As I look out at my class, I see a roomful of kids whom I hope will understand how the Bible connects with every area of life, including the literature they read and the deep human questions the authors talk about. On my last test, I saw this happening.
 
Here are sample student answers to the final question on my English 10 short story test: What else did you learn this unit that you did not have a chance to show on the test?

• “Both Christianity and existentialism believe that people have the desire to find meaning. In Christianity, we find the true meaning in God and find joy, but in existentialism, people find their own meaning and find joy in that process. I thought it was sad that not all the people have hope and that not all people can feel true joy.”
• “I learned from Leo Tolstoy’s ‘How Much Land Does a Man Need?’ that if we are selfish and greedy, it might seem like you’re ‘living the life’ at the moment, but in the end you’ll lose everything (the important things) you have.”
• “I learned a lot about decision-making and finding my place here. We all get left out and feel like an outsider, but I know that I still belong to God.”
• “I learned that just like ‘The Guest’ we all have to make decisions between two things. I learned that I have to pray to God before choosing the decision by myself because without God’s power, we are all weak and cannot make a decision we won’t regret.”

Thanks for praying:

• Praise God that Kim’s English 10 students continue to connect what they study and what the Bible teaches.
• Praise God that we’ve been healthy all through cold/flu season.
• Ask God to help the 24 participants in Michael’s 2/27 workshop use their learning to serve well.
• Ask God for a full staff for next year. CAJ needs teachers (secondary Bible, science, and learning resource center).