By the time April arrives, many teachers feel like they are limping across the finish line. March in the classroom can feel a little like survival mode: lessons to finish, restless students, and the growing sense that summer is just around the corner. At my school we often call it “March Madness,” and we are not talking about basketball.   For whatever reason, March always seems to be INSANE. Maybe it’s the lead-up to Easter. Maybe it’s thinking about all the curriculum you s

“I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener.  He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful. You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.” John 15:1-4   This past Sunday, I taught the lesson of Martha and

Throughout our lives, we have encountered people who know God, as well as those who sadly do not know or want to know God.  It does not take much for all of us to help others see, feel, and know God.  Below are just a few simple words we can all use to show others that we know God and that we want them to know Him, too. If they already know God, they will be blessed by these words as well.   Can you use some of these words this week to help others see and know God better?   “

With a new year comes the all-too-familiar resolutions. Typically, we begin our plans with excitement and devotion but end up feeling exhausted and overwhelmed when faced with the reality of our lofty goals. The new year creates a sense of pressure that we need to be the best version of ourselves, which requires endless lists of ideas that are supposed to help us embody the popular cliche, “new year, new me.” Of course, aspiration and dedication are essential for improving ou

It is Advent. Christmas is coming soon. The increase of “hustle” and “busy” that we usually find ourselves in during this season is familiar. As Christians, we know that during advent, the busy is paired with the simple, calm, and more quiet celebration of the humble birth of Jesus, who came peacefully into this world with little fanfare. Often, it is said that Christmas is “the most” time of the year. Yes, it can be “the most wonderful time of the year,” as the popular song