be taxing, as many teachers have additional duties to fit in already hectic schedules. Pray for the student leaders who have organized the activities for the week. Pray for the events themselves, that the students have fun participating, and that they do so with the right attitude. 

The students really do put a lot of thought (and shopping) into their outfits and dresses. I know my own children think about their spirit week outfits well in advance (as in, "what am I going to be next year?"). I really liked The Message's version of Colossians 3:12-14 to wrap up the wardrobe aspect of this week's celebration. 

Colossians 3:12-14 So, chosen by God for this new life of love, dress in the wardrobe God picked out for you: compassion, kindness, humility, quiet strength, discipline. Be even-tempered, content with second place, quick to forgive an offense. Forgive as quickly and completely as the Master forgave you. And regardless of what else you put on, wear love. It’s your basic, all-purpose garment. Never be without it.

Activities

Please pray for the 13th annual Ambassador Classic,  a cross country meet hosted by Xenia Christian which is held tomorrow, October 6. Not only do both DC and XC cross country athletes participate in this, but it is also anticipated that thousands of people from all over the area will be arriving at the Legacy Center. This course is known as one of the most scenic cross country routes. This meet is unique in that it includes running events for all grade levels and ends with an open 5K run.

As you can imagine, an event of this size takes a lot of volunteer man hours and lots of organization. Pray for the athletes, the coaches, the parents, the volunteers, that everyone is safe, the weather is good, that God is honored, and that the other teams will feel welcomed by our school families and teams.

Isaiah 40:31 Those who trust in God find fresh strength, they run and don't get tired.

Praise!

Today, we give You all praise!! We thank You for bringing so many families to DCSS. We thank You for their commitment to providing Christian education to their children, and we thank You for providing for them the means to do so.

Around 8:00 in the morning, lines of cars at both campuses are dropping off children who enter our doors to be educated and supported by godly, caring faculty and staff. I am always humbled and thrilled when I see how many cars are turning into our schools. And what a testimony to all the other cars driving by our campuses! 

Deuteronomy 10:21 He is your praise; he is your God, who performed for you those great and awesome wonders you saw with your own eyes.

Students

Our students participated at See You at the Pole last Wednesday. We are very blessed to be able to have students who are willing to lead us in praise and prayer to our God, and to live in a country where we can joyfully and freely lift up petitions to our Savior. 

A parent of DCSS graduates recently told me a very touching story about a "way back when" See You at the Pole day. Years ago, she was driving her own children by a public school, and they saw a solitary student praying all by himself at his public school's pole. They immediately stopped the car and joined him in prayer. It is something none of them will ever forget. 

Pray for a boldness in our students and that they become life-long prayer warriors who confidently pray around poles, living rooms, conference tables, and wherever God leads them!

Hebrews 4:16 Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.