There was laughter, there was fun, there were reunions between friends. What a great way to start off the 2019 school year!
Roots is 25 years young! It was an honor to have Alyda Van Polanen (left), one of the moms who initiated Roots, and Jennie Van Hooft (right), the Roots principal for over 20 years, attend our anniversary party on September 21st.
We had over 230 people in attendance that day and God provided beautiful weather for us too! I wanted to share a little bit of what God has placed on my heart while I was planning for this anniversary party and pray that it will bring encouragement and hope to your life in some way. Often, when God leads us to do something it seems very small or insignificant in the moment. We sometimes question God or wonder why He would place that person on our hearts to pray for, why He wants us to homeschool, why He wants us to write a note to that friend or share a scripture verse. God is not needing anything from us, but He is offering us the chance to participate in a bigger plan. Sometimes we are blessed to see the outcome of our actions and other times it seems the actions go unnoticed. The bottom line is, did we obey what God called us to do?
God had placed on Alyda’s heart to homeschool her children. How was she to do that in a time when homeschooling was unheard of? After some prayer, she made a call to Trinity Christian School to see if they would be willing to open a home education program. What started with 3 families, 11 students and 1 facilitator in 1994 has exploded to over 160 families, 392 students and 7 facilitators for 2019. Roots has been a blessing to over 700 families in 25 years.
Roots presented a plaque to Alyda for her faithful obedience to God. On it were these verses:
Ephesians 2:10 “For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for
good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.”
Hebrews 6:10 “For God is not unjust to forget your work and labor of love
which you have shown toward His name, in that you have ministered to the
saints, and do minister.”
Alyda didn’t know what God had planned – that there would be a Roots Home Education program or that so many families would have the same desire as she to fellowship with likeminded believers while home schooling their children. But she obeyed.
As we go into this new school year, I want to encourage you to be obedient to what God has placed on your heart for your family. You don’t know the full impact your actions today will have on your children or those around you tomorrow. The ripple effect of your obedience today may just continue for 25 years or more!
The Grande Finale of the Mad Science show at the party!