Inspiration

I often speak and write about nurturing our children’s gifts, talents, and passions—about encouraging their success. Homeschooling offers the unique opportunity to tailor our children’s education to their own personal bents. We don’t have to follow the standard scope and sequence designed for a typical student. The cookie-cutter mentality is often why students leave high school and college not knowing what they are going to do with their lives. They spend so much time focusing on that which is not their area of giftedness that they have no time to develop or even discover their true strengths and passions. As […]

October 24 2013

Being Still

Being still means living in a state of internal rest. I often forget that the Lord desires this for me and that He, Himself, offers me this rest. It is part of my inheritance. As a believer, a child of the King, I’m given many blessings including the choice to live a life of peaceful rest—even in the midst of great turmoil. A few years back I was under tremendous stress. I kept asking God to help me complete all my tasks and give me guidance as I attempted to accomplish the lengthy list before me. I then felt this […]

October 3 2013

The Perfection Trap

At times we fall into what I call the perfection trap, demanding more from our children than they are capable of giving. Our reactions to their misbehavior can be harsh, lacking in the mercy God has for us. When we constantly communicate frustration with our children’s imperfections, we fail to portray Christ to them. If we are forever irritated by their weaknesses, we miss the opportunity to show them the grace of God. Is not our Savior patient with us, bringing us to repentance? A loving response along with a heartfelt chat will do more for our children than the […]

October 2 2013

Pass on the Love

Is it not the cry of our hearts to pass on the love we have for God to our children—to live out our faith in a way that models it for them? When I’m walking closely with the Lord, I’m full of joy and excitement. Spending time with Him makes me more aware of His presence, His delight in me, and His mercy toward my weaknesses. In turn, I’m more merciful toward others and myself. This is reflected in my tone of voice and the way in which I treat my husband and children. When speaking of spiritual things, I’m […]

October 1 2013

Believing God’s Word for our Children

As homeschool moms, believing God’s Word for our children is paramount. Being our children’s primary educator can fill us with fear and trepidation. The enormity of this responsibility overwhelms even the most faithful homeschool mom. Yet we need not fear, for God’s Word promises great and wonderful things for our children. The question we must ask is this: Do we believe God’s Word? Or do we believe those nagging doubts and calamitous fears? Let’s look at some promises from the Bible that we can stand on to give confidence on those difficult days. God thought about our children before He even […]

September 30 2013

Rest for the Journey

Fulfilling the call to homeschool requires rest for the journey. It demands more than we are capable of producing in our own strength. We must depend on God for stamina and one another for motivation to keep travailing this path. It’s so important that we surround ourselves with encouragement. Do you receive encouragement on a daily basis? If not, ask the Lord to bring it to you. I hope you know that what you are doing as a homeschool mom is nothing short of amazing. It’s an incredible feat that requires supernatural enablement to complete. We need to position ourselves […]

September 26 2013

Am I in God’s Will?

Have you, like me, wondered if the decisions you are making are God’s perfect will? Do you fear perhaps that you are stepping out and going your own path, walking outside of His will? If so, let me encourage you: God’s will is not nearly as complicated as we imagine. We tend to get caught up in worry about whether or not we are right with God. “Am I in God’s will? Is my heart right? What are my motives in this activity? Are we on the right track? Is this God’s plan for us? What does God want for my […]

June 5 2013

Free to Follow

Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage. Galatians 5:1 Bondage comes in many flavors. It entangles us, keeping us from freely following Christ. In this passage, Paul is referring to the bondage of legalism. This particular bondage draws us away from God toward our idealized practices of behavior. We begin to depend on our activities and habits instead of the Holy Spirit. This can happen even when we have clearly heard from God concerning something we should do. Oftentimes, we begin to lean on that specific […]

August 1 2012

Effective Prayer

“Please pray for me.” How many times have you heard that phrase? How many times have you agreed that you would? How often do you actually stop what you are doing and cry out to God on behalf of those who ask? When you do, how certain are you that you are engaging in effective prayer? That your prayers will bring real results? When I began my walk with God, I was constantly in prayer. As my passion and excitement (that initial joy of salvation) cooled a bit, I found my prayer life suffering. Yet in God’s great mercy for me, […]

July 1 2012

Our Progress and Potential are Predetermined

For me, one of the hardest things about being a believer is being discouraged in my walk with God because of my imperfections. I want so much to be pure, holy, and Christlike. Yet I fail in so many little ways to measure up to His standard of perfection. Then I get in His word and He reminds me that our progress and potential are predetermined. It’s His job to mold me—and He’s on the job! …being confident of this, that He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ […]

August 3 2011

The Lord Will Fulfill His Purposes for Our Children

A new chapter in my homeschooling journey began a few years back. This is a stage you also will encounter in time. I’ll call it the season of the college road trip. The funny thing is, I thought I had this all figured out when my daughter was younger, just entering high school. I had decided where and how my child would complete college. It was all mapped out. What I didn’t bargain for was the fact that my child would be an adult-like 17 year old, capable of making her own decisions about college—decisions that were quite unlike those […]

May 23 2011

Say Goodbye to Fear

There are times when I’m going about my day feeling pretty good about life, then without warning, a negative thought presents itself. Maybe it’s a memory of something I did wrong in the past, or a memory of something someone else did that hurt me; maybe it’s a thought about some horrible future event I hope never happens; maybe it’s concerning an issue I’m dealing with currently. The thought comes, and I focus on it for a moment—just long enough to cause my heart to tremble—then my thoughts move on. Though they’ve moved on, my heart remains in a tremble. […]

May 17 2011

Obstacles in Our Homeschool Path

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When God calls us to something as immense and life transforming as homeschooling, we can be sure there will be many obstacles in our path. Whether it’s opposition from the non-homeschooling community, learning challenges with our children, character issues that surface, or the many fears, anxieties, and insecurities we find within ourselves, we can be sure we will come upon many boulders and rocks as we traverse the narrow path to which God has called us. It’s vital to keep in mind that, no matter how perfect someone else’s life appears to be, every homeschool family faces struggles and problems. […]

April 12 2011

The Prayer Journal: Slowing Down to Listen

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One of the most valuable benefits of writing down my prayers as I pray them is slowing down to listen to God. It takes me much longer to write down my prayers than it does for me to think them. I can think, “Lord, I’ve really been selfish this week with my time” in 3 seconds. But writing down that confession takes at least 18 seconds (yes, I timed it). By writing requests down you add 600 times more thought and earnestness into your prayers. Believe it or not, that makes an enormous difference in the direction and focus of […]

April 11 2011

A Powerful Prayer Life

How often have you found yourself sitting down to have a quiet moment of prayer and before a few minutes are up, your mind is totally focused on a completely different topic? This wandering mind syndrome overtakes us all at times and is the most common obstacle to a powerful prayer life. It has the potential to keep us a “Prayer Warrior Wannabe” for our entire lives if we don’t institute change. How do we overcome this huge hurdle to our spiritual development? Believe it or not, there is an answer. By using a tool called a prayer journal, we can […]

March 24 2011

My Personal Beliefs

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As author of Apologia’s Young Explorer Series, I feel it’s important for people to know my personal beliefs, just so there’s no confusion or doubt. I’m not speaking for Apologia or anyone else, but just for myself, a Creationist author. All of my books carry these beliefs throughout. I believe the Bible is the infallible, inerrant word of God. (2 Timothy 3:16) I believe the Bible (and Genesis) should be read and understood literally. It is totally trustworthy. (Mark 10:6, Mark 13:19-20, Luke 11:50-51, John 8:44, Romans 5:12-19, 1 Cor 15:21-22, 45-47, 2 Cor 11:3, 1 Tim 2:13-14, 1 Cor 11:8-9, […]

October 4 2010

Abide in Him

“I am the vine; you are the branches. he who abides in me and I in him, he bears much fruit; for apart from me you can do nothing.” John 15:5 It was one of those rare days when I actually had some alone time to sit down and work on the chemistry and physics book I was writing. I sat down, with different thoughts jumbled in my head. Thoughts about matter, atoms, molecules, and all the foundational things that are needed to delve into the study of chemistry and physics. I was sitting there with my computer on my […]

July 7 2010

The Power of Forgiveness

Clara Barton, founder of the American Red Cross, knew the power of forgiveness. Once, a friend brought up a cruel deed someone had done to her. Barton claimed she did not remember the deed done. Insistent, her friend exclaimed, “Don’t you remember the wrong that was done to you?” “No,” Barton answered, “I distinctly remember forgetting that.” This story blesses my spirit. I have seen the power of forgiveness, and I have also seen the power of unforgiveness. Forgiveness enables us to walk in the peace, joy, and fullness God has for us. Unforgiveness breeds misery, bitterness, and a deadness […]

April 19 2010

Finding Peace in Your Homeschool

God wants you to have peace in your homeschool. Yet with so many decisions to make in a given day, homeschoolers are easy targets for anxious thoughts and peace often eludes us. Take a minute to think about your current struggles. What is making you anxious today? What is the most worrisome thing you face as a homeschooler? I’ve heard various answers to these questions from many homeschoolers around the country. Like others, perhaps you have a child who struggles to get his work done. Are you fearful that you’re not covering everything, not doing enough? Perhaps you’re dealing with […]

January 8 2010

Focus on the Facts

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There are several things I’ve learned over the years about teaching math in the homeschool. Undeniably, the first and most important element for imparting a solid math education is—drum roll please—to focus on the facts! Skip the skip counting and help your children memorize their math facts. Truly, it is the most important part of elementary math. It’s more important than that drill sheet they have in front of them each day, and yes, it’s even more important than that well-researched, expensive curriculum you bought at the book fair. Again, if I could implore you to do ONE THING in […]

November 10 2009

Imparting Vision to Your Children

If we will impart vision to our children for their future, they will be inspired to pursue excellence, do the hard things that are required, and restrain themselves from that which slows their progress. Where there is no vision, the people cast off restraint. Proverbs 29:18 It requires a great deal of restraint to persevere and keep working toward a goal we want to accomplish. For example, if someone has a goal to make it to the peak of a mountain, no matter how difficult, he will continue the ascent until he reaches the summit. If the person simply decides to climb […]

April 22 2009

To Glorify God

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It was a very special day for my eight year old. She had competed in the AAU Georgia State Gymnastics Championship. She came away winning First Place State Champion on beam, Second Place State Champion on floor, and Third Place State Champion in All Around. It was precious. But as we moved through that last season, experiencing all the various successes and joys—and sometimes failures and sorrows—I really began to dig deep to understand why we were doing all these activities. What was their purpose in the lives of the children to whom God had entrusted me? The Lord gave […]

December 31 2008

How to Organize Your Homeschool

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Organizing your homeschool is one of the most important tasks for maintaining success on the homeschool journey. If you struggle with organization you’re not alone. A mom once wrote to me asking for help with this issue. She had tons of great educational resources and lots of insightful teaching ideas—but had not implemented any of them. Disorganized and unproductive, she feared for her children’s education. Though she knew lesson plans would help her get school accomplished each day, this sweet mom felt inadequate when it came to creating and following the plans. She felt like a failure because she had […]

December 8 2008

First Things First

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I began my homeschooling journey with a deep conviction that this was God’s call on our family. Cultivating a love for God above everything else was a part of that call, and my passion to keep “first things first” was strong. Many of you felt that same calling. You knew God had great plans for your children’s lives and that He wanted to lead you as you guided their spiritual and academic development. God hand-picked you to be their mom and no teacher could love them, nurture them, or care about their success more than you. No teacher, except you, could […]

November 1 2008

Let us Pray!

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God does nothing but by prayer, and everything with it. – John Wesley Whenever I have fallen out of regularly praying and then return—either with a friend or personally in my quiet time with my prayer journal in hand—I’m always astonished to see that the answers come so quickly. It’s as if I so easily and quickly forget that God is faithful to answer prayer. Every issue I worried and labored over for weeks, like how we would manage or what we would do with this child or that circumstance, is completely and beautifully resolved when I bring it before […]

September 16 2008

Foster Independence

Did you know that homeschooled students perform better in college than their institutionally schooled counterparts? One reason is homeschooled students are used to being autonomous and independent in their learning; they are self educators. Our job as homeschool moms is to give our children progressively more autonomy and help them foster independence as they age. But how do we foster this independence? Well, once our children have learned to read, they should be reading to learn. As they progress through elementary school, we should provide materials that teach directly to the student, requiring less from us as their teacher. We […]

August 14 2008

Homeschooling with Purpose

It fills me with awe and wonder that each of our children was chosen by God before the foundation of the world. Each was created for a particular purpose- a purpose God ordained in advance that they should pursue. Our children are all unique, created with different gifts, talents, abilities, interests, passions, dislikes, and preferences. All of these characteristics make them the wonderful children He intended them to be. As parents we’re called to train and nurture our children, helping them develop their gifts and discover the wonderful purpose God has for them. If God was so intentional in creating them unique […]

August 8 2008

Four More Years

The post below was written during the time when I was entering the homestretch of homeschooling my oldest. These heart reflections and questions were born out of the startling realization I had only four more years with my daughter in the home. Lately, the thought of having only four more years of homeschooling my oldest has been with me constantly. Four more years! Can you imagine? After it’s all said and done, what will have been the most important thing I did as a homeschool mother? What will benefit her the most? Will it be completing every course with an A+? That’s not […]

July 8 2008

Connecting With God: In Worship

I want to touch on praise and worship because I used to struggle so much with this and feel there may be some of you that struggle with it as well. Connecting with God in worship is a vital part of drawing close to God. Worshipping and praising God is not just a blessing for Him; it’s a powerful gift He has given to us. I believe it’s supernatural somehow. We see this in Scripture when the army of the Lord was able to defeat an enormous foe by simply sending out the worship team ahead of the soldiers.It may […]

July 6 2008

Connecting With God: In Prayer

Once you’ve found that special place to “escape” for a half hour or more, it’s time to enter into God’s presence. Often, it’s difficult to move from the hustle and bustle of a day with kids to a peaceful heart that is still before God, yet connecting with God in prayer will take you there. The first thing I did during my time with God was put in my earphones and listen to sweet, soft, soul soothing instrumental worship. My most favorite CD during those early homeschooling years was Quiet Moments of Instrumental Worship by David Bauer. It was very […]

July 1 2008

Connecting with God: In a Quiet Place

How do we, as busy moms, connect with the Lord? How do we nurture our walk with God in the midst of such activity? For homeschool moms it can be a challenge, but connecting with God in a quiet place is the first step. When Jesus needed to connect with God, He escaped to a lonely place. This is hard to do unless we are willing to awaken an hour or more before our family does. I’m not going to pretend this was an easy thing for me when all my children were in the home. It wasn’t. But it […]

June 20 2008

The Lord is Our Shepherd

One day a friend called and urged me to go to a particular prayer meeting at another friend’s house. Normally, I’m up for prayer of any kind. Yet my time is so limited that I’ve become very dependent upon the Lord in every decision I make—even something as simple as whether or not to hop on over to a prayer meeting. I wanted to go, but as I prayed I felt I should stay home and spend time with the family. I felt a twinge of “spiritual guilt” (you know, that kind of illegitimate guilt that says you “should” do this and […]

May 31 2008

Prayer Avails Much

I just love prayer. I’m so thankful that God has ordained it as the means by which He moves. I wish everyone could experience answers—miraculous answers—to prayers like I do. I believe it’s God’s will that everyone does, for His word tells us prayer avails much! John Wesley once said, “God will do nothing, but in answer to prayer.”I don’t know if that’s true, but it sure seems like it sometimes. I have recently begun to pray regularly again with a prayer partner. Now I believe that individual prayers are powerful. When I get up early and pray for specific […]

May 10 2008

Drawing Near to God

There are times in our walk with God when we feel distant from Him, yet we aren’t sure how to get back to that place of intimacy we once knew so well. Our lives are so busy and our days are jam packed with things to do and places to go. Worries, concerns, and endless plans send our thoughts racing. We wonder how we’ll ever find our way back to drawing near to God. In this situation, one thing is for certain: we won’t reconnect if we don’t make the effort to do it. God is knocking at the door […]

April 18 2008

Calling

As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. Ephesians 4:1 Did you know you have a calling? Every believer has been given a calling. We are told in Ephesians 2:10 that we were “created for good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” Usually our calling is not hard to find, for it is embedded in our character, our passions, and our dreams. A compassionate person, full of mercy, is called to minister God’s healing to the hurting and confused. An insightful, discerning person is […]

March 31 2008

Jesus is the Same

I was reading through a devotional today called Little Pillows. It’s a sweet, small book of devotions that are especially touching and deep, though written in somewhat antiquated language. The specific devotion I read was quite nurturing to my own soul. It talked of the fact that Jesus is the same. Have you ever considered that? It’s not something we think a lot about yet when I took time to ponder Jesus in this way I was deeply encouraged. He is constant and unchanging. Completely faithful and wholly dependable. The author encouraged us to recount the times when we have […]

March 2 2008

Guarding Our Thoughts

For the homeschooling mom, there’s a gnawing temptation to feel overwhelmed. I’ve wanted to address this issue for some time because I know how it feels and experienced it quite a lot in my beginning days as a homeschooler. Thankfully, I discovered a way we as homeschool moms can protect ourselves from this emotion while in the throws of homeschooling. How? By guarding our thoughts. I remember walking through my house and becoming easily overwhelmed during those years. One day I passed by a tremendously messy closet filled with books. On the floor, I spied a stack of standardized practice […]

February 17 2008

Homeschooling from Overflow

Are you homeschooling from overflow or are you homeschooling on empty? Do you run out of steam halfway through the day or are you able to maintain joy and energy on the journey? God desires for us to minister to our family out of abundance, from the overflow of what He has poured into us. The Lord so longs to pour into you, to feed you from the Bread of Life so that you may be full. Taste and see that the Lord is good! More important than choosing the right curriculum or keeping to your schedule—more important than doing, doing, […]

February 10 2008

God’s Promises

For no matter how many promises God has made, they are “Yes” in Christ. And so through him the “Amen” is spoken by us to the glory of God. 2 Corinthians 1:20 When I first read the verse above I wondered to myself, “What does that mean? What did God promise?” I quickly relegated all of God’s promises into a box: Savior, salvation, heaven; my God-in-a-box was limited. I looked closer and realized God’s desire is to shower us with His promises, to say, “Yes” to us concerning all He has promised in His Word. As I learned more about God’s Word, […]

February 3 2008

Encourage One Another Daily

It’s so important that we surround our lives with encouragement. God’s Word tells us that we need encouragement daily. Are you getting that dose of encouragement? Are your friends encouraging toward you? Do you listen to encouraging messages on the radio or the computer? Do you read encouraging blogs? Are you being encouraged in your walk with God? Do you belong to a small group that has committed to encourage one another daily? If not, you’re missing out on one of God’s gifts of grace. I think you’ll notice a big change in your life if you become proactive and […]

January 22 2008

Strengthen Yourself in the Lord

When a circumstance or situation comes your way that seems to deflate your joy, do what David did: Strengthen yourself in the Lord. How do you do this? Following David’s example, begin with praise. Praising God even (or especially) when you don’t feel like it is SO important. It’s a true sacrifice. A sacrifice of praise. We should not be led by our feelings (our so), but by our spirit. Our soul—our mind, will, and emotions—should not rule us. Let your spirit rule and praise God in spite of the yucky thoughts and feelings going on in your soul. […]

January 5 2008

Portraying God Accurately

As homeschool moms we long for our children to know the love of God. We pray for them and teach them about God’s love but are we portraying God accurately in the way we relate to them throughout the day? If you have never seen the video, The Father’s Love Letter, it is worth watching. http://www.fathersloveletter.com/ One comment in the Father’s Love Letter touches on the truth that some people misrepresent God. We don’t fully understand the love and affection of God. We see it as conditional—the way we love and have affection for others and ourselves. We have a […]

December 5 2007

Keep the Testimony

If thy children will keep my covenant and my testimony that I shall teach them, their children shall also sit upon thy throne for evermore. Psalm 132:12 The children of Israel didn’t keep the testimony—the witness—of all God had done for them for very long. And they found themselves in bondage. But here we read that if only they would have kept the testimony—repeating the miraculous works of God on their behalf to their children and their children’s children—they wouldn’t have lost leadership. All throughout the Bible, God tells the children of Israel not to forget, to build memorials to […]

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November 9 2007

Teaching Character

Over the years I’ve been asked how we approached teaching character in our home. I’d love to share how we went about it because it was one of my most favorite aspects of homeschooling. Without question, the most important thing we did was begin our mornings with devotional and Bible reading, discussions about what we learned, and prayer. These morning moments were so valuable and some of the most precious memories of our homeschooling. They generally lasted from ten minutes to an hour and a half, depending on the topic and how deep we went with the subject matter. On […]

October 27 2007

Our Birthday Tradition

Every family has traditions. Our birthday tradition is the one our children looked forward to every year, even as they got older. Let me begin by giving you the back story. When I was a young mom, my best friend, Heather, told me of a tradition her mom had established with her and her siblings. Every birthday morning Heather would go downstairs and find the kitchen decorated with streamers. This told her how special she was and she felt SO cherished all day. I had three little children at the time and found this to be a great idea. But […]

October 18 2007

You are Royalty

Did you know once you received Christ as your Savior and Lord you became a child of the King of all creation? It’s true! Think of what that means. You are now a princess. You are royalty! Now that we are royalty, we must have a total shift in how we think of ourselves. No longer are we insignificant. No longer do we need to strive for feelings of importance or value. We are already important, valuable, and significant. We don’t ever have to feel less than special, for we are supremely special as children of the King. How do […]

October 9 2007

Resurrect Your Dream

Do you hold a dream in your heart? Is there something you have always wanted to do, but just haven’t found time to do it? Is there some special desire that keeps creeping into your thoughts, something you perhaps shelved years ago? If so, it’s time to resurrect your dream. I believe God has given you that dream and wants you to seek Him for its fulfillment. I’ve written a lot about our children having been created for a purpose; it’s something I feel strongly about. Yet I feel I should address the fact that YOU, also, have been given […]

October 8 2007

Our Personal Shepherd

I remember learning about all the names of God mentioned in Psalm 23. I was so touched by each one, but my favorite one to really ponder was Jehovah Rohi: The Lord is my Shepherd. What stood out to me then and does to this day is the word “my.” The Lord is my Shepherd. And yours. He’s Our Personal Shepherd. A good shepherd knows his sheep by name and cares for each and every one of them. Like David, who fought lions to save one single sheep, God fights the enemy to save us from his evil clutches. And like the […]

September 29 2007

Who Better

Who better to educate your children than the person who cares most about who they will be when they grow up? The one who is concerned not just with their academic achievement, but also their character? Who better to educate your children than the person who knows them fully, their every mood, every cue, every weakness, and every strength? Who better to educate your children than someone who would research and commit weeks to finding just the right tools to help them succeed? Who better to educate your children than the person who refuses to move on until they understand fully? Who […]

September 24 2007

Receiving Encouragement

God’s word tells us to encourage one another daily. I believe we are instructed to do this because every person really does need daily encouragement, especially homeschool moms. Receiving encouragement from others is essential if we, our family, and our homeschool are to thrive. As the days wear on, we need to hear: You can do it! It’s okay. God will use this circumstance and turn it for good. You are God’s first choice for teaching your children; He will equip you. God does not call the equipped, He equips the called. You were called by Him to homeschool your […]

September 17 2007

You are a Great Mom

When I was a new mom, I often compared myself to other moms. Some were more playful and some more organized. Others kept a meticulous house and their children looked like they should be on the cover of Children’s Wear Daily. It was discouraging to be around a mom that had some unique gift in mothering that I did not have. I let myself get caught up in feeling like a failure because I didn’t have that talent, gift, ability, or personality. Later, I came to realize that everyone has a unique gift in mothering. Though none of us is […]

July 14 2007

Do All Things

Do all things…without grumbling and complaining. This is something we’ve always focused a lot on in our home. And I’m not just talking about the children. Philippians 2:14-15 tells us, Do everything without complaining or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe. If I’m reading this correctly (and I think I am) as I do all things—everything—without complaining and grumbling and arguing, I become blameless before God. I become pure before God. I am without fault and shine […]

June 7 2007

Transforming ACTS to FACTS

Have you ever heard the acronym ACTS? It’s been around for a while and is a great way to remind us how we should pray. The ACTS acronym is an especially useful tool for corporate prayer. Here’s how it’s broken down: A is for Adoration (praising God) C is for Confession (confessing our sins to God) T is for Thanksgiving (giving thanks to God) S is for Supplication (bringing our requests to God) However, a few years ago, I realized that one VERY important element was missing from this acronym. This element should actually come before all the others. […]

June 7 2007

Suffering

What is your biggest area of concern today? What worries you? What is the thing that has the potential to make you feel doomed, in despair, overwhelmed, or full of sorrow? I want to remind you right now that if you are a believer in the Lord Jesus Christ this area of suffering is the place where God intends to show His glory and prove your faith genuine. He’s using it to develop a special area of ministry for you—to encourage other Christians who may be suffering in the same way. God will use this to draw you closer to Him […]

June 7 2007

Distractions

I read a great quote that said, “If Satan can’t tempt us with destruction, he’ll tempt us with distraction.” How true for the homeschool mom! Our enemy tempts us to veer off God’s perfect path by distracting us with a plethora of “good” things: things that seem beneficial, that seem profitable, even necessary. Things that may even have the appearance of godliness, but in reality are just distractions. We have all been given a specific course, a path to pursue in both walking with God and in accomplishing His will for us. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus […]

June 7 2007

Jericho

Today our Bible study focused on Joshua. During the study I was compelled to consider, “What is my Jericho and who are the Canaanites I must overcome in order to win Jericho?” It was only seconds later that I knew in my heart my Jericho—my promised land—the journey I’m on and the place I hope to reach is a home surrounded by godly adult children. I desire that all my children become adults who are sensitive to the Holy Spirit, earnest in their relationship with God, and passionate about the things of God. I long for them to fulfill their […]

June 7 2007

Commit Thy Works Unto the Lord

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Commit thy works unto the LORD, and thy thoughts shall be established. Proverbs 16:3 I read this today and was deeply moved. It often seems the Christian walk is a battle waged in our thought life. At least mine is. Perhaps normal people don’t think as much or as tediously as I do. “Is my heart right? What are my motives in this activity? Am I in God’s will? Are we on the right track? Is this God’s plan for us? What does God want for my child? Am I where I’m supposed to be spiritually?” On and on the […]

June 7 2007

Healing

I want to share my story of healing in hopes that someone who needs a touch from God will read it and be encouraged in the truth that God is not only able to heal, He’s willing: Today, April 6th, is a landmark day for me. I was just given the definitive answer about whether or not I have been completely healed of thyroid cancer. It all began about eight years ago in San Diego when I became pregnant with my third child. I was referred to a specialist because of my history with miscarriages. The specialist had a particular […]

June 7 2007

A Christian Worldview

People kick around the word “worldview” a lot. I remember when I first began hearing about it. I wondered, “What does that mean?” After a bit, I could give you a definition based on context. Yet, I really couldn’t give you a strong meaning. Since then, the Lord has revealed a lot more about this thing called worldview. I’m so thankful because the more I ponder what I’ve learned, the more excited I get about it. I would like to share with you a little bit about having a Christian worldview. The foundation for one’s worldview has to do with […]

June 7 2007

Fear vs. Faith

I once went to a seminar on fear and learned some really amazing things about fear vs. faith. I’d like to share one thing I learned because I believe so many homeschool moms make choices out of fear. Here is what I learned: Fear is the opposite of faith, but it is actually similar to faith. You “believe” the fear, much the same way that you should rather believe God. Therefore, fear is an expression of faith. You have faith in the thing you fear, rather than in the truth. Here’s an example of fear in homeschooling: You fear that you […]

June 7 2007

Praying God’s Word

Someone once said when you pray Scripture, it may sound like you praying to you, however, to the devil, it sounds like God. Because of this, praying God’s Word is powerful and even essential if we are to walk as victors through the spiritual battles of this life. For the Word of God is quick and powerful, sharper than a double-edged sword. Hebrews 4:12 God’s Word will never return void but will accomplish that which God pleases for it to accomplish. Isaiah 55:11 Praying God’s Word has become a priority in my life and it’s something that brings me great joy. I’m […]

June 7 2007

Prayer I: Forgiveness is Key

Who hasn’t heard Jesus’ words in Mark 11:24? “Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.” We also know He tells us that with the faith of a mustard seed, we can move mountains and whatever we ask for in His name, will be ours. Why, then, does this not fit our own reality? Is it because it’s not true? Is it because Jesus wasn’t talking to us? Did God lie to us? No. This cannot be. Our reality confirms the existence of God: our changed hearts, […]

June 7 2007

Prayer II: Confession

In an earlier post I shared that I believe unforgiveness is one reason our prayers are hindered. Here, I want to share a second reason. Though the Lord promises that whatever we ask for in prayer will be given us, this doesn’t always fit our reality. Why is that? Well in addition to unforgiveness, I have found another reason: failure to confess our sin. Confession. It’s actually an important element in God answering our prayers. It’s not a matter of being perfect before God in our flesh. It’s a matter of confessing our imperfection, our sin, and our heart before […]

June 7 2007

Prayer III Faith and Answered Prayer

The third reason we may not see our prayers answered is probably the least popular, but might actually be the most common. I think the reason it has been given such a bad rap is because of the abuse and wrong doctrine that some have preached concerning this one requirement for answered prayer. Let me drop a few hints about what it is—straight from the mouth of Jesus: “Will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?” “I tell you the truth, I have not found anyone in Israel with such great faith.” He replied, “You […]

June 7 2007

Prayer IV: Prayer of Two

Jesus says that whatever we ask for in prayer, we should have. Yet often that’s not our personal experience. We’ve discussed that sometimes prayers are not answered because we’ve not forgiven someone, or we harbor unconfessed sin, or even that we lack faith in a good God that would want to bless us with the desires of our hearts. Today, I want to address the fourth thing that I personally know of that can hinder our prayers: Lack of support. Sometimes, we just need more than one person praying. We need a few more voices raised in agreement with us. […]

June 7 2007

Prayer V: God’s Best

The last reason we may not see answers to our prayers is the reason most people give for all unanswered prayer: what you are praying for is not God’s best for you. There was a time when I suffered horribly in my marriage. Some of it was due to my selfishness, and some due to my husband’s. At the time, I thought it was ALL due to his selfishness and if he would shape up then I would be the most godly woman on earth—or pretty close to it. I prayed and prayed for God to restore my marriage. I […]

June 7 2007

Trusting God’s Promises

The other day I was struggling with some negative emotions: fears and worries about this and that. I am of the strong belief that fear and worry are signs of a lack of faith. If I’m worried, I’m not trusting God’s promises; I’m not believing He’ll take care of me. Well I prayed and earnestly and repented of my fears. Yet I still felt that lack-luster feeling we have when we aren’t experiencing the joy of being a child of God. I spoke to a close friend about it and she reminded me that it’s not just turning away from […]

June 7 2007

The Mark of Maturity

Jesus tells us, “Love the Lord your God” and “Love your neighbor as yourself.” Two commands. Both are to love. Yet, love seems to be a naturally occurring virtue, a quality we don’t often focus on, especially in our family. We tell our husband and children every day that we love them. It’s not something we even have to think about doing. We certainly don’t believe loving others is as difficult as having patience or self control. However, for Christians, love is the mark of maturity. But are we really loving others as God would have us love them? When […]

June 7 2007

The Better Part

Long ago, the homeschooling mother had time to read novels to her children. Dinner was unhurried and filled with laughter and rich conversation—often about the latest learning adventure. Playing games together in the evening, the family drew close to one another and the children knew peace and unity. In contrast, today’s busy homeschool mom rushes through the day’s curricula, grabs lunch in the car on the way to lessons and activities, then rushes home to complete the task for the committee on which she serves. She hastily prepares a quick dinner so the children are not late for the evening’s […]

June 7 2007

They Will Know

In Jesus’ day, people brought gifts to the priests as a way of showing God their gratitude and love. Today, our gift to God is our entire life. Romans 12:1 tells us to offer our bodies a living sacrifice to God. And Jesus has set before us the standard of love for others. Remember that song, “They will Know we are Christians by our Love?” I once had a falling out with someone. I really was fine with the whole thing. But the other person was not. Whenever I tried to pray and become intimate with God, I would feel […]

June 7 2007

Dwell in the Shelter

He who dwells in the Shelter of the Most High, will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the LORD, “He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust…If you make the Most High your dwelling, even the LORD, who is my refuge—then no harm will befall you, no disaster will come near your tent. He will command His angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways. They will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone. Psalm 91:1-2, 9-12 How […]

June 7 2007

Who Are You?

Who are you? You are significant, united with Jesus and given a purpose in life. He tells us, I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. John 15:5 You have been chosen and appointed to bear fruit. You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit—fruit that will last. Then the Father will give you whatever you ask in my name. John 15:16 You are God’s temple. If anyone destroys God’s […]

June 7 2007

When We Are Weary

Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Matthew 11:28 Do you, like me, sometimes forget that this is what Christ offers? Have you forgotten that He longs to give you rest? He has the kind of rest that floods us with peace when we are weary. Rest that makes us feel as though we’ve slept well. I know I need to be reminded of this. I forget that God has not called me to minister and work until I’m weary. No, He wants me to rest. To feel restful. To feel […]

June 7 2007

Someone’s There

What if you were with your child all day long and he never even acknowledged your presence. He didn’t speak to you or even look at you, yet you still followed him everywhere—into every room, down to the mailbox, into the shower, outside to play. You were there all day long, right there beside him, wanting to talk to him and longing to relate with him but he was totally oblivious to you. However, once in awhile he would speak to you—sometimes at night or when he was very distraught; yet, when he talked, he spoke very formally and distantly, […]

June 7 2007

Listen for His Voice

And whenever you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear this command behind you: This is the way. Walk in it. Isaiah 30:21 Here we see a promise from God to His children. He will show us which way to go, what to do, and how to live each moment if we’ll listen for His voice. This is not just talking about the big decisions, like whether or not you should homeschool, where to live, or if you should sell your house and be a missionary in Africa. God has the ability—and not just the […]

June 7 2007

Paper Jams and Patience

Have you ever heard that God has an incredible sense of humor? It never fails that when I’m considering some spiritual concept, have some spiritual revelation, or especially if I’m supposed to teach or write something about a spiritual principal—I’m tested on it. Hence, paper jams and patience. I remember the day I was finishing up my Botany Co-op Manual. With every lesson, I included a short devotion the co-op teacher could read to the kids. I was writing on suffering and how Christians grow through it. I included Bible verses about thanking God for our trials. You know, they […]

June 7 2007

Always be Ready

We should always be ready to share the good news of the gospel. Sounds easy, yet so many Christians aren’t sure how to bridge the topic with unbelievers. Let’s say you’ve started a conversation about spiritual matters…what now? Well, when I took Evangelism Explosion—a course that required going out in teams and witnessing to people in airports, malls, and college campuses—I learned to share my testimony in a three minute spiel. My little speech began with how I felt before I was a Christian. For example, “I was lacking peace and joy and was looking for answers.” Then I shared […]

June 7 2007

Sharing the Good News

Why do we hesitate, when speaking with unbelievers, to share the good news of what Christ has done for mankind? I believe it’s because we fear rejection. We fear what others will think of us. If asked, we would emphatically say we’re not afraid of people rejecting us if they learn we’re a Christian. Yet we don’t explain the gospel. Why? Because we fear. Deep inside we fear not being well thought of. We fear being ridiculed, or being considered pushy or senseless or weird. We’re afraid we’ll fall over our words and look like an idiot. We […]

June 7 2007

It’s all about LOVE

I’ve heard many, many commentaries on love and what Jesus meant when He told us to love one another. Years ago, I wholeheartedly agreed with the idea that love is a decision, not a feeling. The concept that love is expressed more out of choice than emotional sentiment made sense to me. I went along with that until…I got cancer. It was weird how it all happened. One day I found out I might have cancer. The doctors couldn’t tell for sure because the tumor was so small and the needle-like instrument didn’t reveal much. I was newly pregnant so […]

June 7 2007

Hearing Him

The one thing that separates our faith from the religions of the world is that we serve a God who is personal, a God who calls Himself our Friend and Counselor. We can hear God whispering, “This is the way, walk ye in it.” He says that by His peace He will lead us. We are led by that whisper to our spirits and the peace that follows when we go in the way He calls us to go. Sometimes He will ask us to travel roads that seem too hard for us. Sometimes He asks us to give up […]

June 7 2007

Forget about Me

Oswald Chambers calls it self awareness. I think that’s an incredible way to describe it. In the past I’ve called it self focus. Self awareness is like self consciousness, but it goes beyond that. It’s simply being concerned on a certain level with ourselves: our plans, our needs, our desires, our sin, our looks, our place in our world, our rights, our hopes, our fears, etc. Self-focused doesn’t describe it as well as self awareness. Being self aware is the more subtle issue. We can be self aware without being totally focused on ourselves. Self awareness robs us of oneness […]

June 7 2007

Why Christianity? What’s all the hype?

“Why Christianity?” you ask. Before answering I’d like to ask you a question. If you were to die today (you never know if this is your last day on earth) and stand before God and He asked you, “Why should I let you into My heaven?” What would you say? What would be the reason He should let you in? Think about that for a moment and consider your answer before you read anymore. What would your answer be? Now, let me tell you how I would answer that question. “Lord God, I have never done anything in my life good enough to […]

June 7 2007

Biblical Worldview

I have to admit, when I first began hearing about giving your children a Biblical Worldview, I really wasn’t sure what that meant. Of course, I could surmise what it meant. But when I gained an understanding of its accurate definition, I was moved deeply in my heart and wanted this for myself and my children. So for those of you who aren’t exactly sure what a Biblical Worldview is, this article will attempt a short, concise explanation. My husband always tells me, “The art of wit is brevity.” I’m not known for being brief, but I’ll try. In Creation Ex […]

June 6 2007

How to Have a Quiet Time

During the years I taught Bible study, I met many women who had never developed the habit of a daily quiet time. It wasn’t that they didn’t want to have a quiet time, it was that they simply didn’t know exactly how. They had tried to read their Bibles, but found it didn’t gel. They tried to develop a habitual prayer life, but found their minds wandered when they were praying so that they couldn’t really get through their list of prayers. Because many adults didn’t grow up in Christian families, they have never been taught how to have a […]

April 26 2007

Becoming Like Christ

There is no doubt I have a long way to go to be the person and mom I want to be. Instead of walking about with my own agenda, easily tripped up when minor or major infractions occur, I want to smile at every mistake and lovingly proclaim, “It’s okay darling, I’ve made many mistakes, too.” When I see others, I desire to listen to the Holy Spirit’s leading about how I can bless them, with no thought of myself. I want to pray for everyone I see or think of. I so want to be like Christ. I long for […]

April 26 2007

Memory Work in the Homeschool

When I first began to homeschool, I read all about a classical and Charlotte Mason education. Soaking up every bit of teaching available, I became increasingly convinced of the merits of memory work. We launched into memory work full speed ahead, memorizing a variety of lists, from poetry to ancient Egyptian kings. My five year old performed the amazing feat of reciting all 43 presidents of the United States of America for our homeschool group’s annual presentations. I was so proud of her and anxiously began searching for the next miracle memory task. Providentially, a few years into this process, […]

April 26 2007

Character Training for All

One Easter, after sitting with my children in their fort and telling them the story of Christ, I watched as my oldest child hid resurrection eggs for her three younger siblings. Immediately, I was struck by the preciousness of the lives they live. The relationships they are forming will be a source of support and comfort to them their entire lives. We have seen many dear friends come and go, with relocation and other circumstances taking them from us. But the immediate family God has given us remains a constant. The joy our children derive from one another is in direct proportion to […]

April 26 2007

Making Disciples – A Homeschool Mom’s Great Commission