By Larry Stover

The Selma Times-Journal

 

Summer break is winding down.  Vacation trips and excursions have concluded. For those of us with children and grand-children, the month of August is a whirlwind of activities getting ready for the start of the school year.

Going back to school carries with it a bundle of emotions.  There will be many challenges facing parents, grandparents, and teachers as this new year begins. For teachers, they will be learning new names and personalities of students they are called to teach. For family members, it will be new challenges in helping their children with homework and assisting in the whole educational process.

From my Christian perspective, it will mean a lot of time praying for everyone involved. With that in mind everyone is encouraged to mark their calendars.  “Prayer walks” in the Valley Grande/ Selma area will take place next Sunday, August 10th.

We have changed the times for these events as the number of churches involved keeps growing and the number of schools visited is expanding as well.

Praise Park Nazarene will be a part of a large contingency joining together at Dallas County High School at 4:30 p.m.  From there, Praise Park will travel to Martin Middle School at around 5:15 p.m. and conclude at Valley Grande Elementary Shortly thereafter.

Valley Grande Baptist is sending groups from their church at 4:00 p.m.. They plan to arrive at six different schools by approximately 4:30 p.m. Those schools are Dallas County High School, Martin Middle School, Valley Grande Elementary, Morgan Academy, Meadowview Christian School, and Billingsley.

Pastor Don Stevens, from Plantersville Baptist, will be a part of the DCHS walks and then travel to J E Terry Elementary for a prayer walk at around 5:15 p.m.

Check with your pastors for other scheduled walks and get involved.

My wife, Janet, and I are personally involved with the Principals and teachers at DCHS, MMS, and VG Elementary. I count it a privilege to pray for them on a regular basis.

I am a firm believer that the most important way to improve our schools is to see a positive change in our students. We can’t legislate morality or proper ethical behavior.  On the other hand, when a time of personal revival and renewal sweep through our academic communities, we will see some real encouraging progress. Let’s all commit ourselves to prayer for the beginning of a new school year.

Plan to join together with the rest of the community to walk the many school campuses of our area and ask God to bless the students, teachers and administrative teams of each institution. I also want to encourage everyone to pray regularly for the students, teachers, and administrators who are a part of your church.

I’m looking forward to another school year.  When we all give it our best, the 2014-2015 school year will be “Simply Beautiful.”