A word from … Lisa Newell

Lisa Newell and her family have been part of FRCS since the Fall of 2005. Lisa and her husband, Jay, have one son Luke who was part of FRCS from Kindergarten to Graduation 2018. After several volunteer positions, Lisa started working at the high school in 2011 and in 2013 took her current position as Elementary Office Manager.

As the Office Manager and the person who is the first point of contact in the elementary building, each fall I have a challenge—a challenge to learn 40 to 75 new names and faces. Each year the number fluctuates depending on how many new students there are at FRCS. What doesn’t fluctuate is the desire of each student to be known.

During the first few days of school in the fall of 2024, I had been working very hard to learn all the new names and faces; however, I was still confusing one student with a different first grade boy. One morning he walked in, looked up at me, and said, “You promised that you would know my name today.” Since that day, I haven’t confused the two boys!

Each day we greet or acknowledge each student three times before the school day starts. Staff members are outside to open the car doors, a staff member is at the front door taking attendance and saying hello, and the student’s teacher is at the classroom door to say, “Hello and Good Morning”. We see this as an important way to start the child’s school day. We want them to feel seen and loved before they start the academic part of the day.

As the year goes on, I try to learn about who they are individually, what their interests are, and listen for anything they might share about themselves.

God and us?

In the above story, I would suggest we are like the students and want to be known and seen. The good news…

God is omnipresent and by definition knows all! He doesn’t need to get to know us better! He knows us and sees us—what a blessing! He created us for His purposes; He will not leave us and promises us His love!

Even as believers sometimes we may feel unseen or unloved by God. The challenge then comes back to us. Maybe we still need to learn more about His character. Or maybe it is because we haven’t fully allowed Him in, have put up walls, or don’t want to talk about certain areas of our lives?

So when the Holy Spirit nudges you, take the opportunity—spend time in prayer, talk to him throughout the day, start a new devotion, or spend time studying the Word. Acknowledge what God sees in you and honestly consider what He might be asking you to step into.

Encouragement from the Word: Psalm 139:1-14.