Running From, Running To
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Running From, Running To
Hundreds of millions of Christians across the globe are currently in observance of the season of Lent, a period of fasting and prayer in preparation for Holy Week and Easter. My whole family is participating in the fast this year for the first time. Already, my kids are missing desserts at grandma’s.
On Ash Wednesday, the inaugural day of the fast, my pastor preached about the Exodus story. He often does. In the escape from Egypt after the display of God’s power over the kingdoms of the world, we have a lasting analogy (archetype is the fancy word) of God’s persistent interaction with his people: he redeems us out of slavery. Over and over again. The call to remember their deliverance is one maintained today by Jewish people throughout the world. Because God saved his people then, we know he will save his people in the future.
But something struck me in my pastor’s sermon that I hadn’t noticed before. It is one of those things that is so present in the text that we are sometimes too close to see it. We need someone to point out the thing that is right under our noses.
Here it is: when the Israelites flee from Egypt they are not only running away from the slavery and oppression they experienced in their exile; they are running to the Promised Land. Obvious, right? They were not just leaving one place but going to another.
But this has mind-blowing spiritual implications. Too often, we treat the fasting part of Lent (the running away from Egypt) as the most important element. Too rarely, we think about what we are running to. We fast from Netflix or sugar or social media, but it can be easy for the time to slip by without using that saved time (or money, or calories) in a productive way. But the point of Lent is not simply to give something up but to gain something else. We work with the help of the Holy Spirit to put sin to death not only to rid ourselves of sin but to clear the way for righteous, Christ-like living.
When I talk with students about Easter, I tell them that the major events we commemorate during that weekend–Good Friday and Resurrection Sunday–are both vital and inseparable from Christian truth. On Good Friday, we remember that Christ took our sins upon his body; on Resurrection Sunday, we remember that Christ defeated death and gave us access to new life. The Apostle Paul, as always, says it most eloquently: “Or don’t you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life” (Romans 6:3-4). Dead, buried, released from sin. Risen, alive, free to live like Christ.
So we run from Egypt to the Promised Land, from our sin to righteousness, from death to new life. We give up so that we may gain. We fast so we can feast.
More Endorsement Stories
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The Ecuador and Galapagos Discovery trip this past summer is an excellent example of how Discovery experiences extend our students' learning into the real world. When talking about Ecology in Biology class, students learn how ecologists study ecosystems and the challenges they face in preserving our natural world. Are certain species endangered? Do they need particular conservation action? How are we impacting them? However, none of these questions can be answered until we know the types and population levels of species that exist there. This is a challenging but essential job that our students were able to participate in!
The 2024 Discovery Mexico Medical team consisted of 26 Valor students and 15 medical professionals/leaders, including a nurse, a plastic surgeon, an orthopedic surgeon, a dermatologist, a pediatrician, an internalist, a psychiatrist, two dentists, and two dental assistants.
Valor's Model United Nations team finishes the year-long season with exceptional victories!
Valor's Model UN team did great at the Poudre Model UN Conference.
Valor Christian High School's DECA team members set major milestones at the 2024 DECA State Championship.
Valor's Speech and Debate team had a great showing at the 2024 CHSAA 4A State Tournament!
Valor Christian's TSA Team had multiple medal winners and lots of fun at the 2024 State tournament!
Valor Christian sent multiple Mock Trial teams to regionals at the Douglas County Courthouse. The teams placed well and four students received individual awards.
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Anatomy and Physiology classes had a guest lecture from a member of the American Lung Association. The lecture was full of fascinating facts about cigarettes and the impact of pollutants on the lungs. Did you know that cigarettes are known to contain over 7,000 different toxic chemicals?
Introduction to Business classes did mock interviews to gain speaking and critical thinking skills.
Sophomores in Biblical Leadership endorsement dug deep into the Word and gave scholarly speeches.
Mrs. Herscovici's Entrepreneurship class finished their unit on "Exploring Opportunities" by researching famous entrepreneurs. In small groups, students researched an entrepreneur of their choice and were made aware of how many times these entrepreneurs had to fail before their ideas became successful. In the midst of this research, we have been discussing the importance of being able to explain our learning. Essentially, “If you can't explain it to a six-year-old, you don't understand it well enough yourself.” ― Albert Einstein.
If you travel 40 miles per 60 minutes, what’s your average speed per hour, or what’s your average rate of change (the change in distance over the change in time)? Are they different? Students in AP Calculus played cops and speeders last week in class. Students had the opportunity to use real radar guns and math to try and see if they could catch their classmates speeding along Fairview.
Congratulations to Pierce Bell for being selected as a delegate to attend the 2023 Global Youth Institute (GYI). The GYI is hosted by the Tuskegee University College of Agriculture, Environment, and Nutrition and the College of Engineering.
Marine Biology students and Mr. Worthington ventured down to Cozumel for the bi-annual Marine Biology dive and service trip. To prepare for the trip, students completed certification to SCUBA dive in early Summer and did eight total dives in Cozumel!
The Humanities program honored its first class of graduating students this past May 2023 during Valor’s commencement ceremony. We want to regularly include comments from graduates to help give a sense of how the Humanities program prepared them for the next phase of their lives. For our first alumni check-in, we asked Ben Leikam to reflect on how his time in the Humanities program prepared him for college. Here are his thoughts...
In June a group including 21 students and nine healthcare providers served alongside Mission Ministries in Juarez, Mexico. The experience was one week long and in that short period of time, God worked in and through the team in some amazing ways.
In March our students had the opportunity to use their STEM skills to serve a local Denver school. Valor students built a shed, removed a playground, and prepared a garden.
STEM Night was a great success, as students showcased their work through capstone projects, clubs, and competitions. Over 30 projects and interactive demos were highlighted during the evening. In addition, select students received awards for their innovation, creativity, and service through STEM.
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Are you adventurous? Like bungee jumping? Do you think the length of the cord and the size of the person matters when bungee jumping? Would it be smart to lie about your height or weight? Recently, as students learned about linear regression, in AP Stats, they explored this idea through a Barbie Bungee Activity.
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Students in AP Calculus had a chance to play cops and speeders.
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Thanks to generous donors, the main business classroom at Valor looks more like a university business classroom these days.
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A huge congratulations to our Valor TSA team!
A huge congratulations to our Valor TSA team! View the accomplishments our students achieved.
Welcome to our winter edition of the Business Endorsement newsletter. We have many fine news pieces that highlight our Valor students, both current and alumni.
A huge congratulations to our Valor TSA team! View the accomplishments our students achieved.
See how students get help from a master in the Bioengineering club and learn about the Bioechatronic development lab tour.
In this issue, you will find a student reflection on blending a passion for the humanities with a love for STEM-related fields, an invitation to a reading project for 2022, and my Christmas reflection to close the year.
Meet your student business leaders, view DECA pre-season results, parent involvement information, and more from our bi-monthly business endorsement newsletter!