OPEN HOUSE

Come meet the teachers, visit the classrooms and learn more about our fabulous preschool!

Wed, April 12 6pm - 7:30pm

PRESCHOOL OPEN HOUSE

Wednesday | April 12 | 6pm –7:30pm

Current AND prospective families are invited to attend! Come see what our students have been up to, meet our teachers, and register for preschool!

Prayer Requests

Health for our teachers, students, and families! Families who WILL register for next year – we don’t know who they are yet, but we still like to pray for those that God will send our way!

Family & Children’s Ministry

— Sarah Huck Family & Children's Ministry Director

Hello Grace families,

As I write this, Valentine’s Day is fast approaching. It’s never been a big celebration for my husband and me. Some years we get a card for each other. Nevertheless, it’s on my mind, probably because I just got done counting my kids’ Valentines to make sure they have enough for their classmates. Remember those days? Or maybe you are in those days right now. In my experience, there always seems to be that one mother who goes above and beyond. Her kids bring not just the little paper Valentine, but the sucker attached plus the pencil and maybe the cheesy little Oriental Trading toy. And I feel like the worst mom ever. I just got the Walgreens’ on-sale sports Valentines – without even asking if those were “ok” first.

I was talking with a friend about the spirit of comparison. I’m not the only one comparing myself with all the super moms out there. It is everywhere. Thank you social media. Comparison seems to be an epidemic, and it is infecting the Church and affecting the Church. Now I am not calling out GOC, I am saying “the Church,” as in the body of Christ – the whole body. We compare services, sermons, Bible studies, speakers, worship sets, websites, kids’, youth, and women’s ministries – in fact ALL ministries and giftings. Especially giftings. And, yes, I am guilty of all of these. I am guilty of comparing myself to other women who are in leadership or have been, and not only do I come up short, in my estimation, I am not even on the measuring stick. I know this makes our Lord sad.

Recently, I watched a teacher lead a class, and I was mesmerized by her total confidence and ability to teach despite a thousand interruptions and kids’ disruptive behaviors. I wish I could be like that; I wish I spoke better kid language; I wish I was as creative as she is; I wish I could communicate a lesson as well as she does. I wish I had a degree in teaching, then I could be a better teacher like she is. Sadly, those were some of my thoughts.

As I write this, I can hear the voice of my friend, Jamal Zakhary. We would meet for coffee when she lived here, and after listening to what was going on in my life or what I was thinking about, her famous line to me was, “Sarah, all I hear right now is ‘I, I, I, I.’” Ouch! She never was gentle; she just ripped the Band-Aid off, skin and all. It was what I needed. When are we going to be content with how God made us? And not just content, but grateful? What’s it going to take for us to value who we are and the place we have in God’s kingdom on earth? When I focus on how much better someone is in a role than I am, I don’t really treasure and appreciate who they are. I don’t thank God for their giftings and that I get to learn from them and be served by them. When will we stop comparing ourselves to others and modeling that for our children? Theodore Roosevelt said, “Comparison is the thief of joy.” He is right. When I look at who I’m not instead of who I am, it steals joy about how God made me as well as my joy in others.

“Each of you must examine your own actions. Then you can be proud of your own accomplishments without comparing yourself to others. Assume your own responsibility.” – Galatians 6:4-5

“For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there will be disorder and every vile practice.” – James 3:16

A tranquil heart gives life to the flesh, but envy makes the bones rot. – Proverbs 14:30

Disorder? Vile practices? Rotten bones? Who wants those? Let us starve out, crowd out, cast out the spirit of comparison. Let this be our Valentine (or Easter gift!) to our Lord, that we love ourselves well and praise Him for how He made us all different – so that the body of Christ is able to reflect the fullness of Christ.

Maybe I’ll get cards for each one of my family members this Valentine’s and tell them one way that they make a difference in God’s kingdom on earth. And that I’m grateful for it.