FCS Blog

 SCHOOL IS DISCIPLESHIP. WE ARE CONSCIOUSLY AWARE THAT WE ARE
HELPING TO SHAPE THE NEXT GENERATION. OUR DESIRE IS TO DO THAT WELL. WE CANNOT ACCOMPLISH THIS
APART FROM THE WORD WHICH IS WHY THE BIBLE IS THE FOUNDATION FOR WHAT WE TEACH, HOW WE LEAD,
AND THE WAY WE MOLD THE HEARTS AND MINDS OF OUR STUDENTS.
SCRIPTURE TEACHES US THAT AUTHORITY AND OBEDIENCE ARE PART OF GOD’S DESIGN FOR ORDER AND
GROWTH. YET IT APPEARS THAT THE SURROUNDING CULTURE HAS BEGUN TO INFLUENCE THE WAY MANY
CHILDREN ARE RAISED AND DISCIPLINED MORE THAN THE WORD OF GOD HAS. CULTURAL MESSAGES OFTEN
ENCOURAGE CHILDREN TO QUESTION, NEGOTIATE, AND CHALLENGE AUTHORITY AT EVERY TURN. WHILE ASKING
THOUGHTFUL QUESTIONS CAN BE HEALTHY, CONSTANT NEGOTIATION OVER SIMPLE INSTRUCTIONS CREATES
CONFUSION ABOUT AUTHORITY.
THE BIBLE GIVES US A VERY SIMPLE PRINCIPLE: “LET YOUR YES BE YES AND YOUR NO BE NO.” CLEAR,
CONSISTENT BOUNDARIES ARE A GIFT TO CHILDREN. THEY PROVIDE SECURITY, STRUCTURE, AND
UNDERSTANDING.
CHILDREN NEED TO HEAR BOTH “YES” AND “NO.” IN FACT, THEY NEED TO BECOME JUST AS FAMILIAR WITH “NO”
AS THEY ARE WITH “YES.” WHEN CHILDREN RARELY HEAR “NO,
” IT CAN BECOME SHOCKING OR UPSETTING WHEN
IT FINALLY COMES. HOWEVER WHEN “NO” IS PART OF NORMAL, LOVING GUIDANCE, IT DOES NOT SHAKE THEIR
WORLD—IT HELPS SHAPE THEIR CHARACTER.
SOMETIMES CHILDREN BEGIN TO THINK THAT “NO” SIMPLY MEANS THE BEGINNING OF A NEGOTIATION. THEY
ASK AGAIN, PLEAD THEIR CASE, OR WAIT FOR AN ADULT TO CHANGE THEIR MIND. IN THE CLASSROOM, HOWEVER,
THAT APPROACH SIMPLY DOES NOT WORK. A TEACHER CANNOT STOP INSTRUCTION TO NEGOTIATE EVERY
DIRECTION OR CORRECTION WITH EACH INDIVIDUAL STUDENT. MORE IMPORTANTLY, LEARNING TO ACCEPT “NO”
TEACHES AN ESSENTIAL TRUTH: LIFE IS NOT CENTERED AROUND ME. THERE ARE BOUNDARIES, RESPONSIBILITIES,
AND AUTHORITIES THAT WE MUST RESPECT. WHEN WE SAY “NO” TO OUR CHILDREN, WE SHOULD SAY IT WITH LOVE, CLARITY, AND CONFIDENCE. SAY NO
AND MEAN IT. AVOID TURNING EVERY BOUNDARY INTO A DEBATE. CONSISTENCY HELPS CHILDREN UNDERSTAND
EXPECTATIONS AND DEVELOP RESPECT FOR AUTHORITY.
THE REALITY IS THAT THROUGHOUT LIFE THERE WILL BE MANY MOMENTS WHEN THE ANSWER IS SIMPLY “NO.”
TEACHING CHILDREN TO ACCEPT THAT TRUTH EARLY HELPS PREPARE THEM FOR ADULTHOOD, FOR
RELATIONSHIPS, AND MOST IMPORTANTLY, FOR THEIR WALK WITH CHRIST. AS PARENTS, TEACHERS, AND MENTORS, WE HAVE THE PRIVILEGE AND RESPONSIBILITY TO SHAPE YOUNG
HEARTS ACCORDING TO GOD’S WORD RATHER THAN CULTURAL TRENDS. WHEN OUR HOMES AND CLASSROOMS
REFLECT BIBLICAL TRUTH, WE ARE NOT MERELY CORRECTING BEHAVIOR—WE ARE DISCIPLING THE NEXT
GENERATION.

The Beauty of Christian Surrender During Lent

Every year, as Lent approaches, Christians around the world begin to ask a familiar question: What will I give up this season?
Sugar. Social media. Coffee. Meat on Fridays. Streaming. Snacking. And countless other comforts that quietly weave themselves

into our daily rhythms. But Lent is not about deprivation for deprivation’s sake.

It is about intentional surrender, a sacred invitation to step away from the noise and return to the One who satisfies our souls.
Scripture reminds us,

“Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you.” James 4:8 Lent is one of the ways we choose to draw

near.

When we willingly lay something down, we are practicing a spiritual truth that Jesus taught so clearly: “If anyone would come
after Me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow Me.” Luke 9:23. Self-denial is not about punishment. It’s
about posture; a heart turned toward God, open and attentive. Fasting, whether from food or habits or distractions, creates
space. It slows us down long enough to notice what we’ve been leaning on instead of Him. It reveals the subtle ways we’ve
allowed comfort to replace communion. And in that space, God meets us with tenderness and clarity. Lent reminds us that

surrender is not loss, it is alignment.

Let’s be honest: surrender stretches us. It presses on our preferences. It challenges our routines. It exposes our attachments. But
stretching is not God’s way of breaking us , it’s His way of forming us. Paul writes,

“Do not be conformed to this world, but be
transformed by the renewing of your mind.” Romans 12:2. Transformation requires room. Room that intentional surrender
creates. When we give something up, God often grows something deeper: Trust , Discipline, Clarity, Dependence, Gratitude, and
Spiritual hunger. Lent becomes a training ground where God strengthens the muscles of obedience and faith. It’s where He
whispers,
“Let Me be enough for you.” And as we lean into that whisper, we discover that He truly is.
The beauty of Lent is that God doesn’t wait for us to be perfect. He meets us in the middle, in the craving, the longing, the
temptation, the quiet ache of wanting what we’ve laid down. Psalm 34:18 reminds us,

“The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and
saves the crushed in spirit.” He is near in our weakness. He is near in our small yeses. He is near in our imperfect obedience.
Every time we choose prayer over scrolling, Scripture over sugar, worship over worry, we are choosing Him. And He honors every

choice, every effort, every step toward His heart.

If you’re stepping into Lent with a desire to surrender something meaningful, take heart. God sees your intention. He honors your
obedience. He delights in your willingness to draw near. This season is not about proving your strength, it’s about experiencing
His. It’s not about what you’re losing, it’s about what He is forming in you. It’s not about perfection, it’s about presence. Jesus
Himself modeled surrender,

“Not my will, but Yours be done.” Luke 22:42 As we follow Him into this season, we discover that every
time we lay something down, we are picking up more of Him. May this Lent be a season of renewal, intimacy, and holy

stretching, a season where surrender becomes the doorway to deeper joy.

God Bless You!