They replied, Let us start rebuilding.

So they began this

good work. (Nehemiah 2:18)
A God Start
Jennifer was in her twelfth year as a librarian at Irontown Middle School.
She had always hesitated to share or exercise her faith at work but things were
getting very challenging at her school. For the last several years she had been
serving under a young principal and staff turnover had been high while morale was
low. The school had been put on an academic growth plan the previous year which
meant hours and hours of meetings, and increased testing and documentation on
top of what was already required. All last years efforts had only created a small upward bump in the schools state test scores and the
interventions were probably to continue in the coming year. Though Jennifer was out of the mainstream of accountability testing, she
felt the teachers stress, strain and pain.
Jennifer always wondered, How can we do this job without faith in something greater than our own work and talents?
Jennifers relationship with Jesus was the core of her being and the most important thing in her life and yet she felt spiritually
isolated and cut off from that when she passed through the schoolhouse door each morning at work. She knew she was to seek God
first in all things and she knew the power of agreement in prayer. She had witnessed it first hand when her daughter went through an
illness from which she was told she would never recover. The only mention of God at school was in the recitation of the pledge of
allegiance and on the coins hidden in students and staff members pockets and purses.
Jennifer had secretly prayed alone in her classroom and at home with her husband and children for the students, parents and
staff at her school but she knew something was still missing. Jennifer was quite the avid gardener and she felt like a seed filled with
water and ready to burst so something new could grow but she didnt know what. She just knew there had to be a change of some kind
at her school.
While on vacation with her family in Ohio that summer, Jennifer had learned about an organization called Christian Educators
Association International (CEAI) through a brief radio spot called TIPPS (Teachers in Public and Private Schools) which was
highlighting ways students, parents and educators could legally integrate their faith in the public schools. She called CEAI when her
family got home and got information related to this topic.
Jennifer had a huge AHAA! moment when she read the following section from the United States Department of Educations
publication Guidance on Constitutionally Protected Prayer in Public Elementary and Secondary Schools which was distributed by the
Secretary of Education on February 7, 2003: *When acting in their official capacities as representatives of the state, teachers,
school administrators, and other school employees are prohibited by the Establishment Clause from encouraging or
discouraging prayer and from actively participating in such activities with students. Teachers may, however, take part in
religious activities where the overall context makes clear they are not participating in their official capacities. Before school
or during lunch, for example, teachers may meet with other teachers for prayer or Bible study to the same extent that they
may engage in other conversation or non-religious activities. (http://www.ed.gov/policy/gen/guid/religionandschools/prayer_guidance.html)
Wow! Jennifer couldnt believe the government actually protected kinds of prayer in the public schools for school staff. This
was in contrast to everything she thought. She was amazed and the swelling spiritual seed within her burst.
During the first week of back-to-school training, Jennifer made an invitation encouraging other staff to join her in prayer on the
following Friday teacher workday during their duty free lunch. On the front of the invitation was a group of cross country runners at a
starting line and above it was printed, Ready! Set! Inside it said Go! and there was a photo of a group of adults gathered together
praying. On the back was the quote from the government guidelines and the scripture from Hebrews 12 about running with
perseverance the race before you. After school on Wednesday, after first sharing it with her principal, Jennifer went from room to room
personally inviting teachers to join her on Friday and gave them the unique invitation.
Twenty-two of the thirty-four staff members came to the library at lunch on Friday, including the principal. They simply held
hands while standing in a circle and prayed either aloud or silently. All were free to pray as the Lord led them. Tears streamed down
some of the faces as one teacher confessed to God her neglect of her family the previous year and asked for balance in her life.
Another teacher asked for godly favor from students, parents and administrators. Another teacher asked God for improved test scores.
Even the principal who was from a faith tradition of reciting only written prayers, quietly and humbly asked God for staff unity. She
asked God for the students, parents and staff to all have compassion for one another in their weaknesses and learn to truly listen to
one another. There was not a dry eye in the group gathered after this simple heartfelt fifteen to twenty minutes of open prayer.
Irontown Middle School was off to a God start for the first time in its history.
Prayer: Jesus, help us seek you first together and have a God start to this new school year.
Reflection: In what ways do you seek God first before each new school year? How do you encourage others to do the same?
Getting Real: During off duty hours, find believers at your school and gather to agree in prayer and commit the new year to Him.
CLASSROOM LIGHTHOUSE SERIES: Love Ladders Love Matters (For info or prayer contact ceaihouston@sbcglobal.net.) WEEK 2