Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God-this is your true and proper worship.Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is-His good, pleasing and perfect will.
Romans 12:1-2

Well, here we are! The end of the first official week of the new normal for learning for everyone. The "Virtual Plan," while always being tweaked and adjusted as individual needs arise, is up and running. Most folks seem to be adjusting in the context of the familiarity of our other virtual learning experiences over the past few years. And, as challenges come up, please don't hesitate to reach out to us and we will together make sure everyone's needs get met. Huge thanks across the community for the flexibility, understanding, cooperation, and patience that continues to be on display in this super unfamiliar time!

The new normal of us all becoming exclusively "Schoology Spartans @ Zoom University" continues to be a surreal time that has forced the transformation of how we all think about, plan for, and ultimately deliver instruction and learning. We are all getting better at this, one activity, assessment, day, week, maybe even month, at a time! Only time will tell as together we trust anew in the Peace and Promises freely given to us in The Lord!

And, this is the point for each of us today. While all of this virtual activity is super important and a lot for many of our students and staff, we need to intentionally pause, isolate (if you will!) ourselves from the school work and activity of the day and go to The Lord! Go to Him in prayer! Go to Him in His Word! Go to Him in Worship! It is in these places where He comes to us. He shares with us His Spirit and showers upon us His grace, forgiveness, renewal, peace, hope, and joy!

In the devotion that follows, hear this encouragement directly from Christ that we might spend time with Him all the more in these distracting, uncertain, and difficult times.

From the Voice of Jesus,

"Be still in My Presence, even though countless tasks clamor for your attention. Nothing is as important as spending time with Me. While you wait in My Presence, I do my best work within you: "transforming you by the renewal of your mind." If you skimp on this time with Me, you may plunge headlong into the wrong activities, missing the richness of what I have planned for you.

Do not seek Me primarily for what I can give you. Remember that I, the Giver, am infinitely greater than any gift I might impart to you. Though I delight in blessing My children, I am deeply grieved when My blessings become idols in their hearts. Anything can be an idol if it distracts you from Me as your "First Love."When I am the Desire of your heart, you are safe from the danger of idolatry. As you wait in My Presence, enjoy the greatest gift of all: "Christ in you, the hope of Glory!"
(Jesus Calling, 2004, Sarah Young)

"O give thanks unto The Lord; for He is good: His mercy endures forever.
O give thanks unto The God of gods: for His mercy endures forever.
O give thanks unto The Lord of lords: for His
mercy endures forever.
Psalm 136: 1-3