Momma, Don’t Grow Weary!

“You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength. “And these words which I command you today shall be in your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up. You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.”

‭‭Deuteronomy‬ ‭6‬:‭5‬-‭9‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

Early on, this momma's heart stirred deeply to teach my children about the Lord; to lead them and guide them to learn His ways.

When our oldest daughter reached the precious age of 3, this calling grew even stronger. We were hearing murmurs about homeschool and felt drawn to it. We began to question everything and started looking into it.

The Lord's gentle voice kept nudging and leading us to pursue. I read the verse above in Deuteronomy over and over. I thought, how will I teach my children diligently the ways of God if they are away at school all day? Yet, I wrestled with a great fear of my inadequacy and lies being touted about socialization and the importance of children being with children their own age. I wondered how and when did this became such an important idea? The Bible doesn't say anything about that. The Bible commands that parents should be the primary influence on their young children.

In 1994 our homeschool journey began. We taught, we learned, we prayed, and we did life side by side, day after day. My favorite memories are the moments we shared around our lunch and dinner table. Lunch time was filled with laughter and silly conversations. Dinner was filled with so much conversation! It almost got everwhelmig at times. Everyone had so much to say. Even our dog, Max would try to make his voice heard while he sat on his rug behind our kitchen table.

We were deeply connected and we knew each other so well...too well at times.

Homeschooling broke me in so many ways. I learned what it meant to "die to self." Pride evaporates when your children are with you everyday as they grow. They knew all about me and my shortcomings and they were happy to tell everyone else all about them! Their words were like sandpaper smoothing out all of my rough spots and refining me to the core. There is no hiding or pretending. The whole process drove me to my knees and I am forever grateful for the refining process. Let's just say, I learned far more than I ever taught.

I became dependent on the Lord everyday for EVERYTHING...strength, wisdom, courage, provision, patience, and endurance. Spending time with Him wasn't optional, my life and the lives of my children depended on it, day after day. Without bringing Him to the center of it all, none of it worked. (Ask me how I know.) I fell flat on my face when I tried to do it in my own strength and hit a wall of burnout so bad that I almost didn't recover from it.

I made so many mistakes! A couple of my girls recently confessed how they cheated their way all through Algebra!! I had no idea. I was way too trusting and gave them way too much freedom in that area. Math was such a struggle for us.

Through it all, my hearts cry to God was always this, "Lord, fill in all the spaces that I can't cover. Fill in the areas where I am inadequate and weak. Teach my children and provide everything that I can't."

He did, faithfully for 25 years.

When we began the journey, we had no idea that we would carry it out to the end. We took it year by year.

If I had to go back and do it all again, I would still choose homeschooling. Those years were so sweet and so rich. I didn't see just how much then. It is in looking back that you see things so clearly. Hindsight truly is 2020.

Everything I thought I was laying down and sacrificing, wasn't a sacrifice at all. The world screamed at me that it was. But, it was the Lord's soft whisper that kept prompting and leading us, day after precious day.

We made countless mistakes. But, He didn't call us to do it perfectly. He called us to trust His plan and lean on Him all the while.

If you are on the homeschool journey, don't grow weary, precious Momma! God has got you!! This is His design. Keep your eyes and and your heart fixed on Him, day after day. Don't jump ahead and don't focus on your own shortcomings. Ask Him to provide you with everything you need. He will. Let His plan unfold and watch His blessings fall on you like a soft rain in the heat of summer.

Pray with me...

Heavenly Father,

Your Word is Truth and Light! Thank You for it. Teach us to dwell in it and to surround our hearts and homes with it. Teach us to die to self and to hear Your quiet whisper above all the screams and distractions of this world. Go before and behind us. Protect us from evil and lead us to carry out all that You call us to do for Your glory. In Jesus Name