From the Eagle’s Nest – Quarter 2 – 2022

Greetings, Twin Oaks Community! I am grateful for the opportunity to connect with you and update you on significant developments in the life of our school. One of the highlights of this past week was our 50th Anniversary Celebration Gala where we showcased fifty years of God’s faithfulness to Twin Oaks Christian School! It was a special evening of looking back at all the Lord has accomplished over the years and also an opportunity to think about where we’re headed for the future. I’m eager for us to follow Him into a new season of growth in fulfilling our mission.

One of the initiatives I’m most passionate about is building the habit of scripture engagement among our students as another way to nurture their spiritual development. What exactly is scripture engagement? It is the practice of reading God’s Word and then applying Bible study methods to dig deeper into its meaning. We want students to be informed by the content of scripture, but we also want them to be transformed by experiencing it as living and active, not just another subject in their school day. Recently we demonstrated and then had students put into practice a method where they hear a passage read aloud, and then “mark up” that passage on a sheet of paper that provides plenty of space for them to underline or star keywords, make notes, write questions, draw pictures, etc. that help them “engage” that particular passage in an active way. We practiced with our theme verse, since it was familiar, and I’d like you to see what one third grade student noticed when he slowed down to really chew on God’s Word.

Notice how looking more closely at this scripture allowed him to make a key observation–If God’s Word calls you to work with all your heart, you first “have to have a heart to work.” This puts him in a position to consider a very important question, “Do I have a heart for God?”–and is a chance for the Holy Spirit to speak to his heart and mind as he slows down and looks more intently at the scriptures. This is one example from one student. Imagine the impact this practice could have schoolwide as students begin to truly engage their hearts and minds in this way!

By: Julie Cordray, Head of School