March 31 PUERTO RICO ?? + Wednesday
The work continued in our hearts and minds as the Lord continues to reveal more of Himself to us. The progress on the roof, deck, and yard were a blast to see as well! The crew is working hard and having a blast. It was a great day in Puerto Rico. Thanks for praying for us.
#GoEagles #WeAreNCCS #NCCSFamily #nccsst21
March 31 • Matthew 5:7-12
The Character of a Servant (pt.2)The Beatitudes draws to our attention the characteristics God is looking for in those who follow Him. As we ask the Lord to develop these characteristics in our life, we will have more opportunities to win people for the sake of the gospel.
God is faithful. He is working.#GoEagles#WeAreNCCS#NCCSFamily#nccsst21
March 30 PUERTO RICO ?? + Tuesday
+ Job sites.+ Home cooked meals.+ Salsa dancing.+ Decking.+ Landscaping.+ Google Meeting with our 2nd grade prayer partners.+ Praying with the homeowner.
…so that people who are far from God can experience life in Christ.
This is what Tuesdays were made for! Such a blast to be Spring Terming with this crew of worldchangers!
#GoEagles #WeAreNCCS #NCCSFamily #nccsst21
March 30 • Matthew 5:1-6
The Character of a Servant
In the Sermon on the Mount, we see some qualities and characteristics that are important to Jesus. In the Beatitudes, we see what our attitude should be like. Asking the Lord to refine my heart and help me pursue these characteristics as we intentionally serve others in the name of Christ today.
Whether we are pressure washing, clearing yard debris, building decks, talking to new friends, or anything at all, we are doing it so that people who are far from God can experience life in Christ.
#GoEagles #WeAreNCCS #NCCSFamily #nccsst21
March 29 PUERTO RICO ?? + Monday
Today we hit the job sites. Some of us helped with a roofing project while the other part of the team tore out an old deck to replace it for a precious woman and her family. We worked hard, played hard, and saw so many clear examples of God at work around us. We also enjoyed a lot of sunshine and some great food. Keep an eye on the @NCCSEagles website for a blog with more details about our trip. Thanks for praying for us and for our other 16 Spring Term teams underway! #GoEagles #WeAreNCCS #NCCSFamily #nccsst21
March 29 • Psalm 103:1-5, 10-14
The Compassion of a Servant
I can never serve anyone from the proper motivation until I recognize what Christ has done for me. Because my heart is sinful and forgetful, I must remind myself each morning of the truth of the gospel. From that place, I can serve others with compassion in the name of Christ.
Jesus…+ forgives+ heals+ redeems+ crowns+ satisfies+ renews
#GoEagles #WeAreNCCS #NCCSFamily #nccsst21
March 28 PUERTO RICO ?? + Sunday
Happy Palm Sunday from Puerto Rico! Due to COVID restrictions, churches are still limited so we tuned into some livestreams from home. We were led in worship by @nickstein7 from @fourpointschurch and @amykwallace from @smyrnafirstumc who gave a shoutout to our team. Such a blessing to have so many @NCCSEagles teammates serving in the local church! We headed to Ponce for a day of sightseeing, shopping, INCREDIBLE food, and an amazing conversation with our new friend Rosa about the grace of God.
At our team time each night, we start with the question “Where did you see God at work today?”. Lots of stories to share this evening! We wrapped our day by hearing Coach Mercado’s testimony of how God has worked in his life.
Our work projects will get underway early tomorrow. We have the privilege of serving two families and we can’t wait to see what God has in store!
Buenos noches! #GoEagles #WeAreNCCS #NCCSFamily #nccsst21 #PuertoRico ? @matthew.t.brown
March 28 • 2 Corinthians 8:1-5
Woke up to a beautiful morning here in Puerto Rico. Still having trouble grasping the magnitude of the grace of God to even get us to this point…3 @NCCSEagles Spring Term teams underway, 3 more launching today, and 11 more tomorrow. God is so faithful…at every turn!
Our team starts each morning with a devotional pointing our hearts and minds towards what God wants us to embrace about Him in the midst of serving others. This reading from 2 Corinthians 8:1-5 focuses my heart on what The Sacrifice of Servant looks like. The above and beyond generosity of the Macedonians described in this passage is something that my family has been blessed by…both in the giving and receiving. Asking the Lord to open my eyes today to those opportunities to meet needs.
#nccsst21 #GoEagles #WeAreNCCS #NCCSFamily
March 27 What a crew! Can’t wait to see what God has in store for us in Puerto Rico ??! So grateful that @NCCSEagles Spring Term 2021 is officially underway. Believing God has big plans for this time for our folks who will be serving at home and around the world. #GoEagles #WeAreNCCS #NCCSFamily #nccsst21 #UntilTheWholeWorldHears
March 27 Precious time this past Thursday with our Ladies Leadership Bible Study @nsckennesaw. Thank you @mikelinch for leading us through this study of Spiritual Leadership and @revswife91 for always making everything extra special. The individual charcuterie boards were incredible! Grateful for this dedicated time to seek the Lord’s will for my leadership along with some amazing ladies!
God is working. He is faithful! #SpiritualLeadership
March 24 SENIOR NIGHT | Congratulations to our Varsity Girls Soccer team and Varsity Track team seniors. We are so proud of these young men and young women and all that they mean to our @NCCSEagles family! #GoEagles #WeAreNCCS #NCCSFamily
March 24 • Philippians 4:8-9
DWELL | My mind is going to dwell on something today. Am I choosing wisely what to dwell on? Grateful for these verses that make a list for my list loving personality!
Whatever is…+ true+ honorable+ just+ pure+ lovely+ commendable
Asking the Lord to help me fix my eyes and my heart on Him today by dwelling on these things. Where do you see God at work?
#Philippians #ChooseJoy
March 24 SENIOR NIGHT | So thankful for the opportunity to celebrate senior night for our @NCCSEagles Tennis team last night. Congratulations Bailey, Michael, Jules, and Nate! So thankful for what these guys and girls have brought to our tennis team, but even more grateful for the awesome people they are. God has HUGE plans for them! #GoEagles #WeAreNCCS #NCCSFamily
March 23 Thank you @macpowell for hosting an AWESOME At Home Concert Xperience this evening. Emma and I had a blast singing along! When is the next concert closest to Acworth, Georgia? How about something for the home folks?
March 23 I just ate inside @chickfila for the first time in a year. Me from a year ago would think this is a crazy statement. What a day to be alive! #EatMorChikin
March 21 SUNDAY NIGHT + Precious times with our @cedarcrestchurch Lifegroup and then home for reading and getting ready for the week ahead. I love this handsome little reader. #7000days #TwistyLegs
March 20 SENIOR NIGHT | Grateful for the opportunity to celebrate 15 seniors who mean so much to our @NCCSArts program. These young men and women are using their God-given talents and abilities to display the glory of God in so many fun and creative ways. We are so proud of each of them and can’t wait to see what God has in store for them! #GoEagles #WeAreNCCS #NCCSFamily #HelloDolly @nccseagles
March 18 WELL DONE! Congratulations to the Cast, Crew, Pit, and Directors of the @NCCSEagles production of Hello Dolly! I enjoyed the show so much tonight and can’t wait to see it again on Saturday for senior night. Such a great show, so many laughs, and the music is incredible…3 more shows to go. Don’t miss it! @nccsarts #GoEagles #WeAreNCCS #NCCSFamily
March 17 Name a more awesome group of teachers than our team @NCCSEagles. Go ahead…I’ll wait. You won’t be able to! Such a gift to gather with our team during Take One this morning as we continue this quarter’s professional development sessions on Authentic Assessment. Teachers who really care…study how kids really learn. I ❤️ our team! #GoEagles #WeAreNCCS #NCCSFamily#TakeOne #AuthenticAssessment
March 17 • Philippians 3:7-11Christ is better than ___________. You can put anything in that blank and it will never be better than Jesus. Asking the Lord to search my heart today to help me identify what I’m putting on that line that shouldn’t be there. #OnlyJesus #Philippians #ChooseJoy
March 16 ONE YEAR LATER • This statement is even more true. And honestly, it doesn’t have anything to do with virtual learning, even though they quickly mastered that learning strategy. In the midst of everything going on, my incredible teammates figured out how to make sure that students still know they are cared about and dearly loved in Christ. Our teachers don’t just teach classes…they graciously serve individual students as they seek to meet needs in the name of Jesus. Have you taken an opportunity to thank a teacher lately? #Grateful
March 14 18 years ago today this amazing man asked me to be his wife. After following Jesus as a 15 year old, saying “yes” to the adventure that God has for @clintstrange32 and me is the most precious gift I can imagine. Clint Strange…you are more than I ever could have dreamed to even hope for. Thank you for leading and loving me and our family so well! Happy Engage-aversary!
March 12 A year ago today we hit send on the email from @NCCSEagles letting everyone know that we’d be making the switch to virtual learning for two weeks just to get ahead of this new virus. We had to cancel our dearly loved Spring Term, but we held hope for returning after Spring Break.
I went home that weekend and mowed the grass. It’s truly one of my favorite things to do…it’s the best place to think! This evening I came home and did the same thing. A year later, my perspective has changed. My heart was sad and confused last year. This year it is weary, but so full of hope and excited for the future. We are two weeks away from Spring Term now. Every day up until this point this school year (111 school days on campus as of today) has been a gift to treasure. I’ve never been more sure of God’s faithfulness and provision.
As I look at the freshly mowed lines in our side yard, I’m reminded that God is faithful and He is working. The best is yet to come!
Spring is here…hope has come.
When the cares of my heart are many, your consolations cheer my soul. – Psalm 94:19
March 11 Always fun to see our girl in the goal for our @NCCSEagles! It was a beautiful day on the pitch. #GoEagles #WeAreNCCS #NCCSFamily #7000days
March 6 Strange Cuts + Check out our little man after a quick visit to @clintstrange32’s super fresh hair cutting studio. Clint’s first try at a fade went pretty well. Eli was pleased! Why does he look so old all of a sudden? ?? swipe for an inside look at Clint’s hair studio…yes, that’s my exercise bike in the bathtub! ?? #7000days #MakingMemories
March 6 OPENING DAY for @acworthbaseball for my favorite little guy. Third base, pitcher, first base…lots of fun learning new things. Just keep getting better. We love cheering on #32! #GoBrewers
March 5 Family Date Night Dinner @crackerbarrel, shopping for porch swing cushions @athomestores, and volleyball @kennesawstateuniversity. @ksuowlsvb (master’s degree alma mater of @clintstrange32) was hosting @libertywvb (master’s and Ed.S. alma mater of mine), so we came to cheer on the Owls and the Flames. Great night of volleyball. Precious moments with my people! #7000days #AllTheConcessionsForEli
March 4 What a treat to have one of our @NCCSEagles 2nd graders come in to share a presentation about Puerto Rico with our Upper School Spring Term team. His family is from Puerto Rico and he really helped us learn more about the exciting culture we will experience on our trip. Thanks for praying for Spring Term kicking off in just a few weeks. We love our Lower School Prayer Partners! #GoEagles #WeAreNCCS #NCCSFamily #nccsst21 ??
March 4 I didn’t post yesterday because I didn’t do my quiet time first thing in the morning…and it really showed in my day. In my own strength, I fall short in so many ways. Grateful for the opportunity to jump back in this morning so that I have my priorities properly ordered. The passage for both yesterday and today point me to the fact that the advance of the gospel is going to happen no matter what. God is so gracious to invite me to join Him in that work, but he doesn’t NEED me in that work. My life counts only in light of how it points people to Jesus.
God is faithful. He is working.
#Philippians #ChooseJoy
March 3It was a beautiful night for Lax under the lights. Always a blast cheering on our @NCCSEagles Lacrosse team! #GoEagles #WeAreNCCS #NCCSFamily #YikesTheHitting
March 2 • Philippians 1:7-11This passage reminds me of my prayer for my own children as well as my @NCCSEagles kids through the years. Asking the Lord to help me and to help them continue to grow in LOVE with knowledge and discernment. If I keep my heart and mind focused on Christ, I have the best chance of becoming more like Him.
