We were created for language. It’s the primary way through which we know God. Through His word He speaks to our hearts and minds. Through His word He artfully communicates in a way that connects us to Him. God is the Master of the Art of Language. And we’re changed because of it. From the Read More
We’ve learned from the last two blogs that copywork is worth its weight in gold. Yet, there’s even more value to be mined from copywork lessons. You can use copywork to teach spelling! Charlotte Mason tells us that we need to help our children develop the habit of seeing words. And you know how it goes—habits, habits, habits. Read More
Everyone understands the value of copywork for neat handwriting, but did you know copywork benefits the child’s language learning and creates foundational habits? Copywork works—on so many levels! Charlotte Mason was a huge advocate for copywork and developed a specific methodology that benefitted her students greatly. Let me share with you some of her ideas Read More
Let’s talk about how to teach copywork so that your children will actually develop the skill of natural, fluid writing. All of my children left home with the skill of writing. One was naturally drawn toward language and writing while the others gravitated to math and science—not surprising as they grew up watching their mom Read More
It wasn’t long into our homeschool experience that I encountered what seemed like an immovable boulder blocking our way forward. Garnering my abundance of first year homeschool energy and excitement, we found a way around it. And just as we began skipping along our merry way, another boulder came tumbling toward us. And then another. Read More
I’m filled with awe and wonder when I consider that my children were chosen by God before the foundation of the world. That each was distinctly fashioned with specific gifts, talents, abilities, interests, passions, dislikes, and preferences. Each was created for a particular purpose—a purpose God ordained in advance that they should pursue. For we Read More
As a veteran homeschooler and creator of products that empower moms to educate with excellence, it is my heart’s cry to encourage, build up, and say to every homeschooler I encounter with those weary and worried-filled eyes, “You can do this!” You can do this well. You can educate your children better than the reigning Read More
I’ve heard 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 Read More
There’s a quote that says, “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, things that seem profitable, things that even seem necessary. Things Read More
Of all the things we desire to accomplish in our homeschool day, devotions with our children should uncompromisingly be done first. Why? Because nurturing our children’s heart and character is paramount for success in all areas of their life—whether sports, academics, leadership, or daily choices. I’ve said this for years, and it still rings true: Read More
There’s confusion among homeschoolers about when to teach science. Some Charlotte Mason educators avoid teaching science in the early elementary years. Often, they consider nature study enough. Perhaps part of it is they are uninterested in science—the outcome of their own education. After all, the way science is presented in the school system renders it Read More
Homeschooling children with ADHD is a popular topic and is something I’ve spoken about recently. I’ve been making homeschool related TikToks every week and had a huge response to my TikTok about how to ensure your ADHD children thrive in your homeschool. I also did a podcast on this topic for The Charlotte Mason Show. Read More
Ever wonder exactly why notebooking is superior to worksheets and quizzes? It’s because of the little horseshoe-shaped organ in the brain—the amygdala. This important learning center of the brain is activated when a person is engaged in creativity, especially when it involves the use of his memory. Creativity and memory are closely linked and, when Read More
No matter what career your child chooses, no matter what he or she does in the future, the ability to communicate effectively in writing is essential for success and advancement. Tragically, writing instruction is one of the greatest failings of the modern education system. As homeschoolers, we can remedy this by implementing the writing progression Charlotte Read More
When it comes to teaching our children the art of writing, it’s not enough that we employ copywork and choose living books from which to learn and grow. We must also ask our children to engage with the books—to think, consider, and understand the story or content well enough to explain it in their own Read More
In the last few posts, I began the discussion on the most effective Charlotte Mason methods for teaching your children to write well, to become skillful writers. I talked about the eminent value of transcribing (through copywork and a Book of Commonplace) and its importance in training the brain in the mechanics of writing, including solid sentence structure Read More
Do you ever have those days where you just feel like it’s too hard? You can’t think of a reason to be motivated, to keep going. You can’t remember why you started this? And you lack the will or energy to go on? I hope I’m not the only one. Well, there’s something I have Read More
There is a right way—a methodology—for teaching writing and if followed, your children will become proficient if not skilled writers. Unfortunately, our modern educational system does not teach writing well. In fact, poor writing is the biggest complaint of college professors and is why most every student who enters university must take a remedial writing Read More
In this time of extraordinary pressure, educational and social, perhaps the mother’s first duty to her children is to secure for them a quiet growing time– spent for the most part in the fresh air. – Charlotte Mason Yes! But how do we make our outdoor experiences even more meaningful? I have some key tips Read More
Every week I have this great intention to give you tips on scheduling your day. Every week, as I’m writing, something related hits me. First, it was letting God lead (because He’s in charge of our day anyway). Next, it was how to do devotions (because that’s first on the schedule). Today, it’s developing self-motivated Read More
She cried out to God, “This isn’t working! Homeschooling is too hard! I can’t do it anymore!” Last week, I planned to write on how to schedule your homeschool, but it turned into an article on allowing room for the Holy Spirit to guide your days—essentially not being a slave to your schedule or to Read More
I hope y’all are having a great week and getting in gear for the new school year. My two who are still in college at University of Georgia started back last week. They have a computer architecture class together and are so happy about that. It’s like homeschooling again—learning the same subject together. They’ll both Read More
Hey Homeschooler! It’s been a wild and wonderful week for me. My daughter and her family moved back to Atlanta with my new grandson. They’ve been living here for a week and it’s been glorious. They move into their new place on Friday. The fun thing about having my daughter back in our town is, not Read More
Well, here we are again! Another exciting school adventure awaits! I hope it’s the best year ever for you. It was a whirlwind of a summer for the Fulbrights, traveling from coast-to-coast meeting so many truly precious homeschoolers. We hit nine states in all: SC, OH, MO, FL, IA, CA, TX, AZ, and GA. What a Read More
Is art education the unsolved mystery in your homeschool? It is for many moms—but it doesn’t have to be if you teach art the Charlotte Mason way! Albert Einstein said, “It is the supreme art of the teacher to awaken joy in creative expression.” Charlotte Mason believed art should be a staple in every child’s Read More
Every generation since Christ came to earth has experienced trials of one kind or another. And every generation has been encouraged by God to keep the faith. To believe His plans and purposes will prevail—even in this—our hour of trouble. Imagine Christians living during the days of Rome where life was decadent and people freely engaged Read More
Nature study is not a subject we teach—it’s a way of life. A way of life initiated by a habit we must instill in the early years. Nature study builds into our children something that cannot be attained through any other means—a spirit of freedom and a sense of awe—a depth of understanding of God’s beautiful creation Read More
“The kids in my class don’t think,” my son remarked while explaining to me the surprising things he discovered his freshman year of college. “What do you mean they don’t think?” I asked. “They listen to the lectures, but never have any questions that go beyond what the professor taught. They just care about what’s Read More
We don’t often think of Prayer and Praise as a habit to be trained. However, like Thoughts of God, prayer and praise can become second nature to us, to our children, if we make them a regular part of our day. Anything we do regularly or continually can be considered a habit. And there is no better habit Read More
The habit of perfect execution. Sounds intimidating, and perhaps a bit elusive. But what exactly is it? It’s simply requiring our children to always do their best work. That’s it. Charlotte Mason tells us, “’Throw perfection into all you do’ is a counsel upon which a family may be brought up with great advantage.” EXCELLENCE This Read More
The habit of attention is one of the most critical habits a homeschool mom can train—and one of the greatest gifts she can give. Why is this particular habit so important and so impactful? Charlotte Mason tells us that all our children’s intellectual gifts—their natural intelligence and comprehension during learning and in life—depend completely on the cultivation of this habit. Read More
When the right idea or thought is planted in the garden of a child’s soul, with the ever present help of the Divine Life—the Holy Spirit—that idea begins to influence a child’s thoughts and decisions. Those decisions then become actions. Those actions then become habits. Those habits then become character. I love how Ralph Waldo Read More
Charlotte Mason tells us, “The child who starts out with, say, 20 good habits begins with a certain capital which he will lay out to endless profit as the years go on.” In the next series of posts, we will discuss many of the habits Charlotte Mason mentions and consider how best to train them Read More
Living books breathe life into learning. They engage the reader and offer up a bounty of original thoughts and ideas. Ideas. They’re the key to living books. New, original, unique ideas are what mark a living book, bringing it to life. These ideas are like seeds planted. They germinate in our children’s thoughts and take on Read More
Imagine the genius and brilliance your children would exhibit if their thoughts were led by the Holy Spirit. Consider the ease they’d have in understanding challenging subjects. Imagine how much less stressful homeschooling would be each day if you purposefully invited God into your schoolroom. If you allowed space for the Lord to be their Teacher. When Read More
One of Charlotte Mason’s least discussed but most critical teachings is that of the Divine Life. It’s this foundational tenet that most powerfully permeates the words and works of Ms. Mason. She insists that the Lord is our children’s best and ultimate teacher, and her philosophy of education rests firmly on this truth. INSEPARABLE The concept Read More
One of Charlotte Mason’s key tenets was that of “letting alone, letting the children be.” Of giving them autonomy and allowing them to do what needs doing on their own initiative and in their own way—without our interference and prodding. This, she insists, is what grows self-initiative—children who are self-motivated and find new interests to Read More
Character training may seem elusive and difficult to accomplish. Yet, Charlotte Mason gives us great insight into this most important aspect of a child’s education. It’s quite simple, really. Character training is a matter of conveying worthy ideas then allowing the Divine Life to work in the soul of the child. It is this Divine Read More
A milestone birthday party, an anticipated performance, a treasured relative’s arrival. That long awaited, saved up for vacation. We enjoy the hustle and bustle of it all—the planning, the shopping, the excitement of getting everything ready! But have you noticed our children tend to become high maintenance during these times? Charlotte Mason tells us this Read More
Does doubt sneak up on you? Does it whisper that you can’t do this? That it’s too hard? Do you worry you aren’t doing enough? Do you believe you’ve fallen behind? Why do we let these thoughts debilitate us? Is it because we think it’s all up to us? That we are 100% responsible for Read More
Forgive me for starting this blog with a few predictable clichés, but they’re powerful. What I love about cliché is that the visual image in the small metaphor or simile tells an important story with few words. You can’t pour from an empty cup. An empty tank will take you nowhere. Put your own oxygen Read More
In order to live a productive and unfettered life in this world, our children must have a strong sense of self confidence. They must know they can do all the great things God has called them to do—and do them well. Here’s an uncomfortable truth: Children live up to what we believe about them and measure Read More
The fussy mom. Are you acquainted with her? She is always commanding, demanding, interfering, intervening, redirecting, reminding, worrying, hurrying, hovering, and smothering, moralizing and mediating. FUSSINESS Many times during our journey I fell into the fussy mom syndrome, hijacking the joy God had for me, my children and our homeschool. Oftentimes it was because I was Read More
Training your child’s character can be likened to tending a garden. Nurturing to life the good character qualities you want to see grow and blossom. It’s about watching over what’s sprouting up and carefully cultivating that which will one day bear fruit. It requires tilling the soil and weeding out anything that is not fructiferous Read More
Many of you who have gone on to graduate a homeschooler have moments of nostalgia that make you stop and sigh. I call this phenomenon “homeschool nostalgia.” I had one such moment while watching a Youstream video of my daughter dancing in the Miss Georgia’s Outstanding Teen pageant. I watched the video and reminisced. Not Read More
The thought of homeschooling can seem overwhelming at first. But like everything, if you take it one day at a time, you’ll find the reward far outweighs the sacrifice. In fact, you’ll discover homeschooling was not a sacrifice at all, but an investment. An investment in your family, your children’s character, and your life. Is it Read More
After reading the past posts, you now know everything you need to know to help your homeschooled child find the college of his dreams. Whew! It’s been quite a journey, but you’ve been faithful and you’re almost there. Now it’s time to let them go. Sending a child off to college can seem like a Read More
Most universities and scholarship boards require applicants to submit a letter of recommendation from a teacher. This can be tricky for homeschoolers since colleges do not want letters from parents. When my daughter began her college application process, she had never completed a class outside the home except for an online dual enrollment course through Read More
Like AP exams, colleges put a lot of stock in the SAT Subject Tests, sometimes known as the SAT II tests. In fact, some Ivy League and top tier universities require at least two SAT Subject Tests to be taken before a student is even eligible to apply to that university. Like CLEP, the SAT Read More
Now it’s time to talk about College Prep: Dual Enrollment. But what exactly is dual enrollment? It’s when a high school student takes college courses while in high school. The student is enrolled in both high school and college at the same time and the classes count for both high school and college credit. Dual Read More
In the last blog, we talked about depth—not breadth—when pursuing extra curricular activities. In this one, College Prep: Standing Out, we’re going to talk about ways to get noticed in college admissions. Commitment, leadership, and long-term involvement are what colleges like to see. Homeschooled students have the rare opportunity to become experts in the fields Read More
Be Unique! Colleges look for students that “stand out” from among other applicants. They’re interested in those they feel will enhance their school and campus. That’s not to say a “typical” student can’t get in, but it helps to show that your child is special and can offer something unique to the student body and to Read More
So you know your child will need to take college entrance exams as part of the college admissions process, but which test should he take and when? This post, College Prep: SAT vs. ACT, explains the similarities and differences of the tests to help you think through which test is best for your child. The Read More
Colleges love extracurricular activities. So shouldn’t my child do as many as possible to impress the admissions committee? That seems to make sense but it’s not the case. Think not too many, not too few. Depth not breadth. Ultimately, do what you love in a way that shows the colleges the unique person you are. Read More
Ideally, ninth grade is the time to begin mapping out the courses your child will need in high school to graduate with a great college prep transcript. It’s okay to begin thinking through the courses in eighth grade or even later than ninth grade. My older daughter decided she wanted to go to college in Read More
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 Read More
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 Read More
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 Read More
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 Read More
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 Read More
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 Read More
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 Read More
“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? Read More
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 Read More
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 Read More
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 Read More
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 Read More
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 Read More
“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 Read More
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 Read More
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 Read More
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 Read More
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 Read More
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 Read More
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. Read More
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 Read More
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 Read More
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. Read More
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 Read More
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 Read More
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 Read More
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 Read More
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 Read More
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 Read More
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 Read More
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 Read More
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 Read More
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 Read More
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 Read More
Students who have developed a foundation of good character (no, not perfect children, but those who have a conscience about doing the right thing) and have gained personal responsibility for their education—with an eye set on the future—are prime candidates for self learning. The first step to moving toward self learning is to carefully select Read More
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 Read More
Laying a foundation of character is essential if you are to successfully move your child from dependence upon you as the teacher to independence and self learning. Obviously, children that are not yet reading need a lot of supervision. The same is true when teaching elementary students new concepts. In addition, when a Read More
As the idea of self learning in the homeschool began to take hold, I was asked to share some practical tips on how to move your children into a self learning lifestyle. Let me begin by saying I feel the biggest problem we find in government and private schools is that the students are taught to Read More
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. Read More
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 Read More
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 Read More
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. Read More
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 Read More
How many times have you heard someone say, “Oh! You homeschool? Wow. I could never do that!” Their reasons range from, “I’m too impatient” to “I would ruin their education.” But the fact is, with homeschooling—as with all great accomplishments—there is a principle at work that gives parents the ability to homeschool their children for the long haul: Read More
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 Read More
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 Read More
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, Read More
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 Read More
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 Read More
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 Read More
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 Read More
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 Read More
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. Read More
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 Read More
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, Read More
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 Read More
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 Read More
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 Read More
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 Read More
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 Read More
One of the most profound—and often under appreciated—methods of Charlotte Mason is her teachings on habits. How I wish I had known of this extremely influential concept when my children were younger, before they formed the bad habits we invested a lot of time undoing. Mason addresses the fascinating subject of attention: The Habit of Read More
Free time is one of the greatest benefits of a homeschool education. It gives students space to think and create, to pursue and develop their passions fully and deeply. I’m so pleased with how much my daughter accomplished with her free time even during the middle school years. When she was thirteen, she taught herself Read More
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 Read More
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 Read More
Sometimes we must stop what we’re doing and address issues that come up in our family. When we have everything all planned out for our day or week, these interruptions can seem overwhelmingly burdensome. Yet, we must see them as part of God’s plan for the path we walk. I once found the morning interrupted Read More
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 Read More
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 Read More
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 Read More
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. Read More
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, Read More
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 Read More
I’ve had the privilege of meeting so many new homeschoolers that have just begun their homeschool journey. Most of them find homeschooling a delight. As they spend each day with their children, they begin to glimpse into the windows of their little hearts and see things they didn’t know were there—good things and not so Read More
Have you ever asked yourself, “Am I doing enough?” I certainly did in the early days of homeschooling. Why do you think every homeschool mom asks this question at one time or another? I believe the problem is that when you are doing enough—it feels too, too easy. So you think, I’m surely not doing Read More
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 Read More
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 Read More
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 Read More
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 Read More
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 Read More
“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 Read More
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. Read More
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 Read More
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.” Read More
Like many of you, I spent years in women’s Bible studies, growing in my knowledge and understanding of the Lord and His Word. I’m so thankful for that time of spiritual growth, and was loath to give it up for the homeschooling years. One day, during my quiet time, God impressed a profound truth upon Read More