HOMESCHOOLING BEGINS WITH HOME
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A Personal Testimony |
When beginning the homeschooling journey in 1994, I considered many of the homeschooling philosophies available—from unschooling to the full-blown curriculum-based traditional “school at home” as well as the principle approach, unit studies, and Charlotte Mason “living books” method.
My husband and I also considered many of the homeschooling philosophies, from structured Christian patriarchy/family-centered lifestyle to a relaxed lifestyle of learning.
For example, when my children move the sheep from one pasture to another, those sheep must enter through the one gate that is open, which can be likened to our Christian walk where there is only one Gate through which we must enter into the kingdom of God. But once the shepherdess brings the sheep into the pasture, which is fenced in with boundaries, they have plenty of freedom to choose where to graze. |
As my husband and I evaluated the messages being presented to us over the years—and tried to apply those messages—we sometimes became entangled with the philosophy rather than released within the liberty that Christ offers.
Unlike sheep, who spread out when grazing, people who embrace philosophies tend to cluster in one area of the pasture of liberty, set up their own barriers (like a pen inside a fence) within the boundaries of freedom in Christ, and believe that living within this pen—to continue the metaphor—is the only way to serve God. They then invite others to join them in their limited lifestyle choices within the restricted “pasture of Christian liberty.”
For example, we observed that:
- People with philosophies which were based in fear of man and man’s systems or which embraced a certain lifestyle criticized people whose children choose the college route. One speaker we heard even commented, “If you parents don’t provide for your children at home, they will default to college.”
- Other philosophies promoted fear of the system, especially the higher-education system, and suggested ways to “beat the system” but still obtain the system’s degrees through at-home study.
- Some philosophies used roles to define people. These philosophies advocated a certain lifestyle that limits whole-person growth.
Thankfully, although my husband and I tried to practice some of these philosophies, the Holy Spirit continued to come alongside us as we observed and judged the fruits of these philosophies. We came to two general conclusions related to young-adult children:
- Walking in vision is not about what your young-adult children do; Vision about who they are.
- The performance-based philosophies, coupled with fear of man rather than fear of God, create images that bind and puff up rather than release each individual to love—both to receive the love of God and to minister His love to others.
Throughout the process of growth and based on these two conclusions, we developed the following vision for our children:
OUR VISION FOR OUR CHILDREN: That the Spirit of the living God in each of our children would enliven each of our children's passions for life and learning with the motivation to carry out his or her plans wisely as he serves others |
This vision affected the way we raised our children as follows:
- As with Esther, we began preparing our children at home for a time such as this. As they walked through the Gate—to continue with the sheep metaphor—into the pasture of freedom in Christ, we exercised Godly authority over their lives so they accepted the responsibility which accompanies liberty within the boundaries of Life in Christ, not within the restricted boundaries of man.
- Since God is at work everywhere, in every realm of this world, we encouraged our children not to fear the world but to fear God. We prepared them with the full armor of God.
- Since Christ—not roles—should define the mature Christian, we do not expect our children to walk in roles but to walk with Christ. Their “success” or our “success” as parents is not reflected in what they do but rather in who they are and are becoming in Christ.
- Since all cultures are man-created, our children can choose the cultures in which to participate rather than restricting their walk to a man-created Christian culture within the pasture of liberty.
However, if our children understand the images presented in man-created Christian cultures and choose to be used as a vessel of God’s love and grace in that man-created environment, we would support them in their choice.
passionate about life and learning—
who steward their whole persons
through serving others
to the glory of God.
- Established Child of God
Because we fear God rather than man and are not being conformed to man’s created cultures nor trying to fit our children into those molds, either in the world or in the church,
- our young-adult daughter does not conform to the teen culture nor the Christian teen culture;
- our relationship with her is solid; and
- her relationship with the Lord is genuine, not put on.
I trust my young-adult daughter because I have watched her become mature in the Lord while homeschooling her. I stewarded her life by exercising Godly authority while she was young, related to her whole person during her elementary-school years, entrusted her with personal decision-making over time, and finally released her as an established child of God.
Why can I trust her?
Because she understands and lives responsibly
within the boundaries of freedom in Christ.She loves God and, therefore, is free to do what she wants. I so enjoy watching Him open and close doors in her life and rejoicing with her acceptance of His guidance.
She has chosen not to participate in the Christian teen culture, nor the world’s teen culture because, as she phrases it, “These teen cultures have the paradoxical motto: Let’s be unique individuals and do it together.” We support her because as she walks in the vision of freedom, she worships and serves Christ moment by moment. She is not limited by man’s prescriptions (images) of what serving Christ is.
Instead, she has chosen to dip into the existing cultures of the world and minister there. Because she is clothed in His armor and Christ-righteousness (not self-righteousness), she can move in and out of any culture, as the disciples did, and only need wash her feet upon her return.
- Assured Mom
This process of fearing God, not man, and managing liberty in Christ rather than conforming to a pattern of man has grown not only my daughter but me as well.
With fear and trembling I walked by faith in Christ, trusting that the relationships and circumstances he placed in my life were one way He spoke to me.
I am ever so thankful that He guided me, as I obeyed Him willingly, because I know with assurance that He will continue to guide my daughter, His child, who also obeys Him willingly.
I am exceedingly blessed by who she is in Christ and know that whatever she chooses to do—whether in the church or in the world—will reflect Christ’s love, grace, mercy, and life to those in her sphere of influence.
- Blessed Mentoring Relationship
The greatest blessing of walking in the vision of liberty is the relationship I enjoy with my young-adult daughter. The typical teen issues that pit parent against child have never arisen in her life, and she has become as much as mentor to me as I am to her.
prepare them for a time such as this
to be people who walk with Christ in liberty.
The Church needs established people of God in all walks of life who can touch the cultures created by man but yet not be touched by them because established people of God are secure, standing firm, in the liberty of Christ and not subject to the yoke of bondage offered by the world or by the church.
Renew this homeschooling mom’s mind about
walking in the vision of liberty
so she can minister real Life to each of her children.
a rich store of salvation and wisdom and knowledge;
the fear of the Lord is the
key to this treasure.
~Isaiah 33:6
Additional articles related to the theme of Stewardship:
- The Big Picture: Walk in the Vision of Liberty
- Three Steps to Releasing Your Children to Walk in Liberty
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