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Called to Nurture Students ecently while reading, I came across Luke 19:13: “And He called His ten servants, and delivered them ten pounds, and said unto them, ‘Occupy till I come.’” While the latter part of the verse is familiar to many of us, this time the first part, “And He called His ten servants, and delivered them ten pounds” caught my attention. What an incredible thought when this verse is directly translated to what we are called to do as educators. As I read the verse, I substituted the word “students” for the phrase “ten pounds.” Christ called us as faculty and staff to serve here at Takoma Academy (TA), and each year He delivers to us His students to be nurtured and developed into His likeness. We believe it is our responsibility to provide an environment here at Takoma Academy that will ensure our students are well prepared to make a lifelong impact on the world around them. We will strive to instill in each individual student—through spiritual development, college preparedness and community service—a desire to occupy the Earth with purpose until they reach their destiny in eternity. When our students leave Takoma Academy and reflect on their time here, they will know that we, as educators, did not merely “occupy,” but took full advantage of the opporDavid Daniels tunity to instill in them their great value in the eyes of God. Principal
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Students Lead the Way During Week of Prayer n Matthew 24:13, Jesus says, “He that shall endure to the end, the same shall be saved.” During Takoma Academy’s student-led Week of Prayer, students were encouraged to remain faithful to God in spite of life’s difficulties. The week’s theme, “I Just Can’t Give Up Now,” emphasized the importance of possessing the same spirit of endurance of which Jesus spoke. Throughout the week, various student speakers highlighted the importance of perseverance and endurance. “I loved it,” said Gabrielle Zieggler (’12). “And I really enjoyed the special music.” Ashley Wilson (’12) added, “It was very interesting, and I learned a lot. I liked how [the speakers] put different views on the Bible characters.” Throughout the Week of Prayer, students were encouraged not to give up on God and realize that He will never give up on us. Students were challenged to live everyday with the knowledge that nothing is impossible with God. As young Christians living in the last days, the students of Takoma Academy were reminded that God is able to supply their needs and charged not to slow down, turn around or give up.
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Courtney D’Avilar (’12), Campus Ministries leader, encourages his peers not to give up on God.
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