By Amy Cheramie
Some women are born knowing they will homeschool their children; they themselves were homeschooled, they understood the ebbs and flows of that life, and they have always had a passion to teach their children from home. But others may not come from that same world. In fact, the last thing they may want to do is take on the full-time responsibility of educating their children (on top of running a household, working a job, serving in their church, etc).
Can I be honest and tell you, I was the latter woman before God gripped my heart and asked for my obedience. Ironically, I come from a teaching background, having myself graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in Early Childhood, Elementary, and Special Education from a very rigorous college. In spite of this, for years I have dragged my feet at the idea of homeschooling my own children. Crazy, yall!
As I have started my homeschooling journey full-time this year with three of our children, I’ve begun to understand that the call to homeschool is so much greater than the limited view I had before diving into it. Before, I was riddled with excuses.
But… “I don’t know how to do this with a young baby at home.”
But… ”My kid’s personality is so challenging; we just don’t mesh well.”
But… ”What if every day doesn’t go exactly how I need it to?”
These are the excuses I often would lean upon to justify my disobedience and my delay to the Lord’s call. But, God is so kind and extremely generous in the mercy He shows us each and every day. As I have answered His call this year with a “yes” in my heart, He has begun to unravel every.single.excuse I once let hold me back, and reveal more of His heart to me. He has unraveled the excuses that – when really looked at – were all dependent on myself and my ability, my performance, my expected outcomes.
I believe a lot of times, we can be like that with the Lord. We have set expectations of ourselves (most of the time, all “good” things), and we disqualify ourselves before even beginning something because we see that the task ahead of us looks a lot like a mountain that cannot be climbed. Our expectations are just too lofty to attain. “There’s just no way,” we tell ourselves. And the truth is, a lot of times our expectations – when set on ourselves- are too lofty for us to achieve alone.
So we live in the barren wastelands of our souls, feasting on excuses and limitations WE have put on us. These limitations hinder us from believing God for more, and limit our belief in God to do “far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think.” (Ephesians 3:20) We actually stop walking in faith in this area of our life, and stay stuck in our own abilities.
But something the Lord is teaching me through my saying “yes” to Him, is that our quick obedience holds a much greater weight than what we realize at the time. When we yield to His will, and step into it *in spite* of the excuses, He is able to do more than we ask, think, or imagine!!! As we walk in obedience to whatever God has called us to, we begin to catch glimpses of the bigger picture God is trying to paint for us. He has plans to grow our faith, our relationships with our children, siblings with siblings, and so much more – the plan is so much bigger than us!
So I ask you today, what is God calling you to say “yes” to in your journey with you and your children? Is there any place you have reserved yourself from the Lord, for fear of failing? Maybe it’s beginning a new devotional together during the school day, maybe it’s praying together as a family, maybe it’s sharing your testimony with your kids. Whatever it may be, when put into the hands of the Lord, it shall come to pass as He intended it to! The Bible says in Luke 1:37, “For nothing will be impossible with God.” And again, in 2 Corinthians 12:9, “…’My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is made perfect in weakness.’ Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weakness, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.”
For what might happen if you dare to believe God to use your “yes” to homeschooling for bigger – for more? Ask Him to give you vision for the greater purposes He has for you and your children. He never called you so this whole thing would fail – He called you so that in your weakness, His power could be made perfect in and through you!
