With eight children and twenty years of homeschooling behind them, Steve and Teri Maxwell know whereof they speak. The Maxwells have an amazing ministry to homeschool families and we are blessed to be able to learn and be guided by such wonderful Christian people.

I have homeschooled for 15+years myself, and the one thing I know is that you can burn yourself out in a big hurry if you don't have the right focus and encouragement to support your decision. Those of us who live in places where support groups are small or non-existent need this help even more. The Maxwell's have made hope and encouragement part of their ministry and they are definitely the right folks for the job!

This seminar in a CD case is like a whole bunch of support group meetings all in one place. Starting with Building a Vision, the Maxwell's guide home school parents to develop a focus or vision for what God is calling them to do. With this vision in place, we can then go on in the strength of the Lord and prepare our homes and minds for what we are about to do.

Next Teri leads moms in a 60-minute workshop designed to help us be Managers of their Homes. This seminar is based on the Maxwell's very popular home organization and management system, which they sell nation wide.

For families of all sizes, this seminar will give you tools and tricks to use to help your home become a place of love, laughter, and ministry where the laundry actually gets done!

I own the Managers of their Home book and I love it. Particularly suited to homes with many children, this package has been a breath of fresh air to me especially.

Next is something unique in many places. A two hour seminar for men only! I must admit I listened in on this one and I was as blessed as my husband to have this encouragement and instruction under my belt. Steve leads this seminar based on his experience as Dad, leader, and husband. He speaks candidly about the responsibilities of Fathers to their families and wives and the special realities and pressures of homeschooling.

The next CD is from Teri, for moms only. Loving your Husbands is a needed topic in this society when we all too often try to wear all the hats ourselves and often carry much of the weight of the household. Teri reminds us what God has to say on the topic of being a helpmeet for our husbands and loving them in the way we should. Making room for all the must-dos in our lives often pushes aside the very ones God placed us with. With sensitivity, humor, and tons of Biblical references, the Maxwell's gently remind us that God is with us and help us keep our focus on what is most important.

Used in your own home or as a series of talks with your support group, these CDs will provide plenty of material for discussion and growth. You will be challenged to stretch and grow in new directions and be amazed at what God can do in your home.

There are two very unique seminars included here. First, Sports, Friend or Foe addresses the pressures involved with joining and participating in organized sports. I am not going to give it away here but lets just say that Steve Maxwell has a very interesting perspective on the topic and once again you will be challenged. This time to evaluate your choices in light of what God is asking of you and your family. For those of you caught up in the habit of pushing dinner out of the way for practice or giving Saturday after Saturday over to league games, this seminar may be particularly interesting.

The next CD is the most intense. Anger-relationship Poison addresses that monster hiding in many of us. With loving care and Godly encouragement, Steve and Teri help us learn to submit to God and overcome the anger that can poison and kill our relationships. There is a lot of meat and depth here, you could easily fill a month or more of weekly meetings or spread it out and invite the Maxwell's in monthly for a whole year. I really believe the information on these discs is what many of us tend to leave behind as we hurry to cover reading, math, history, and science. Have a listen, be encouraged; you will be glad you did.

There is a CD for young ladies included that is given by Sarah Maxwell, daughter to Steve and Teri. Experiencing the Joys of Young Womanhood encourages our daughters to hold themselves high to God's standards in their relationships and lives. This kind of talk is of tremendous value and we would be wise to listen to it ourselves, no matter the ages of our daughters.



-- Product Review by Heidi Shaw for The Old Schoolhouse®