Women Loving Life Worldwide

Renae Pelo May 15th, 2009

by Lisa Rae Preston

One friend said to me, “I don’t know if I’d want to homeschool, because it wouldn’t leave me any time for ministry.”

After I quit twitching and biting my tongue, I started to ponder the real meaning of that statement.

While Paul says . . . some plant, some water, and some reap the harvest, our usual interpretation of ministry is one person preaching to a congregation and people going to the altar. I have been blessed a million times by that kind of ministry. But rarely has a person taken me by the hand and said, “I’m not letting go until we reach the next step. I am holding on to you. I believe in you, I will listen to you, and I will love you no matter what.” That’s powerful ministry. And you can’t do it to a hundred people!

What greater blessing to be able to give all of that listening, mentoring, loving, challenging, –holding the hand and never letting go– to our children. How devastating not to give them that. Time is so important. And if “all you do” is raise your children to be godly, to love Christ with all their hearts, souls, minds and strength, YOU have had an awesome ministry. What greater blessing for a mother than to have the time to gently instruct her children in the ways of God.

You can’t hurry that. True discipleship and commitment aren’t “convenient”. They’re processes that demand time and focus.

To be home, sharing God’s Word as our children rise, as they go about their day, as they go to bed at night — helping these precious, precious gifts store up God’s Word in their hearts and walk in the way that leads to freedom- What a ministry!

In the age of fast-this, convenience-that, we have become a society absent from community. We are a culture that doesn’t even recognize the benefits of spending lots of time with and nurturing our own children.

What a message of strength and hope that a parent would say, “You know, I want my children with me. I want them holding my hand along this journey of life –not their peers’ hands.”

The beauty of homeschooling is that it allows time for that commitment in a less-stressed, slower paced atmosphere. The awesome sense of connection we’ll have with our children will be worth any sacrifice we make.

And the blessings will last an eternity.

Lisa Preston taught public school for 17 years before becoming a Homeschool Evangelist! Pick up her free book Why You Should Homeschool Your Child: A Public Schoolteacher’s Confession at http://www.homeschoolhelper.com

Lisa Rae Preston may be contacted at http://www.lisaraepreston.com or lrpreston@msn.com

• Quality Childhood Education
• Comments(2)

Renae Pelo May 15th, 2009

by Lisa Rae Preston

There’s more to Christian home schooling than a high quality education. God calls us to lead our children into a heart-to-heart relationship with Himself.

Christian home schooling means your entire family steps off the television-driven cultural path and walks to the heartbeat of Christ. You’re bound to face criticism, as we are taught quite effectively to go along with the majority. Don’t let that deter you from this heavenly adventure! The narrow path contains more buried treasure than you could ever dig up! The easy road is wide – and barren.

Nurturing the relationship with your husband, modeling respect and honor, building strong communication skills – these processes take time and commitment. Your family may choose to opt out of the “got to be somewhere different every night of the week” mania and just relax together at home.

Preparing your child’s heart becomes paramount. Discipleship is life, not a unit study. Loving Jesus and following Him comes before the trivium, field trips, and hands-on activities.

Christian home schooling means letting God have control of your “school”, your curriculum choices, all your decisions. Most of us were schooled in the public arena, and when given control, can’t help but model our own educational experiences.

As you let Christ hold the steering wheel of your life, and you become a trusting passenger, He will lead you to the right curriculum for your children, the perfect way to incorporate Scripture into your lives, creative activities you wouldn’t have found elsewhere. He’s the most gifted Teacher, and He teaches us as we teach our children.

As your children come to know God as “Abba”, their hearts will become stronger; their confidence and faith, unshake-able. Having received both a mother’s and father’s blessing, your children will begin to understand the strength and tenderness of Christ. What price tag can be placed on this kind of foundation building? It’s worth more than gold and jewels.

I can imagine no greater adventure than following Him, hand in hand with the precious treasures He’s allowing us to parent. Christian home schooling is, indeed, the blessing of a lifetime.

Lisa Preston taught public school for 17 years before becoming a Homeschool Evangelist! Pick up her free book Why You Should Homeschool Your Child: A Public Schoolteacher’s Confession at http://www.homeschoolhelper.com

Lisa Rae Preston may be contacted at http://www.lisaraepreston.com or lrpreston@msn.com

• Quality Childhood Education
• Comments(0)