God is Greater Than Our Ups and Downs
Exciting things are happening at St. John’s! This year we welcomed MANY new families to our school. In grades K-8 we welcomed 15 new students, and in PK-8 our total enrollment is 15 more students than last year. God is good, and He working through our amazing teachers and caring staff to touch the lives of the students that walk through our doors. We are so blessed and privileged to be able to work with so many families!
The theme for our 2019-2020 school year is based off of 1 John 4:4b – “for He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.” This message, while it may seem simple at first, can be unpacked and be a powerful message for students, teachers, and parents. When you first look at this symbol, it looks like some type of math problem. But this symbol is actually a beautiful reminder that God is greater than our ups and downs. Throughout the year, we will be talking to our students about the MANY distractions that today’s world throws at us, but how God’s voice is greater than them all. We will also dive into these three main topics:
1. We are not defined by our successes. We may be good at sports, we may be good students, we may be a good friend, but those things can change in an instant. I don’t want to dive into any of the many misfortunes that could come our way, but when things do and will change, our identity is not tied to the things that we are talented at. Our identity is rooted in Christ, our Lord and Savior. We will be talking with students about what that means, and HOW we can keep Christ the center of our lives.
2. We are not defined by our failures. We often let our failures rule our life, dwelling on all the ways that we fall short of the expectations of us. It is impossible to be good at everything, but the world today tells us that we should be. We will be talking with students about how we all make mistakes, and when we do, God is there to provide grace, mercy, and forgiveness.
3. God is greater. We can rest in the assurance that God is greater than anything in this world. All the scary things that we face, God is bigger. All the hurts, God is bigger. All the pain, God is bigger. Nothing will EVER be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord (Romans 8:39). We can rest assured that through His death and resurrection we have eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Thank you so much for your continued support of our school. It is through your generous support and prayers that we are able to “Equip lives with a foundation of faith.” As we start this school year, I ask that you pray that our students would be ready to learn more about God. Pray for parents as they prepare to send their child into a new year. And pray for our staff, that they would be vessels of God’s love and grace. May God continue to richly bless you!
Written by: Kendra Gilmore, Principal/Teacher