I’m so thankful Jesus doesn’t withhold his forgiveness. Part of our identity in Christ is that we are forgiven. This isn’t because of anything we have done, but because of Jesus’ great love for us. Even if we can’t forgive ourselves, Christ still forgives us. Amen and amen!  

The New Testament mentions freedom often and this freedom only comes through faith in Christ Jesus. It’s a freedom that results from Jesus taking our place on the cross. He died for our sins so we can live freely. The guilt is gone; so is the shame. Fear is cast aside and newness of life overflows into every area of our hearts. This freedom is found only in Christ alone.

   Through Christ, we are not just overcomers, we are more than conquerors. Man, that gets me excited. Nothing can separate us from Christ and his love. Through him we are granted victory over death and sin. We are promised eternity with him. And we can trust him to help us have the victory in our classroom.

One of the most hopeful marks of a believer is the freedom we experience as a result of healing. He heals our trauma, sins, mindset, past, and brokenness. He heals our hidden wounds as well as the visible. He is the Great Physician of our soul and what a privilege to be able to share this healing with our precious students.

   Like Jan, we only have one body. If we have given our lives to Jesus as Savior, asked him to forgive our sins, and turned from the old way of living, then our body is also a temple of the Holy Spirit. When Jesus ascended into heaven after he rose from the dead, he gave his followers the gift of the Spirit to live inside them.

  So, I stopped trying to fit the mold. I researched the standards and pacing guide. And I found ways to meet the criteria the school expected while utilizing creative methods.