Encouragement

This week has been getting away from me. I can't seem to find my groove and get things to go smoothly, especially with homeschooling. J keeps saying that he doesn't like school and that discourages me... I should be able to make it fun enough so that he loves school right? I'm trying to get him to articulate what it is that he doesn't like so that we can make necessary changes. He says the likes reading and he likes the games we play. My gut tells me that he just doesn't like having to stop playing to "do school". Regardless, it's been a tougher week and I received something via email today that was a gift from God. He reminded me of His presence here in our lives, in our homeschool. I subscribe to the Old Schoolhouse, but honestly haven't read much of anything that comes through my inbox. But today a line caught my eye, it read, "Sarah don't give up!" and here's what followed:

The Old Schoolhouse® Magazine      March 7, 2012 I Want to Give Up (But I Won't)

Dear Sarah,

  

Before you say, "I quit," I want to encourage you to think otherwise. Let me just say that there is probably at least one day a month or more that I want to say, "I quit!" to something in my life, whether it be teaching, cleaning, cooking, transporting, or disciplining a child. We all share the same thoughts and feelings. I think those feelings stem from a lack of peace. Because of the difficult, mundane, or tiring circumstances in our life, we lose our peace and therefore feel that if we quit, we will find that peace. Peace won't magically come in a change of circumstance, but I know just the place to find it! Here is what the living Word of God says:

  

Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee. Trust ye in the LORD forever: for in the LORD JEHOVAH is everlasting strength. Isaiah 26:3, 4

1. Our MINDs need to be stayed: focused, kept, continued on HIM. Take your mind off your circumstances and put it on HIM. Magnify Him and not your difficulty.
2. Our minds are able to stay on HIM because we TRUST in HIM. Do not trust in what you see or feel. Trust in your God forever-he is the only unchanging thing in your life!
3. In HIM is everlasting strength! Tired, weary, discouraged? You need strength, and you don't have it in yourself. In the Lord alone is everlasting strength.

Think about and memorize that Scripture in Isaiah; start putting it into practice and you will find peace. Don't put more things into practice until you put this into practice. In other words, don't try to find solutions to your problems until you find peace in HIM. Let me encourage you with 25 reasons not to give up:

1. God's grace is sufficient.
2. God gives us everything we need for life and godliness.
3. God's mercy endures forever.
4. It is God who works in us, both to will and to do of His good pleasure.
5. Our children need godly parent mentors and teachers.
6. Our children need their questions answered from a biblical worldview.
7. Our children need and are permitted room to grow and time for creativity.
8. Our children need and receive godly socialization.
9. Our children learn to be unselfish and to serve others.
10. Our children retain their innocence.
11. Our children will have a lasting legacy of love and commitment.
12. Our children and our children's children will be spared worldly indoctrination.
13. We know where our children are at all times.
14. We know what our children are being taught at all times.
15. We know who our children's friends are and who their parents are.
16. We retain our God-given right to educate our own children.
17. Our children receive a superior education no matter what philosophy or curriculum we use.
18. Homeschooled children receive one-on-one attention and specialized training.
19. Homeschooled children can see and experience the world around them regularly.
20. Homeschooling permits the teaching of important life skills.
21. Homeschooling builds strong character and strong relationships.
22. Our children will not have to walk in the counsel of the ungodly.
23. Our children will not have to stand in the path of sinners.
24. Our delight will be in the law of the Lord, and everything we do will prosper.
25. Our God never gives up, and He gives us His strength to continue the journey.

Still want to quit? Here is an encouraging article called Before You Say, "I Quit!"

Hanging onto my Great God with you,

~Deborah

TOS Senior Editor

 

Thank you Lord for Your perfect encouragement today. Thank you for your love!