As we celebrate the Class of 2020’s graduation, let us focus our thoughts and attention to pray for this group of student leaders:

Lord, Your Word says a lot about the various paths that we can choose in our lives. “Your Word is a lamp to our feet and a light to our path.” “In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make straight your paths.”

Lord, we realize that these seniors are set to explore the paths that are set before them, and I pray that they would heed Your Word and that You would direct their paths. Help these graduates to carefully consider the destinations associated with the various path options that are before them. Give them wisdom to discern the destination that these paths will take them.

Father, this class of seniors has taken some extraordinary steps of personal and spiritual growth. Please continue to develop a hunger and thirst for righteousness in each of their lives. Provide discernment as they determine the source of true wisdom, integrity, happiness, and common sense. Help their decision-making to bring honor and glory to Your name.

Lord, we also realize that choosing the right path ultimately begins with submitting to You and Your plan. Help these seniors to fully understand that You want the best for their lives. Help them to realize that You know what’s best for them, and I pray that they would acknowledge You and that You would give them the desires of Your heart.

Father, thank you for the opportunity to invest in these seniors. Thank you also for the opportunity to show them love and honor in unique ways as they graduate from Faith Christian School. You have been so good to us, and I trust that these seniors’ lives would continue to be a wonderful example of Christ’s love for others to see. We thank you for your grace and mercy that are new every day. Thank You for being God of The Promise, and Lord continue to guide and direct each of our paths ultimately to know and to love You.

We lift up our seniors to You, and we pray these things in Jesus’ name, Amen.

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One thing that has brought me encouragement during this distance learning has been seeking out things to be thankful for each day. Some days were easy to find things to be thankful for and then other days, well to be honest, I was digging deep trying to think of something. Yet, the Lord in His goodness has graciously helped me see so many blessings amidst a very hard set of circumstances. Here are my top 7 things the Lord has helped me find thankfulness and grace in:

1. God’s sovereignty- I was reminded that God holds the map and He has gone before me. All I need to do is trust God and remind myself that this is for my good and His glory.
2. FCS parents- You ROCK!!! I am so thankful for supportive, hard working parents who have put in the long hours and countless Genius Scans to help make their child’s E-learning a success.
3. Technology- I have never really been a “techy” teacher and I am thankful for the countless ways to connect with students and parents from home. E-learning has definitely stretched me in this area and I am thankful for the new tools I have learned to use and will continue to implement in the future.
4. Sunshine- Everything just seems better when it is sunny outside. I am thankful for the ability to take walks, work in the yard, and soak up some Vitamin D.
5. Sweet smiles of my second graders- Boy, do these kiddos know how to brighten my day! They can smile even when circumstances would say otherwise. They are resilient!
6. Extra time with my family- I will never get this time back and it has been so precious.
7. FCS Administration- Mr. Grass and all the principals have done an excellent job leading our school as well as encouraging and supporting us.

Above all, God continues to be faithful and He continues to prove His character and keep His promises.

2 Corinthians 1:20- “ For all the promises of God find their Yes in Him. That is why it is through Him that we utter our Amen to God for His glory.”

Jessica Gregg
Second grade teacher

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Kindergarten is doing a great job with their new schedules as they navigate learning from home. Students have been working diligently through their eLearning packets. The work done at home puts an emphasis on phonics, math, and handwriting, and students have found fun ways to practice these foundational skills at home.

We enjoy seeing pictures sent in by students of them reading out of their little reader books, writing words with chalk on the driveway, practicing Math outside, and even the last tooth they lost. It has been a blessing to us as teachers to see pictures of our students learning from home.

Some phonics lessons have been supplemented with video applications. Mrs. McQueen has been using Zoom to teach and make special sound videos for her students. Mr. Herron has been using Explain Everything to make videos to teach new special sounds. We have enjoyed making videos for our students to help review and teach concepts from our phonics curriculum. Mr. Herron has even recorded a magic trick for his students.

Both teachers meet virtually every week with their class. We read a story during this time, but it’s also special time to greet each student and find out what they have been up to during the week. It’s a necessary time for us as teachers to get much needed interaction with our students. Recently, Mr. Herron got to meet each student’s favorite stuffed animal and even met a real baby duck!

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Another way we stay close is on Zoom video chat. For example, recently we were all on for our phonics test. However, before any testing can happen, we must catch up on the happenings of first grade! Students love to connect with their classmates and talk about their adventures riding their bikes, playing soccer, or hunting for insects. Distance learning is not just about academics—these social connections are important too.

While we miss each other greatly, we know the Lord has big plans for us. In our study of prayer we have been using our hands to help us remember who to pray for. Our thumb represents people we are close to, like family, because it is closest to our body. Our pointer finger reminds us to pray for those who point us toward God. The “tall man” reminds us of our authorities: our president, mayor, firemen, etc. Our fourth finger is kind of weak to remind us to pray for those we know are sick. The small finger reminds us to pray for ourselves. We can pray anywhere at any time, remembering to pray thanksgiving and praise first.

This model of prayer takes on a brand new significance now that we are separated, but we know that we can find great comfort knowing that the Lord has promised good for us. So, until we can physically be together again, we will appreciate the small ways that we can stay close with one another and share in each other’s lives.

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We recently visited each one of our seniors to let them know that we are celebrating them and their accomplishments! It was such a blessing to see their faces! We will never forget the Class of 2020!

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Fourth grade has jumped into e-Learning with both feet. It took all of us about a week to settle into a routine, but now the students are doing a top-notch job of navigating the fourth-grade portals where they find all their assignments that contain links. We each have a teaching video lesson for all of our subjects where we are working hard to narrate the lessons.

Lessons are sometimes supplemented with a fun video. Mrs. Watts put up a video by Francis Chan on the stars and universe to go with her reading lesson, which also went with Miss Hicks’ previous science chapter. Miss Hicks put up a silly video on dividing syllables which the fourth grade is now studying.

Both classes have a weekly Zoom meeting with their individual classes for whomever can attend. Mrs. Watts’ class enjoyed playing “Sparkle” on Zoom this week. Miss Hicks continues to do the daily story time with her class using Class Dojo to record them each night. Mrs. Watts posts “Eloise Updates” on Class Dojo featuring our plant family in our classroom.

We put review games on Quia and Kahoot. It to give the classes a fun way to review and study. Right now fourth graders are finishing up writing their own fables and sharing them with siblings and each other through Zoom.

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Distance Learning: what a strange concept for teachers who have dedicated their lives to pouring into their students’ lives. Now we all sit at our computers all day preparing lessons or grading papers. This time has been “a stretch” for us and our students; however, we know that God has had a purpose through these days, one that has caused us to reset, reflect, and grow in His daily provision in our life.

Who would have thought two months ago we would be communicating through Zoom, Loom, and Teams, but here we are, making the best of this time as we teach English from our laptops. In the midst of learning new modes of communication, what a blessing to continue not only bettering our own styles and skills in communication, but to have this unique chance to continue communicating what it looks like to be faithful during trials.

Amidst the change, another blessing comes through the alternate means by which we now see our loved students. Though at times, all this technology can be quite the conundrum, platforms such as Zoom allow us a new way to interact. Our Office Hours are spent not so much answering their questions, but mostly just visiting. “We miss your face!” and “How are you doing?” are our first questions as they sign on. When we all sign off: “Miss you!” “See you soon!” “Let me know if you need anything!”

One of the lessons we have been teaching our students this year is remembering and relying on God’s faithfulness as we practice following Him well, no matter the circumstance. And here we sit, “robbed” of our normalcy, forced to sit and remember that our faithful and good King is still on His throne. And in this moment, we sigh… because we miss them… but we know God has a purpose for our situation, and we rest in this little blessing from our faithful King.

Sheryl Borgman & Emily Engle
FCS English Department

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Third grade kicked off our Tall Tale Unit this week! Students were introduced to the larger than life character Paul Bunyan through a virtual field trip to Lake Bemidji, Minnesota. Mrs. Fox showed them the statue of Paul and Babe and took a quick tour down by the lake, which, legend has it, was formed by Paul Bunyan’s right foot as he cleared the Northwoods. We have had to modify this unit due to distance learning, but it’s been so fun to see entire families getting involved in the learning!

Throughout the week, Mrs. Merkel and Mrs. Fox have read different versions of Paul Bunyan’s life while the students investigated him on Get Epic, an online library. Students were then challenged to create various Paul Bunyan themed projects. Some families enjoyed making flapjacks and yule logs. Others created beards and hats to look like this hardy lumberjack, while others dressed their siblings or pets up like Babe the Blue Ox.

Students were challenged to practice their logging skills by sawing different foods, picking up timber, and creating art. The lumberjack students enjoyed a virtual field trip to the mobile sharpening shop of Jamie Johnson, one of our third-grade parents, where they observed how Paul may have gotten his ax sharpened.

By the end of this larger than life week they had incorporated skills including: measurement, map usage, comparing and contrasting, letter writing, reading comprehension, cooking, and fact and fiction skills. After finishing our travels around the Northwoods, we will continue to head south and west to investigate other tall tale heroes such as Pecos Bill, Johnny Appleseed, Mike Fink, and Sally Ann Thunderann Whirlwind Crockett.

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During our April 14th virtual chapel, senior Maria Smith shared her testimony of what God has been teaching her during this COVID-19 experience.

There have been a lot of nights since March 13th that I have questioned God. I have questioned his plan, and I have questioned my purpose. I hit one of the hardest nights of my life on April 2nd, the day the governor said we cannot go back to school for the rest of the semester. I was in denial all day and then at about 11pm it all hit me. I tried to journal about it but ended up just sobbing.

I felt like everything I had been looking forward to had been taken from me. I felt that it was not fair that all this was happening to me. And I felt like God was so far from being in the picture. I know a lot of you were feeling the same way that day. We all had exciting things planned for the rest of the semester whether that was spring sports, the musical, Jr./Sr. Banquet, or working hard to accomplish goals academically.

I don’t think any of us realized what this quarantine had in store for us because I know I didn’t. I thought it was a joke that Friday at school when they sent us home. I thought everyone was crazy for stopping school. Well it turns out the quarantine was actually necessary because this virus is hitting some of us very close to home. Through this time at home God has taught me two life changing things.

First, I am typically a pretty independent person. I like to focus on the tasks at hand and not worry about other people too much until my work is done. God has really humbled me through this time at home though. I realized that independence is not always a good thing and it can turn into pride really quickly. I found out that I need people. I need them to keep me out of my head and bring accountability to me.

And I realized that one of my purposes in life is to encourage people. The Bible talks about encouragement many times and I figure that if I need other people then other people probably could use some encouragement from me too. We all need each other and we are all going through this together. None of us are alone no matter how lonely we may feel. I have become thankful for technology and my family like never before. Imagine going through this quarantine completely alone. Good thing we have people with us right? Even though sometimes we can get tired of always being with our family and our siblings drive us crazy, it is better that we have them in our lives.

The second thing God has been teaching me is that He is the only one who brings good things. I realized that for so much of my life I have been trying to find fulfillment in my friendships or all the activities I’m involved in. In reality though, the only good thing in my life has been God all along. Psalm 16 is what made me realize this. I was going through a day feeling pretty down and purposeless when I decided to read my Bible. Psalm 16:2-3, 5-8 says:

I say to the Lord, “You are my Lord; apart from you I have no good thing.” I say of the holy people who are in the land, “They are the noble ones in whom is all my delight.”… Lord, you alone are my portion and my cup; you make my lot secure. The boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; surely I have a delightful inheritance. I will praise the Lord, who counsels me; even at night my heart instructs me. I keep my eyes always on the Lord. With him at my right hand, I will not be shaken.

Isn’t this such an amazing picture of God’s love for us? Everything in life may seem bad and hopeless, but ultimately God is the one who gives us good gifts. Apart from him, there is nothing good. I love verse 8 of that chapter too. “I keep my eyes always on the Lord. With him at my right hand, I will not be shaken.” It is so hard to keep my eyes only on God, but if I shift my focus for even a moment, it is very easy to become discouraged and feel hopeless.

Overall, I have been learning that I need to seek God every single day. Every day it is a choice to choose hope and not disappointment. We all face struggles: Home life may be difficult in these days, e-learning may be hard, grades may be discouraging to you, social distancing can be lonely. But I encourage you to share your struggles with a friend or a family member. You are not alone and we do not face this coronavirus alone. The Bible reminds us not to lose hope. Hebrews 10:23-24 are some of my very favorite verses. They say: “Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds.”

To close, I want to share something Mr. Grass said in one of his Facebook videos: What you do everyday matters. Remember there is purpose in the struggles of each day and seek the Lord in this time of isolation. He is always with you and He will not turn you away when you seek Him.

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