Home School MOM’s Prayer and Bible Study
Entering God’s Rest
Hebrews 4:10,11, Matt. 11:28-30, Psalm 95:11
A few years ago, actually around the time of my husband’s last deployment to Iraq, God gently led me into a search for His rest. At first I didn’t understand what that meant so I asked Him. His rest felt illusive. It felt like something that I couldn’t grasp or understand. What did He mean about walking every day in His Rest? It all felt so weird and unattainable. It was almost like my brain, my mind could not wrap itself around it.
One day I glimpsed into a picture of it and I chose to walk into that rest and I have never been the same since. It was like walking into a world of peace, into the Garden of Eden, a place of beauty I had never known. You see, I worried a lot and I tried to reason everything out. I had a lot of responsibility on my shoulders with caring for 4 kids and one more on the way. That poem about Jesus and I walking on the seashore and seeing only one set of footprints came to mind a lot. But it was somehow more than that. It was a lifestyle change, and mindset change, a heart change.
“Come unto me all you who labor and I will give you rest…” I chose that day to take Jesus’ hand and to step into a trust in Him that I had not known. I didn’t have to know what I was going to make for dinner, what I was going to do about tomorrow’s meetings or appointments. I didn’t have to even try to figure out a babysitter for the next week because Jesus already had one in mind and He brought it to me just in the right time. I was so busy with things to do, homeschooling, sending packages to my husband in Iraq, worrying about not sending enough. I stepped into that rest and somehow it was like I was floating. No, I didn’t feel like I was floating but I sure didn’t have to worry like I did before. I just had to trust my Jesus; that He had all the little details of tomorrow figured out and even all the little details of the rest of my day. I guess I had thought that those things didn’t matter to Him. Did he really have time to follow me around each day and help me figure out and work out every minute detail of my life for me? I thought that we were “good Christians” if we strived to be so organized and be on top of it all. But that “good Christian” thing wasn’t helping me one bit.
What is His rest all about then? For us homeschool moms it’s not knowing what tomorrow holds but not worrying because Jesus will be there to help us. Jesus has our backs. He will protect what we are working towards. He will be our children’s teacher and great will be their peace! Isaiah 34…. He will speak to us in an instant as our kids are acting up our acting out. He will give us the words to say and the love that we need to not overreact. He is already planning everything concerning us each and every day, over and over again. He really does love us that much! He has a detailed plan for each of our kids and is waiting for us to ask Him for each step of that plan. We homeschool because we have their special futures in mind. Why not go to the Father and ask Him for the wisdom, the strength, and love we need each day as we give so sacrificially. Let’s take some time today to roll over our worries, our questions and frustrations over into our all-knowing and all-powerful Father’s hands.
“He who began a good work in us (and our children) WILL be faithful to complete it!” …. I can imagine God saying to us… “I love you my child, I have given you these precious children to train and rise up to bring glory to My Name. Don’t worry, I have your back, I will bless you and train you in what you should do and in the way you should go for the best of your children. I am taking care of you. I will move heaven and earth to get you what you need to do the job I have called you to do. Don’t let anyone sway you from this call, not the enemy, not a well-meaning friend. I will fight for you when it seems the toughest to go on. Don’t give up. I am here for you all the way. I love you. Thank you. “
Be encouraged! “if God is for us than who can be against us!!”
We moms are doing above and beyond what the average mom is doing today. God has called us and is faithful to help us get this task done. Let’s follow our Jesus into this Rest and live in this lifestyle of rest every single day. Choose you this day whom you will serve…
Psalm 23:3
Psalm 34:7,10,22
Isaiah 61:3
Hebrews 13:20,21
Homeschooling and our marriages
Ecclesiastes 4:12 “A person standing alone can be attacked and defeated, but two can stand back to back and conquer. Three are even better, for a triple-braided cord is not easily broken.” “Jesus is to be the center of the marriage. We should draw from Him what we cannot draw from our spouse.” I heard a wise man say this and it somehow gave me a picture of my marriage that I had not seen before. I saw a thick strand or rope rising up and it was thicker at the bottom and thinner towards the top. Then from the right and the left I saw two other smaller ropes attached to the rope in the middle, about two thirds of the way up. I drew it on a piece of paper and it ended up looking like a figure of a person. It was just kind of fun to see how really truly Jesus is supposed to be that “center rope” of my marriage. I want Jesus to be the center of my marriage. I want to draw from Him what I cannot draw from my spouse.
I don’t know about you, but homeschooling draws from me energy and time. Time that my husband notices. Yes, we have adjusted to the routine but at the beginning of each new school year I notice that I spend less time with him in the evenings and more time getting lesson plans or putting things together if needed for the next day. By the end of the week I missed him even though we were in the same house! I believe God wants us to bring this up because it might be that we all are in the same boat and can give some light or encouragement or ideas…
Putting Homeschooling into the mix of life adds on a new dimension. Changes or new responsibilities can create much stress or they can be used to produce something pleasing to God. I can choose to let stress create distance between my husband and me or I can bring that stress to Jesus and draw from Him. Wow! Do we have opportunities for stress or what! Just keeping up with meals, chores, keeping the house cleaned, record keeping, lesson planning, what about the science and art projects (yeah, what about them!). Some of us also might have little ones to care for and love on while we do all of the above. Looking at all of this can be daunting, but somehow we get the most important tasks done and leave the rest up to God.
Let’s ask God this week if there are places in our lives where we are moving stress over onto our husband’s shoulders. I guess, how we react to stress is really what they end up seeing. But if we can, by God’s grace picture Jesus as the center cord of our marriages then we might, just might end up drawing from Him what we cannot and will not be able to draw from our spouse. Praise God for the godly men who back us up and bless us in so many ways!
“Now may the God of peace-who brought up from the dead our Lord Jesus, the great Shepherd of the sheep, and ratified an eternal covenant with his blood- may he equip you with all you need for doing his will. May He produce in you, through the power of Jesus Christ, every good thing that is pleasing to Him. All glory to Him forever and ever! Amen.” Hebrews 13:20,21 NLT
Week 3- Homeschooling Mom’s Bible Study
What is the spiritual tone of our home school? What kinds of spiritual warfare do we face in our home school? What is really going on when our children, precious though they may be, are fighting us when we give them assignments they don’t want to do? What about when we just wonder, “where in the world is all this chaos and strife coming from!!” What about the subtle attitudes that grind on our nerves and try our patience once again? Yes, our kids are just kids and they are truly still learning to grip patience, obedience, forgiveness, perseverance, gumption, motivation, self-control…the list can go on. As parents and teachers, I believe we can ask our Father to guide us and give us wisdom into what really is going on in their hearts.
Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the whiles of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all to stand.” Eph. 6:10-12
We have an enemy who is always trying to stop us or trip us up and is trying to bring distractions into our homeschool each day. We can choose to be on the defensive or on the offensive. We are spiritual warriors and we understand that Jesus has declared us to be “more than conquerors”! We can take authority over the enemy as he tries to break up what God is doing in our home through prayer and standing our ground. We do that by standing on the promises that God gave us when we started homeschooling. What did God tell you when you started out on this journey? What are the promises He said when He led you into this awesome venture? He gave me Isaiah 54:13 “And all your children shall be disciples (taught by the Lord and obedient to His will), and great shall be the peace and undisturbed composure of your children.” Praise God that He is doing a work when I am not able to get all they need to get! James 4:7-8 tells us, “therefore submit to God, resist the devil and he will flee from you. Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double minded.” The word “resist” means to stand firmly against an invading force, to confront and stand up against where an enemy is trying to advance, demand retreat. Praise God that He has given us wisdom and help in time of need!
We must resist our enemy by standing on God’s Word for each individual situation we encounter. EM Bounds said, “Prayer is not preparation for the battle, prayer is the battle, everything else is gathering up the spoils.” To obtain the results we want in our children we must battle for them! Don’t give up when you feel weary. Pray and ask our God who will generously give us wisdom. Let’s not fall short of this dream that God has given to us for our children. He who began a good work in us will be able to complete it in us. (Philippians 1:6) So, I say to you, if God is for us than who can be against us! J We have an enemy but we have our God who is greater, indeed!
Praying with our children
Prayer with our children can change the world! Most of us take time to pray with our children and praise God for that, but have we realized that our prayers can actually change the course of time and help others all the way around the world? We have so many topics to cover each day and things to get done but if we learn the discipline of taking time at the beginning of each day (or you might take time to pray in the evenings) to pray for one another and for others then God will help us with the rest of our day. The day will go smoother, there is more purpose to the day and somehow we seem to get just the right things done. Mind you, we don’t get everything done on our list each day, but just knowing that we gave everything to God at the beginning of our day can ease our minds and help us to trust in God for the rest.
“You have not chosen Me, but I have chosen you and I have appointed you (I have planted you), that you might go and bear fruit and keep on bearing, and that your fruit may be lasting (that it may remain, abide), so that whatever you ask the Father in My Name (as presenting all that I AM), He may give it to you.” John 15:16
Wow, fruit…we want our children to bear fruit. We want our children to bear good and lasting fruit. So, why not keep our focus each day on what really counts, on the fruit that will outlast and outlive us after our children leave the coup. Let’s teach our children to pray, to really pray for others as an act of worship to God. Let’s teach our children that they, too can go before the Throne room of God. Let’s let them learn and experience love for other people who are in need, for other countries that have less than us, and for other Christians around the world who are being persecuted because of Jesus Christ’s name. Let’s give God on opportunity to open our children’s eyes to how their prayers can be answered and to that awesome feeling that “I do make a difference in advancing God’s Kingdom here on earth!” Matt. 6:10 James 5:16 reminds us that, “The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective”.
“Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these… And he took the children in his arms, put his hands on them and blessed them.” Mark 10:14b, 16
Here are some great books and magazines that I have used along the way. These books have been wonderful discussion starters and we have had the privilege to pray for people groups and countries around the world who still need Jesus Christ. These are just ideas-I know you might have some others as well.
“The Power of a Praying Parent” by Stormie Omartian
“Influencing Children to become World Changers” by Joy Dawson
“When Families Pray: The Power of Praying Together” by Cheri Fuller (great devotional for families)
“Here Comes Heaven” by Bill Johnson and Mike Seth
“Missionary Stories with the Millers” by Mildren A. Martin
“Kids Pray! A Prayer Handbook for kids” by Jane Mackie
“American Indian Prayer Guide” by Danette Maloof (Sonlight)
“Protecting Your Home from Spiritual Darkness” by Chuck D. Pierce and Rebecca Wagner Sytsema
“Window on the World; when we pray God works” by Daphne Spraggett w/ Jill Johnstone
“From Akebu to Zapotec; A book of Bibleless Peoples” by June Hathersmith
“Praying Through the 100 Gateway Cities of the 10/40 Window” edited by C.Peter Wagner, Stephen Peters and Mark Wilson
Magazine- “The Voice of the Martyrs”
Magazine- “SeedLinks” Bible translation around the world (www.theseedcompany.org)
May God bless us all as we take time to pray for our children and as we teach them how to pray for each other, for others outside their family, and for those who need Him around our world. "Go into all the world and preach the Good News to everyone”. Mark 16:15
“And let us not lose heart and grow weary and faint in acting nobly and doing right, for in due time and at the appointed season we shall reap, if we do not loosen and relax our courage and faint.” Galatians 6:9
Scheduling for Our Homeschool
I am the first to admit that I am not very consistent when trying to keep to a schedule for our homeschooling days. It seems like as soon as I write one up for us all to follow, it has to be tweaked again and again. We all have special and unique families, so a schedule that works for one of us might not be another’s cup of tea. Then to add to the mix, the seasons in our lives change so much, we end up having to throw the one we just wrote up out. This has been a huge source of frustration for me. I have wanted just once to have a perfect schedule to follow neatly each day. I guess it’s the perfectionist in me, and the desire to have a structured routine! If only, only it could be the same each day, life would be so easy for me…. Ok, I know this might sound pathetic, but really isn’t this what we have been told by our society that this is truly what we should be striving for, what we really should attain daily?
Striving…hmmm doesn’t that sound like our flesh? The Law, our flesh, and our enemy just love to eat us up and feed us doubt, condemnation and shame. We know that this journey is far from easy and very trying at times. Paul, in 2 Corinthians 1:8-10 talks about how our trials lead us into and keep us trusting and depending on God instead of on ourselves. “…In and on Him we set our hope…” (v.10) As believers we were meant to walk in God’s strength every day and not on our own. We want to do it all and get the credit. Galatians 3:3 in the amplified version says, “Are you so foolish and so senseless and so silly? Having begun (your new life spiritually) with the (Holy) Spirit, are you now reaching perfection (by dependence) on the flesh?” These words are kind of harsh, but ponder on this a moment. Are we going to reach perfection by following a “perfect schedule”? Are we going to attain the end results of kids who love God and follow Him all of their days by following someone else’s idea for school? We might say to ourselves, if only we could be like that perfect homeschool mom then we would be truly happy and our kids would be so “smart”.
Let’s look at this in a different light. Rather than following a created notion in our minds, let us turn to God for our daily “orders”. God has a specific assignment for each of us every day. And each day is going to be different and in turn each day He has a schedule set out for us to follow. He knows our kids and He knows us completely. He knows the “interruptions” that will come and the ways our enemy might try to distract our schooling. Sometimes these interruptions lead us to neglect but sometimes they are opportunities that God is placing before us to minister to others. So, it’s so important for us to come to God each day and ask what He has for us to do. Yes, we have a responsibility to keep on track, teaching our children each day but that will look so different for us all. Let’s keep our eyes on Jesus and set before Him the goals we have, then let Him lead us through each of our days. As we trust in our God, and believe in this calling on our lives, even when we don’t feel like it is working, let’s remember and have faith that we will reap the harvest God has promised us. “And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.” Galatians 6:9
Our Need for Friendships
From the beginning of this study I have been praying that God would breathe His life into every area of our hearts, marriages, homes, our homeschool and our relationships. “Not by might, nor by power, but by My Spirit says the Lord…” Zech.4:6 Another area of need we have as homeschooling moms is the need of a friend. We are at home so much, or going from activity to activity, we have a strong need to take time to develop friendships. I have a friend who said that she was worn out by all the “going out” to visit friends for her and for her kids. I expressed to her the same concern. This getting together was still good for us, but then she said something that caught my attention. She said that the reason why we do this is because we are homeschoolers. Our kids aren’t around lots of other kids in a busy school setting, and we aren’t free during “school hours” to go and hang out with other moms. So, as a result of this we have to accept that scheduling times with others is very important for us. It should be scheduled as a necessary activity for us. We need each other for many reasons. We need to bounce homeschooling questions and issues off each other and we might need to ask for help sometimes when we have appointments. We might need some special prayer for our kids when other moms who don’t homeschool might not understand. We don’t want to outwear our welcome, but we also want to be friendly and pursue relationships. God made us ladies with a need for friends. So, lets ask God how we are doing in that area. Are we shutting others out because we think we are too busy, or are we letting “friendships” take over the time we need to be giving to our husbands, and our kids and their schooling. If we feel out of balance then God will gently show us where to move in or out of. If you feel like you need a friend, God loves us and freely gives to those who ask. Just ask Him to guide you and open up sweet opportunities to encourage you and your family. We are in this together and we would probably surprised how much the same our needs and concerns might be. Don’t isolate yourself out of worry or fear. God will be faithful and provide what we need.
As we continue on in this incredible journey, here are some verses that are amazing and ones that we could claim for our children, our homeschool and our families. (Ezekiel 34:26-27,31 Isaiah 61:2-3)
We live in a day and age that desperately needs world changers and giant slayers. Our families are called and set apart to make a difference in God’s kingdom. Let’s seek Him closely each day as we lead our children to be all that they can be for Jesus. My prayer for us is that we would be a light to our families and in turn be a light to the world around us, even to the nations.
May God bless each one of you and thank you for letting be a part of your life.
All my love,
Ruthe Reid
