Enlarging our borders

Something that should be pretty evident from reading this blog (assuming you've been here before) is that Jen and I aim to allow God's power and influence into every corner of our lives. We are so aware that, despite our human "talent" to try to do things our way, the more that we ask Him for guidance and involvement, the more He can have His sovereign way and be glorified in our lives.


Amy was recently given a place at our local primary school, which was not our choice. We'd asked for a church school 10 minutes' drive away on the basis of faith. There's nothing inherently wrong with our local - it's a good school and we know parents with kids there - but our choice was a school that most definitely wears its Christian values & beliefs on its sleeves. Just like we do. If we want God to invade every corner of our lives, then we want that to include Amy's education too.

Well, we went to appeal and had the hearing last week. Before a panel of 3 (none of whom are affiliated in any way to the Education Authority OR the school) I presented the case for our faith and how strongly we believed that our lives - not just as attendees, but as leader(s) in our local church - should envelope those values. Then Jennie - she was amazing, I must say; her grasp of the system and how to demonstrate statistically that an extra space could be argued for left me gobsmacked - presented the case on the grounds of how the system works (or doesn't) and our appropriate response. The representative of the education authority couldn't compete!

Well, we left happy that we'd done our bit and then prayed like crazy. Talk about old testament prayers: "Enlarge our borders!"; "Favour your people!". We were convinced this was a right thing to ask for, and yet were also able to leave it in His hands, knowing that if the decision remained the same, it was because of His will and not man's.

We waited...

... and the letter arrived today. She got the church school! But what's best about it all is this: the (independent) appeals board felt that to make an extra space in the class for Amy would be prejudicial, but that the case for her education to reflect our faith and values was strong enough to do so anyway. Hallelujah! It was on faith and not on secular, statistical reasons that she got in!

God loves to enlarge our borders and honour those that love Him. We have asked for things in the past that have not happened 'our way' but we've stuck with him through thick and thin, knowing that He knows best. And He will always honour that heart...