We’re back to school!
We have started our fifth year teaching and coaching at Faith Academy, and we eagerly await all that God is going to do this year. The rhythms of the school have become familiar to us. One of Faith’s annual practices is the Flag Ceremony. This year, there are 34 nations represented! This ceremony is an opportunity to rejoice in the beauty of our diversity while celebrating our unity in Christ.
What Are We Excited For?
We look forward to the relationships we will get to build with our students and athletes, and the opportunities we will have to disciple them. Here is a video that Faith Academy put together, showing the excitement that many of our students and teachers share about the beginning of the year.
Click to hear about what some teachers and students are excited for as we begin the new school year!
As you are well aware, one of our greatest passions is to disciple and build into our students. Towards the end of last year, we asked some of our students if they could share with you all how our teaching and coaching has impacted them. Their responses were humbling and deeply encouraging. Thank you for playing a part in these student’s lives! We hope you are as encouraged by these comments as we are. Please continue to pray that God would touch their hearts and lives.
- “Mr. Fleming inspired me to get to know God more… I now want to be a light for others and have a deep relationship with God.”
- “Mrs. Fleming led our team Bible studies, and it really helped me grow in my faith and be part of a community centered on God.”
- “Questions In Church History will forever be one of my favorite classes because Mr. Fleming made history engaging and helped me grow in my writing. He always left encouraging notes on our papers, which made my hard work feel appreciated and motivated me to improve.”
- “When I was having the hardest time of my school year, Mr. Fleming was willing to talk with me and help me through it spiritually.”
- “Mrs. Fleming sat with me for hours when I was struggling, and just listened and cared.”
- “Mr. and Mrs. Fleming are such genuine people. They’ve impacted my spiritual life, academic life, and athletic life, and I feel like I can comfortably share my personal struggles with them.”
- “Mr. Fleming ignited a passion for volleyball in me and showed me the similarities between sports and life.”
- “I had to go back to my home country because of my father’s religious persecution case. Mr. Fleming not only prayed for me but also cared for me personally. To me, he’s not just a teacher but a spiritual leader and friend.”
- “What I saw in Mr. Fleming’s life was that he lived in a way that truly reflected Christ — forgiving, persevering, caring. His life lit up those around him.”
- “Mrs. Fleming especially helped me become a better swimmer and made training fun. She encouraged me spiritually and changed how I looked at competition.”
- “When I first came to Faith, I didn’t know who to turn to. Mrs. Fleming reminded me to strive for excellence and listened to me when I was troubled. She’s awesome — I wouldn’t want anyone else as a homeroom teacher and coach.”
New Classes
This year, Britt is not teaching French. Instead, she is taking on two new classes: Weights and Anatomy. Although preparing to teach a new course is a lot of work, she is excited about the change. She studied kinesiology in university and is passionate about the human body and helping others discover more about the amazing design and complexity of God’s creation. Grady gets to keep the same courses for the first time since coming to Faith Academy, Questions in Church History and AP Research.
Childcare Room
A blessing this year is that Faith is allowing their staff parents to use a room on campus to look after their children during school days. We are continuing to coordinate our teaching schedules so that one of us can always be taking care of Mia Joy, so having a dedicated childcare room makes it much more comfortable and fun, both for us and for Mia! We are thankful to have this space 🙂
Personal Update: Grady’s Surgery
Grady had ACL reconstruction surgery on July 23rd. We are thankful for our surgeon and his team who did the procedure and have guided him through the intensive post-op physiotherapy program. Grady is diligent about icing his knee and doing his exercises, and is slowly gaining mobility and strength in his knee. The entire recovery process is expected to take 9-12 months, but there are many small milestones to celebrate along the way. We are hoping that he will soon be able to keep up with Mia again!
We’re Pregnant!
Yes! We are expecting baby number 2 to come along in February! We are so thankful and excited for this gift. Since there are so many young families and babies in our community, Mia has seen some of her friends gain baby brothers and sisters, and so she even seems to understand that there is a baby in Mommy’s belly! She has told us that she thinks it’s a girl! We tell her that only God knows… even though she seems quite certain! Britt’s pregnancy has been harder this time compared to when she was pregnant with Mia, but thankfully some of the symptoms are starting to subside now that she is entering her second trimester.
Prayer Requests
- For Grady, please pray for full healing, strength, and patience in the long recovery process from ACL surgery, and that he would be able to return to sports and more-active ministry without setbacks.
- For Brittany, please pray for stamina, reduced pregnancy symptoms, and a safe, healthy pregnancy for both Britt and the baby.
- Pray for Mia as she transitions to being a big sister, that she would feel secure and loved in this new season.
- Pray that we would continue to find balance in parenting, teaching, and coaching while caring for Mia (and soon a newborn), and that our home would be a place of peace and rest.
- Pray for Britt as she prepares for her new classes (Weights and Anatomy), and that her teaching would inspire students to marvel at God’s design.
- Pray for Grady as he continues teaching Church History and AP Research, that his classes would not only challenge minds but also point students toward Christ.
- Pray that relationships built in the classroom, on the court, and at the pool would open doors for meaningful discipleship.
Thank you so much for your prayer and support. Please let us know if we can be praying for you in any way!
Much love,
Britt and Grady
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