Skip to main content

A Dose of Encouragement & A Handful of Advice

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 trucking right along, consider doing a little (or a lot!) of extra school work. Then you'll have a bit of a cushion for those days when nothing clicks except the sound of your heels as you run out of the house screaming...

     Take a planning day now and then. And do not feel guilty about it! Planning is a huge, key part of long-term, successful homeschooling.

     Purge your homeschool bookshelves on a regular basis - at least once a year. Sort out the plastic storage tubs that hold odds-n-ends materials and get things in order. One or two days of hard work can pay off big time during the academic year.

     Get realistic about what you are actually able to accomplish in a day, week, month, year. And likewise, get realistic about the impact sloth and laziness has on your homeschooling.

     Remember it's okay to make mistakes, sweet homeschooling mother. And make sure your sweet homeschooled children know it's okay for them to make mistakes.


Now for the encouragement ~

     Ephesians 2:14a tells us that the Lord is our peace. Not simply that He gives us peace (which He does!) or that He is the author of all peace (which He is!) - but that He is our peace. Think about that for a few moments, write it down in your planner or on your to-do list. Jesus is our peace. That is very, very encouraging.

     Ecclesiastes 3:11 says He has made everything beautiful in it's time. If there are things in your life that aren't beautiful, then remember this verse. And in the areas that are beautiful, be sure to thank the One who gave them their beauty.

     Focus on what God has in store for your family; don't get caught up looking at other people's lives and wondering about the things God has in store for them. 

     You really can leave all the decisions to God, and He really will show you the way to go. He is unfailingly trustworthy all of the time. 


I pray you're blessed today as you train up your children according to His word and His ways. May you sense His great love and care for you in a tangible way today!

Day 283 done :)


Jan L. Burt
author of The Homeschooling Mothers Bible Study

PS - Just one more tidbit from a previous post that I'd like to leave with you today...

We all want an answer to the age-old question, "What am I here for?"  Philippians 3:10 holds part of the answer for us. "I want to know Christ and experience the mighty power that raised Him from the dead." That answer holds true for homeschooling mothers and for their children.

          I'm not here to amass a fortune, become famous, or make a name for myself. Conversely, I'm not here to become a wall flower, fade into anonymity, or loathe myself. I am here to glorify God. I do that first by knowing Christ. It is in the knowing that I begin to live a life that brings Him glory. My kids are here for the same purpose.

           If He is truly our all in all, then we need to live like we believe it. Make it your goal to ask the Lord to help you know Him more and more, every single day; to allow you to experience the mighty power that raised Him from the dead. You will discover the answer to that deep heart question, "Why am I here?" 

           All of your life, including your role as a homeschooling mother, will be blessed as you continue to know Christ more and more and more. This is undoubtedly one of the greatest truths I've come to know, and my hope is that many more women will take continual steps to know Him in ever increasing measure. Starting today.
 


Psalm 91 - Pray It & Believe Course with Jan L. Burt available now for $7

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular Posts

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...
6 comments
Read more

I Gotta Let You Know Two Very Important Things (Seriously, They Are Truly Important For You To Know...)

 First, a big --- fat --- hefty dose of encouragement for you, my wonderful homeschooling friend.  As you get ready to roll into the fall of 2020...stop for just one moment and hear what God's Word has to say to you right here, right now, on the brink of the last stretch of what has possibly been the most turn-your-whole-world-upside-down year ever.  Psalm 125:2 - As the mountains surround Jerusalem, so the Lord surrounds His people both now and forevermore.   You are surrounded.  Completely & totally, that's exactly how surrounded you are.  Going into the great unknown as, say, a working mom whose children are going to be doing school online at home (or a working mom homeschooling and working from home for just the next several months, but not planning on continuing to home educate after things "normalize" again).  This is God's promise just for you as you embark upon this season of life. I really, truly believe He wants you to know that He has yo...
1 comment
Read more

My Preferred Bible Reading Plan

We all know that reading our Bibles is a key part of living a healthy life as a follower of Jesus. But busy homeschool moms may, at times, struggle to know what part of the Bible to read on any given day. Some people read the Bible through, Genesis to Revelation, and when they finish simply start over. Others have reading plans that follow along with the sermons their pastor is currently preaching. And yet others find themselves "stuck in the Psalms", since they're not quite sure what to read. I'm not going to tell you how many chapters a day you should read, or that you need to do exactly what I do. I'm just going to share what has worked for me, and hopefully encourage you to get into the Word using some type of plan ~ because every homeschool mom knows what happens to our plans when we fail to create a plan, right?! I use a prayer and Bible reading guide called "Prayer Point" , published by Samaritan's Purse. About every 8 weeks, I receive a...
3 comments
Read more

Schoolhouse Review Crew ~ A Thomas Jefferson Education (This Week in History)

Rachel DeMille, of Thomas Jefferson Education , promotes a fascinating educational philosophy (based on The Seven Keys of Great Teaching ). Her website, www.TJEd.org , provides a thorough explanation of this philosophy. It's also an excellent history resource that I hope my blog readers will consider using in their homeschools. I really love what Rachel is doing! I am not reviewing everything available at the website - trust me, there is quite a bit to be found there! What I am reviewing is " This Week in History ", a resource that covers a wide variety of subjects and topics on a daily basis in an engaging and interesting manner. I have used this as a part of our history curriculum, but it really is so much more than history.  Each week I receive an email with the current week's " This Week in History ". I am also able to access this information at the website, along an archive that covers the current year. And I also receive daily emails, called ...
1 comment
Read more

Do You Homeschool? Then You Need to Read This Article!

Whether you have been homeschooling for a month, a year, or a decade, you've inevitably faced the "questions". Questions about socialization, college, athletics, driver's ed, high-school biology, etc. etc. etc. and so on..... It seems as if homeschoolers are ripe for questions from day one; but the flip side seems to be that there really is no flip side. We are expected to patiently answer any and all questions, smiling politely and pretending we've never heard this line of questioning before. But when we try to ask a few questions about, say, public schools as a whole or the issue of private schools being used as a last-ditch landing spot for students expelled from public school, well...ahem...we're pretty much told to keep quiet. No one wants to hear our questions, and often times no one really wants to hear our answers to their questions. They just kind of want us to....go....away. I'm not planning on going away any time soon. And neither are my fiv...
4 comments
Read more