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A Homeschool Mom's Devotional by award-winning podcaster Jan L. Burt







Colossians 4:17 tells the reader to "be sure to carry out the work the Lord gave you".


How can this be applied to the enormously busy lifestyle of a homeschool mom?

First of all, we must always remember that the Word of God has the answer for our every need and we can trust fully in God to use His Word to lead us, guide us, correct us, and bless us.

Keeping that in mind, let's consider what this verse is saying. We are told to carry out, or complete, the work the Lord has given us. We are wives, mothers, homeschoolers. Those three BIG job descriptions come immediately to mind when I think of homeschooling mothers. Applying God's Word to our life means carrying out our work as wives, as mothers, and as homeschoolers.

When I am exhausted from another long day (or long week, long month, long year, etc.) I still must honor the Lord by blessing my husband. Maybe that means having a hot meal on the table when he arrives home from work. Perhaps your husband would prefer a few minutes to read the paper to unwind from work when he gets home. Does he dislike baskets of laundry sitting around? Then fold and put away the laundry before he gets home each evening. Does it bless him if you set out his clothes for work the next day? By all means, do it! This is the work the Lord has given us to carry out, and we cannot fully receive God's great blessings if we aren't doing what He has asked us to do.

Secondly, let's apply Colossians 4:17 to motherhood. It is a blessed job that pays rich dividends, isn't it? And yet it is a tiring job that demands our all emotionally, physically, and mentally every single day. One of the best ways I have found to carry out the Lord's work as a mother is to focus on TODAY only. I can't drag yesterday's junk and tomorrow's worries into today if I want to be a godly mother today. It's just that simple! To complete today's work, I must be about today's work. No other work can be done today, after all, so why waste precious time on what is futile?

And lastly, carrying out the work God has given us as women who homeschool means we need to actually be teaching our children. This begins with God's Word in our home. There is never a day when my children's first assignment is anything other than the Bible. I have used a variety of curriculum to facilitate Biblical studies in my 25+ years of homeschooling, and I can honestly say that God has blessed them all. On their own, before they start the school day, my older children read their Bibles. And my two youngest daughters read their Bibles at night. We also have family devotional time in the evening, led by my husband, and family prayer time each evening. So "Bible curriculum" is not the only time we study the Bible in our home; but it is the first lesson my students work on each day for school. This really does pay off great dividends ~ my son texted me from college this week to let me know that his Old Testament class is his absolute favorite course this semester. He says his professor "blows his mind every class" and that it is "ridiculous how good the class is". I'm sure this class would have been a blessing to Gage if he hadn't done some sort of Bible study daily in our homeschool; but the foundation laid by years of daily discipline have made it a much richer blessing.

Beyond making God's Word central to everything we do in our homeschool, I set apart time each week to seek the Lord's guidance and ask for His clear leading for each and every thing involved in our homeschool. For me, that is central to completing the work He has given me. I've found that time spent listening for His voice as I plan each week's school work, the road before me is much smoother than it ever would be by my own devices.

May the Lord richly bless you as you seek to homeschool your children for His glory!

Day 154 done :)

Psalm 91 - Pray It & Believe Course 






 
Jan L. Burt

creator of Homeschool Planning Made Simple

author of "The Power of God's Will - 40 Days of God's Promises Devotional" & "The Homeschooling Mothers Bible Study" available on Amazon  & host of The Burt (Not Ernie) Show podcast & The Prayer Podcast with Jan L. Burt. 

 





 






Comments

  1. CassieJune 23, 2013 at 6:48 AM

    I loved reading this message. I found it very encouraging! Especially the part about doing today's work today.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Spafford FamJuly 31, 2013 at 4:20 PM

    Well spoken. Very encouraging.

    ReplyDelete
  3. SadlerAugust 28, 2014 at 6:03 AM

    I appreciate you starting your post with scripture! It was a blessing to read!
    "I can't drag yesterday's junk and tomorrow's worries into today if I want to be a godly mother today." - That is a powerful statement that we must always remind ourselves! We have to trust God will take care of us in the way that we need and not always the ways we think we need!
    May God continue to bless your family!!
    -Mimi

    ReplyDelete

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