Dedicate the School Year to the Lord
I can get so busy making schedules, cleaning out school totes, and organizing books, that I forget to stop and dedicate my school year to the Lord. Whoops!
Jesus First
In my life, I am learning that what Jesus said in Matthew 6:33 is true: if I seek first His Kingdom, then everything I truly need will be added to me; no good thing will the Lord withhold from me!
So, when the schedules are posted on the homeschool room wall, the bookshelves are sparkling, and everyone’s school tote is organized with what each student needs for the coming year, then it’s time to gather together as a family. We sit down in comfortable chairs (or kneel on the carpet in the family room) and pray for the year ahead. Everyone prays: Dad, Mom, teens, and littles.
It is a beautiful moment.
It is also a powerful one.
Power of Prayer
You see, Ephesians 6 tells us that prayer is a weapon of warfare for the Christian. As we gather together and pray, it’s not just a cute little spiritual exercise. Things are moved around in the heavenly realms. Jesus hears! The Father hears! The Spirit moves!
God delights in answering our prayers.
The Lord wants to do mighty and awesome things in each member of your family. He has things on His heart that He wants you and your children to learn this year.
Dedicate the school year to the Lord, but don’t stop there. Include Jesus in every school day. Bring every problem to Him throughout the year, from difficulty memorizing multiplication tables to constant bickering between siblings.
The Secret to Success
God doesn’t call us to have it all together; He calls us to follow Him.
Our Heavenly Father doesn’t call us to make our mark on our children’s lives; He calls us to surrender to Him.
In John 15, Jesus talks about the way to see good fruit, academically and spiritually, in our children’s lives. The secret: abide in Him. Yield, rest in, make yourself at home in, stay attached to—Jesus! He lets us in on a secret, too: apart from Him, we can do nothing.
So, if you are feeling a little nervous about a new year or a little overwhelmed by some of the things you have to teach this year, don’t worry. You are in a good place, as long as you keep your eyes on Jesus, and allow Him to be the strength of your life and homeschooling each day.
Don’t slip into the habit of being ultra-confident and saying to the Lord, “Don’t worry. I’ve got this. I can handle it on my own.”
Keeping Our Eyes on Jesus
You see, whether homeschooling is a delight or a challenge, we need to keep our eyes on Jesus. Whether we feel confident or afraid, we need His help. He is the source of all true education, and He is our perfect example of a great Parent-Teacher.
When days come that are amazing, stop and thank Him for His blessings.
When days come that are really hard, thank Him for His blessings and cry out for help!
Jesus loves you. He is with you. He has a wonderful plan for this year. Don’t miss out on it. Dedicate this year to the Lord and stay focused on Him. You will have a great year!
Here are some resources for you:
Reasons to Homeschool https://powerlineprod.weebly.com/blog/reasons-to-homeschool
How to Make Weekly Assignment Folders https://powerlineprod.weebly.com/blog/how-to-make-weekly-homeschool-assignment-folders
How to Use Weekly Homeschooling Schedules https://powerlineprod.weebly.com/blog/how-to-use-weekly-homeschooling-schedules
Scheduling that Works https://powerlineprod.weebly.com/blog/scheduling-that-works
Until next time, Happy Homeschooling,
Meredith Curtis, homeschooling mom, writer, speaker, and publisher, loves to encourage families in their homeschooling adventure. She is the author of Joyful and Successful Homeschooling (https://powerlineprod.weebly.com/joyfulhomeschool.html) and A Wise Woman Builds Bible Study. You can check out her books, curricula, unit studies, and Bible studies at PowerlineProd.com (http://www.powerlineprod.com). Free Reading Lists (http://www.joyfulandsuccessfulhomeschooling.com/books/reading-lists/) for all ages are available at JSHomeschooling.com (http://www.joyfulandsuccessfulhomeschooling.com/). Read her blogs at MeredithCurtis.com (http://www.meredithcurtis.com/blog) and PowerlineProd.com (https://powerlineprod.weebly.com/blog) and listen to her at Finish Well Radio (http://ultimateradioshow.com/finish-well/).
