As I stood to the side and gazed out upon the sea of blue and gold that cheered from the seats of this morning’s pep rally, I couldn’t help but feel a warm sense of pride and gratitude for this school that we call home. St. John’s is just one of the 2,300 Lutheran schools in our nation; and it is just one of the many amazing schools that brings grace, hope, love, and most importantly, Jesus, to each of the 20,000 students who attend them. The students who attend Lutheran schools, like St. John’s, are receiving an education and a preparation for life that cannot compare to any other education out there. To grow up in an environment that provides daily and weekly reminders of how much God loves them and how they are saved by grace alone is a priceless experience that will carry these children into their adulthood and beyond. They may not realize yet how special and vital that message is, (or maybe they do!), but one day they will, and they will look back at their time at St. John’s with the same gratitude and warmth I felt today.
I am thankful today for Lutheran schools, particularly St. John’s. I am thankful for their ministry and their message. I am grateful for the community they create and the lives they change. There is truly no better place to be.
By: Lauren Morner, 2nd Grade
