This is one of my favorite Bible verses. Not only do I believe this, but as a youngster who attended a Christian church and then fell away only to be born again in my college years, it rings true to my own experience. As a teacher of children in a Classical Christian Preschool, it is a privilege to nurture a young child's relationship with God and instill Biblical values that reach deeply into a child's heart, and to know that God's words are true. They give us peace and hope in the kind of world that we live in today.
"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you," declares the Lord, "and will bring you back from captivity..." Jeremiah 29:11-14
Childhood is not a race to see how quickly a child can read, write, and count. Childhood is a small window of time to learn and develop at the pace which is right for each individual child. I could go on to say that God's timing is always perfectly right. We are the seed planters, and the children will bloom in the Holy Spirit's perfect timing.
And, one of the important seeds we plant in early learning comes in the form of "play." It is the lifeblood of the learning process. "As children play they are developing the cognitive, socio-emotional and physical skills they will need to make them into successful adults. They are developing their curiosity, problem solving, intentionality, flexibility, and verbal and non-verbal skills. Socio-emotionally they are developing their emotional intelligence - learning confidence, corporation, negotiation, sharing, empathy and how to communicate appropriately. Physically, their fine motor and gross motor skills are being practiced and developed." (Excerpt from MHC Early Childhood Solutions) This is why we are so thankful for our new Preschool play structure, as it will enable us to teach the students many social and physical skills.
Another important seed is planted when student "pray." They have such a beautiful, sweet and honest way of praying. I must tell you that some students pray for everyone in our class by name. If someone is out sick, students readily pray for healing because "Jesus is all-powerful, He's omnipotent." Our children know that God is who He says He is.
I love that Jesus is the "Master Builder" and he is constantly working on and in us. He is not through with us yet. I saw a sign (from Ruth Bell Graham's book A Healing Heart) on a strip of highway once that I would like to have copied on my gravestone. It said, "End of construction. Thank you for your patience."
Thank you Lord, for your grace, love and salvation. We are a work in progress. May we all learn to better play and pray in a way that honors You. Please bless our children, our faculty and our school. In Jesus name I pray, Amen.
Donna Young
JK B Teacher