Anchored in Purpose with Christ

ByMonica Healer

Hey Reader!

We’ve talked about your physical health, your emotional health and now we’re diving into your spiritual health. How’s it going so far? Are you tracking any new healthy habits yet? Even if you’ve missed a few days, keep going! These small shifts in behavior eventually lead to new habits!

If you’ve been around us for long, you know that we are passionate about your spiritual well-being. We believe you have been called to this work by God and He will sustain your soul, mind, and your body as you work for His glory. When you align your work with your purpose and draw strength from God, you can sustain your calling with joy and perseverance.

Why It Matters

  • Clarity and Focus: A clear sense of purpose keeps you motivated, even on tough days. Remembering the calling on your life to help you persevere through the difficult days.
  • Lasting Fulfillment: Finding your worth in God, rather than achievements, brings peace and satisfaction.

Spiritual Practices

  1. Start the Day with Prayer: Commit your day to God, asking for guidance and patience. I’m going to encourage you to try praying out loud rather than thinking your prayers silently.
  2. Rocks of Remembrance: Think back on the growth you’ve seen in the young children in your classroom from the beginning of the year to now. How are they showing a greater awareness of God in their daily lives? Review our gratitude post-its from last week! God is always working. Do you see it?
  3. Seek Christian Community: Join a Bible study, find a prayer partner, recruit friends who will dig into scripture with you and pray with you – look around at your fellow coworkers! Is there something there you’d like to know better?
  4. Worship Regularly: This isn’t just church on Sunday. Spend a few moments each day worshipping God through music – find a praise song on the radio or on Spotify and really pay attention to the lyrics. Sing with your whole heart or just listen and imagine being in the presence of God. (Hint: You already are! He’s always with you!)

CHALLENGE: This week, we’re challenging you to pray out loud in your personal quiet time with God. And also, share one thing that God is doing in your classroom or in your family or anywhere – just share something with another person in your life about how God is working. Will you let us know how it goes? We want to hear how God is working in your life as well! (Feel free to respond to this email and let us know!)

Healthy You = Happier Children

We hope you’ve begun to develop some new habits to help you become the healthiest YOU! When you’re healthy in body, mind, and spirit, it radiates to the children in your care. You’re doing great work. Keep it up!

​

Cheering you on this week!

-Your ECCN team

P.S. You might want to listen in to this conversation with David Rische about creating routines that help combat stress!

Listen to this podcast episode with host Monica Healer now on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.

​

​

​

Colossians 3:16

“Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts.”

Similar Posts

Nurturing Tiny Minds: A Guide to Supporting Early Childhood Mental Health

Byearlychildhoodchristiannetwork

Hey Reader!
From the moment a baby is born, the brain undergoes rapid development, forming one million neural connections every second (ZerotoThree.org)! Positive interactions during this period of development significantly impact a child’s emotional and cognitive growth. As caregivers, creating a nurturing environment is key. Simple things like responsive caregiving, where a caregiver promptly attends to a baby’s needs, build a sense of security and trust. This secure attachment becomes the…

Stay Well This Winter: Tips for Healthy Early Educators!

Stay Well This Winter: Tips for Healthy Early Educators!

Byearlychildhoodchristiannetwork

Hey Reader!
Tis the season to be….sniffling! Have you ever noticed how quickly you can start feeling those sniffles come on? Early childhood educators are exposed to So.Many.Germs. All the time. We typically hold children close (especially, those who aren’t feeling their best); We’re the ones who wipe noses and try to catch sneezes from afar – who am I kidding? Those sneezes and coughs land all over us every single day! So what are some things YOU can do to keep yourself healthy during this…

Like sands through the hourglass…

Like sands through the hourglass…

Byearlychildhoodchristiannetwork

Hey Reader!
Time. It’s something we cannot get more of! We’re all gifted exactly the same amount of minutes every day. Today, I just want to share one idea that I hope you’ll consider as you keep working on being a rockstar early educator!
Look at your daily classroom schedule for your students – you have one right? (If you don’t, then stop here and get that done. Your students need routine!) Now, make a copy of it and document what you and any co-teacher, assistant teacher, floater, etc are…

Communication Pickle Ball?

Communication Pickle Ball?

Byearlychildhoodchristiannetwork

Hey Reader!
Infants and toddlers communicate through their behaviors, and being attuned to these cues is vital. Pay attention to their expressions, respond to their babbling, and engage in interactive play. Sometimes, we refer to this “back-and-forth” conversation as “serve and return” – think of it like tennis, volleyball or ping pong (or maybe even pickleball)! One person starts the conversation (serves) and the other person responds (return).
Here is a great example of this with a father…

Nurturing Resilience in Preschoolers through Risky Play

Nurturing Resilience in Preschoolers through Risky Play

Byearlychildhoodchristiannetwork

Hey Reader!
The term “risky play” has gained some attention over the last few years in the world of early childhood development. Our natural instinct is to protect our little ones from potential harm, but research suggests that allowing controlled, purposeful risk-taking can be a crucial component of healthy development. “If we want children to be prepared for risk, we need to allow them to come into contact with risk.” says Prof Rolf Schwarz of Karlsruhe University of Education, who advises…

Promoting Cooperation Over Conflict: Strategies for Teaching Turn-Taking

Promoting Cooperation Over Conflict: Strategies for Teaching Turn-Taking

Byearlychildhoodchristiannetwork

Hey Reader! In a national parent survey conducted by zerotothree.org, 43% of parents that were surveyed thought children should be good at sharing by around age 2. In reality, the skills of sharing and taking turns begin developing around ages 3-6 when children begin to assert power over their environments (you can read about Erikson’s Theory HERE). This is the time where they really begin to start making friends and playing cooperatively rather than just next to each other (parallel play)….