After 28 years of teaching in the public schools, it seems to me that more and more of our students have empty souls. Taking God and prayer out of the classroom has made our students vulnerable to the negative, changing morals of our time. We are battling an enemy who encourages our youth to "do your own thing," "make your own rules," and "look out for #1." We teachers can bring prayer back into our schools, even if we can't pray out loud. We can cover our students with prayer and change our mental and verbal vocabulary concerning them. If we are faithful in our desire to see change, God will give us a new picture for each of our Sammys.

Who is Sammy? Sammy is not an individual student but a compilation of all the students I have dealt with over the years who have had behavior problems, learning disabilities, poor grades, or who were disinterested in school, were social outcasts, or were gang members. I tried many different kinds of behavior modification techniques with these students. It was not until I solicited the power of the Holy Spirit, through my hope in Jesus Christ, however, that I began to see a difference in my interactions with my Sammys.

This workbook focuses on the changes God wants to make in us and through us. By His Holy Spirit, we can pray for our Sammys and so make a difference in their lives. These changes are described in Galatians 5:22-23 and are called, "the fruit of the Spirit:" love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. One hundred years ago, schools and society pretty much agreed on the ethics for our children. Now, even the Pledge of Allegiance is being questioned as to its belonging in our schools. Our students enter the classroom believing that tolerance, respect, and truth are all relative and self-determined. Today we see families use The Simpsons, Beavis and Butthead, The Rickie Lake Show, and even Howard Stern as "normal" role models. A word picture of today's challenge is actually summarized for us by Nehemiah in the Old Testament when he spoke to the inhabitants of Jerusalem: "Then I said to them, 'You see the trouble we are in: Jerusalem lies in ruins, and its gates have been burned with fire. Come, let us rebuild the wall of Jerusalem, and we will no longer be in disgrace.' I also told them about the gracious hand of my God upon me... They replied, 'Let us start rebuilding.' So they began this good work." _{(Neh. 2:17-18)} Now is the time for us to "begin a good work" in our students' lives in the Name and by the power of God Almighty, Jesus Christ our Lord, and the Holy Spirit who is our vanguard, strength, and stamina for rebuilding.