HOMESCHOOLING BEGINS WITH HOME
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Mom’s growth. |
Homeschooling has been such a powerful tool for my own personal growth. When I began homeschooling my four-year-old daughter in 1994, I had no idea how much the Lord would change me. Praise His Name!
I had read to and related to my daughter since her birth; but when I “officially” began homeschooling, my focus was solely on academics—a typical beginner mindset—and conflict arose between my daughter and me. As the conflicts increased, I felt helpless and hopeless.
Since one of my main reasons for homeschooling was to develop close relationships with my children—
and the opposite seemed to be happening—
I began to move closer to the Lord for wisdom.
That’s when I discovered the most overlooked advantage of homeschooling: my own growth!
His purpose for allowing conflict in our homeschooling adventures:
to move us moms closer to His heart.
The Faithful One renewed my mind and loved me through the process of spiritual growth as I willingly obeyed Him.
God gave my spirit new life in 1982. Then in 1994 He began homeschooling me (!) by addressing my soul—emotions, will, and mind.
As He renewed my mind and I obediently—with fear and trembling—relegated academics to its rightful place, willingly released my fears to Him, humbly received His grace for my process, and believed by faith that He would lead me, over the years He taught me how to lead my children, another tremendous advantage of homeschooling. As He leads you… Although I didn’t realize it at the time, looking back now, I can see His gentle love leading me through my helpless state. He knew where He was leading me, although I didn’t. I had to follow Him by faith and trust Him. “Be still and know that I am God. Make room for Me.” I did! Why? Because His unconditional love drew me. …lead your children. Similarly, your young children will not realize where you are leading them, but they will follow you IF you tap into God’s power through abiding and love those precious children of yours unconditionally.
Children who are not loved unconditionally often look for substitutes whom they mistakenly believe love them for who they are; thus, cliques and cults are formed.
Purposefully choose to lead your children to steward their own lives—the whole person—to the glory of the Lord by going in advance, drawing them by His love-in-you, just as the Holy Spirit goes before you and draws you by His love.
As He leads you…
Because He knew me so well, the Spirit began by encouraging me to build upon something I love to do: study the Word! He began leading me by building upon my strengths, which drew me to His love for me.
After a friend and I completed an in-depth study on the body, soul, and spirit—the whole person—I began to catch a glimpse of the importance of stewarding not only my children’s whole person but my own whole person as well.
…lead your children.
Likewise, build upon your children’s strengths. Get to know them.
- My oldest child enjoyed play-acting, so we learned history through her strength.
- My oldest son enjoys drawing. We learned about ships as he drew them.
- My third child enjoys anything physical. My husband implemented biking and physical fitness routines which helped him to learn about his body. This son also keeps our lawn mowed, garden weeded, and wood stacked!
- My fourth child enjoys language, literature and music, so we formally study Latin and informally study Spanish as well as read, read, read together. She and her older sister enjoy studying music, musicians, and composers together.
- And my youngest child simply enjoys being with all of us, so we include him in our daily routines and studies.
Relate to the Lord and prayerfully consider how He leads you through building upon your strengths so you can lead your children with His love, grace, and wisdom as you build upon theirs.
The Spirit began renewing my mind about the broader vision of a solid, Godly education: stewarding the whole person. But I found it difficult to let go of the “academics is all important” mindset. As I prayed, obeyed the Spirit’s leading and released my fears, I began to find those places where I was enjoying time with my daughter and young son. She loved me to read to her and she loved to play-act. So I tapped into her strengths, another overlooked advantage of homeschooling. We read and play-acted a lot. Her enthusiasm about the people of history began to affect me as well, and I started to educate myself related to history—a subject I found quite boring during my public-schooled years. Yes, I would get juvenile books from the library to read to her, but I would sneak in junior high and high school books for myself as well. was influencing me to develop a love history as well. What a blessing my small step of obedience—releasing my fears to Him—brought to
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As He leads you…
As manifested in this personal testimony, when we obey the Lord willingly—although often with fear and trembling—He addresses our weak areas not only related to academics but also related to our whole person.
That little bit of history education, spurred on by my developing relationship with my daughter, led to an interest in cooking. As my daughter and I read about different countries and time periods, we ordered library cookbooks and cooked our way through history.
As a result of learning about historical-period foods as well as food from different countries, my interest in healthy eating started to grow. Thus, the stewardship of my own body became a part of my education.
Through small steps of obedience, God broadens our vision which gives us the bigger picture of the how and why of stewarding the whole person through homeschooling.
…lead your children.
Just as the Holy Spirit broadens your vision beyond your self-interests and His love releases you from your fears, teach your children to look beyond their self-interests and let their love for you release them to take small steps of obedience as well.
Skill development provides your children—and you!—with numerous opportunities for looking beyond self-interests, releasing fears, and practicing obedience.
This hidden purpose of skill development—for your children and you—is another often overlooked advantage of homeschooling.
For a personal example of how I set a vision for our academic year through directing my children, click here.
As He leads you…
What was my objective when I began homeschooling? To develop deep relationships with my children.
The Spirit lovingly showed me how to take advantage of homeschooling by developing the tool of home to obtain my objective. Throughout the process, He taught me that homeschooling begins with home—not with school—and that home is where I abide: in Christ.
…lead your children.
What is your objective? Let the Spirit guide you. In the process, He will teach you to guide your children.
God the Holy Spirit homeschooled me, His child!— body, soul, and spirit. My spirit communed with His, as He comforted me, led me, and loved me. My soul—intellect, will, and emotions—began to prosper as He
Through His gentle direction, I learned to steward my body, His temple, wisely. |
He addressed my external behaviors and loved me through the process of growth, so I could internalize Biblical principles that would be the skeleton that held my life together. As I abided, His Spirit comforted me, gave me wisdom for my particular relationships and circumstances, and filled me with unconditional love for each of my now five children.
relating to my whole person,
teaching me to come alongside my children and
relate to their whole persons.
How?
By leading:
- going in advance.
- drawing me with His love as well as gently directing me.
- showing me the method of attaining my objective: to have deep relationship with my children.
- loving me through my fledgling process, preparing me to be a channel for His love—a pipeline that leads from the heart of God through me to the hearts of my children!
body, soul, and spirit—
modeling the example I want to be
before my children.
Follow Him!
Obey Him!
Trust Him!
He will not forsake you!
He loves you.
Continue with Part 2, Relate to Your Child’s Whole Person.
and Your Body, the Church.
May she press on in the fear of the Lord
and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit.
and He will give you another Comforter,
that He may be with you forever.
That is the Spirit of truth…
you know Him
because He abides with you and will be in you.
~John 14:16-17
Additional articles related to the theme of Relationship:
- Relate to the Lord
- Relate to Your Particular Child
- Relate to the Whole Person, Part 1
- Relate to Your Own Education (coming soon)
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