Glory! Glory! Glory Hallelujah!

The Lord has seen and heard His children! He blessed us with a church that caught the vision and as of January 23rd, Northside Christian Academy was born into agreement with 82% voting yes!!! The school will be a ministry of Northside Baptist Church and will open its doors in September 2011! It will be located at their brand new property off of Highway #378 and I-20 in the brand new building. We are thankful for so many prayers that were lifted up and hope you will continue to pray and support this school as we work to get it open and ready for the first group of children to walk into Northside Christian Academy!! Come see our website at www.northsidechristianacademy.org

Waiting on the Lord

What happens when it seems the Lord is silent? We just sit and be patient! He will break through the silence, and we need to be ready for the task he will give us next!

Be still and know He is God!

Here we are at almost a year into this journey and we have come so far, yet so much ground to cover still! God has shown us great and mighty things, stretched our faith, refined our purpose, and definitely shown us His Providence.
Our most recent matter was waiting to here from a very promising church if they could host us for this upcoming fall. When we met with this pastor, it was such a good feeling, we were almost certain they would say yes. We had to wait for their elders to meet on May 30th, then we got an email saying they were meeting again on Wednesday to discuss it further. It built a lot of hope in our hearts. Then Thursday morning, I got a call to say they couldn't get full agreement on it, but to consider them again perhaps in a year. We were discouraged, and felt like we are back at square one, and looking towards next fall to open this school. But, we know there are so many families who are searching for other ways to educate. Our feasibility study proved that, and many were in favor of enrolling their child at this school. We know just because this has not happened in our timing it is still God's will for children to be brought up in the instruction of the Lord. Wisdom and knowledge come from the Lord alone, and that is what we will continue to seek to do.
The funny thing is, I got the call from the pastor that Thursday morning while I was standing in front of the bronze statue of Thomas Jefferson in Washington D.C., the composer of our nations Constitution. He was a brilliant man, intellectual, and knew that our form of government could not be successful without self-government. We know, along with this man of genius, that self-government can not be grasped without God's holy wisdom. I believe with all my heart that a public source of schooling was meant to educate the whole child, mentally and spiritually. We have come so far away from that philosophy, it makes it difficult to go back and try to achieve that. We have met so many moms and dads who really want another resource to educate their children. They are desperate and anxious about their children's future.

Another update is that we took a 6 hour trip to visit a pilot school for The Principle Approach in Chesapeake, VA. It was Stonebridge Christian school. We toured the school and met with the President and founder of Foundations for Christian Education (F.A.C.E.). She gave us a lot of good advice and encouragement. She actually started their school in her basement with 31 kids. Her best advice was to "start with what God gives you." Who knows where we will be. We are hoping for a church that will host us and hopefully soon.

Claim it and Proclaim it!

We have been busy these past few weeks with meetings and phone calls. We have recently printed out a feasibility study and placed them in daycares and churches. This will give us an overview of the interest for the proposed christian school in our community. We are truly anticipating the response we get back from these because they will help us know how we need to proceed with the plans. Thus far, we have been in much fervent prayer, many restless nights and days, and have had many friends who have interceded for us in prayer.
There are really to many phone calls, emails, and meetings to name them one by one. Most recent is a meeting with the director at the South Carolina Association of Christian Schools. He had a wealth of information and lots of encouragement. Another important meeting today occurred with a local pastor who expressed a lot of interest about letting us use their building to set up school. We are anxiously awaiting his answer. He is seeking approval and prayer from his staff at this time. So we want to claim it and proclaim it!!! Pray for the Lord's guidance for him and his staff regarding this decision.
We also now have an email account for anyone who wants to contact us: dayspringchristianschool@gmail.com
Let us here from you!

Since the beginning of the whole starting a christian school concept, there has been many ups and downs. This school that we thought would be such a beacon of light in the community has not been welcomed with open arms. I wouldn't say it is seen opposition, just a little hesitation and then some indifference. Why do we need a christian school in Lexington District One where supposedly we have the best schools in the state? Great question! Glad you asked! What are we comparing this school district too anyway? On a National average, the whole state of South Carolina ranks next to last on National Test scores for public schooling. Absurd! I don't call that anywhere near best! Our next most frequent question is, "but we have many christian teachers in our schools!" That may be true, but how many of your children have come home to tell you what Mr./Mrs. ______ has shared with them about God's Word or their own personal account with Christ? Not as many as we all would hope or want. You see, our teachers feel trapped, they can't share their testimonies, can't discipline their classrooms, and can't teach from textbooks that have any moral ground in them! It's a shame! Our children are our heritage, and God's Word says they are a Heritage from the Lord. But not in our schools! They are a government fed number and dollar sign! The government wants to indoctrinate our children, and remove the godly heritage of our fore-fathers.
There is a growing number of teachers in our school districts who are becoming weary of trying to teach in classrooms of disorder.
What it comes down to is "ALL EDUCATION IS RELIGIOUS." No neutrality exists in education, and the public-education system has been _officially_godless and humanistic in both design and practice for a long, long time. (quoted from Frontline Ministries, E. Ray Moore, Jr., Th.M.)
Sadly, Every hour a child sits in a public-school classroom undermines any semblance of a Christian worldview which parents have instilled in their children at home.
Let's try to encourage one another to seek a higher calling of education apart from our government schools, and lead a crusade into Christian education! Will anyone join us?

Open the Heavens and rain down Blessings

Last night we had a great prayer meeting! It was so good to meet as a group of core believers who have the same goal. There was a lot of good information shared but even more importantly a lot of encouragement! Our biggest focus now is securing a building. Hopefully a church will rise up and catch the vision and would be willing to lend us the space to grow up some children in the admonition of the Lord Jesus Christ (Ephesians 6:4)! It is an exciting time and I am grateful to be a part of it. Just keep praying and spreading the word. May God open His heavens and rain down some blessings on this school.

Keep on Keeping on!

Soooo, today was the "big meeting." It turned out to be a big nothing! It was more like we need to contact someone else to help us out because this was not their "specialty." Of course there was words of encouragement passed on to us as well as a prayer for our good efforts, but I felt as though we left with a pat on the back and a "tsk, tsk" as we hung our heads and walked down the hall. But, I have to say that it is such a comfort to have a friend like Michelle who kept her good spirits about her! She did such a great job talking in the meeting, I was so proud! Kind words spoken at a timely moment are like honey, they cheer you up and give you strength (Proverbs 16:24) and that was what Michelle was for me today. It seems so sweet for the Lord to give us both the chance to encourage the other and it always is His perfect timing! I was telling my dear husband it is like taking steps, and when I need a push to keep going she does that, and when she needs a push I do that for her. If we continue in this manner we will eventually make it to our goal, and know that both of us helped each other get there. What a sweet, precious kind of friendship. We all need to encourage each other better. Our Lord is so good. He is good all the time! Tomorrow is another day, I am looking forward to His fresh new promises every day!