Insights

There are four fundamental forces at work in nature: gravity, electromagnetism, and strong and weak nuclear forces. The plumbline, used at Logos Prep as a visual reminder to strive for excellence, is an example of a tool pulled by gravitational forces. The compass, our symbol for navigating God’s Excellent Story, is controlled by magnetism. Ultimately, we are all pulled by something. While some of the forces influencing our lives are fixed, such as inherited traits and genetics, many other forces can be controlled. Things such as desire, distraction, and negative peer pressure are unavoidable on our life’s journey but need not be given the power to determine our paths. Parents have a tremendous opportunity to drive and direct the hearts and lives of their children by teaching them to choose their influences well. It is a parent’s job to equip their children with a good compass and drop pins for them to follow as they go.

We must all have a strong directional compass to guide us on this journey. According to the authors of Hidden Potential by Adam Grant, “a good compass is a credible source that signals when you’re going off course.” None is a more credible guide than He who has planned the journey and written the story of our lives. In discussing God’s Excellent Story over the course of the 2024-25 school year, it is our great hope that students will recognize who the author of their story is and come to value His direction above all. We also hope that they will not seek to rewrite the story in a way unintended by the Author.

“When he’s writing our stories, we are healthy… But when we are writing our own stories, we are vulnerable to pressure or unexpected events,” from Freedom in His Story by Ellen Schuknecht.

This year, there will be pressures and unexpected events. There will be forces that try to pull on the hearts of adults and children alike. Seek now to orient your life toward the Truth of God’s Word and His great plan for you and your children. Let Him be your greatest desire and source of all direction. Keep the plumbline and compass in mind as reminders that there is a standard of excellence and that God will direct us through His Excellent Story.

As Dallas Willard points out, “If God is the great longing of our souls, He will become the polestar of our inward beings.”

May it be so for each of us and the children we love.

Tammy McIlvoy
Head of School
Logos Preparatory Academy