Fear

"Do not fear, for I am with you; Do not anxiously look about you, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, surely I will help you, Surely I will uphold you with My righteous right hand." (Isaiah 41:10)

I am realizing that fear is one of Satan's most powerful tools. In my leadership position I have had to face my fear. It hasn't been easy. Fear is why I turned down the position a year and a half ago. Fear of mistakes, fear of failure, fear of losing precious time with my family, fear of letting down those that I respect & love, ... It isn't so much that the fear is no longer there, it is just that I serve someone bigger than the fear and I am not so afraid any longer. I have come to the resolve that people fail, businesses fail (holy cow, look at our economy), mistakes happen...but if I can remain true to my faith, my family, my convictions, then what can the fear really take from me? I just saw an interview with Chris Gardner ("The Pursuit of Happiness" movie is about his life). He said that he was on the train in NYC and it was full of men in suits with their boxes as they had just been laid off. They looked drab and depressed and he said he told them that even though they had just lost their jobs, they did not lose their experience, expertise, etc. It was a very "freeing" thought. How much greater to think that God created each one of us for a purpose, with a specific plan to fulfill in this life, and He promises to never leave us or forsake us? Think about that and claim your victory over fear!

As a sidebar: I know many of you have a difficult time understanding exactly how a "virtual school" works. You know I work from home (most of the time) so what do I do, right? Here are the most current stats: There are 635 students receiving Special Education Services in our school of 7000+ students. There are 32 teachers and 5 support staff in the special education department. We provide over 280 related services such as speech, occupational, or physical therapy to students. Our students are enrolled throughout the entire state of Ohio. The parents have "chosen" our program since we are a school of choice. The parents recieve all of the materials including the curriculum and a computer. Our teachers provide support services via phone and the web-based classroom to assist the parents as they educate their children. This environment and personal involvement in each family's story has completely changed my life and my philosophy of education. Check us out!