{"id":854325,"date":"2025-08-01T05:00:20","date_gmt":"2025-08-01T10:00:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/churchanswers.com\/?p=854325"},"modified":"2025-07-31T12:49:11","modified_gmt":"2025-07-31T17:49:11","slug":"dont-miss-her-gospel-intentionality-in-a-new-school-year","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/churchanswers.com\/blog\/dont-miss-her-gospel-intentionality-in-a-new-school-year\/","title":{"rendered":"Don\u2019t Miss Her: Gospel Intentionality in a New School Year"},"content":{"rendered":"

It\u2019s the start of a new school year. The backpacks are packed, the alarms are set, and the calendar is already filling up with practices, meetings, and permission slips. We\u2019re back in the rhythm of rushed mornings, school pickup lines, overpriced water bottles that always seem to go missing, and group chats that never sleep comparing schedules and extracurriculars.<\/span><\/p>\n

But somewhere in the middle of that blur is her.<\/span><\/p>\n

She\u2019s new to the school.<\/span><\/p>\n

New to the neighborhood.<\/span><\/p>\n

New to motherhood.<\/span><\/p>\n

New to the season of life.<\/span><\/p>\n

New to faith\u2014or still far from it.<\/span><\/p>\n

And she\u2019s watching. Wondering. Hoping someone will notice and more than that, hoping someone will help.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

I\u2019ve been her more times than I can count. With several moves and three boys, I often found myself in the new category more often than I wanted to be. And if I\u2019m honest, those seasons were filled with overwhelm, second guessing, and a deep sense of loneliness.<\/span><\/p>\n

As women who follow Jesus, we are called to live with eyes wide open and hearts tuned to the Gospel. In all the newness of fall, it\u2019s easy to miss what matters most: the people God is placing right in front of us.<\/span><\/p>\n

The New Year Isn\u2019t Just Hard for Kids<\/b><\/p>\n

Starting something new as an adult is intimidating. Walking into a room where everyone already knows each other or showing up to the first meeting and having so many questions and feeling too embarrassed to ask. Wondering if you belong and if your kids will be okay.<\/span><\/p>\n

Maybe you\u2019ve been there. I know I have.<\/span><\/p>\n

Maybe you\u2019re still there.<\/span><\/p>\n

And maybe that\u2019s exactly the reminder we need: if we\u2019ve felt it, someone else is feeling it now.<\/span><\/p>\n

Romans 12:13 tells us, \u201cPractice hospitality.\u201d That\u2019s more than opening our homes. It is opening our lives to others around us. It\u2019s keeping a seat open. Making space. Extending an invitation. In my experience the older your kids get the harder it is to connect. What came so naturally on the playground or in the church nursery is awkward and sparse in the seasons of driver’s license and empty nesting. In every stage and season we have to be intentional to look for and seek her out.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Why We Miss Her<\/b><\/p>\n

Let\u2019s be honest\u2014it\u2019s not that we don\u2019t care. It\u2019s that:<\/span><\/p>\n

We\u2019re busy and overscheduled.<\/span><\/p>\n

We stick with what\u2019s comfortable.<\/span><\/p>\n

We assume it\u2019s someone else’s role to bring her in.<\/span><\/p>\n

We fear awkwardness or rejection, but gospel love pushes through that because we know what every heart needs.<\/span><\/p>\n

I\u2019m reminded of the stories of Jesus, who was never hurried or distracted. He was often the new one stepping into new cities and social circles and he models for us so well what it means to see the one, and invite them in.<\/span><\/p>\n

He saw Zacchaeus hiding in a tree.<\/span><\/p>\n

He saw the woman at the well when others avoided her.<\/span><\/p>\n

He saw the bleeding woman who dared to reach for His robe.<\/span><\/p>\n

He saw people, and then He loved them.<\/span><\/p>\n

That\u2019s our model. Evangelism doesn\u2019t most often begin with a track, it begins with eye contact. With kindness. With \u201cyou\u2019re welcome to sit with us.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The Gospel starts when we choose to see people the way Jesus did.<\/span><\/p>\n

This Year, Let\u2019s Be Intentional<\/b><\/p>\n

You don\u2019t have to do everything, but you can do something.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Here are a few ways to lean in:<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n