Encouraging Moms Who Homeschool

Have you ever wanted to study the book of Hebrews? Or maybe you've been looking for a new Bible study for your church's women's ministry. The new study by Lisa Harper (from LifeWay) may be exactly what you need! I am super excited to be a part of the launch team for Hebrews, so you'll be seeing more about this study on my blog, pinterest, Facebook and Twitter. But if you 'd like to take a look at Hebrews - The Nearness of King Jesus, visit www.LifeWay.com/Hebrews . Here's a quote from Lisa Harper ~ Isn't that a fabulous thought? As you prepare for Thanksgiving this week, be sure to thank your Savior for His lavish gift of grace and the freedom that it brings. Lord bless you! Day 286 done :) Jan L. Burt author of The Homeschooling Mothers Bible Study

The book Faith ~ Joseph's Story (by Sandra Lea Hardage) is an absolute gem of a book. The first half of the book, chapters 1-9, tell the story of Joseph. Predating his birth, the author covers Joseph's family lineage and lays a solid foundation of his family's history. The second half of the book is a Bible study; a very thorough study, well-written without extra "fluff". As I progressed through this book, I was struck by how Sandra brings Joseph's story to life in a vibrant way. While not adding anything to what the Bible says about his life, she draws details out of the Word that are easily missed in casual reading. I absolutely loved this book and the way she manages to pack so much into each chapter. As a homeschooling mother, I plan to use this as part of my children's daily Bible lessons. (And that's saying something, because I am pretty choosy about what I use in my homeschool!) After I finished the first half of the book and started th

The book Let Hope In (4 Choices That Will Change Your Life Forever) by Pete Wilson is an easy-to-read book divided into four sections. Each section focuses on a different area in which hope can "come in" and bring about transformation. At 219 pages, Let Hope In isn't a lengthy book but it does contain some valuable insight for those looking to let Jesus have more and more of their heart. The four sections touch on transforming instead of transferring; being okay as compared to not being okay; trusting rather than pleasing; freeing people in lieu of hurting them. Four sections of a book that represent four segments of our hearts and lives...places where we may have put up a "NO TRESPASSING" sign that we expect Jesus to read loud and clear. Of course, the Christian life is a trade (it's no longer our own, for we were bought with a price). We don't have the option of telling the Lord to "KEEP OUT" because He owns us, so to speak, and more

I'm amazed at how long I've been homeschooling and at how quickly my years as a homeschooler are dwindling away. My oldest will turn 21 this month, my second oldest is adjusting well to life at a college 12-hours away from home, and my middle child will turn 18 in the spring. I will then have three adult children...and that means I am entering into a season of giving pause, giving thanks, and giving encouragement and advice to those who are currently doing what I've already done. So today's blog post is a little dose of encouragement and a handful of advice for the homeschooling mom who could use a little boost. First, the advice ~      When you are choosing new curriculum, planning weekly assignments, or considering a new activity, carefully consider the path you take. Is it the path the Lord has placed you on? Or is this a path you've chosen without His guidance?       On those really productive school days, when everything is clicking and you're truck

You may remember a review I wrote for Mary DeMuth's book Everything (you can read that post HERE ) in January of this year.  I absolutely loved that book, and not surprisingly, Mary's book The Wall Around Your Heart is another success. The tone of this book is a bit different than Everything , but the tempo with which Mary writes and the passion she pours into her work are the same. We all have walls around our hearts, in greater or lesser degrees. And we all need a little "shove" in the right direction (toward Jesus!) in order for those walls to begin to crumble. The Wall Around Your Heart has the ability to draw you closer to the Lord in prayer as you trust Him more and more with the things that you have been afraid to trust anyone with. It's not a self-help, DIY kind of book. Rather it's Mary using the Lord's prayer to reveal God's heart toward us, and in turn to show us that He can be trusted to tear down those walls.  She is very rea

When I started reading the book Fearless by Eric Blehm, I really thought I knew what kind of a book it would be. I'm married to a Captain in the US Army ( retired ) after all, so I would have to be deaf to have not heard the tale of Navy SEAL Team Six and the mission in Afghanistan that went so terribly wrong. But I wasn't at all prepared for how hard it was to read this book. Not just hard to read near the end, when Adam Brown faces the enemy and gives his life. It was hard to read about Adam's childhood, his rough and tumble teenage years, his addictions. And it was hard to see how much his wife loved him, supported him, stood by him, helped him "grow up" in his walk with the Lord...all the while knowing what the later chapter of Fearless would bring. Fearless is a great book to read if you don't have much of an idea of who soldiers often are at their core, where they came from, why the military is such a good fit for many men...and it also provi