"Jesus looked at them and said, 'For mortals it is impossible, but not for God; for God all things are possible.'" Mark 10:27
Taking a leap of faith into the unknown, letting go and letting God reveal unlimited possibilities. I know that with God, all things are possible. Now, more than ever, our motto "[We] can do all things through Christ" is the foundation on which we grow. Mandarin Christian School has a history of excellence, with outstanding students, teachers and supportive parents. We are now poised to take a leap of faith, to improve the learning environment for all of our students.
"...with God all things are possible." Matthew 19:26
What is faith? It is confident assurance that what we hope for is going to happen; it is the evidence of things we cannot yet see. (Hebrews 11:1)
Everybody believes something. Everyday life is not possible without the exercise of belief, trust, and dependence. Shouldn't we be tempted to embrace the common philosophy that "seeing is believing." We should remember that, in fact, much of our "seeing" is determined by our "believing."
No human was present at the beginning of creation; no one saw what happened. So we all speculate and scientists explore theories unabated to this day. As believers, we accept that it is "by faith we understand that the entire universe was formed at God's command" Hebrews 11:3. As believers, every dimension of our life is touched by faith.
We all have the opportunity to be present and a participant in the growth of our school. We will do God's will and step out on faith. We are creating the best environment for our students to matriculate through Kingdom Education here at Mandarin Christian School. Be prayerful at all times and prepared to join in where appropriate.
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
How Can We Help?
We continue to work hard in providing the best education for all the students of Mandarin Christian School. Our mission began with Dennis Bratton and Mary Sterett, was built upon by Pat Stuart, and now continues to be the purposeful pursuit of Christian Education. It is our belief that Kingdom Education begins in the home; the family is the core for the education process. The Church also has its role, along with the school and community in this developmental process. It is our prayer that we will, with God's blessing and your continual support, continue to create the environment for this to happen.
We are all aware of the economy and the number of people out of work; our staff has worked hard to be good stewards and keep our cost low and affordable. Our 2009-2010 tuition is the lowest of the FCIS-accredited schools in Jacksonville! However, quality education and enhancement programs do come at a cost, and we know that tuition payments can be a significant challenge to many of our families. If you need help, please contact our Business Office to apply for assistance. We are committed to working with all our families to find a way to help.
Our faculty is certified in subject areas they teach, and passionate and committed to fostering academic excellence in all that we do. Our teachers go beyond the call of duty and are involved in every aspect of Christian Education and Kingdom Building to meet the needs of our changing world. The investment you make today in your child's education will more than pay off for the immediate hardship of today.
I personally would like to THANK all of you for the support you have given me and my family. We will continue to work on your behalf to maintain and improve Mandarin Christian School. The future is our CHILDREN and we must do everything in our power and God's will to this end. As a veteran of many years in the education arena, I truly feel God has placed me here for a very special reason and season in my life. Join with us and make all that is in God's will for our school a reality. Your prayers are welcomed daily for students, staff and parents. The leadership of our school and church will continue to act on your behalf, for the sake of Christian Education.
Let's show the world and this community that we will stand on God's Word: Hebrews 13:5 for God has said, "Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you." So we say with confidence, "The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?" Remember your leaders, who spoke the Word of God to you. Consider the outcome of their way of life and imitate their faith. Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever. Let us start a 90 days of prayer for special blessing for both our school and church.
My mother's prayer has always been "Let Go and Let God." Prayer Changes People. Always remember Philippians 4:13 "I (We) can do all things through Christ who strengthens me (us)."
May God continue to bless you and your family.
Tuesday, December 16, 2008
No Greater Love
The great love of God comes to us in the Gospel of grace. This inspiring passage (John 15) speaks of God's sovereignty in calling the believer to salvation. Although we may think we alone made the decision to receive Christ as Savior, God was working behind the scenes to bring us to Him. "You did not choose Him, He chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain." (John 16)
The cross of Jesus is the supreme evidence of the love of God. Let us rejoice in our appreciation for His birth, earthly walk, suffering and death. "Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one's life for his friends." (John 15: 13). During this time of the year, we all reflect back in our lives and remember loved ones who are no longer with us here on earth. My family and I pause and pray, and say thanks for the many blessing that have been bestowed upon us. I pray that we all pause and take the time to pray and enjoy family and friends. Although our country is facing financial difficulty, we still have life and an opportunity to make a difference in our community and our world.
On behalf of Mandarin Christian School, we wish you a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. I trust you will enjoy the time with family and fellow believers in Jesus Christ, always remembering the reason for the season. God Bless.
The cross of Jesus is the supreme evidence of the love of God. Let us rejoice in our appreciation for His birth, earthly walk, suffering and death. "Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one's life for his friends." (John 15: 13). During this time of the year, we all reflect back in our lives and remember loved ones who are no longer with us here on earth. My family and I pause and pray, and say thanks for the many blessing that have been bestowed upon us. I pray that we all pause and take the time to pray and enjoy family and friends. Although our country is facing financial difficulty, we still have life and an opportunity to make a difference in our community and our world.
On behalf of Mandarin Christian School, we wish you a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. I trust you will enjoy the time with family and fellow believers in Jesus Christ, always remembering the reason for the season. God Bless.
Tuesday, October 21, 2008
The Promise
The Bible doesn't promise a life free of pain, difficulty, or loss. It does promise (to those of us who believe in Christ) that we will have a Companion along the journey to help, encourage, and strengthen us in whatever may come our way. The Promise:
"I will never leave you nor forsake you." So we may boldly say: "The Lord is my helper, I will not fear. What can man do to me?" (Hebrews 13:5-6).
"I will never leave you nor forsake you." So we may boldly say: "The Lord is my helper, I will not fear. What can man do to me?" (Hebrews 13:5-6).
He is the One who is our Sanctuary - In order to live a life that is an exclamation point in a world of question marks. If you know Christ, let Him build the hope of His presence into your life-experience.
If you have not given your life to Christ, you know this world can be a place of extreme difficulty and struggle. The good news is that we don't have to face it alone. Jesus Christ came into the world to restore our broken relationship with God and to give us lives of purpose and meaning, both now and forever. In the book of John (3:16) the apostle writes:
"For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life."
By accepting God's love and forgiveness, we will enter into a new relationship with Christ. He is the only help and hope we need for life - and for eternity.
In his book The Purpose Driven Life, Rick Warren asks the question: What on earth am I here for? We are not an accident. Even before the universe was created, God had us in mind, and He planned us for His purposes. We were made to last forever!
If you have not given your life to Christ, you know this world can be a place of extreme difficulty and struggle. The good news is that we don't have to face it alone. Jesus Christ came into the world to restore our broken relationship with God and to give us lives of purpose and meaning, both now and forever. In the book of John (3:16) the apostle writes:
"For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life."
By accepting God's love and forgiveness, we will enter into a new relationship with Christ. He is the only help and hope we need for life - and for eternity.
In his book The Purpose Driven Life, Rick Warren asks the question: What on earth am I here for? We are not an accident. Even before the universe was created, God had us in mind, and He planned us for His purposes. We were made to last forever!
Tuesday, October 7, 2008
Living a New Life
In Galatians 5: 16, 24 the apostle Paul advises all mankind to live in the Holy Spirit. Living in the Holy Spirit keeps you from doing what your sinful nature craves. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have nailed the passions and desires of their sinful natures to His cross and crucified them there.
When a man or woman gets married, he or she embarks on a new life. Later when they retire, they start another new life. Should one of them lose their spouse, he or she begins all over again. Life is all about changes, challenges and choices.
The more drastic changes in life, such as marriage, retirement, bereavement or relocation (The Stuart Family) call for far-reaching adjustments. But none is as far-reaching as the change that takes place when an individual commits his life to Christ.
Paul describes this as “new life in the Holy Spirit” and calls the believer to live accordingly (Gal. 5:16). The fundamental difference in such a new life is described as no longer “doing what your sinful nature craves,” but living now by the Holy Spirit (5: 16). This involves following “the Holy Spirit’s leading in every part of our lives” (5:25). Two options are clearly presented – following a “sinful nature {that} loves to do evil” (5:17), or living in such a way that “the Holy Spirit controls our lives” (5:22).
New believers are often surprised to discover, after the initial joy of committing their lives to Christ has worn down a little, how we all struggle to live a new life. The expectation is that everything would be fresh, new and wonderful and that we would somehow be transported into a new kind of stratospheric spirituality—free from pain, struggle, worry or defeat. This is when we must learn to trust God and develop faith in His magnificent Word. We need to learn that even though we are now in Christ, the two "forces”—the sinful nature and the Holy Spirit—“ are constantly at war fighting each other, and your choices are never free from this conflict”(5:17).
Sometimes this may seem discouraging. Believers need to remember that we are not impotent in the midst of this struggle. We will always have the freedom and the power to choose whether we will be dominated by the sinful nature or be led by the Spirit of God. We are required to make this choice—or more accurately, continue to make choices... and make the right choice.
To choose to “follow the Holy Spirit’s leading” includes recognizing that we are saying YES to Christ; as believers we are saying no to the sins for which Christ died. Jesus has “nailed the passions and desires of [the] sinful nature” to the cross, and he continues to say no to them (5:24). At the same time, he says YES to the gracious working of the indwelling Holy Spirit. As he does this, he finds he’s living a new life—a rich full life, a life that honors GOD and blesses all people. We must all continue to live a new life for Christ.
When a man or woman gets married, he or she embarks on a new life. Later when they retire, they start another new life. Should one of them lose their spouse, he or she begins all over again. Life is all about changes, challenges and choices.
The more drastic changes in life, such as marriage, retirement, bereavement or relocation (The Stuart Family) call for far-reaching adjustments. But none is as far-reaching as the change that takes place when an individual commits his life to Christ.
Paul describes this as “new life in the Holy Spirit” and calls the believer to live accordingly (Gal. 5:16). The fundamental difference in such a new life is described as no longer “doing what your sinful nature craves,” but living now by the Holy Spirit (5: 16). This involves following “the Holy Spirit’s leading in every part of our lives” (5:25). Two options are clearly presented – following a “sinful nature {that} loves to do evil” (5:17), or living in such a way that “the Holy Spirit controls our lives” (5:22).
New believers are often surprised to discover, after the initial joy of committing their lives to Christ has worn down a little, how we all struggle to live a new life. The expectation is that everything would be fresh, new and wonderful and that we would somehow be transported into a new kind of stratospheric spirituality—free from pain, struggle, worry or defeat. This is when we must learn to trust God and develop faith in His magnificent Word. We need to learn that even though we are now in Christ, the two "forces”—the sinful nature and the Holy Spirit—“ are constantly at war fighting each other, and your choices are never free from this conflict”(5:17).
Sometimes this may seem discouraging. Believers need to remember that we are not impotent in the midst of this struggle. We will always have the freedom and the power to choose whether we will be dominated by the sinful nature or be led by the Spirit of God. We are required to make this choice—or more accurately, continue to make choices... and make the right choice.
To choose to “follow the Holy Spirit’s leading” includes recognizing that we are saying YES to Christ; as believers we are saying no to the sins for which Christ died. Jesus has “nailed the passions and desires of [the] sinful nature” to the cross, and he continues to say no to them (5:24). At the same time, he says YES to the gracious working of the indwelling Holy Spirit. As he does this, he finds he’s living a new life—a rich full life, a life that honors GOD and blesses all people. We must all continue to live a new life for Christ.
Tuesday, September 30, 2008
Our Mission Continues...
Thank you for the support you have shown, and for choosing Mandarin Christian School.
We continue our commitment for the purpose of Kingdom Education. We believe that every child is a unique creation of God. Our goal is for each student to know God’s purpose for his life. The mission of Mandarin School will continue to seek God’s will from a Biblical Worldview in developing each child’s unique potential to become a disciple of Jesus Christ, a life long learner and a productive citizen.
Your decision concerning your child’s education is a major one, made by informed parents and guardians. For more information about where we are headed as a school, or if you'd like to schedule a visit, please do not hesitate to call (904) 268-8667.
We continue our commitment for the purpose of Kingdom Education. We believe that every child is a unique creation of God. Our goal is for each student to know God’s purpose for his life. The mission of Mandarin School will continue to seek God’s will from a Biblical Worldview in developing each child’s unique potential to become a disciple of Jesus Christ, a life long learner and a productive citizen.
Your decision concerning your child’s education is a major one, made by informed parents and guardians. For more information about where we are headed as a school, or if you'd like to schedule a visit, please do not hesitate to call (904) 268-8667.
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