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Reading from the book of Joshua lately, it struck me how often Joshua and the Israelites were given a command from the Lord without explanation, obeyed the command to the letter, and experienced great blessings as a result.
God told Joshua to circumcise the Israelite men, all of whom had been born during the 40 years of desert wandering. Joshua and the men did as instructed. God commanded Joshua to have the priests in charge of the Ark of the Covenant step into the Jordan River, holding the Ark there so the river would stop as a great wall of water. This allowed  the Israelites to cross on dry land. 
God commanded that the leaders of the tribes gather stones from the Jordan River to erect a monument in memory of the great feat, so they carried large stones on their shoulders and created the memorial. 
God told Joshua to instruct the army about marching around Jericho for seven days. They obeyed and were victorious, finally occupying the land God had promised in the days of Moses.
As I read, it struck me… These acts of obedience were difficult! The Israelites did not simply say, “I have faith that God will do His good work,” or, “I claim the victory through God,” in the way that some modern TV preachers claim to “speak it forth.” On the contrary, their faith was demonstrated in their obedience, and God, as always, kept His promises to them. It required faith AND action on the part of Joshua and his followers, and the actions were not easy!
I began to research the strength and fortitude it must have required to obey these commands. Here’s what I found.
The average time it takes to heal after an adult circumcision is four to six weeks (Kigozi et al., 2014; Rai et al., 2013). These Israelite men experienced the pain and healing while camping in the desert. They knew in advance what they would face, but they obeyed anyway.
The priests carrying the Ark of the Covenant had to bear an estimated 70 pounds of weight per person for the duration of the army’s crossing (Schatz, 2007). Imagine the amount of time it took for 40,000 Israelites to cross, meaning the priests had to bear that weight for an extended period of time. I remember holding my 20-pound toddler for 5–10 minutes and the strain it put on my arms and back. I cannot imagine bearing 70 pounds for so long, not to mention the time they took carrying the Ark to the river and then to camp. But they did it, and the army crossed the river on dry ground because of their obedience in the face of difficulty.
The chosen members of the tribes carried not small pebbles from the river to the memorial spot, but large stones, hoisted on their shoulders. They did not have the luxury of hand trucks or wagons. They did not look for the smallest stones in the river. They bore the weight of the large stones, obedient in the face of hardship.
The city of Jericho is estimated by modern archaeologists to have been about 600 meters (over one-third of a mile) in circumference (One Page Bible Summary, n.d.). While this is not a great distance for an army (even on rough terrain), imagine the fortitude it took for the army to ceremonially and quietly walk that distance a total of 13 times in seven days without knowing the reason God commanded this act. But they obeyed.
Think about this: one of God’s first commands in the book of Joshua is, “Be strong and courageous.” In one instance, God even commands, “Be strong and VERY courageous” (emphasis mine). God gives Joshua some variation of this command at least three times in Joshua, chapter 1. God knew strength and courage would be necessary to obey His forthcoming commands, and He prepared Joshua in advance, promising never to leave nor forsake him.
How often does God give us instructions? Do we follow them? Do we ask “Why?” before being obedient? What does God want us to do today that requires strength and great courage? Do we trust that He has prepared us in advance for the work He wants us to do, and that He will be with us in the midst of the struggle?
When God instructs us, He does not promise it will be easy to obey. It might require pain and healing. It may require strength and fortitude beyond what we thought was possible. It could require exhausting work, carrying heavy burdens, feeling silly or uncomfortable, being silent, or being loud!
Regardless of what God requires of us, though, we can be sure obedience leads to blessing. I pray for great strength and courage as the Lord leads us in the way He would have us to go. Will you join me?

References

Kigozi, G., Gray, R. H., Wawer, M., Serwadda, D., Nalugoda, F., Makumbi, F., Kagaayi, J., Kiwanuka, N., Balasubramanian, R., & Quinn, T. C. (2014). Male circumcision wound healing in HIV-negative and HIV-positive men in Rakai, Uganda. BJU International, 113(1), 127–132. https://doi.org/10.1111/bju.12402

One Page Bible Summary. (n.d.). The battle of Jericho (Joshua 6). Retrieved September 2, 2025, from https://www.onepagebiblesummary.com/bat/tc_bat_11.php

Rai, B. P., Qureshi, A., Kadi, N., & Donat, R. (2013). How painful is adult circumcision? A prospective, observational cohort study. The Journal of Urology, 189(6), 2237–2242. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.juro.2012.12.029

Schatz, J. (2007). The weight of the Ark of the Covenant. Jewish Bible Quarterly, 35(2), 113–116.

A Note from the Head of School at Christ Classical Academy of Charlotte

Christ Classical Academy of Charlotte is a small, private, Christian school in Charlotte, North Carolina. As it is our mission to be intentionally diverse, we serve children and families from many cultures, countries, and ethnic backgrounds. We serve mostly an urban population, some of whom live at or below the poverty line in Charlotte and might not attend our school without help from the NC Opportunity Scholarship, while others have no financial struggles at all.
We are not a “covenant” school, which means we have some students who do not attend church, so CCAC is the only opportunity some of them have to hear about Christ and the Gospel. We do not take this responsibility lightly. The Bible is integrated into every subject we teach, and our staff are trained to “teach Christianly” at all times.
Additionally, we are the only Classical or Christian school in the area (of which we are aware) with a thriving ESE (Special Ed) department. Approximately 20% of our students demonstrate special needs. While we are not a “Special Education” school, we are grateful to serve children with special needs as they are immersed in the regular classroom. As a result, our typical learners learn to see all humans as image-bearers of God, who are to be loved and respected.
We are not your average Christian school. We are not your average Classical school. We are not your average private school. Christ Classical Academy of Charlotte is a mission field. Every day, our teachers share the love of Christ and the hope of the Gospel with children, some of whom might otherwise never hear it. We are unique, training up future leaders who will think critically, live faithfully, and love the Lord our God with all their hearts.
But we cannot do this alone. Tuition only covers a portion of what it takes to serve our diverse families, maintain our thriving programs, and continue providing an excellent Christ-centered, rigorous, inclusive, classical education while reaching children and families for Christ. Your partnership makes it possible.
Will you prayerfully consider supporting this mission today? Every tax-deductible gift, large or small, makes an eternal impact in the lives of children and families in Charlotte and on the Kingdom of God as a whole.
Donate now to Christ Classical Academy of Charlotte. https://www.christclassicalclt.com/support/
Together, we can raise up the next generation to know Christ and make Him known to the world.
Sincerely,
Dr. Kerri Miner
Head of School
Christ Classical Academy of Charlotte
 

When I was an early childhood administrator, I kept a running log of “Funny Things Kids Say” to share at the end-of-the-year graduation ceremony. These “funny things” included statements like, “I don’t eat chicken. That’s why mommy gives me dino-nuggets.” and “I don’t have any pets. I have a baby sister, but I’d rather have a puppy.”

Kids are funny, right? Unfortunately, just like all of us fallen humans, they’re also sinners in need of God’s grace and forgiveness. For example, I once had a child threaten, “I will beat you with a belt. I wish to lash you until you cry!” because he had to wait his turn to use a fun classroom center. I had another student repeatedly and loudly call me a name (that I will not repeat here) because I did not allow him to throw objects at his classmates.
As Christian educators, we are called to shepherd the hearts of all children and integrate faith learning into daily teaching. Yes, we laugh at the funny things kids say, and we are hurt by the harsh statements, knowing that “out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks” (Matthew 12:34). But I have to share something . . . I cannot remember the names or faces of those children who made me laugh with the above statements. I do, however, remember the names and faces of those who demonstrated their hearts were full of violence and hatred. I still think about and pray for these children often, hopeful that they have replaced the ugliness in their hearts with the goodness and love of Christ.

You see, that’s what it’s all about. Yes, we are here to teach reading skills, historical facts, the scientific method, mathematical equations, and other academic standards. But let’s face it—students can learn these things in public schools, homeschool, or even with a quick Google search or by asking ChatGPT. The teachers at CCAC know we are here for more than just imparting knowledge to students. We are here to help them fill their hearts to the point of overflowing with joy, goodness, and love.

How do we do this? It’s not easy.

First, all lessons are taught through a biblical worldview lens. In other words, the Bible and its truths are integrated into everything we teach. Therefore, science is taught through the lens of a Creationist viewpoint. Reading and writing are taught as means of communicating what God has done for us. Even our wonderful math teacher teaches the students about the order created by God, upholding the mathematical concepts taught through our curriculum.

Second, and probably more importantly, we “teach Christianly.” To put it another way, we love our students because God loves them, we love God, and everyone is created in His image. Does this mean we’re perfect? No. We are human. We get tired. Sometimes we’re teaching in loud classrooms, on long, hot days, with short-tempered kids and no coffee. But frustration is not the tone of our school. Moments of weakness are not our pattern—they are the exception. When they happen, we repent, reset, and restore. Why? Because our calling is to reflect the grace and truth of Christ, even when it’s hard. Repentance, forgiveness, and restoration are in His plan for us, and we want to demonstrate these concepts for our students as well.

Ultimately, what we want for our beloved students is not just academic learning, but right hearts. We want them to develop hearts full of love, joy, compassion, kindness, empathy, grace, peace, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Jesus said, “Out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks,” and if we want our students’ words to reflect kindness, grace, and truth, then we must help them fill their hearts with these things. We do this not only through what we teach, but HOW we teach.

My guiding prayer is, “May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer” (Psalm 19:14). This prayer reflects the daily, holy work we do here at Christ Classical Academy of Charlotte: we teach, we love, we laugh, we shepherd hearts, we succeed, we fail, and we model grace, repentance, and forgiveness so that, by God’s grace, what overflows from our hearts (and eventually from theirs) will be beautiful and pleasing to Him. We’re grateful for your partnership as we pour truth into our students’ hearts, prayerful that what is good and pleasing to the Lord will one day gush forth from their mouths with joy and with love.