Love at First Sight!

It never occurred to me that circling a schools’ parking lot while classes were in session might be considered suspicious behavior.

I was merely trying to time the distance it would take to drive from our home in Alexandria to the school’s front door.  Had I known that I would be invited to tour ICS that very morning; I would have made myself presentable. Thankfully, neither the fellow who assisted me in the parking lot nor the office staff was put off by my un-coiffed hair and mismatched clothes.

Months of searching for an appropriate learning environment for our children had left me frustrated and bewildered.  The public school our son attended was saturated with insurmountable discipline problems.  Learning became impossible.   I was besieged with concern for him.  He was too young to appropriately cope with the environment he was in each day. I also knew God promised to give wisdom.  However, His wisdom and an accompanying peace eluded me.

In retrospect, I am so thankful that ICS welcomed my unannounced visit.  What the staff could not possibly have known was that I needed tangible evidence that God was directing our educational search.  I needed clarity regarding which school would provide educational rigor in tandem with God’s presence saturating every subject taught.  If our family was investing finances into education, we needed God to direct the school choice.

I continue to be in awe of God that He flooded my mind with peace as I walked the hallways at ICS that morning.  He confirmed afresh that He directs our paths. (Proverbs 3:5-6)  How astounded I was to find that the critical items on our list of ‘must haves’ were part of the underpinnings of the school’s educational mission.  This was confirmation to me that God truly does more than we ask or think. (Ephesians 3:20)

Primarily, the hands-on science curriculum and lab attracted us.  My husband, a wildlife biologist with the National Park, often reminds our family of Psalm 19:1 “The heavens declare the glory of God and the skies proclaim the work of his hands.”  We have always wanted our children to discover the wonder of God’s created order!  ICS’s state of the art science labs, dynamic instruction, and hands-on methodology assure that students ‘experience’ science.  We have no doubt that our children will grasp the foundational knowledge necessary for higher learning in both Math and Science.   Secondly, in-depth concentration on grammar and a focus on writing was critical on our ‘need’ list.  ICS provides both.   Mostly, we wanted an institution who would partner with us as we shepherd our children to be whole people; young people who love God with their intellect, hearts, and their hands.

I am so thankful that we found Immanuel Christian School.  Only God knows the plans He has for both Ian and Hannah Mei.  I want to partner with the LORD  and the school so that their lives will have great depth and meaning.

This blog was written by Judy Steury, a new ICS parent of a 3rd grader.