Skip to main content

Summer Reading for Homeschool Moms ~ TOS HwH Post ~

Have you been homeschooling for a while?


Or are you relatively new to the homeschooling world?


However you answer those questions, this blog post is for you. And let it be known that even if you have only been homeschooling for a week, that still counts as “a while” in the homeschool community!


You may have noticed that there is a TON of reading material aimed at encouraging new homeschoolers, but those resources sort of seem to dwindle away for those who have been at it for a decade or so. I think that is because those of us who are “veterans” work hard to encourage the new homeschooling families… But the truth is, we long-term, older homeschooling mothers need a hefty dose of encouragement on a regular basis as well!


That’s just one reason The Old Schoolhouse Magazine’s Homeschooling with Heart blog is so wonderful! It gives homeschoolers of all ages and stages the encouragement so desperately needed!
One of my life goals is to encourage homeschoolers. This lifestyle means so much to me that I continue to stay plugged-in and involved with the homeschooling community, even though all five of my children have graduated from our family’s homeschool, and have either graduated from college or are currently attending college. I know how vitally important regular (as in daily, when possible!) encouragement is, because I know how vitally I needed to be encouraged when my children were still at home.




One of the sources of encouragement for me involves the study of the lives of heroes of the faith, who have gone before me. The writers such as Charles Haddon Spurgeon, A.W. Tozer and A.B. Simpson have served to push and to pull and to move me along, spurring me on to love and good deeds as I homeschooled for a quarter of a century.


And modern-day women of faith bless me in spades as I refer to their writing on a regular basis. Anne Graham Lotz, Jennifer Kennedy Dean, Susie Larson and Joni Eareckson Tada are just a few of the authors I turn to on a regular basis as a source of encouragement in my daily life, as a follower of Jesus.


Let me note that these are in addition to my daily Bible reading, of course. They never replace my time in the Word of God–rather, they encourage me to be in my Bible even more often!


As we go through the month of May and move into the homeschooling rhythms of summer time, let me encourage you to create a summer reading list, Mom. One that encourages you as a Christian woman, and draws you closer to Jesus, as well as strengthens you for your task as a homeschooler.
Have a wonderful, encouraging month of May!





Comments

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

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 you surrounded

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

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

Everything by Mary DeMuth

The book Everything by Mary DeMuth became a "keeper" for me almost as soon as I began reading. Mary sugarcoats nothing in her attempt to make Jesus' gospel what it rightly is ~ and as you probably guessed from the title of her book, it rightly is about everything. Eighteen chapters, three sections, one-hundred and ninety-eight pages...if you take the time to delve into them you will grow exponentially in your walk with the Lord. In Everything Mary calls us out, calls us higher, and admonishes us with honesty and openness. Sharing from her heart and relying heavily on the truth that is God's Word, she sets things straight. There aren't just one or two things about this book that I have taken to heart; and there aren't just a couple of quotes I could share here. The book in it's entirety is a game-changer! Please buy this book, read this book, apply the truths in this book to your life, and let the Lord become your everything! HERE is a dire