December 2021 Blog

December 2021 Blog

The Christmas story is one that evokes worship and awe from believers, and a yawn from those who don’t see it for what it really is. From our perspective, this is the fulfillment of a promise made in the garden, a Messiah coming to deliver us from the bondage of sin and death. That perspective can easily be lost in the hustle and bustle of Christmas shopping and traffic congestion.

Our fifth graders demonstrate a different perspective as well. They have been honing their creative writing skills this month with a project called “Voices of Christmas.” The students selected characters present at the birth of Christ and retold the story of that miraculous event through their eyes. Some chose shepherds, some animals, others Mary or Joseph or even the star. As I read through these well-crafted and engaging stories, it was wonderful to see our emerging writers bring their ideas to life. But mainly, I enjoyed their sense of perspective that, no matter whose view is taken, it always focuses on Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith. There were no innkeepers who stole the spotlight, no shepherds proclaiming their greatness for being the first to know. There was only awestruck wonder as each man and beast came face to face with the Glory of Heaven, lying in a manger. 

In reality, isn’t that what happened for all of us on that beautiful night in Bethlehem? The Savior of the world became man, in the lowliest of ways, so that each of our life stories are nested within His grand story. It is this grand story that gives our stories meaning. What a breathtaking truth to comprehend! 

As you enjoy Christmas with your family and friends this year, I pray you will be overwhelmed by the magnitude of God’s love for you. And that the truth of this story will fill you with awestruck wonder while you worship Him.

Merry Christmas!

Dan short signature

 

Excerpts from Fifth Grade Voices of Christmas

Joseph’s View
by Ben Martinez

“I understand that we have to get registered and it’s far away so I grab a donkey for Mary to sit on. We go on the journey and arrive at Bethlehem. I was trying to find Samuel’s house but Mary said that we needed to find somewhere fast. I go to the innkeeper and he said that they only have a stable and fresh cloths, so we went there. I was wondering why God wanted His baby to be born in a stable. But God probably has a good reason. I made a place for Mary while she was making the manger for the child. 

‘And she brought forth her firstborn child and wrapped him in swaddling clothes and laid him in a manger.’ Luke 2:7

My mind is blown, I get to raise the Son of God.”

 

The Lamb’s View
by Taylor Dublin

“We couldn’t believe what we saw! A baby laid in some hay. A lady, on a hay bale, looked cold so I jumped on the hay and covered up her legs. I was like a living blanket! The shepherds tried to move me, but she said no and pushed their hands away… A man in the corner winked at them. When she asked him to come sit next to her, he gingerly put his arm around her shoulder, and they just stared at the baby. He was asleep. When he woke up, he looked at me, then laughed. He reached out to touch my wool. He rubbed my ears, then fell back asleep. The shepherds said that we had to go…and the lady rubbed my head. I left knowing I had just seen the Savior, the Son of God.”

 

Starli the Star’s View
by Raelee Campbell

“The signal sounds. The trumpets of the angels blare so loudly I believe earth down below could hear them. I burst forth, spreading my arms wide and glowing for all the world to see. Over a stable, I hover in the sky. 

I gaze down at the people below. One is “The Chosen One,’ as the angels call her. She is Mary, eyes dim as embers, hair black as coal…the one that will fulfill the prophecy that was prophesied thousands of years before her.

‘No’ is the only response I hear when Mary and Joseph try to get a room in the inn. I frown. This isn’t how it’s supposed to be! Suddenly, I know why I was called to hover over a stable. I don’t want to believe it, but I think that Jesus, the Son of God, will be born in a stable. 

An innkeeper leads Mary and Joseph to the stable. The Son of God will come today! A baby’s cry fills the night. Shepherds appear with their sheep. This is the moment we’ve been waiting for! The Son of God has come! Everyone bows to Jesus, the Son of God. One day, Jesus will save His people. I smile. 

This is the world’s first Christmas.”

November 2021 Blog

November 2021 Blog

For many years growing up, Thanksgiving was the beginning of a tradition that is indelibly marked in my memory…hunting season. The “hunters” would arrive the weekend after Thanksgiving. They were a couple of affable folks who had been coming to our area of Western Pennsylvania for many years, and had settled in with us in a comfortable routine. When I was little, I would help my mom make and decorate sugar cookies, while they scoured the woods for an unlucky buck.

When I came of age, I was taught how to handle a firearm–”Keep that barrel down,” and “Son, it only takes one time, one mistake,” my dad would instruct me. I was pretty good when we “shot mark” in the field, and so I eagerly anticipated my first season of hunting. The first day arrived and the wind was blistering and fierce, but I braved the cold like the true man I thought I was. So it was quite a disappointment when none of us saw anything that day or season at all; everyone went home empty-handed with no venison for their tables. The second year, I tried it again, except this time, my dad didn’t go with me; he had decided that I had it figured out. Alas, when I finally saw my first buck, no more than 30 yards away, I came down with a serious case of buck fever. I didn’t know what to do, and I swear the buck nodded at me, winked, and strolled away while I watched in consternation. It’s a feeling I will never forget.

 

You may think I have a big life lesson coming out of this story but I don’t; it’s just a story, one of the many that makes up my life. As I was reminded of it this week, it occurred to me that all of us are made up of these kinds of stories: some were instrumental in shaping our lives and others, like my deer story, are just memories that make me smile. But collectively, they form a big piece of who we are. It is “just stories” like these that give contours to our understanding of one another. And sharing them around the Thanksgiving table is beautiful.

So, as you celebrate family and friends this Thanksgiving season, remember the stories that make up your life. Share them with one another. And as you laugh, or cry, or just listen to another re-telling of your uncle’s “lost buck” story, let’s thank God that He has granted us eternal life through His Son – where death is never the end of our stories, only a passing moment in time.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Dan short signature

 

June 2021 Blog

June 2021 Blog

A week ago today, we graduated the Class of 2021, the 59th Class of Norfolk Christian Schools. After missing so many festivities with the Class of 2020, it was wonderful to walk through this years’ events with some normalcy. What struck me most as we went from celebration to celebration were not the accomplishments of our talented seniors, though there were many. What struck me was their desire to build each other up in their final moments as a group. I can think of no better example of the Ambassadorship we seek to instill than to share a few of those moments with you now. 

A tradition at our Senior Dinner is for graduates to select two classmates who will speak at their last gathering. On this night, Anna Sandwell was the first to take the stage, where she challenged her friends to remember that they had been prepared to stand boldly for what is right, as Daniel did. But she also reminded them to pursue God with Daniel’s quiet humility, when no one is watching and nothing external can be gained. 

“We post and we argue and we defend our beliefs and we make sure that it is public, so that everyone can see how good we are at standing out, or how good we are at being Christians. If we are not careful we quickly lose track of the things that are private, the things that are hidden. We lose track of our purpose and of the intimate relationship with God.”

After Anna, Daniel Rodriguez spoke to his peers about his own shortcomings and the fact that, no matter the masks they wear, none of them is perfect. He then recounted Jesus’ parable about old and new wineskins, encouraging the crowd to let Christ fill their longings with His Spirit.

“Your beautiful self reflects a beautiful Father. (In Matthew 9,) Jesus is talking about the Pharisees, and as people who have grown up in the church, we should be careful not to become Pharisees, looking at the Bible and seeing rules instead of seeing Jesus…It’s time to reach deep into yourself as you leave this place, deep enough to dig out the things that cannot fill your emptiness. There, you will find yourself and a new wineskin to be filled.”

At our Commencement ceremony, the two students with the highest grade point averages are invited to address the crowd. This year, that honor fell first to Salutatorian Katherine Visser – daughter of NCS alumni Britt and Roxanne (Albis) Visser – who spoke about how fortunate she felt to have spent her whole life surrounded by NCS. In a recent conversation with the CESA school review team, she was asked to describe Norfolk Christian in one word. What immediately came to her mind was “family.” At graduation, she reminded her peers to never stop leaning on the family they had built together.  

“As we go our separate ways, let us not forget the family we made at Norfolk Christian. You all have blessed me in ways unimaginable. I have made relationships that I rely on emotionally and spiritually. I have teachers and coaches who treat me like their own children. And most importantly, I have a community that has pushed me to live a life that honors and glorifies the Lord…I am so honored to graduate from a school where I consider myself a part of a family.”

Last, our 2021 Valedictorian Tyler Jones used his love of numbers to cite some sobering statistics about the sin that so easily entangles this generation. How would they become exceptions instead of falling into the cultural norms of a secular society? This, he reminded us, has already been laid out in the greatest book ever written: 

“We already have that answer. We are solidly equipped to handle all of the issues we will face. I encourage us to lean on Ephesians 6:10-11:

‘Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might. Put on the full armor of God, that you may stand firm against the schemes of the devil.’

We need to stand strong, even when the people around us are not. We must drown out the noise and be rooted in a truth deeper than ourselves. So when the world pulls you to become one of these statistics, when people ditch you and you feel alone, remember the greatest statistic of all: Christ died for 100% of your sins and He wants 100% of your heart.”

As I listened to the wisdom of these young adults, I realized that they are not cookie-cutter Christian school kids, ready to, as Anna said, “Post Bible verses with coffee mugs” to impress the righteous with their spirituality. Instead, I saw young men and women who have wrestled with their identity in Christ, recognize that Christian values may not be welcomed in the world they’re leaving us for, and know that there is a cost required to identify with Christ outside of our walls. And while any of us would choose an easy road for our children, where their values are applauded and their experiences are always positive, we know that is not the world these Ambassadors are walking into and prepared for. What I was so proud of last week was the resolve of these young adults to support each other as they fight the good fight, knowing it won’t be easy. 

Congratulations to the Class of 2021. I can’t wait to watch the rest of your stories unfold.

May “The LORD bless you and keep you; the LORD make his face shine on you and be gracious to you; the LORD turn his face toward you and give you peace” (Numbers 6:24-26).

Dan short signature

February 2021 Blog

February 2021 Blog

We are officially in the last half of the most unpredictable, unexpected school year ever and we are still together in person! Thank you for your tenacity and care for others in the last few months; it has allowed our students to thrive in community and on campus. 

It’s been difficult for our campuses to be closed to parents this year and I know some of you feel disconnected, especially if you’re new to the NCS community and you can only go on assurances of others who’ve been here that the community is strong!

As a result, I wanted to give you a glimpse into the great things that have happened in our classrooms so far this year. Things like coding and robotics classes in our Lower Schools, fifth graders mastering the engineering design process, sixth graders in Mrs. Heider’s class creating original exhibits for the “Heidersonian Museum,” (including a working model elevator!) and our High School AP Computer Science Principles class being honored by the College Board with the Female Diversity Award, one of only three private schools in Virginia to receive it!

However, when I asked our team for their suggestions, they didn’t respond with the accolades and achievements I expected. Their stories were not about students shining a light on themselves; they were about students choosing to serve, to carry out this year’s theme of “Loving your neighbor” in the most genuine ways. From collecting more than 2,000 pounds of food for the Foodbank and gathering close to 100 blankets for PiN Ministry and the homeless, to filling teen Christmas stockings for the Salvation Army, re-stocking the shelves of a local church food pantry, making cards for elderly patients alone at Christmas, and so many more acts of service. I wish I had room to share them all. What I can share is that they all had one common denominator: the passion to see these efforts through came from our students. They show an urgency, creativity and excitement about meeting the needs of others.

This same display of neighborly love has also been evident on our homefront, as students supported one another through unusual times. Fifth graders have displayed their ingenuity and campus leadership by planning creatively to ensure no one missed out on traditions like the Christmas Pageant, See You at the Pole, Love Out Loud and Kindergarten Buddies – all while staying safe during a pandemic.

While teaching 8th grade Bible, Mrs. Sandwell saw the spiritual maturity in eighth graders during their study of Imago Dei–how each of us is made in the image of God. Recently, they completed a Harkness discussion exploring Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s “Letter From a Birmingham Jail.”  In her words, “they did an outstanding job applying the principles articulated in his letter to our modern times. I was so proud of how respectful their dialogue was, while also completely authentic and even raw at times. They came away with a new understanding of other people’s perspectives and how we can love one another well, like our Heavenly Father intended.”

As I pondered each of these situations, it was clear that I was witnessing the beautiful result of a Christian worldview permeating everything we do. I had asked about our students’ accomplishments. I got that, but even more, I saw their hearts for Christ and His hurting world. What better example of ambassadorship could there be?

So thank you, for the privilege of pouring into your children each day. Thank you for helping us mold young men and women who think more of their neighbors than themselves. And thank you for partnering with us in the important mission of creating Ambassadors for Christ. It is an honor to be co-laborers with you on this journey.

Dan short signature

January 2021 Blog

January 2021 Blog

I Peter 3:15, NIV

But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have.”


Some of my most vivid memories are of my years playing basketball. One thing I can still feel is the exhaustion of giving it all during a tough match-up, only to have the game extend into overtime. After the exertion required for the first 32 minutes, the thought of summoning maximum effort for another five seemed impossible. 

It feels like we are in a similar position now. I’m not sure about you, but I know I’ve had multiple heavy conversations over the past several weeks, grappling with difficult problems that seem to be intractable–strife, mistrust, disease, restrictions, and on and on. As we throw ourselves into trying to be good enough, strong enough, powerful enough to make these situations better, the normal responsibilities of life still beckon; work, finances, relationships and family need no less of our attention. To top it off, the news with which we are perpetually accosted reminds us just how broken the world is. Headlines are designed to steer our thinking and provoke emotion. We see depravity and humans being inhuman to one another, and wonder, how long, O Lord? I think we would all admit the same thing: we are weary.

The reality is, outside of the grace and strength and peace of a wonderful Savior, it’s impossible NOT to become weary. But here enters the beauty of the living Word of God. Because as overwhelming as the world around us seems, our scenario is not new. The Bible is full of stories of oppression and tyranny and hardship, many beyond what we could imagine in 21st century America. 

Surely the giants of our faith felt this weariness as they traversed the globe, taking the gospel to one broken city after another. There had to be days when they wondered if they could summon the energy for another task. Yet some of Paul’s last words to us before his martyrdom are as moving today as they must have been to Timothy nearly 2000 years ago: I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.” (II Timothy 4:7)

How could Paul say such a thing with his world in the state it was? It wasn’t the fact that he was good or strong or powerful. It wasn’t that he had fixed all of the brokenness around him. Paul had one thing to cling to that superseded everything else – the hope of eternity with Christ. And I have no doubt that everyone he encountered during his ministry knew the reason for the audacious hope he displayed.  

As we begin a new year with all the challenges set before us, my prayer is that we would cling to the hope Peter speaks of. Our journey here will be rife with the ugliness of a fallen world. The enemy will be hard at work to discourage us. But our hope is not in a perfect world or an easy walk; it is Christ in us, the hope of glory. (Colossians 1:27) 
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Advent Blog 2020

Advent Blog 2020

Every year around this time, I begin to lament the shorter days and the increasing darkness. While driving to an appointment the other day, the sun was on the horizon, shining into my eyes making it difficult to see. I glanced down at the clock in the car–4:18pm! Immediately, I lamented how quickly the daylight dissipates and the darkness falls.

The short days and long nights remind us of our need for light.

Entering the holiday season without my mother, and with a deep sense of loss that cannot be filled, I look at my father and at my children and am reminded of how quickly the daylight dissipates and the darkness falls.

Our short lives and long list of troubles remind us of our need for deliverance.

This year, 2020–the year of pandemic, racial strife, a contentious election and a collective sense of isolation and anger–has brought to our minds again and again that we cannot fix the human condition. Political parties and vaccines, legislative wins and a secure job, only serve to paper over what we know to be a deep longing for all things to be set right.

The short-term victories from human inventions are swallowed up in the disappointment of the long-term problems that never go away.

But God.

He entered human history and created a way to set all things right.

Rich in mercy, He saves us by His grace.

And so, in this year of the pandemic, we eagerly celebrate Advent, remembering and celebrating Jesus’ first coming, and we sing longingly “O Come, O Come, Immanuel” for His second!

May God grant you a beautiful peace this Advent season as His presence dwells among His people.

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