Encouraging Moms Who Homeschool

 The book Seeking Allah, Finding Jesus by Nabeel Qureshi is an unbelievable insightful account of Islam from the perspective of one person who grew up in an Islamic home...and forsook all he knew when he found Jesus. Nabeel grew up in an American Navy household; a household that was also devoutly Muslim. In some respects he lived a typical American military kid's life, but in many ways his adolescence was drastically different than his non-Muslim counterparts. When reading this book I was amazed at his ability to treat his parents with the utmost of respect even as he explained his experience within the Islamic community as one who has walked away from that community. It would be difficult to read this book and not feel some level of emotion for Nabeel and his plight. After all, he truly has forsaken father and mother and sister to follow Christ. That is much more than the average Christian in America will ever have to sacrifice for their faith. In that light, this is a b...

The sinking of the USS Indianapolis is a well-known story to most every student of the second World War, and many who know little about those dark years have still heard of the Indy.  It's one of the great tragedies of America's war history, and reading about it is never easy. But the book Out of the Depths , written by USS Indianapolis survivor Edward Harrell (United States Marine Core) brings a distinctly Christian perspective to this heart-wrenching tale. Out of the Depths is a very well-written book, and the author does a terrific job of recognizing God's hand in the events detailed throughout each chapter. The facts are laid out in combination with Mr. Harrell's own personal perspective, and the incident along with it's after-effects are described with enough detail to give the reader a clear understanding of what took place, but with no extra "gore" added for drama's sake. It's clear the author has opted to glorify the Lord throug...

Wow. Just...wow. That is the first thought that comes to mind when pondering exactly how to write a review for the book Where the Wind Leads . To find a memoir that grabs such hold of the reader that you move seamlessly through it's pages and almost forget that the book will actually have an end is a rarity. I loved this book from the very first page. And while it is most certainly very Christian in nature, it is not primarily focused on the Christian faith of the Chung family. Where the Wind Leads is truly a memoir in the truest sense of the word; it is a historical account given from a personal perspective. Each chapter is just a few pages in length, which makes it easy to grab the book and read when you have a few extra moments. And the writing is truly top-notch. To some degree, at least in my mind, one mark of a good book is the ability to read without the overt sense that you are reading...and Where the Wind Leads allowed me to sort of "fall" into the Ch...

I suppose I am probably one of the laziest bloggers on the planet...or I am a busy homeschooler...or I have been in a bit of a blog-funk... Whatever the cause, I've been lagging in my blogging but I'm throwing up a post today. It's a simple post, just sharing a variety of quotes that I've written down in recent months. I hope at least one of the quotes is a source of encouragement for you!      "A jealous God will not be content with a divided heart; He must be loved first and best." ~ Spurgeon      "To be little with God is to be little for God." ~ E.M. Bounds      "The great fault of the children of God is that they do not continue in prayer; they do not go on praying, they do not persevere. If they desire anything for God's glory, they should pray until they get it." ~ George Mueller      "I have found that there are three stages in every great work of God:  first, it is impossible, then it is difficult, th...

Carol Kent is a well-known author within the Christian community. She has a frank, open style that many find refreshing, and in particular her honesty regarding her son's imprisonment for first-degree murder have been a soothing balm to many women coping with their own unimaginable loss and pain. Unquenchable is not a Bible study, nor is it a memoir. It's a compilation of tragedies woven together in a way that spurs the reader on to keep trusting in the Lord, even when life is overwhelming and the flames of faith seem to be dwindling. To be honest, Unquenchable was very different than I expected it to be. I can't exactly clarify what I was expecting, but it wasn't what I found when I opened the cover and began to read. The book is real and raw and at times hard to read. But isn't life also, at times, raw and real and hard? If we're honest, we answer "Yes...indeed it is." This book can move you forward on the path of knowing God is truly enou...

The new book Twirl by well-known author and speaker Patsy Clairmont is a fun little book to read. I think it's aim is to bring a breath of fresh air into the spiritual lives of Christian women living in westernized cultures, and it achieves that goal with ease. Patsy's conversational writing style, combined with her anecdotal tales, make for a light-heated book. The short chapters can be read in any order, so readers are free to pick and choose topics that best suit their current needs. She's down-to-earth, no-nonsense. This is classic Patsy Clairmont. I would say this book probably is better suited to women of the next generation, as I'm not at the stage of life wherein I could appreciate many of the experiences, hobbies, and problems shared in Twirl . But even with the age/interest differences, I was able to glean nuggets of truth from Patsy's book. From facing your fears to trying new hobbies, aging gracefully and continuing to learn new things abou...

I find myself sharing the same sort of weblog post at this point each year. There's something about the month of March, the warmer weather, perhaps, that draws our hearts and minds toward the outdoors and leaves us anxious for summer...and often also leaves us lacking as we finish up the last long weeks of the homeschool year. But I want to encourage you, yet again, to press on and finish well. Open the windows and enjoy the fresh air. Take some of your books outside and study in the sunshine. Take a couple of field trips. Be blessed by the change in season, just don't neglect to be a faithful homeschooling mother. Spring is a blessing, a gift that reminds us of God's faithfulness throughout all generations to sustain us. In literal and spiritual terms, spring carries the weight of new things. Enjoy the blessing, celebrate this season, and honor the Lord by finishing the school year well. He has called you to the task of homeschooling; do not neglect the gift that is ...

The book Restless (by Jennie Allen) is a book written for those who want to be more of who God made them to be and who are willing to allow their past to propel them into their future. It is not just a book you read; it's a study you take part in. With easily readable chapters that aren't too lengthy (which is key for most busy women I know), Restless is a book that can draw the reader closer to the heart of the Lord. There are a lot of things that I really love about this book. Jennie Allen's open and honest writing is refreshing and her desire to see women grow closer to their Lord through open honesty and small groups are something the modern-day church could use a lot more of. And in every chapter I found at least one "take away" ~ some nugget of truth that impacted the way I view my life and my ability to glorify God in all of it's ups and downs. There are also things that I did not love about this book. I'm a type-A lady through and thro...

It's almost St. Patrick's Day. And I am, eh-hem, decidedly Irish. Ask my husband. Ask my kids. They will tell you I am, indeed, undoubtedly, very Irish. I fight against it. It's my bane in so many ways. Being a "typical" Irish woman (if there is such a thing) and being a submissive, godly Christian woman seem to war against each other. They don't jibe well, if you know what I mean. That whole idea of taming the tongue? Well if it weren't for the Holy Spirit, I think my tongue would run non-stop and demolish everyone and everything in it's path. I'm not making light of the situation here - I am very serious. Thank God for His Spirit, and the rescue He has provided time and time again from the snares of my Irish bent! My husband will tell you I am Irish - but he also tells me I need to embrace the aspects of my personality that are there for God's purposes and His glory.  Don't-throw-the-baby-out-with-the-bath-water sort of advice. That...

Every believer desires to know God's will for their life. His exact will. And, hopefully, His will is very good, filled-to-the-brim with blessings. That's pretty normal. I'd be willing to gamble that most Christians would admit they want His will for them to be good will, and they would like to know what His is for them. Here's my question: Is it enough to want God's will, even if that means I don't have an exact picture of His will for me personally? It's a tough question, and it's okay to think about it for a while and see if it actually makes sense. (I never claimed to be the most sensible person on the planet, after all!) What I'm getting at here, the point I really want to make is that there is a profound difference in the two "wills". It takes time and maturity to fully embrace God's will while laying aside the desire to know God's will for my life. It takes a heart fully yielded to Jesus to fully know and accept that Go...