FCS Blog
FCS Blog
FCS Blog
February 18, 2025
~The Greatest of These us Love~
Valentine's Day has just passed and it seems the whole world was focused on love, embracing love, looking for
love, trying to understand love and on and on.
For Christians, the concept of love should be the simplest thing in the world because, Love is at the very
heart of the Christian faith. It is the foundation of God’s relationship with us and the command He has given us
for how we should live with one another. In 1 Corinthians 13:13, Paul writes, “And now these three remain:
faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.”
The Bible tells us that love begins with God. “We love because He first loved us” (1 John 4:19). His love is not
based on our performance or worthiness but is given freely and sacrificially. The greatest example of this love is
Jesus Christ. “For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him
shall not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16).
This kind of love is not just an emotion but an action—God demonstrated His love by sending Jesus to redeem
us. His love is unconditional, unchanging, and eternal.
Jesus made it clear that love should be the defining characteristic of His followers. When asked what the
greatest commandment was, He replied:
“Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and
greatest commandment. And the second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself” (Matthew 22:37-39).
Loving others is not always easy, especially when people hurt us or challenge our patience. But Jesus calls us
to a love that goes beyond convenience—it is sacrificial, forgiving, and enduring. “But I tell you, love your
enemies and pray for those who persecute you” (Matthew 5:44).
Paul beautifully describes what love should look like in 1 Corinthians 13:4-7:
Love is patient and kind – It shows grace even when others fail.
Love does not envy or boast – It is humble and seeks the good of others.
Love is not easily angered – It is slow to take offense and quick to forgive.
Love rejoices in the truth – It stands for what is right.
Love never fails – It endures through trials and challenges.
Loving like Christ requires daily surrender, relying on the Holy Spirit to transform our hearts and actions.
God's Command gives us multiple opportunities to show love's In Our Families we can show grace, forgive
quickly, and serve one another selflessly.
In Our Churches we can encourage, support, and bear each other’s burdens.
In Our Communities we can reach out to the lonely, help those in need, and be a light to those who don’t yet
know Christ.
In Our Workplaces & Schools we can treat everyone with kindness, even those who may not treat us the same
way.
Jesus told His disciples, “By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another” (John
13:35). Love is the most powerful witness we have to the world.
Please remember that Love is the greatest gift we can give and receive. It is the very nature of God, the
command of Christ, and the evidence of our faith. Let’s strive to love as He loves—unconditionally, sacrificially,
and faithfully.
“Let all that you do be done in love.” – 1 Corinthians 16:14
FCS Blog
February 04, 2025
Who Is My Neighbor?
February 4, 2025
I grew up watching Mr. Rogers’ Neighborhood. Mr. McFeeley, King Friday, and X
the Owl were regulars in my life that I was able to learn from and be a better
person. One of the things that Mr. Rogers told us was that everyone was our
neighbor, and we needed to treat everyone with respect and love. I don’t know
that I always did that with my little brother, but I am sure that it didn’t hurt.
We all have neighbors. Some of our neighbors might be the people who live
next to us. Some of these neighbors are the people we work with. Some of these
people are the people we interact with on a fairly regular basis such as the
people in the grocery store or at the gym. All of these people are our neighbors.
All of these neighbors need to know the love of Jesus. Some of them may have a
relationship with Him already. Some don’t. Part of our job as followers of Jesus is
to find out and if they don’t know Jesus, to introduce them.
This can be a scary place for you if you don’t feel like you could talk to someone
about Jesus. It doesn’t need to be scary, and you don’t need to be a Bible scholar
to talk about Jesus. Here are some ways to make it easier.
If you feel comfortable doing this, you could ask them over for a meal or to play
games or roasting marshmallows. During this time, you will get to know each
other better. You may or may not bring the conversation to spiritual things, but
you will be building a relationship.
You may be more of a doer and talker. If you see your neighbor is doing
something or needs help with something, you can offer to help. Francis of Assisi
is credited with saying: “Preach the gospel. Use words if necessary.” Doing acts of
service or kindness can say more about Jesus than a long conversation.
When you are talking to someone, you often ask them what they are planning to
do that day or weekend. When they ask you, tell them you are going to church
on Sunday. You could then ask them if they have a church they attend. If they
do, great! If they don’t, you could ask them if they would like to come with you.
Building a relationship is the basis of all of these things. Be a neighbor to all that
you meet. “Preach the gospel. Use words if necessary.”
God Bless,
David
FCS Blog
January 14, 2025
Being an Activator
In our bustling world of carpools, homework help, and endless activities, it's
easy to forget our profound calling as Christians. Jesus did not just call us to be
passive believers – He called us to be activators of faith in others' lives.
When Jesus spoke of us being "the salt of the earth" and "the light of the
world," He was describing an active, transformative presence. Salt doesn't just
sit in a shaker – it transforms everything it touches. Light doesn't merely exist –
it illuminates darkness and guides the way for others.
Matthew 5:16 challenges us directly: "Let your light shine before others, that
they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven." This verse is
not suggesting we merely maintain our faith privately; it is calling us to
demonstrate it boldly through our actions.
As a family of Faith, we have unique opportunities to be activators every day:
- In how we handle disagreements with grace
- Through the way we serve others, even when inconvenient
- By openly sharing how God is working in our lives
- In modeling forgiveness and redemption to our children
When we actively live out our faith, our children learn that Christianity is not
just about Sunday mornings or Bible class – it's about being a living testament
to God's transformative power in every moment.
Consider this week: Where has God positioned you to be an activator? Perhaps
it is with a neighbor going through a difficult time or even within your own
family. Don't hide the light He has given you. Your willingness to shine might
be exactly what someone else needs to see God's love in action.
Remember, we are not called to blend in with the world, but to transform it
through Christ's love shining through us. Let us commit together to being
active, intentional witnesses of His grace in our school community and beyond.
Blessings,
Valerie Rose
Principal, FCS Elementary
FCS Blog
January 06, 2025
Happy New Year!
Happy New Year! I trust you had a wonderful Christmas break and have had a
great start to the new year. I trust you had a great time with friends and family,
maybe at home or maybe after doing some traveling? Now it is time to get back
into a routine. School has started again. You are going back to work on a regular
basis. Rec league and other activities are back in full swing. Resolutions have
been made and a few of them have been tossed to the side while others are
going strong after the first week.
Many people start the year with big plans and goals. Most of them are more of a
wish than a goal. The difference is that goals are specific, have a timeline, are
measurable, are important enough to follow-through. Some people have a focus
on growth in certain areas for the year. Just like goals and wishes, a focus on
growth is only as good as the plan to get there. Some people like to have a word
for the year and look at things through that lens.
I like to have a word or phrase for the year. Last year, my word for the year was
linger. I would take time during the day and at special occasions to reflect on the
time spent and create memories. It was an intentional act that helped me
appreciate the moments of my life. It helped me slow down a bit on vacation or
at my kids or grandkids events or just spending time thinking about what was
going on in my life. I will try to continue this in the future because it was a nice
way to process what was going on around me.
This year, I am planning to do that same process again. While I was thinking
about this over Christmas break, I came across an article that talked about how
the author decided on the word he would live by that year. He mentioned that
someone had suggested to him that maybe looking at God’s Word to find a word
would be worthwhile. He was led to Galatians 5:22-23, the fruit of the Spirit
verses. Why not choose one of these? Aren’t these the things that God is saying
shows that you are a mature Christian? That seemed like a good idea to me, so
that is what I am doing this year.
I am choosing peace as my word for the year. I will strive to have peace in all
situations. They may not all be enjoyable or easy, because they won’t. They will
not be all hard or painful, but there will be some of them. Through all of the
moments of life, I am going to do my best to find the peace that passes
understanding, because that is the sign of a mature Christian. I will do my best
to be Battle Ready by cultivating peace in my life.
I pray that this will be the best year of your life and that God will work through
you in wonderful ways. You can do that by being Battle Ready and maturing in
your Christian walk. Happy New Year!
In Christ,
David