Abundantly Beyond

For the second half of my childhood, I lived in a small town. Before that, I attended Christian school. Both of my children were also raised in a small town and attended Christian school. I know the irreplaceable value of both of these things.

I recently returned from my first trip to the small Midwest town that my older son and his family moved to in June, and I was privileged to visit the large Christian school he will be teaching at and attend the grade school’s "Back to School Night" with my four grandchildren. It was fun to watch them meet their teachers and begin to discover their identity in this new place. The town is special, but the school is more than I could have imagined.

The school’s stated mission is to develop students’ God-given gifts and equip leaders for lives of service. Adhering to the Teaching for Transformation model, each teacher has developed a “deep hope” for their students for the year as well as designing all of their teaching around seeking to instill ten values into each child’s life. The goal is to encourage each student to become a Community Builder, Beauty Creator, Justice Seeker, Image Reflector, God Worshiper, Earth Keeper, Servant Worker, Creation Enjoyer, Order Discoverer, and Truth Seeker. The overall theme for the year is Transformed By God’s Story and is based on 2 Corinthians 3:18. And on top of all that, the school also offers a Spanish immersion track where participating students (from preschool through 12^th grade) are taught a second language and culture with daily Spanish instruction in all subjects. This is so much more than reading, writing, and arithmetic!

But, believe it or not, it gets even better. Thanks to the Iowa Students First Act signed into law in 2023, state funding is available for many private school students – which means that about 90% of the cost to send my four grandchildren to this amazing Christian school is paid for by the state of Iowa! Hard to imagine when you live in a liberal state like Washington.

When my son began applying for teaching positions throughout the Midwest, he had never heard of Pella, Iowa and knew nothing about this school. He received positive feedback from many other schools in other states and more than one job offer. But as God’s will unfolded for their family, it became crystal clear that Pella was where God was leading them. Not just for my son and his future job, but for the whole family. God loves to bless his children with good gifts, and often beyond our wildest dreams. Not only do my grandchildren get to attend this amazing school, but my son has the best performance facility he has ever had in his 18-year career as a band teacher! 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

God is so good, and we praise him for choosing to give such wonderful gifts to our family. Walking by faith means trusting God fully to supply all of our needs and to give far more than we could ask or imagine. And God never disappoints!

 

Fearfully and Wonderfully Made

When I was in school, science was one of my least favorite subjects. In fact, I somehow miraculously managed to get my diploma and also a college education while only taking one science class! The last time I cracked open a science textbook was in ninth grade Biology with Mr. Day (who was, incidentally, a great teacher!).

I’m not sure what exactly I disliked so much about science back then. But as I have grown older I have developed a greater appreciation for how the natural world works and especially the intricate creation of the human body. We are truly “fearfully and wonderfully made” (Psalm 139:14) beyond our comprehension – with every part working together for the full functioning of the whole body. I have seen this principle at work through many years of daily living and physical accomplishments and through the negative eyes of illnesses that have affected how our bodies perform.

But I have been watching this principle on magnificent display this past week as I see the accomplishments of the athletes in the Paris Olympics. To someone who neither excelled in nor was very interested personally in sports pursuits, it is amazing what well-trained and serious athletes can do with their bodies! I am in awe every night as I watch the wrap-up of each day’s events and witness the thrill of victory and the agony of defeat.

The human body is an amazing mixture of intricate design and perfectly balanced parts that work together to allow us to experience great feats of strength and coordination as well as a plethora of sensations and emotions and an unlimited amount of thought processes. We can climb mountains or make music or solve equations or write books. And we can love and find joy in relationships with others. All this while employing the “fallen” version of our bodies that includes the effects of our sin nature. Makes me curious to know what the “perfect” human body that God originally created was like . . . and more anxious than ever to experience that again in heaven someday!