You Can Do It
Posted in Homeschool View on Thursday, October 2, 2008
"Faithful is he that calleth you, who also will do it" (1 Thessalonians 5:24).
Have you been experiencing setbacks lately while homeschooling? Are your children rebelling or acting bored? Do friends continue to harass you about your decision and worry that your children will be socially inept by the time they graduate? Is all the hard work of balancing time for your spouse, your children, and yourself just too much? Are the unpaid bills or unfinished chores keeping you awake at night? Maybe you're starting to think that God never really wanted you to homeschool in the first place. After all, if He did, things wouldn't be so hard, right?
Those are the experiences and thoughts I felt while homeschooling four children. Second guessing myself, I was ready to walk away and experience the "good life" of corporate reward and fulfillment. Anything had to be better than the frustrations I was going through now. However, each time I determined to give up and send my children to school, a wonderful day of homeschooling blessings encouraged me again. My spiritual and homeschooling journeys became intertwined, and I learned that any success I had while teaching my children was dependent on my closeness to God's heart.
My days of looking for a way out eventually ended when God gave me my own homeschooling life verse: "Therefore I endure all things for the elect's sakes, that they may also obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory" (2 Timothy 2:10). I knew I could endure any homeschooling negatives for the sake of my children's salvation and growth in Christ. I was ashamed and humbled before God with my foolish fears and doubts. Even though I had been faithless and ready to quit to avoid suffering, God had remained faithful and encouraged me when I needed encouragement the most (2 Timothy 2:13a).
God is waiting to encourage you today, too. He wants to meet you right where you are and give you the strength you need to be a faithful teacher. Learn from Christ's sacrificial and loving example and seek to live your life like Him. "Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds" (Hebrews 12:2-3).
Lord Jesus,
Your love for me amazes me every day. My life is not my own, and I recommit my family and homeschooling to You today. Use me to be a blessing to my wonderful children and help me stand against the temptation to feel sorry for myself. In Your precious name, Amen.
Have you been experiencing setbacks lately while homeschooling? Are your children rebelling or acting bored? Do friends continue to harass you about your decision and worry that your children will be socially inept by the time they graduate? Is all the hard work of balancing time for your spouse, your children, and yourself just too much? Are the unpaid bills or unfinished chores keeping you awake at night? Maybe you're starting to think that God never really wanted you to homeschool in the first place. After all, if He did, things wouldn't be so hard, right?
Those are the experiences and thoughts I felt while homeschooling four children. Second guessing myself, I was ready to walk away and experience the "good life" of corporate reward and fulfillment. Anything had to be better than the frustrations I was going through now. However, each time I determined to give up and send my children to school, a wonderful day of homeschooling blessings encouraged me again. My spiritual and homeschooling journeys became intertwined, and I learned that any success I had while teaching my children was dependent on my closeness to God's heart.
My days of looking for a way out eventually ended when God gave me my own homeschooling life verse: "Therefore I endure all things for the elect's sakes, that they may also obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory" (2 Timothy 2:10). I knew I could endure any homeschooling negatives for the sake of my children's salvation and growth in Christ. I was ashamed and humbled before God with my foolish fears and doubts. Even though I had been faithless and ready to quit to avoid suffering, God had remained faithful and encouraged me when I needed encouragement the most (2 Timothy 2:13a).
God is waiting to encourage you today, too. He wants to meet you right where you are and give you the strength you need to be a faithful teacher. Learn from Christ's sacrificial and loving example and seek to live your life like Him. "Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds" (Hebrews 12:2-3).
Lord Jesus,
Your love for me amazes me every day. My life is not my own, and I recommit my family and homeschooling to You today. Use me to be a blessing to my wonderful children and help me stand against the temptation to feel sorry for myself. In Your precious name, Amen.
Comments(15 comments)
LATONIA R 10/02/2008 03:39:58
Thank you for this post. I was just about to give up, until I read this. Thank you for being faithful to God and letting Him use you to encourage other families. God bless you!
CINNAMON AND N 10/02/2008 05:13:24
Excellent post. It\'s nice to be reminded why I\'m doing this.
Cinnamon
ANGIE G 10/02/2008 05:14:10
God\'s perfect timing! I was looking at schools online last night. I\'m going to talk to my kids today and start over. Thanks!
DANIEL M 10/02/2008 05:36:39
Very timely, I needed the boost Thank You Dan Miekowski
JENEEN C 10/02/2008 06:02:00
Thank You so much for this blog. This is my first year homeschooling my children I have a 1st grader and an4th grader. The past few weeks have been so frustrating. But then i look at putting my children back into school the Lord reminds me that if I don\'t have patients with them, what makes me think other people will. This was very encouraging thank you!
Jeneen Castleberry
MARY M 10/02/2008 06:33:00
Boy did I need that this morning. Thank you Jesus!!!!
Maryann
VICKY T 10/02/2008 06:40:49
thank you i really needed this at this point in our homeschooling, i was feeling like a failure,
DEBBIE M 10/02/2008 06:48:28
Debbie Melton
It\'s amazing how God speaks to you at just the right time.
AMY M 10/02/2008 06:51:54
Thank you so much for you post. I have been seriously doubting myself and this decision to homeschool. I am 8 months pregnant with our 4th child and I have sick the entire time. I know that I haven\'t been able to devote myself to schooling and the boys like I would like to. I\'ve been wondering if I\'m doing them harm by keeping them home. But this is such sweet reassurance that I am doing the right thing, and that God is pleased with the sacrifies that are being made.
SHANNON M 10/02/2008 09:29:46
Boy am I glad to know I\'m not the only one stuggling this year. I homeschool an only child and he\'s in the 7th grade. Thanks for the encouragement. I never want to tell anyone else about our struggles because the first thing they say is, \" Just put him in public school.\" Somehow I don\'t think that will fix things, it\'ll only make them worse. We just need to lean into God.
Thanks again for the encouraging article.
DEIDRE A 10/02/2008 10:59:09
I\'ve been homeschooling three of our six children for five years now and at the end of last year I felt so defeated, I decided to quit. Unsure if quiting was really what the Lord wanted me to do, we have continued this year but I have not done it with the passion I once did. Today as I read this, you have confirmed what God wants me to do. It hasn\'t been that God wants me to quit but fear causing me to doubt my ability and listening to others continuing to ask why I do it. Thank you for allowing God to use you and helping me remember \'He has not given me a spirit of fear...\" and that \"without faith it is impossible to please HIm\'. He will provide everything we need. He provided you and this encouraging word today! Thanks again and God Bless you, your family and all of your homeschool efforts.
JULIE S 10/02/2008 11:03:13
Wow. Just this morning I had some struggles and thought maybe it would be best for the children if I just sent them on a bus to public school. Then it occurred to me that God called me to homeschool three years ago which is why I started it. I have never before felt like quitting, but I\'ve never before had 5 students plus two little ones either. This year is especially challenging. God shows Himself strongest in the things that seem most difficult to us!
KALLENE V 10/02/2008 11:57:58
Thank you and thank you to everyone that has responded. It is good to know that I am not alone. I have so much more hope today than I did yesterday. I was ready to give up.
CAREY H 10/02/2008 21:39:46
You are truely a blessing --your testimony is extremely inviting--I appreciate your conviction and values. Our challenges will bring rewards. Thanks for your encouragement. Bless you---
LORETTA H 10/08/2008 20:37:51
God is good all the time! This is what I needed. I am homeschooling twin 5th graders and one 6th grader. I love your encourging words a true gift from God. I look forward to them every day!