I have wanted to write this blog for a long time. But I kept putting it off because I didn’t want it to ever sound like I was saying that one way to raise your kids is better than another. So my disclaimer is I believe there is no superior way. I believe that we all do what is best for our kids. I believe when you do that, no matter where you are, God will take care of the details. However, I am frequently asked why I chose private Christian schooling. Here it is.
It began with my own journey at Christian Life School (now Christian Life Academy, CLA) a very long time ago…ok. My parents wanted to me to have a Christ-centered education. I happened to be one of the first few classes to start there, since it was a new school at the time. Remember – many...many years ago.
I was there preschool (K3) to 3rd grade, and then returned for 8-12thgrade. This is where the foundation of my faith was built. This is where I learned verses that I can still recall today. It’s where I was just able to be a kid without the pressures of the world weighing me down. It’s where teachers cared enough to pray for you each day. I know because I saw my name on their notepads in their bibles. Some of us needed extra prayers.
 |
| Mrs. Heikes, my 3rd Grade Teacher at CLA |
 |
| Ellie (CLA 2009), Mrs Heikes, Colleen (CLA, my year), and Karen St. John. Karen still teaches there! |
 |
| Me, Rachel (CLA, 1999), and our BFF Jen Hatmaker :) |
For a kid to see that, it impacts them. It reminds them that, beyond their parents, they are loved and cared for. It’s where I saw parents rally together to help each other when others were going through hard times. When a teacher needed new tires for her car or someone needed a Bible, it was taken care of.
We were showed how to serve others, whether it was cleaning our school, doing yard work for a widow, or going on a mission trip to Dominican Republic. These shaped who I am. They spoke to my heart. They also happen to be some of my favorite memories. I don’t think that is a coincidence.
This school is where a lot of “my people” come from, some were not even from my own grade - some were teachers who have become like family. These are the people who have my back, encourage me, believe in me, and we do real life together.
Just a few of "my people" on a trip last year together. They are some of the bravest, kindest, strongest women I know. They are amazing moms, wives, friends and all have great careers.
More of the amazing friends, and teacher I get the privilege to do life with. The girl across the laps in front Colleen and I have been friends since we were 4 years old, my soul sister for sure. You may find it surprising that we actually sent our first born to public at first. I wanted to send him to CLA. But at the time we were daunted by the money and I believe I was pregnant…again. In hindsight, we wish we would’ve walked in faith, filled out the financial aid packets, and done what we could’ve to get him there.Those three years were not all bad. But Liam is still getting over some of the bad memories that were made there. We dealt with 5th grade boys bullying him…starting in kindergarten - to the point where he was given a bloody nose in 1st Grade.
1st Grade...
This doesn’t even count the times that his clothes were made fun of (the insignia on a Nautica polo made it “a baby shirt”), kids opening up bathroom stalls on him…I could go on.
I was told “boys will be boys.”
We dealt with the scary books/costumes at Halloween time that gave our sensitive kid with the vivid imagination nightmares. He heard older boys talking about different kinds of sex on the bus. Again…he was five. The boys on the bus were 10.We noticed him growing angry and more defiant with us and with everyone. It seemed too early to be going through all this. Wasn’t he supposed to love school?? I remember reading the book on raising boys by Dr. Dobson and he had some great advice on bullying and school, basically to do what you can to remove them from that kind of atmosphere.
After prayer, and conversations, my husband and I decided to take another look at Christian Life, and to make the leap. We were not sure how we were going to swing it, but we did. The next year God provided the $$ for us to send both boys and we were able to pay in full. The lesson God keeps teaching me is that when you do something hard for the benefit of your family, God rewards that. Every time.
Our Liam is a different kid. He loves school and loves his friends. He gets to be a normal 8-year old. The biggest change is his own relationship with God. He reads his Bible...on his own, people. He knows more verses than one of his parents…not me ;) I thought we talked about God a lot in our house, but this has made God even more a part of our home.
The teachers pray over each child on the first day of school
 |
| The most precious Christmas program to date |
 |
| Hands on learning |
Liam has been able to see what “the church” looks like as well. His very first week at CLA, his new friend, her mom, and sister were in a severe car accident. Liam was devastated. But he witnessed how the school prayed relentlessly for this family. The older kids came in and prayed with the younger kids. Liam took to heart that every time you think of them, we pray.
I would see him in the backyard stopping to pray, I would hear him in the bathroom. We gathered at our own church and we prayed like never before. These kids were able to witness “how we do” when life goes awry. They now see Gods miracle everyday walking the halls, as the family was healed. They have heard the story of that day and the miracles that took place. It is something that these kids will never forget. It has shaped and continues to shape who they are.
Liam with his 2nd grade class showing support for the family last year
My husband, who was pretty skeptical about sending our kids to private school, is now one of its biggest cheerleaders – not only because he sees the difference in our kids, he sees the difference in the older kids. He helps with the drama team in the high school and he can’t get over how good, kind, and generous the kids are. I’ve seen these older kids stop and hold the door for the younger kids, when I knew it would mean they would miss their bell and be late. I have seen them stop and help when someone has slipped and fallen on the ice. These little things matter.
One day, I hope our state will let us use our tax money to go to the school to which we want to send our children. But until then, this money is the best money we could ever spend. We are spending it on our children’s foundation of what they believe, who they are, and who they will be. We are letting them be kids for as long as they can, and see the church at work – all the while receiving a great education.
Of course, they will still have to “deal with the world,” as people say. But they will have a greater foundation to lean on as they navigate through it. I know I did.
