Archives - January 2024
SEEK GOD with Your Whole Heart
January 31, 2024
Earlier this week, I did something I didn’t feel like doing … my kids wanted to stay after school to play on the playground. It was bitter cold and overcast. I was looking forward to heading home. But I did agree to it. I did it because I love my kids. I did it because I knew it would make them happy.
We all do things we sometimes don’t feel like doing for the people we love. For some of us, it is grading papers. For others of us, it’s taking our kids to and from their extracurricular activities. For others of us, sometimes it’s holding a hard line and saying no. Whatever it is, the fact that you don’t feel like doing it doesn’t mean you don’t love them. Right?
This is an important point to make while living in a culture that often creates definitions of love solely based on emotions, feelings that come and go. While feelings are real and should be paid attention to, Jesus redefined for us what love is. God loved us so much that He did something that was incredibly hard to do—He gave us His one and only Son (see John 3:16). Jesus loved us so much that He agreed to do something difficult—to die on a cross—so that nothing could separate us, not even death itself, from His love for us (see Luke 22:39-44).
When we encounter this amazing love, we are compelled to respond with a love that goes so much deeper than our feelings and emotions. King David got a taste of this love. Take a look at how David responded in Psalm 27:8 (NIV). In this verse that is the source of our monthly focus—Seek God with Whole Heart—he writes these simple but powerful words:
My heart says of you, “Seek his face!”
Your face, Lord, I will seek.
In Hebrew, the word used for “heart” is lêb (pronounced “labe”). This word can be translated as the “inner man, mind, will, heart, understanding” (Interlinear Search for 'Psalms 27:8' - NAS with the BHS and NA26 - StudyLight.org). In response to the love and grace of God that transformed his life, David responds by seeking God with all his being. He wanted the center of all of who he was—not just his emotions but his mind, his will, his heart, his understanding—to seek the face of God. That is the testimony of the power of God’s love at work in one’s life.
Over the course of this month, we will be helping our students learn how to seek God with their whole heart, a seeking and a searching with a love that goes much deeper than what they feel. Loving God means giving Him our time, talents, and treasures (Matthew 25:14-30). It means obeying His commandments, even when it is hard or difficult (John 14:15-31). Finally, it means seeking Him with a sense of urgency (Mark 5:25-34).
This month, as we focus on God’s love, my hope and prayer is that each of us would pursue God with a love that encompasses all of who we are. Blessings to you!
Family Discussion Questions and Activities:
1.) How has God’s love changed your life? Think about this; then share your answers when everyone is ready.
2.) Why is it so hard to love, especially when going through difficult times? Think about your answer and share with your family.
3.) Write a note of gratitude to someone who has shown you sacrificial love recently and let them know how much you appreciate them.
Community! What a beautiful gift from God.
January 24, 2024
As executive director of community engagement, I get to witness snippets of what God is doing at Cascade Christian across the district.
In the District Office, I’ve experienced the sound of worship music moving through the halls, prayers preceding finance meetings, and the laughter of coworkers. I also notice the excitement for the upcoming auction and get sneak peeks at some procurement items. It is so much fun seeing everyone come together and bring items and gifts in support of our community. (I hope you’re able to participate in your campus procurement!)
At Puyallup Early Learning Center, I recently visited my friend Paula at the front desk. From that vantage point, I could hear teachers singing and see little ones hugging.
While at the junior high, I attended an assembly addressing speech and conduct. I am so encouraged to see how the campus leaders are developing discerning leaders and using the Bible as a foundation for all lessons.
At Puyallup Elementary, I attended a PfC meeting where Mrs. Peterson led us in a powerful time of prayer for our community. 
At McAlder Campus, I admired the CCS mission statement boldly sitting above the entrance as you enter the school lobby. This new sign is a beautiful reminder of who we are and what we do.
At Frederickson Campus, I drove onto the finally finished parking lot and experienced the excitement of school drop-off with a fun '80s theme starting off the students’ day. How I wish I’d had a school drop-off like this as a student!
At the high school, I have two amazing interns through the CCS Internship Program. Izzy has been interning with us since the start of the year and has been a tremendous help! She has extended her classroom learning by being involved with updating our course catalogs, creating PowerPoints, helping with the production of videos, and contributing to Friday folders! Nevaya, who interns with Mr. Alexander, has popped in for the month to work on her video editing skills as well as to increase her abilities to post amazing social media videos leading up to our Open House.
We’re only 4 weeks into 2024, and I am extremely encouraged by all the happenings across the district. I can’t wait to see how the Lord uses this community throughout the year.
We truly are better together. Go, Cougs!
“And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds.” (Hebrews 10:24, NIV)
I don't know what I'd do without this amazing team. Pictured left to right: Heidi Grosso (Social Media and Community Engagement Facilitator), Erin Lynn Gray (Communications Coordinator), Karen Friesen (Editor), Courtney Petersen (That's me!), Keri Helle (Visual Designer and Photographer), Bki BVG (Creative Content Strategist), and Sara Strom (Editor).
Jesus' Gospel and His Love
January 17, 2024
When it comes to explaining Martin Luther King Day to our early learning students, I was able to find a helpful blog as a resource:
Galatians 3:28 states, “There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus” (NIV). Learning about Martin Luther King Jr. helps preschoolers appreciate this concept and celebrate diversity. It offers an opportunity to explore differences in a positive light, emphasizing that every person deserves respect and kindness.
Exploring Martin Luther King Jr.’s ideals can be complex for our preschool students; yet it can provide an incredible opportunity to teach about the importance of showing love and acceptance and putting kindness at the forefront of our actions. To see the love of Christ displayed in the shining faces of our young ones from diverse nationalities and ethnic groups is truly inspiring. It is only the love of Jesus Christ that can truly do that. I am grateful that we have that opportunity on MLK Day to remember and serve because of the gospel of Jesus Christ.
Open House Is Almost Here!
January 10, 2024
Hello, Cougar Families!
We are so excited to invite you and your friends to our annual Open House on Saturday, January 27, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. This is an incredible opportunity to showcase our community and share our mission:
To glorify God by providing an excellent Christ-centered education dedicated to developing discerning leaders who are spiritually, personally, and academically prepared to impact their world
As you probably know, we are dedicated to helping students explore and discover their God-given potential, and Open House provides an excellent inside peek at what that looks like.
You all do such an amazing job at sharing a passion for excellent education, a safe learning environment, strong values, and biblical immersion. The CCS family is made stronger because of how each of you represents the mission statement within our community.
We are grateful for our partnership and hope you’ll become a part of the CCS referral incentive program, which offers your family tuition credit as a token of our appreciation when you introduce Cascade Christian to a new family and they enroll. Have your friends visit our website to book a tour for our 2024 Open House. You can join in at the Open House as well. Visit the next grade your children will enter, or just pop in to say hi! We can’t wait to share an excellent Christ-centered education with more of our community here in the Pacific Northwest.
SEEK GOD with Guidance
January 03, 2024
Welcome to 2024, where you will have the opportunity to experience God’s goodness in multiple ways. As we anticipate experiencing the best that God has for us in the year ahead, we can do so in the context of 1 Samuel chapter 3, where we read how Samuel, as a young boy, was being called by God into His service. Samuel’s response, with Eli’s guidance, was to respond to God’s voice by saying, “Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening.”
Our spiritual theme for the month of January is to “seek God with guidance.” Just as it was with Samuel, our guidance may come from another person in whom we have trust and confidence. It may also come from Scripture we read or directly from the Holy Spirit, all as a result of our prayers to hear God’s voice and to know His heart. May we all have a spirit of intentionality to seek God with guidance using the various sources He has given us, and may we have the discernment to know His heart in the matters for which we are seeking guidance.
Praying God’s best for you in the year ahead.
