It’s Teacher Appreciation Week, did you know?  

I should have known, as my precious daughter was putting stickers and last-minute touches on her card for her teacher at our Advent Early Childhood School. As the hosts continued talking, they celebrated a teacher for all the sacrifices she had made for her students, I was reminded of some amazing teachers that I have had through the years.  Did you have any special teachers that maybe encouraged you, were able to turn boring subjects into the most captivating and interesting?  Teachers who never gave up on you even when you might have given up on yourself.  I have had a few, as I’m sure you have too.  Teachers are a gift from God, Listen to what Paul says in Ephesians 4:11-13 about them. 

 ¹¹ So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors, and teachers, ¹² to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up ¹³ until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.

Teachers are a gift from Christ himself.  To equip us, prepare us, to train us for works of service so that we as the body of Christ here on earth could be built up, matured, reaching our greatest potential in Christ.  Yes! That’s what teachers do.  They are used by God to draw this out of us.  Our school’s vision is to create confident, capable, Christian leaders, from infants to kindergarten to elementary and middle school, our teachers are the best at doing making this vision a reality. Many times, doing it with limited resources, but as any teacher will tell you, it’s a calling, it’s a part of who they are, and they do this for the love of their students. So today as you go through the motions and get on with your day, take a moment to thank God for the teachers you have had in your life, and maybe drop a card, a note, a gift to one of those teachers who impacted your life.  If you have time stop by one of the Advent Schools, and let a teacher know just how appreciated they are, for answering the call-in doing Gods works in forging the next generation. Our teachers deserve it, not just for a week, but every day!

And remember Jesus Loves you, and so do I!

Pastor Will