Leading In Famine Times

Genesis 26:1-5

King James Version (KJV)

26 And there was a famine in the land, beside the first famine that was in the days of Abraham. And Isaac went unto Abimelech king of the Philistines unto Gerar.

² And the Lord appeared unto him, and said, Go NOT down into Egypt; dwell in the land which I shall tell thee of:
³ Sojourn in this land, and I will be with thee, and will bless thee; for unto thee, and unto thy seed, I will give all these countries, and I will perform the oath which I sware unto Abraham thy father;
⁴ And I will make thy seed to multiply as the stars of heaven, and will give unto thy seed all these countries; and in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed;
⁵ BECAUSE that Abraham obeyed my voice, and kept my charge, my commandments, my statutes, and my laws.

                                                 _________________________________

God is into being WITH US in famine. There are thirteen recorded famines in scripture, and they are usually all tied to dependency on God for guidance, provision, and supply. Much like Isaac, there is a spiritual tendency to naturally head to "Egypt" when famine comes. But it was not to be Isaac's prophetic destiny. Famine carries with it the seduction to go down to Egypt. Indeed God uses famine to draw Joseph's brothers into a family reunion in Egypt. He uses famine conditions in the wilderness to test the hearts of the Israelites who were still enamored with Egypt's government slave program. 

Isaac is faced with a choice. He can let his materials do the talking or he can listen to GOD. He chose to listen to God. Ultimately we must all come to this conclusion in Christ: The world is famine. Christ is Living Bread. The world is desert. Christ is the stream, the Living Water. There will come a day, not only when you will leave "Egypt" behind, but "Egypt" will eject you begging you to go as they did with Moses. 

As Next Generation Leaders, let us ever keep Christ, The Way before us, sojourning with Him. Famine Times come to remind us to stay Hungry for His Presence, His Heart, His Life, His Truth. And to lead others to do the same.

The Scent Of A Leader

 Job

1 In the land of Uz there lived a man whose name was Job. This man was blameless and upright; he feared God and shunned evil. ² He had seven sons and three daughters, ³ and he owned seven thousand sheep, three thousand camels, five hundred yoke of oxen and five hundred donkeys, and had a large number of servants. He was the greatest man among ALL the people of the East.

⁴ His sons used to hold feasts in their homes on their birthdays, and they would invite their three sisters to eat and drink with them. ⁵ When a period of feasting had run its course, Job would make arrangements for them to be purified. Early in the morning he would sacrifice a burnt offering for each of them, thinking, “Perhaps my children have sinned and cursed God in their hearts.” This was Job’s regular custom.

⁶ One day the angels came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan  also came with them. ⁷ The Lord said to Satan, “Where have you come from?”

Satan answered the Lord, “From roaming throughout the earth, going back and forth on it.”

⁸ Then the Lord said to Satan, “Have you considered my servant Job? There is NO ONE on earth like him; he is blameless and upright, a man who fears God and shuns evil.”

~.~

I start here with the Biblical account of a testimony service. Testimony Service? Yes. We know today  that Satan no longer has a place to come before God in heaven. He has been cast down to make war with the inhabitants of the earth and to tempt them into operating in their flesh where the principle and the law of sin can work. 

But this account lets us in on what gets God's attention. Job was a worshiper. He was a worshiper not just for himself, but also on behalf of his family. He was an interceding worshiper. Before there was Harp and Bowl, Job was already creating a private and public altar with God. Though the scripture highlights both WHO Job was and WHAT Job had, God only focused his testimony on WHO Job was. Because, seeking God first had added those things to Job's life. And though the things would be taken away, Job did NOT stop seeking God in the midst of his trials and tests:

 Job 1

²⁰ At this (onslaught of calamity) , Job got up and tore his robe and shaved his head. Then he fell to the ground in WORSHIP ²¹ and said:

“Naked I came from my mother’s womb,
    and naked I will depart.
The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away;
    may the name of the Lord be praised.”

²² In all this, Job did not sin by charging God with wrongdoing.

Job was INCREASED once again and with MORE. 

 Job 42

¹⁰ After Job had prayed for his friends, the Lord restored his fortunes and gave him twice as much as he had before. ¹¹ All his brothers and sisters and everyone who had known him before came and ate with him in his house. They comforted and consoled him over all the trouble the Lord had brought on him, and each one gave him a piece of silver and a gold ring.

¹² The Lord blessed the latter part of Job’s life more than the former part. He had fourteen thousand sheep, six thousand camels, a thousand yoke of oxen and a thousand donkeys. ¹³ And he also had seven sons and three daughters. ¹⁴ The first daughter he named Jemimah, the second Keziah and the third Keren-Happuch. ¹⁵ Nowhere in all the land were there found women as beautiful as Job’s daughters, and their father granted them an inheritance along with their brothers.

One of the things that floors me about Job is that his earthly existence MATCHED his heavenly reality. In other words, THE WAY GOD SAW Job was exactly the way Job was on the earth. This is really the goal of a Kingdom Believer. Let your will be done IN EARTH (that's me & you) as IT IS in Heaven. We please the Father when we line up with who He says we are. We are tested and tried to shake that alignment! Job was tried more than once:

  Then the Lord said to Satan, “Have you considered my servant Job? There is no one on earth like him; he is blameless and upright, a man who fears God and shuns evil. And he STILL maintains his integrity, though you incited me against him to ruin him without any reason.” (Job 2:3)

When you keep a praise and prayer on your lips, you keep an incense going up to God. God recognizes your scent, or rather, your incense. God knew Job personally, I believe, because his life was his altar, and he was sending up sacrifice "as was his custom" (Job 1:5).

God is not pleased when our lives, unrepentant, offer him the stench of sin:

 Isaiah 65

² I have spread out my hands all the day unto a rebellious people, which walketh in a way that was not good, after their own thoughts;
³ A people that provoketh me to anger continually to my face; that sacrificeth in gardens, and burneth incense upon altars of brick;
5b ...These are a smoke in my nose, a fire that burneth all the day.

 God wants the fragrance that saturates Heaven to be that of your prayers:

Revelation 8

² And I saw the seven angels which stood before God; and to them were given seven trumpets.
³ And another angel came and stood at the altar, having a golden censer; and there was given unto him much incense, that he should offer it with the prayers of all saints upon the golden altar which was before the throne.
⁴ And the smoke of the incense, which came with the prayers of the saints, ascended up before God out of the angel's hand.

Many people focus on God coming to check out the stench of sin in His nostrils, but I encourage you to give God a reason to check out the sweet smelling fragrance coming from your life, your heart, your mouth, your hands raised to Him.

2 Corinthians 2:14-17

Amplified Bible (AMP)

¹⁴ But thanks be to God, Who in Christ always leads us in triumph [as trophies of Christ’s victory] and through us spreads and makes evident the fragrance of the knowledge of God everywhere,

¹⁵ For we are the sweet fragrance of Christ [which exhales] unto God, [discernible alike] among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing:

¹⁶ To the latter it is an aroma [wafted] from death to death [a fatal odor, the smell of doom]; to the former it is an aroma from life to life [a vital fragrance, living and fresh]. And who is qualified (fit and sufficient) for these things? [Who is able for such a ministry? We?]

¹⁷ For we are not, like so many, [like hucksters making a trade of] peddling God’s Word [shortchanging and adulterating the divine message]; but like [men] of sincerity and the purest motive, as [commissioned and sent] by God, we speak [His message] in Christ (the Messiah), in the [very] sight and presence of God.

Get a hold of that! YOUR LIFE is the PERFUME of HEAVEN. God knows YOUR SCENT. You scent becomes stronger, and stronger, and stronger as you worship Christ alone. Like any one familiar with their lover's scent when they walk into a room, you KNOW they are there. And when they leave, their scent lingers in the air! 

As a next generation leader, whether you are like Job, prominently wealthy, or like Paul, one who blazes a trail of planting churches and doing ministry all over the world, GOD knows your scent. He wants who YOU ARE, in spite of what you have or have not! Remember, you can always replace things. You cannot replace YOU. So as David said, I will bless the Lord while I have my Being! One of the greatest places of leading is leading in God's Testimony Service. 

Will you be on the Father's lips today? There's only one way to guarantee that--Worship Him!

The Word of the Lord & Prophetic Dreams - Satanic Timetables

I feel impressed to record this in more than one place. This was delivered April 24th 2013 through the Holy Spirit. Since then, the unfolding of this word has been at breakneck pace. As Leaders, it is your responsibility to equip and prepare those who are in your care.

________________

 April 24 2013

The Son of Perdition will be revealed in the third quarter of the third day. (Image flash in my mind :666, Aquarius)

There is a satanic timetable underway that must be initiated and set in motion. This is why the onslaught against humanity has intensified. Look into the age of Aquarius doctrine (did not even know what this was until I researched it).

You've got to begin DAILY to decree and call forth the full armor of GOD (Ephesians 6, 1 Thessalonians 5:3-11) over your family, yourself, your community, your place of employ, your public square. Tighten your helmet. Know what you believe.

You're getting ready to see the unleashing of the false christs empowered in greater measure by the anti-Christ spirit. Signs coming out of South Africa. Many will be deceived and desire to go see this false messiah. Don't be deceived.

Some of these false christs will carry supernatural signs, even turning translucent with false light. Do not be deceived.

Passages the Holy Spirit gave me to read:

2 Thessalonians 2: 1-13, 2 Thessalonians 3:1-5, 11-23, 2Thessalonians 2: 9-11, Revelations 13, Ezekiel 32:7, Joel 2:10-31,  Revelations 6, Daniel 7, 8, 9, 11, 12, Zechariah 13:9, Revelations 9:20-21, Luke 17, Isaiah 13: 4-22, Isaiah 10:1-2, Zephaniah 1:1-4,15, John 10, Matthew 9, 10, Romans 7,8,9 and Jeremiah 39
Note: I believe God wants us to understand who the players are for the man of lawlessness. I believe he wants us to understand that our country is complicit in his unveiling but we will not escape the results of turning away from God. I believe God wants us to understand the nature of sin, and what power it does NOT have over those who have chosen to walk in the Spirit and yield themselves as instruments of GOD. Read. Study. Prepare. Not for an "if" time of testing but a "when" time. God is clearly warning the people of God that there will be no easy road for Christians in America in not many days. Some principalities were invited and let loose upon this nation during the second Inauguration. It wasn't just a second term, but a sealing of an invite for demonic entities. I say that not to frighten, but to make you aware. If you have not spent any time this year in personal (not church consecrations) prayer and fasting, time is of the essence. The Lamb of God is available for every house. You do not have to be blindsided by what is coming. Seek the Lord for wisdom for your house. Stay ready.

 What I perceive is that there will be some false christ arising with a false spirit at the "third hour" of the day. The Word of God tells us someone will die and be raised to life. They may even emulate a torturing before death. The world will marvel after it.

 The third day here refers to the time Jesus said it would take to build his temple (body). This speaks to the temple yet to be rebuilt for the anti-christ to present himself as well as his rising from the dead, in imitation of the already risen and returning Christ. Jews will receive this false messiah. (Mark 15:25-31)
The Jews are still looking for the Messiah. This is one reason why they will be deceived by the one coming and standing in the temple

May 2013 (dream)

  Leaders upper level clergy (bishops & apostles over major institutions) were behind closed doors showing off their 'powers'. Some were turning translucent like light. The Lord spoke clearly saying it was NOT the Holy Spirit, that it was a false spirit, the same spirit that came against Moses, the spirit of the prognosticators that formed a serpent. But Moses staff transformed as well and consumed the serpent of the false gods of the Egyptians. It is the SAME spirit, and I agree with Jonas, it has infiltrated churches through deliberate means at upper levels of clergy, but also through IGNORANCE by those who engage in Yoga practices that open them up to this spirit. #TAKE HEED

 To the Gatekeepers: (from June 4, 2013)
In this dream around 5am today, I saw many gatekeepers in the posture of the picture below. And I saw two nations (US & Australia). These gatekeepers were exerting strenuous effort to hold back demonic forces. I heard God say, 'tell the gatekeepers to HOLD THE DOOR and raise up MORE Gatekeepers. I know they are weary, but HOLD THE DOOR'. I saw the demonic forces trying to burst open the Door. There was a struggle to hold them back. We prayed into this declaration this morning. Gatekeepers, HOLD THE DOOR! Jesus is the DOOR we must hold onto. We must keep Christ as preeminent in our doctrine, worship, and as the source of our power. I charge you, HOLD THE DOOR!

Succession Planning

Some people leave behind monuments. Some people leave a legacy of lives.

The lives can explain the monuments.

But monuments often times stand silent with no explanation.

 HGQ

 

 

Suddenly 

 

Your company and product is the best in the business. Your church or ministry is thriving. You're in the best of health. Then, Suddenly comes along. Who is Suddenly? Suddenly is any unexpected event that shifts you inadvertently out of the way. Suddenly, your health deteriorates. Suddenly, a death or illness of a family member alters your course. Suddenly, a financial crisis occurs that leaves you reeling, trying to catch your breath. Suddenly, a faithful member of your organization dies and leaves a void of epic proportions. What do you do?

 

No one looks for Suddenly, yet if you live long enough, you meet Suddenly at least once in your lifetime. So, what do you do? Well, if you have a plan, if you have a Successor for the plan, your actions will be guided in a proactive way, rather than reactive way.

 

 

Having a Plan



Before you can have an effective Successor to take over, there should be a plan in place. We live in a day and age where it is so easy to do things off the cuff. The explosion of information has created a culture of copy and paste, rather than serious study and seeking, and searching for knowledge. Contrary to popular belief, the internet does not contain all information, and many times information can be misleading, incomplete, or inaccurate, especially when articles are written in 'real time'.

 

Whether you are leading a company or leading your children, you should have some guiding principles and some vision for your life, spiritually, physically, intellectually, relationally, and professionally.   Habbakkuk 2:3, encourages the writing of vision to make it plain to those who come after you. They can read it and run with it. Many great visions have died with the Visionary. Many books are left incomplete or unwritten, the author unexpectedly passing on, and leaving no outline of what they wanted to say. Many families have been left in upheaval and some destroyed by a lack of planning on the part of the deceased. In so many areas, it is necessary to have a plan, yet many leave this part of their life untended to.

 

Having a Successor

 

Throughout the Bible, we can see what happens when there is a Successor, and when there is not. David's successor, Solomon was prepared by his Father to take over. David left a blue print for his Son, not only of natural things like building the temple of God, but also wisdom he had learned both from good and bad decision-making. He also left his Son in no doubt as to what posed a threat to the Kingdom. David did not die leaving his son unware of what state the Kingdom was in. Jesus, the ultimate example of succession planning, led by example, teaching the Disciples by word, by deed, and by principle. Jesus had confidence that they would so a greater work than what he had begun on the Earth. Jesus corrected, rebuked, prayed for, taught, fellowshipped, and encouraged The Disciples. He gave them a clear vision, mission, and purpose to carry out. The work was so great, that Jesus did not pick one successor, but twelve, and entrusted them to leave the Gospel in the hands of capable teachers.

 

Spotting a Successor

 

Visionaries can spot visionaries. Joseph's father tells the story of his son the Dreamer. Jacob too was a dreamer. Joseph carried many of the qualities of his father. So will your successor. Often times they are a younger you with plenty of energy and little experience.

 

Intergrity is their guiding principle. Look for those who have a strong sense of integrity, who will not compromise their personal standard. Paul commanded Timothy to entrust the Gospel to the right people.

 

Submissive to Authority. Successors exhibit and demonstrate humility. It takes confidence and humility to serve under someone else. Luke 16:11 expresses the fact that a man should be found faithful in the care of another man's work. Successors are willing to carry a vision and fulfill the goals of that vision.

 

Insight, Inspiration, and Innovation are natural to them. Successors should be able to see what you see. This does not mean the way they carry out vision will be exactly like you, but it will have the same mission and goal. They should rely on God for insight and inspiration. When you find the man or woman who can see your heart and bring it out into the open, you have found a Successor.

 

Open to Growth and Change. Successors are people who are malleable and are willing to grow, to change, to follow God's leading. They are willing to take risks, challenge the status quo, admit their mistakes, learn from them and correct them.

 

Nurturing and can be nurtured. Successors care about people more than products. They cultivate relationships understanding that relationships can determine the momentum of a vision. They mentor and they have mentors. They are giving. passing down wisdom, while continuing to recieve wisdom and expand what they know. They are teachable and are willing to admit they do not have all the answers.

 

 

Do You Have A Successor?

 

Well, do you have a Successor? Do you have someone you can count on or look to just in case Suddenly shows up? Will the people around you feel wearied, burned out, frustrated, or angry because you left them no plan, no Successor, in the case of life altering events? Whether you are a Parent, a Teacher, a Fortune 500 CEO, or a Pastor, you need a plan and you need a Successor.

 

What is a God-Parent? A Successor. What is a Substitute Teacher? A temporary Successor. What is the Vice President? A Successor. What is the Assistant Pastor or Co-Pastor or Executive Pastor? A Successor. Did you leave a plan? If  Suddenly showed up, would Successor be able to stand up confidently to him and say, "It is well"?

 

As Next Generation Leaders, let us take the time to ask God to show us the Successors in our midst. Then let us train them by word and action. Let us not leave any area of our lives unprepared to the best of our ability. When we have done what is in our power to do through God's wisdom, we can face Suddenly head-on with no fear. So, I encourage you, to shove fear aside, and face the future courageously, equipped with power, purpose, and a plan from the Lord. If we ask for wisdom, God will give it to us. Let His wisdom guide you!

The Foolish Search For Another Creator

The pressure to lead is upon us. Everywhere you turn, someone is declaring leadership principles, motivating you to live your best life, not settle for being average--leadership is encouraged in every sphere of life: home, work, community, church, and of course on a national and global scale. But here's where we should not lead: in foolish quests.

This is what is portrayed in the sci-fi thriller Prometheus. Now, I personally am not a fan at all of the sci-fi genre. Give me clean romantic comedy (almost extinct now) or a good historical (like Lincon )or period film (like Pride and Predjudice) and I am good to go. However, when the Lord says, turn aside and check this out, I've got something to show you, I pay attention. Much to my surprise, I did not scream, close my eyes, or cringe at this film. I laughed. I laughed heartily, so heartily until my sides ached at the premise of the film.

Here's a brief synopsis of the film: The story is set in the late 21st century and centers on the crew of the spaceship Prometheus as they follow a star map discovered among the artifacts of several ancient Earth cultures. The crew, seeking the origins of humanity, arrive on a distant world and discover a threat that could cause the extinction of the human race. (Wikipedia)

Here are 12 things I learned from this film ( There may be some spoiler alerts)

1. The only character who survived was the one who did not deny the REAL Creator or the Cross. Though in search of new worlds, archaeologist Elizabeth Shaw had a rude awakening after giving birth to a demonic (my interpretation of the creature) species.

2. When you are looking for Demons, you will find them. These people had signed on to seek the origins of humanity, which have already been clearly defined in scripture. Of course this is 2089 AD, and the world is painted as post-Christianity. But guess what? God is from everlasting to everlasting. He is eternal, and He alone is the Creator of Mankind.

3. Demons+Demons =DEMONS. Nothing good comes from demonic encounter. NOTHING. The demonic interaction with humans simply morphed into something more demonic, devouring it's previous genetic line.

4. Though man's knowledge may increase, his capacity for REDEMPTION does not increase without GOD. We are a hopeless and miserable, although smart species without God to guide us.

5. Something that has no soul/spirit should not be your guide. Ultimately it cannot guide you to God. The scientists are all guided by a computer that looks human, yet has no soul. That computer plays Russian roulette, taking it's own samples from the planet and mixing it with a drink , and serving it to the archaeologist to see what would happen. The Spirit of God leads us into all Truth. He's not out to harm us, or trick us.

6. One of the facts the scientists relied on was that the species predated us and shared common DNA, so it must have created us. Ummmm NOT so fast: Just because something predates you or you share common DNA doesn't mean it created you. We have commonalities in creation because GOD designed it ALL.

7. Intercourse with evil leads to bringing forth the fruit of evil. The archaeologists carried on an intimate relationship which led to her being impregnated with the demonic species.

8. Calling on Jesus while being consumed by demomic entities, yet not believing in the reality of the Cross will not save you. The only time Jesus is mentioned, is when two scientists are being taken out by a serpent like entity. It reminds me of the verses in Acts where the seven sons of Scevs were attacked by an evil spirit. We must have more than a confession. We must have a relationship with Jesus.

9. Attempting to explore a spiritual issue using natural means may get you killed. These scientists went exploring and trying to understand this 'other world' by natural means. They did not take into context that spiritual reality is even more real than the chairs we sit in. You cannot wrestle against wickedness in high places, and rulers of darkness by natural means. This is why the Believer is warned to put on the whole armour of God (Ephesians 6).

10. God created us not to just have a head knowledge about Him, but to love Him, and desire Him, and His presence above all else. The computer that looked human asked the archaeologist did she still believe in God after all that happened. I have to say, the premise of the movie made me believe that much more in a loving GOD!

11. Nothing that ugly would create humanity. The scripture says to worship the Lord in the BEAUTY of holiness, and friends, let me tell you: Those false creators were HIDEOUS. God is beauty embodied and personified. He is holy, he is pure. There is nothing deceptive about His beauty, only GLORY. They may have ended their mission had they understood that about God.

__________________

12.Those leading this mission, leading this charge, had convinced those going with lots of money. The people aboard had been placed in stasis (a state of freezing or preservation) in sleep mode for 2 YEARS, only to awake to a nightmare and be killed ruthlessly. Even the zillionaire who had funded the trip, looking for a way to LIVE FOREVER, was snapped in two when he finally met his 'false creator'. This is what happens when we continue to search for LIFE away from the one who is LIFE, Jesus the Christ. God is not waiting to meet us and then snap us in two like twigs.

In fact, He waiting to meet us and say. "Well done, thy good and faithful servant; enter into the JOY of the Lord." I am so thankful for a gracious, loving God, who we don't have to search for in deep space, but as scripture says, the Word is nigh thee, even in our mouth. All we have to do to be SAVED and discover the ONE who created us is call on the name of the Lord Jesus, accept Him as Savior, and accept His death on the Cross in the place of our own and we shall be saved.

God, our loving Creator, then leads us into a lifetime of getting to know Him until we are with Him once more, in the Kingdom of Heaven. He created us for His PLEASURE, not for torture or humiliation, or pain. As Leaders, we must know the character of God. That will help us shun false doctrines of devils, even those now blatantly promoted through Hollywood, and prevent us from leading people in the foolish search for 'another creator'.





The School Year: Off To A Leading Start

      As I thought about this upcoming school year, I began to think about the parents and students that would stream through doors all across the country. I wondered, if I could tell them anything to help their child get off to a good start this year, what would I tell them? Well, here are a few time tested guidelines for starting the school year right:

1. Go to Orientation.  This is highly important especially if the school is new or if your child is making a transition (elementary to middle school, middle to high school, and even high school to college campus) This allows your child to familiarize themselves with the layout of the school grounds and not look like a deer caught in headlights on the first day of school. For special needs children, this is especially important to begin helping to establish routines, locate necessary offices in the building for the first day of school. This can decrease anxiety and stress levels for a child that gets easily lost or easily frustrated. They can spend the first day of school learning peers, not feeling inadequate learning the space and layout of the building. One of the biggest complaints I have heard from students is that they wish they had gone to orientation, and not had to play catch up on need-to-know information.

2. Meet the Guidance Counselor. This is person who will be scheduling your child’s classes. It is very important to have a guidance counselor whose goal is to meet the needs of your child and not simply pass them through the minimal requirements. Find out their philosophy for guidance. If you feel uncomfortable with their approach, request another counselor to be assigned to your child, if possible. As a high school student, it is imperative that your child have a guidance counselor that wants them to excel and reach their highest educational  potential. If there is any question about the courses that your child is enrolled in ad how they will prepare them for their future, this is the place to go first. You can also speak to your school board office and your state department of education if you feel as though your questions are not properly addressed. Your child gets ONE shot in High School. It is up to you that they do not miss any course work that can secure a better financial future for them.

3.  Go to Open House. This is an opportunity for you to get a layout of the class space, request seating adjustments, talk with your child’s teachers, take a more detailed look at the curriculum, and textbooks and take inventory of your child’s interaction with the teacher as well as your teacher’s interaction with other students and parents. Ask about the grading scale, grading policies, their policies on late assignments, whether or not your child can correct an assignment.

4.   Read the Syllabus, Grading Policies, and Classroom Contracts Closely before signing off.  Read them with your child and ask them to tell you what they think the policies mean. If there is anything you don’t understand, or any policy that looks completely different from the general handbook grading policies, request a meeting. Don’t sign off on it. If resistance arises, request a meeting with the teacher, their team leader, and the principle if necessary.

5.   Limit technology (social and entertaining) and establish a curfew especially for the weekdays until the first grading quarter is up. You cannot make an honest assessment of how your child will do in school if they wake up to the DS3, come home to Wii, and go to bed to Facebook. If your child does well the first grading quarter, you can reassess their limits then. If they do poorly, you can be assured the distraction of technology will not improve their performance.

6.       Offer to volunteer at the school at least quarterly. Whether that is helping bake goods for a bake sale, being a parent chaperone for a certain number of trips, get involved and show your support for the school.

7.       Set up your parent-teacher conference dates by the end of the 2^nd week of school. When you make meeting with your child’s teacher a priority, it signals to the teacher that you are committed to the process of education and that you will not only be there to show up when something isn’t “right.” Remember, you are in this together. Parent-Teacher-Student is a 3-fold chord that can't be broken when the goal is the same. Communication allows you to be on the same page and not be pitted against each other. It does not strengthen your communication with the person who has direct influence in the classroom if you bypass them and take your concerns to the administrator, especially if you have not first tried to communicate your concerns or needs to the teacher.

8.      If you know your child has organizational struggles or has had discipline issues in the past, let the teacher know. This shows the teacher that you are being proactive and want to set your child up for success and not failure. For example, if the teacher knows your child is easily distracted, she would not place him by a window or near the doorway. You can also request weekly monitoring that your child is aware of. This often time ends many disagreements because you are being kept abreast of the behavior (by email or hardcopy note). As an educator, I rarely had to dispute the grades or effort scores of students who had progress notes.

9.      Pray for your child, and everyone involved in their learning process. You are the God-given first line of defense for your child. Send them to school knowing they are covered by God, cared for, protected, and loved by you. Hug your child. They are looking for your attention in the morning. Please give it to them. That speaker phone call can wait. The most self-assured students I have had the pleasure to know are those who arrived to school already confident that they were able to take on the day. Why? Because someone in their household told them so.

10. Remember that teachers have feelings too. Most teachers are in the profession because they are committed to improving the future generation and they believe that education is the most powerful way to do that. Some of them are working more than one job or are only employed half days due to budget cuts. My former Director would say, "If you believe half of what they say about us, we will believe half of what they tell us about you." In other words, misunderstanding and miscommunication can and does happen, but if everyone is committed to the students success, you find a way to work together towards the end goal. You may not like every teacher on your child's roster, but you can show your child how to cooperate even with a seemingly difficult person to achieve an end goal. Trust me when I say your children are taking their cue on how to problem solve (or how to manipulate and sabotage) from you.

       I encourage you to make this school year the best one yet and give your child the tools necessary to start the school year from a Leading Position!

The Dangerous Business of Child Care

Recently, I experienced something that in all of my years of teaching and educating children

I had never experienced, neither was expecting to. EVER.

I was falsely accused of mentally abusing children.

In order to understand why this was disturbing to me, I will give a little background for you. I have worked with children all of my adult life and taught for nearly 12 years across different sectors of public and private education. I am a godmother to four, dear children, and enjoy mentoring children and young adults who have looked to me for guidance and as a source of counsel. This false accusation came from a disgruntled parent and equally misguided children. These allegations came as a result of an atheist parent enrolling her children into a school founded on "Christian principles".And this, is why I call Child Care a Dangerous Business.

 

Unfortunately, with so many real abuses happening in our society, and things I have witnessed as an advocate for children, I cooperated fully with the person assigned to investigate this allegation.After a thorough investigation of teachers, other students, and staffers, the allegation was proven and declared to be unfounded. I was not offered an apology. I was not offered my position back, and as a matter of fact those children are still happily gadding about with the potential to ruin another educator's record. My question to the investigator was simple: "What if this had been found as "legitimate"? Who will protect teachers and administrators from outright lies? These same children gleefully recounted to me that they were involved in the firing of another childcare worker at a previous center. This establishes a history of lying and plotting to get rid of staff who they do not like.

After seeking the Lord, I decided not to pursue a legal counter-suit for defamation of character, which I was within rights to do. In my case, God distinctly told me that vengeance is His and He would repay. The good news? These children are now formally recorded as being liars and their names will show up in the system should they ever file another false report. So, now what?

As an Educator, I want to leave you with some advice regarding False Reporting:

1.Do not answer any allegations without an attorney present.

2.Seek legal counsel immediately.

3.Communicate as much as possible in writing.

4. Cooperate with those who are doing the investigating.

5. Believe in due process.

6.Stay calm and pray. If you have done nothing wrong, it will be revealed.

7.Make every effort to follow up with the organization.

8.Check with your state's policy regarding false reporting and follow the necessary steps.

At present, I continue to have a positive relationship with my former boss who was not the decision-maker for my termination, my conscience is clear, and I have done what I can to live in peace. I am not in control of the actions of those who falsely accused me. I am only in control of my own actions.

As Leaders, we must do everything possible to live in peace while maintaining our honesty and integrity. As a Christian, I know that all things work together for my good. Even through this harrowing experience, I have learned to trust in the peace of God, the mercy of God, and operate in the patience and forgiveness that God so readily affords me. This does not mean that I have felt no grief or pain over the incident, but that I have given my future and the future of those who wrong me into the hands of the Lord. May I encourage you to do the same?


Let's Pray:

Father,

Right now there may be those dealing with injustices or false accusations. Like me, they may have been caught totally unaware by them or they may have seen their adversary slowly building a case against them in an attempt to entrap them. I thank you Father for the blood of Jesus that protects us and shields us against every attack of the enemy. I thank you that no weapon formed against your people shall prosper. I thank you that every lying tongue would be stopped and every slanderous mouth be closed. I thank you that the righteousness of those accused would shine like the noonday and that those who accuse them would be ashamed. I thank you for a forgiving heart and spirit be released to those who have been falsely accused or have suffered persecution for your name sake. Let your great grace be upon them now, to continue to stand in love and be examples in Jesus Name. Amen.