We are now nearing the end of the school year, and kindergarten sign ups are in full swing for the fall. Mommas everywhere are discussing their children’s plans for the upcoming year. Normally when I tell others that our family homeschools, the initial reaction is, “I could never have the patience for that!” I usually then smile and nod, while I’m thinking, “Oh my, if only you knew the times I was sorely lacking in the patience department!”
I firmly believe that our family is called by God to homeschool, and honestly, that all Christian families are called to remove their children from the public school system. The Holy Spirit often uses Deuteronomy 6:4-9 to convict hearts towards homeschooling:
Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates.
Psalms 1:1-6 really speaks to my heart regarding the importance of Christian education as well.
Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night. And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper. The ungodly are not so: but are like the chaff which the wind driveth away. Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment, nor the sinners in the congregation of the righteous. For the LORD knoweth the way of the righteous: but the way of the ungodly shall perish.
If the Holy Spirit has convicted you on the topic of homeschooling, but yet you know that you lack patience, what should you do? Perhaps your children argue incessantly. Maybe you loose your temper more often than you would like to admit.
I’m sure that you have heard the saying, God does not call the qualified, but qualifies the called. This is so very true! If we are willing vessels, God will shape us into the homeschooling moms that he is calling us to be.
But now, O LORD, You are our Father, We are the clay, and You our potter; And all of us are the work of Your hand.
Isaiah 64:8
We need to commit our days to Him. If we make a mistake, praise God that He offers us grace so we can try once more.
Sometimes we use “lack of patience” as and excuse as well. We all have a sin nature that is selfish, and we must daily lay this at the foot of the cross. We are called to offer our bodies as a living sacrifice to God.
Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God-this is your true and proper worship.
Romans 12:1 (NIV)
Perhaps spending most days homeschooling your children wasn’t what you had in mind for your life. If you are convicted on this topic however, and offer your body as a living sacrifice, God will bless you for it. If we lack patience, let’s ask our Lord to guide us through prayer. He will give us rest when we need it most.
Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart; and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.
Matthew 11:28-30
If you feel the Holy Spirit convicting you to take the next step to homeschool through biblical texts, following His leading will bless you and your family beyond belief! It is easy to let our own feelings creep in to these thoughts as well, but if we check your thoughts with the Bible, it should become easy to discern what is coming from you and what is coming from the Lord.
“‘The Lord told me’ is no substitute for ‘the Bible says.'”
~ Voddie Baucham
Be blessed!
~Nicole
I tend to go one further and suggest that all believers bring their children home. I taught in a Christian school and it seems to me that there are just as many negative influences there as in public school, they are just hidden better. Which is worse… bad influences we know about or bad influences we don’t know about and assume aren’t there?
It’s not about whether we trust our children or not, but whether we are really guarding our children’s hearts until they are ready to guard them on their own.
Thanks for the post! I’m certainly not patient!
That is a great point! I’ve never had any affiliation with a Christian school. So thank you for sharing!
I so needed to hear this!! I came across your blog sort of accidentally, have been spending way too mixture reading, about homeschooling and modesty, both of which God has placed on my heart recently.
I had a terrible time with postpartum depression and anxiety after having my third child last year, and everything made me angry. It was during this time I truly turned to the Lord, seeking him daily. When I start my days reading his word, doing my blessings journal and praying, I have SO much more patience, and a different outlook.
Our 8 year old has been attending a tiny Christian church school, and has expressed a desire to be homeschooled. I am “trying it out” this sumer, to see if I have the patience, if I can south, if my children will listen to me..etc.. these are my worries, fears, excuses. I honestly had tried homeschooling her in kindergarten, lost my patience with her quick, we fussed all day, we both hated it..I vowed homeschooling wasn’t for me. So I was so surprised when I began to feel God leading me to homeschool. I was as at a MomHeart conference with Sally Clarkson, and bought Educating the Wholeheartedly child, not even knowing why..then I kept having these thoughts of what if I did homeschool? My daughter, who loves to read and is very curious, started having trouble in school, saying she hated learning. So when she asked about trying homeschooling, the first week she was out for summer vacation, I decided to try it.
I have an 8, 5 and 1 year old. My husband is not supportive of homeschooling, and said he thinks I won’t have the patience for it, based on my actions during the last year. He wants my daughter to return to school in the fall, but s as d we could “try it” over the summer..
I have been praying for God to reveal his will to us, to change someone’s heart on this issue, to grant me patience and wisdom..
sorry for all the typos! I did this on my phone, which corrects things so that they don’t make sense!
“I so needed to hear this!! I came across your blog sort of accidentally, have been spending way too much time reading, about homeschooling and modesty, both of which God has placed on my heart recently.”
I will be praying for you in your journey Aubrey! Thank you so much for sharing!
My 3 daughters, now 12, 11 & 8 attend a public school. Recently I feel the Lord has convicted me about Homeschooling, especially since my eldest has just began High School.
My Husband, however, feels that the children will be better educated and socialized if they stay in the public schooling system. I want to honor my Husband, but I also want to honor the Lord. My Husband knows how I feel and I have been praying about it, but I can see that the longer my children spend in public school, the more their sweet characters are being manipulated to worldly standards and desires. How can I both honor the Lord and my Husband?
Hi Amanda, that is such a tough situation to be in. I would remain in prayer, and if he’s open to the idea at all, I would continue to gently share homeschool resources with him. “Children of Caesar” by Voddie Baucham is excellent. In the end, his wishes will need to be respected, take heart in knowing that God can change hearts when we cannot.
Blessings to you!