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As teachers, we strongly believe in the academic basics known to many as Reading, Writing and Arithmetic. These main tenets form the foundation of learning upon which every other subject can be built and learned. We also believe that citizenship is the unspoken part of the basics because if you don’t value yourself and others, you will have difficulty behaving and not value being taught.

Basics are also the starting point of any plan, project, or creation. Even the Word of God begins with, “In the beginning, GOD…  God is the foundation of everything and everyone. One of our main platforms is to encourage Christians to be “Salt & Light” in order to demonstrate God’s love and help influence the unsaved to desire a relationship with Jesus Christ. However, too many of us are losing focus and being caught up in the social media frenzy of wanting to be heard, and making our voice be known, seen, and respected to a point where our opinions are seemingly overpowering God’s will and purpose for our lives.

Just as there are academic basics we believe in as teachers, there are also key Biblical basics that we must consistently practice as Christians in order to avoid misrepresenting Christ in what we say and do. Misrepresentation of Christ can occur when Christians get caught up in their individual perspectives due to differences of race, experience, and ethnicity. We may have a different perspective on several issues and topics because of those differences. Sue and I, the Two Voices, relate to that reality since one of us is White and the other is Black, and we may still choose to “agree to disagree” (Chapter 7, ONE GOD, TWO VOICES). Sometimes our experiences and perspectives will naturally lead us to feel differently about the current topics of the day. However, we remind ourselves to just stick with “The Basics.”

Let us leave you with these Biblical basics – Love, Belief, and Forgiveness – to consider and stand on for strength.  Love God with all your heart, mind, soul, and strength, and love your neighbor as yourself.  Believe and keep the faith that God has placed in each of us so we can exercise it for growth; for without faith, we cannot please God. When you believe in God and place your faith in Him, you will continue to obey His Word and not your own, regardless of how you feel or what you think.  Forgive in order to be forgiven. It takes practice to really forgive those who hurt and persecute us. It is the ultimate example Jesus gave us as He died for our sins.

Love, Believe, and Forgive are the basic tenets for Christians to follow and build our lives upon in order to be “Salt & Light.” Prayer is the unspoken principle that we must desire without fail, for we must pray in order that change may come. We must pray for direction, for strength, for our nation/world, and for our president, regardless of what we think or feel.

The Voices want to exhort you as well as ourselves to, “GET BACK TO THE BASICS, AND  STAND!”

The Voices – Sue and Deidre