CHM159:Let’s Journal, Pray, and Nurture Your Faith in the Homeschool Journey!

[00:00:00] Hi, I'm Demetria Your Host and welcome to the Christian Homeschool Moms Podcast. You're listening to episode number 159. And I'm glad to be hosting you on this show today. I am a veteran homeschool mom of two wonderful daughters.

[00:00:25] And I usually say one in college and one in high school, but as of this past May, I now have one college graduate and one in high school.

[00:00:34] I'm also a wife, a songwriter and a child of the king. And I am definitely a content creator that loves giving information to help my audiences.

[00:00:43] And you guys are one audience that I love bringing content to regarding home education even though I'm very much at the till end of this journey.

[00:00:53] And at this point, don't even know how long I will actually continue homeschooling. We're still considering what will happen next year for my now 11th grade daughter. So she may go to school full time and we're going to see what happens with that.

[00:01:06] But meanwhile, I still care about you guys and I love bringing this content to you because I know how much I needed it when I was still heavy in the trenches young mom raising young kids.

[00:01:18] And I needed this kind of support. And so I want to be here for you regarding that until the Lord says otherwise, this is where I'll be showing up on a monthly basis to help you out with your journey of homeschooling.

[00:01:30] And so today we're going to talk a bit about nurturing your faith in your homeschool journey. And this is more of a reflective and journaling podcast.

[00:01:40] So we're going to talk about the heart of homeschooling and exploring how our faith plays a transformative role in renewing our spirits as Christian women on what I consider this to be a very sacred journey.

[00:01:54] So this podcast episode will be a little bit different than my typical format and we're going to start with the word a prayer before we dive in.

[00:02:00] And if you have a journal with you and you want to set the mood for a time of reflection, you can grab that journal and a pen. You can lie to candle if you want to pour a cup of tea.

[00:02:10] Evan, feel free to pause this audio whenever and however you need to.

[00:02:15] But we're going to start by setting the spiritual foundation with a small prayer and then we'll start journaling through a few steps that I think will help you reflect on your faith and where you are now as a homeschool mom.

[00:02:26] Also as we embark on this homeschool path, we recognize the importance of setting that strong spiritual foundation. So I want you to join me in a moment of reflection inviting God's presence into our homes and classrooms and letting his light guide our teaching.

[00:02:41] Nurturing not only our academic growth but also our spiritual development lets our heads for a word a prayer. We're going to be a great day. We're going to be a great day. Dear Heavenly Father, we thank you for these moments that we have together.

[00:03:13] Lord, I'm so grateful for the women that are listening to the show and the men, the families that are listening today. Lord, and I thank you for just bringing us together even in this virtual space and I'm so, so grateful.

[00:03:26] And I pray, Lord, that as these precious families are embarking on this journey which is not easy or pray that you'll be with them that you will step into their homes in a very unique way this year and prepare them for what's ahead.

[00:03:42] Lord, give them the steps to take, give them the advice to carry on to their kids and to share with their families. Give them the words of advice that they need not only for their own lives but to pass on to their families.

[00:03:55] Give them the courage and the strength to continue the work that they've started. And if you've called them Lord, I know that you've also equipped them to do this work and I ask you to give them that sense of nourishment and motivation for the year to come.

[00:04:10] Lord, we thank you for your wonderful mercies for they are ever lasting and you never ever leave or forsake your people. They are always with us even in the trenches.

[00:04:20] On the hard days, in the hard places, when we're going through things that nobody else knows what we're going through and yet you are there your spirit is real.

[00:04:29] You shine, you are the flame that warms us, you are the one who secures us, you are solid in our lives. And because of you, our firm foundation, we can do anything set before us.

[00:04:43] So I ask you to bless each and every mama listening to this show and help her to fill, inspired and motivated to do what is exactly you've called her to do for this upcoming school year. In Jesus' name I pray, Amen.

[00:05:02] Let's talk about embracing the seasons of homeschooling.

[00:05:07] I recently uploaded a video to my YouTube channel at Momsest where I talked about the feelings of sadness that can overcome us as parents when we realize that our children are moving on to the next stage of their lives and so are we.

[00:05:22] And so you can see that video, I'll leave a link for that in the show notes, but let's just talk about what it means to embrace the season that you're in.

[00:05:31] And as the seasons change, so does our homeschooling journey. So let's explore how God uses the Ebb and the flow of each season to shape and renew us. Just as nature undergoes transformations, our homeschooling experiences can be opportunities for spiritual growth.

[00:05:47] So embrace the different seasons with grace trusting that God is working in every lesson and every challenge in every moment. You know God is not just working on your kids, he's working on YouTube.

[00:05:58] So what is your current season of homeschooling? Do you have thoughts and little's young children under the age of seven or kids or late elementary middle school or high school?

[00:06:09] How do you feel about your current season? Are you okay with it? Uncomfortable, maybe? Ready for it to be over? I just want to take this moment to encourage you to embrace the moment that you're in.

[00:06:23] You know, it won't last always and we get a little sad when we think about the fact that it is going to pass.

[00:06:29] And sometimes all too quickly, and that's why the motivation today on this show is that I want to inspire you to take the moments you currently have and find the lemonade in those lemons.

[00:06:42] And find the silver lining in those clouds, find what it is you need to find to keep going because if you're called to it and you know this is the path that you're willing to take.

[00:06:53] And you know it's not going to be easy. What's going to help you to stick with it is to embrace your current moment even in the hardship. There is something beautiful about walking through the fire and then coming out on the other side unscathed.

[00:07:09] Maybe wounded to some degree, a completely purified and unscathed because God works all things out together for his good.

[00:07:18] So whatever you've been going through this past year or past couple of years, I mean I know it's been rough for many people. My family included. It's not been a walk on the park.

[00:07:29] But whatever you're going through, God is right there with you. And like I said earlier he will never leave you and he's not going to forsake you. He's not going to cast you off. You are his and you belong to him. So he will take care of you.

[00:07:43] In that regard, we have to shake off the sadness even though we're in the moment and we're okay with the fact that we feel sad or feel lonely or isolated or any of those negative things that we could be feeling acknowledging that we feel that way.

[00:07:58] Is right and we should acknowledge it. I share that on one of my earlier episodes that I will leave a link to as well. And also you can check out episode number 151 to hear about my personal reflection from 2023 about how I'm looking at my home school life at the moment. So that was a while back. But as I was saying, whatever you're going through at the moment, after we recognize and admit and acknowledge our feelings we can't stay there.

[00:08:26] We can't stay there. We have to find it in our soul somewhere deep down in our spirit, this strength that we need to keep going and to rise up above the sadness, the loneliness and to make a change. So only we can make that decision for ourselves, which will ultimately affect our family.

[00:08:45] Let's talk about navigating challenges with faith. So homeschooling inevitably brings its own set of challenges and in times of difficulty, how can we turn to our faith for that strength and renewal?

[00:08:59] I want you to maybe take some time to journal or think about times in your life where you have overcome obstacles, where you've had to lean on God's promises and you had to find inspiration in his word.

[00:09:10] It's through those experiences where we discover the power of faith and navigating the homeschooling journey. So take some time to reflect on that. What has God done for you?

[00:09:20] How has he helped you this past year and write about it? And now think about how you're overcoming the challenges of your own homeschool so far.

[00:09:29] If you've already journaled this with me back in December's podcast, things may have remained the same or maybe they've changed. So how are you feeling about homeschooling right now?

[00:09:39] How are you turning to God's word or are you to help you through those times? And again, this is only for those of you who feel like this is what God has called you to do when he says the season is over.

[00:09:52] It's okay not to try to keep going. If he says that this is the end of homeschooling and you're going to do something different next year, it's okay to move on.

[00:10:02] But when he is called you to continue, then sometimes we have to go through these exercises reflecting on the previous years and thinking about what's to come.

[00:10:13] So that we can be better prepared to be that servant that God has called us to begin the home because homeschooling is very much a service that we moms have placed on ourselves or have accepted the call from God on our lives.

[00:10:27] And it's an extra set of responsibilities that other moms don't have. And so it is an extra weight and it is an extra job, and we have to acknowledge that that's what it is. It is not just a lifestyle.

[00:10:39] It is a job that creates this new lifestyle of homeschooling. So if we see that what we're doing is very much commendable and that it is something worthy of respect of honor because we are taking care not only of our kids, but we are teaching them all the subjects or finding them their resources they need to be taught those subjects for various reasons.

[00:11:03] So that's one thing I know it's very difficult for people on the outside looking in to understand why would you want to homeschool as a big question why did you choose to homeschool?

[00:11:14] What makes you want to stay home with your kids and teach them? And it seems like something so foreign to the world who is looking in who doesn't understand the concept of homeschooling.

[00:11:25] Families homeschool for various different reasons, some for religious reasons, some for convenience reasons. There are so many different reasons. Maybe it's a medical or health reason.

[00:11:35] Maybe it has to do with how their children have been treated in previous school situations where they have not been treated well and so they're leaving an abusive situations.

[00:11:44] And basically homeschooling is like that we're pre- or breath or fresh air for their family where they can start over and heal their children.

[00:11:52] It could be because they move around a lot and it's difficult from the literary families to get their kids attached to one group of kids or one school system only to have to move every two to three years and maybe just makes it more easy or more convenient.

[00:12:05] So that said there are going to be questions that you're asked when you're out and out in a bowel and public and people see you with your kids.

[00:12:13] They may ask you why are you homeschooling like what would make you choose to do this when you can easily put your kids in a school and roll them and there are qualified dedicated teachers willing to take care of your child. Why would you choose to keep them out?

[00:12:27] And so for that you have to know that you're called to do what you're doing or you may feel uncomfortable answering those questions. So when you know what you believe in and why you're doing it, you can more easily answer those questions with confidence because you know why you're doing it.

[00:12:43] So if you have some obstacles to homeschooling, you can navigate all of your challenges through the faith that you have that God has called you to do this work.

[00:12:53] So you're why know why your homeschooling and then every time you are considering dropping the ball on it because it's just not been an a good year for you and your kids and you haven't been happy.

[00:13:05] Then you need to think, is this what God wants me to do? Is this something I've chosen for convenience? Why did I choose to homeschool? And is this something that is necessary to continue?

[00:13:15] Because if it's not a God call, if it's not something that you are feeling that you're obligated to out of a commitment you made to your spouse or to God.

[00:13:25] If it's something that you're doing for convenience or for other matters, then evaluating from year to year is very much something you should be doing because you don't have to continue to deal with the challenges of homeschooling if you don't wish to.

[00:13:42] However, I also like to add a little bit of a flip side to that because there are challenges no matter what you do or no matter what you choose.

[00:13:51] So if we choose public school, private school, there are challenges in those arenas as well. So we're not getting away from challenges even if we decide to do something different.

[00:14:03] However, the challenges will look different. So you have to weigh your pros and cons and figure out what's best for your family at each season.

[00:14:11] So how are you overcoming those challenges in your life? Anything that feels difficult, anything that feels troublesome, that feels like an obstacle to you. How are you dealing with that? And again, I'd like to ask how are you turning to God's word to help you through those times.

[00:14:27] Any times honestly, we turn to other things. I turned to chocolate. I love chocolate and I love a good drama and believe me, I have a ton of projects I can dive into and easily keep busy. I can vary myself at my issues into my work.

[00:14:41] I can hide behind piles of books or the latest podcast and gadget or marketing project or something I'm working on for a client rather than address the problems that I'm facing the right way, which is through prayer and connection with the Lord and meditating on his words.

[00:14:55] So really be honest with yourself in this reflection and ask yourself if you are turning to him when or if homeschooling gets overwhelming. Now let's talk about cultivating a renewed mindset. What is a renewed mindset?

[00:15:09] Well, think about the way you set your mind on the things of God or on the things of the world or on the things that irritate you or on the things that you'd like to explore in life.

[00:15:19] What is your mindset? Is it positive? Is it negative? Is it glass-half full glass-half empty? What are you looking forward to in your future?

[00:15:27] What things are you thinking about and pondering about your past? This is all part of your mindset. A renewed mindset is a gift that we give ourselves and our children. So explore practical strategies for infusing faith into your homeschool routine through a renewed mindset.

[00:15:44] Whether it's incorporating scripture into your lessons or creating a gratitude journal or fostering an atmosphere prayer in your home, Let's discover how intentional choices can bring renewal and joy to our homes. And also we need to ourselves.

[00:16:00] Check back to episode 148 about raising our kids with deep faith roots with our guests Christy Thomas and also way back in the archives and episodes 114 and 115 Where I shared about having family Bible studies and what the Bible says about teaching our kids.

[00:16:17] We're only able to put forth this kind of effort if we have a renewed mindset. So practice the scripture that says that we must renew our minds. I'll try to remember to leave a link for that scripture or this scripture reference at least in the show notes,

[00:16:34] but it's important to renew our minds on a regular basis. So if you are inundated with bad thoughts from what's happened in your past or maybe worries and anxieties about your future,

[00:16:46] You need to get in the word of God and ask the Lord to help you by renewing your mind, cleaning out your mind space, flushing away all the negativity and the debris from your past and the worries about your future.

[00:16:58] And get you in the moment where you can focus on what he's calling you to do right here and right now with your children. And that takes the Holy Spirit takes the work of the Lord in your life to help you.

[00:17:09] And I need help every single day in this area because my mind, as all of us have experienced, I'm sure, is an open playground really for the enemy to come against my mind and to bring thoughts to me that cause me to worry.

[00:17:22] And so I have to constantly battle being strong in the Spirit and standing against anxiety and depression. It's something that I have to constantly speak against in my life. Maybe more than others, I don't know, I don't have a comparison,

[00:17:38] but I do feel like I spend a lot more of my time having to recognize when bad thoughts are coming to my mind and recognize that they're not from God and rebuking those thoughts. And then moving on with refreshing my mind and renewing it with God's words.

[00:17:54] So anytime something bad pops into my brain which happens quite often throughout the day, just to be honest and to admit my sins as the Bible says to confess your faults to one another. So that is definitely something that I deal with on a daily basis.

[00:18:08] Every time that happens to me, I have to find the scripture that combats that lie that I've been told. And so rather than me speaking those lies out loud and speaking that reality over myself and my family, I have to find the scripture in the Word of God.

[00:18:23] That's why it's important to know the Word and to study the Word of God. So that I can place God's Word over those negative things that are coming against me. And so I encourage you to do that. It's something I'm going through. It's something that I'm combating.

[00:18:37] In fact, just this morning as I was just getting out of bed, I had like at least five or six thoughts that just immediately flooded my mind to make me worry about the day and what I plan to do that day.

[00:18:51] And what if this doesn't work? What if that doesn't work? How dare this person say this? How dare this person say that? Just a lot of negative things. And I probably didn't recognize that those thoughts were coming straight from the enemy until I recognized it.

[00:19:06] Like, it's been going on in my life for so long that I just thought it was my own thinking. But it really wasn't me. It was something else. And so those are the things you have to catch it when you think that it's your thoughts.

[00:19:21] Those thoughts sometimes are coming from an outside source that's not you. And that's what the enemy loves to do. He loves to plant ideas in your mind and you think it's just you, but it's really not.

[00:19:31] So you need to stand against the walls of the enemy. The Word of God says, you need to stand against it and cancel it and say no, I will not think those thoughts.

[00:19:41] I will not speak those negative words over myself and over my family. Let's segue into building a supportive faith community. Now, this is something I've struggled with since moving out to California.

[00:19:52] I have not found that special homeschooling community out here that has been my go to for homeschooling support. I had a vibrant community back down south where I used to live and where my kids spent their first two years or so with the homeschool community there.

[00:20:11] But since I moved out here, I've had a variety of different groups that I've tried and I've dabbled because we did move a few times as well. So that put somewhat of a glitch in our strategy for being able to stay put and find a good group.

[00:20:27] But nonetheless, we were never completely satisfied with any of the groups we've been a part of for various reasons. And so I just want to encourage you that if you found a group stick with it, if you found a good one stay there and be as invested as you possibly can because without your support and without the support of each other, you don't have a homeschool community, you need each other.

[00:20:49] Community is essential on this journey and in our faith community, especially we find encouragement wisdom and joy.

[00:20:57] Recently I had a Christian homeschool mom guessed on the show where we discussed the power of building a support of community that uplifts you and a community where you can pray together and share the beauty of the homeschooling experience.

[00:21:10] And so if you want to check back to that episode, it was with Nicole Kennedy Green and it was a fabulous show because she helped us to see that it is possible to create that group.

[00:21:22] If you don't have it already and she encourages you to do that that was episode number 156.

[00:21:28] So our community this past year with my daughter in 10th grade was essentially her private school. We had a homeschool segment within a larger school, so it was kind of a small community within a big community but it was obviously different than that niche homeschool community we've been used to.

[00:21:46] Very faith-based we love it. It met our needs where we were with her for last year moving on to next year will probably do something different but all that said community is important.

[00:21:57] So what are your needs for your family, your children and take some time to reflect and journal on what that means for you and ask the Lord to usher the right people and the right communities into your life.

[00:22:08] So as we close and wrap up this time together, let's take a moment to renew our commitment to this sacred calling of homeschooling. May God's grace guide us and may His love sustain us and His renewal be evident in every aspect of our homeschool journey.

[00:22:24] And thank you so much for joining me on this episode of Christian homeschool moms podcast and until next time may your home be filled with God's peace. Happy homeschooling.