Wishing you a blessed new year!

As we return to learning in 2021, I want to wish you and your family a blessed new year.  My prayer for 2021 is that this will be a year of growing in knowledge, understanding, wisdom, and faith for all students and staff, and that students would grow in their understanding of what it means to live for the King and for His Kingdom. 
Our staff continues to meet each day for devotions (online), and we have started a study on the books of Ezra and Nehemiah. 
Ezra 1:1-4 ESV:

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In the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, that the word of the Lord by the mouth of Jeremiah might be fulfilled, the Lord stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia, so that he made a proclamation throughout all his kingdom and also put it in writing:
“Thus says Cyrus king of Persia: The Lord, the God of heaven, has given me all the kingdoms of the earth, and he has charged me to build him a house at Jerusalem, which is in Judah. Whoever is among you of all his people, may his God be with him, and let him go up to Jerusalem, which is in Judah, and rebuild the house of the Lord, the God of Israel—he is the God who is in Jerusalem. And let each survivor, in whatever place he sojourns, be assisted by the men of his place with silver and gold, with goods and with beasts, besides freewill offerings for the house of God that is in Jerusalem.”

This is a great encouragement here, even in these opening verses of Ezra.  What a comfort to know that God holds the kings of the earth in His hand, and that He stirs the spirit of kings to accomplish His purposes.  He does so by His Word.  Remember that, “The king’s heart is a stream of water in the hand of the Lord; He turns it wherever He will” (Proverbs 21:1).
And then see how God uses His people to build His kingdom.  He calls these exiles out of Babylon and returns them to Jerusalem for a great Kingdom-building project – to build the temple.  Ezra 2 is a beautiful list of exiles – first the ‘laity’, and then the priests, Levites, temple servants.  Each family is named and each person is numbered.  Our God knows us by name and by number, and He takes us from exile for service in His Kingdom.
Look also at how He equips His people for service.  Each survivor was able to take silver and gold and goods and beasts, that they would be provided for in their service.
God still builds His Kingdom today, and He calls His people to service.  What role do you and will you have in the building of the temple?  What section of the city wall has been allotted to your family?  How is He providing for you today so that you can take up this task?
So, as we move online again (hopefully for just three weeks), let’s remember the big picture of what God is doing.  He is building, speaking, providing, and calling.  Let this continue to be a time of growing and working and serving.   ​