Letter from the Editor

“Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.” - Joshua 1:9

One of the traditions at the LCS Commencement ceremony every year is that each senior chooses a verse to have read by faculty members as he or she walks across the stage to receive a diploma. Over my last 18 years of serving at LCS and attending all of the commencement ceremonies since 2006, I can tell you that Jeremiah 29:11 and Joshua 1:9 are two of the most selected verses by our graduates each year.

That’s not surprising, right? As the seniors are about to take their next steps into adulthood, the themes of confidence in God’s plan for their lives and not being afraid are both encouraging and fitting for their season of life.

Stepping from the familiar into the unknown can be really exciting, but it can also be unsettling.

As I sat down to write my letter for this Engage magazine, I started thinking about Joshua 1:9 as it relates to seasons of change. The seniors are embarking on their next stage, but the larger school community of Lakeland Christian School has entered a new and exciting season as well, with new leadership and a new building set to open.

In this issue of Engage , you have an opportunity to meet Bryant Black, our new Head of School. You’ll read about his commitment to the mission of educating children in the light of God’s Word and on keeping Christ at the center of all Lakeland Christian School does.

You will also get to peek inside the new Mike and Mary Sligh High School Building, which is set to open for the start of school. This amazing facility features 26 new state-of-the-art classrooms and science labs that will give our faculty better facilities for educating the next generation of students.

As you read this issue of Engage, I encourage you to take a minute to pray for our school community. Pray for our leadership, for our faculty, for the office staff, for the maintenance crew and for our food service teams. Pray for the brand new group of four year olds about to start school for the first time, for the incoming members of the senior class who will be making lifechanging decisions in the upcoming year, and for all the students in between. Pray for the students transferring to LCS from different schools and for the families who are brand new to our community.

Be strong and courageous, friends. God is with us.

Sandy Johnson Director of Marketing & Communications