In 1975 when I began homeschooling, nearly everyone I knew told me that teaching my children at home was a ridiculous idea that was doomed to fail. They said that I could not possibly teach my children every subject they would need to graduate and that as soon as I encountered a subject that I had not studied when I was in school, my whole program would come crashing down like a house of cards. These naysayers simply did not believe that I had the “right stuff” to succeed; as it turns out, they were right.
Nevertheless, I homeschooled ten children from first grade through master’s degrees by age sixteen, and they all made exceptional grades. What was my secret?
When I understood that I could never hope to prepare myself well enough to do all that was required of me to succeed, I had to stop trusting in myself and my own capabilities. One of my favorite scriptures was Zech 4:6 “…Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit, says the Lord of Hosts—you will succeed because of my Spirit…” I applied that scripture to nearly everything in my life. I knew that God was calling me to homeschool—although homeschooling was so new at that time that the term had not yet been coined, and I did not meet another homeschooler for eight years.
My life seemed impossible. I had my ten children in twelve years. In addition to adding a new student every year, for a long time I was also giving birth every year. Each day was a challenge. I studied constantly and prepared myself daily to teach the following day’s lessons. However, I was always aware that, by myself, I could never get it right. As a result, each day I learned to trust more in God’s strength and focus less on my own weakness.
One simple “trick” that I learned was to not look too far ahead. Of course, I set goals and worked to ensure that they were met, but I did not allow myself to worry about what I was going to do when I encountered something that I simply could not do. I reminded myself that I could do those things that were necessary for today. Tomorrow would have to take care of itself. Thus, I learned to live one day at a time and not to focus on a future that existed only in my imagination. Looking back, I realize that most of the things that I feared never materialized. I also realize that if I had given those fears a place in my thoughts, very early on I would have been defeated by my own imagination.
Most homeschools are back in session this first week of the New Year, and many of the mothers who head up those homeschools are scared. They dread the next few months as they feel themselves put to the test to finish another school year with their children. You may be among those who feel the pressure to succeed and fear that you may fail.
My advice to you is this: Don’t be afraid! Yes, you have taken on a monumental task, but God knew your frailties when He called you to educate your children at home. He is with you, and He will sustain you. You will not succeed because of your own cleverness or intelligence. You will succeed because of Him. Trust Him; rely on Him, and He will give you everything you need to finish the work He has given you.
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