Reflections on God’s Love, Lenten Commitments, and Valentine’s Joy at Hill-Murray
Dear Hill-Murray Community,
We start every single day at Hill-Murray with – “Let us remember that we are in the holy presence of God.” We pray this phrase at the beginning of morning prayer as a school community. I savor the idea that our students, faculty and staff are surrounded and embraced by the presence of a God who loves them and holds them dear. With Lent starting tomorrow, I have been thinking more and more about how the presence of God, especially during the forty days of Lent, is so important in our lives.
God is there for us to draw upon at all times. He is in our good times, and during times of sadness; in times of frustration and in those of amazement. His presence is with us when we are healthy and when we are sick. Even when we are just plain sick of ourselves, God is present. If I just move slowly enough on most days, I can see Him everywhere. There is no special formula to bring God’s presence into your life, He is always there. Simply take a moment and pray the words, “Remember that I am in the holy presence of God.” I am making the commitment during this Lenten season to be more intentional about taking time to simply be in God’s presence.
Tomorrow is Ash Wednesday, the start of Lent. Ashes will be placed carefully on our foreheads, reminding us of our mortality and our commitment to the Lenten journey. We will be encouraging and inviting our students to engage more deeply in their faith, especially as they contemplate what it means to be in God’s presence and to walk with Jesus during these forty days leading up to Easter.
Even though tomorrow is officially Valentine’s Day, at Hill-Murray we are celebrating today. Students wore their best red, pink and white – spreading joy and love. Happy early Valentine’s Day from all of us at Hill-Murray! Your love and support is always appreciated.
Warmest wishes,
Melissa Dan
Hill-Murray School President
Note: If you have questions or concerns about the President’s Perspective, please reply to info@hill-murray.org.
