You are an Expert--Really!: Why Homeschooling Can Be a Truly Effective Avenue for Education and Discipleship

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They're the joyful agains our children

shout on the swings, the exhausting

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agains of cooking and laundry, and

the difficult agains of discipline.

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So much of what we do

as mothers is on repeat.

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So what if we woke up with clarity,

knowing which agains we were called

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to, and went to bed believing we

are faithful in what matters most?

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We believe God's word is

the key to untangle from the

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confusion and overwhelm we feel.

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Let's look up together to embrace a

motherhood full of freedom and joy.

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Hi there.

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Welcome to the again, podcast.

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I'm your host, Stephanie Hickox.

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And this is brought to you

by interested ministries.

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It's February and even the

seasoned homeschoolers.

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No, this month is one of the

hardest months to persevere in.

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Often the weather is still dreary.

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Everyone's tired of being cooped up

and it's just difficult to be faithful.

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So this episode is speaking

to those of you who need to be

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reminded of why you have been

called to be your child's teacher.

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But mostly it's for those of you wondering

and evaluating, could I homeschool?

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I feel like I want to, I

just don't feel qualified.

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Jen Frackman joins me in this episode.

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And we're going to share with

you the wisdom we've learned.

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And also how you can avoid

the mistakes that we've made.

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So that if the Lord is calling you

to homeschool, you can begin and

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an even wiser spot, then we began.

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Even if you're feeling comfortable

and confident in your abilities

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to teach your children.

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We hope this episode reminds

you of why you've chosen.

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It gives you some great

book recommendations.

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And encourages you to finish.

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this year strong.

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Let's get to it.

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Jen: Okay, so here's a question for you.

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Throughout your years in school, which

teacher was the most influential and why?

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Steph: Hey, this one's really easy for me.

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I had a teacher named Mr.

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Harris in high school, and he

taught Physical Science Chem,

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Chem 2, and Physics to me.

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I was in a really small town, and

so I got to have him for four years.

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And he was also the yearbook

editor, and I worked.

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Every weekend, for four

years or something.

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So we got to know each other really well.

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And he had the gift of teaching for sure.

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He was just so clear in his

instruction, but he was hilarious.

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I think the day that I

learned the Latin names of the

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elements, I almost wet my pants.

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I laughed so hard.

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It was just like, it was so funny.

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, but he was teaching the material.

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Yeah.

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And just doing it in

the most exciting way.

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And yet he had very Firm guidelines for us

about this is what an equation looks like

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and when you turn in a test it better be

laid out like this or it will be wrong.

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And so we rose to the challenge.

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And at the time I thought that I

was going to be a pre med major and

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I just really loved all of that.

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I love chemistry and he was

really inspirational to me.

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And he didn't share my faith but

he really respected it and we spent

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a lot of time talking about it.

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That was really neat for me to

just have someone who differed

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that was so willing to listen.

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Jen: Yeah.

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That's amazing.

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Steph: yes.

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And then I had a teacher, Mrs.

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Hanson in elementary school.

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You're approaching the grade and

everybody knew she's amazing.

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And then she had a baby and

she went on maternity leave.

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But when I was A senior in high school

and then I knew I'm actually gonna

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get my education degree.

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I asked her if I could shadow

her and help in her classroom.

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She really poured into me and she was

very influential and I got to see her

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a couple years ago when I went back

home she's just lovely and so joyful

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Those would be my big two.

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How about you?

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Jen: you?

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I had a teacher in high school who would

stand outside in the hallway and greet

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the students as they came in to class.

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And every time I saw

him, I would be smiling.

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And so he nicknamed me Smiley.

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And he would be like, Hey, there's

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Steph: there's

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Jen: And he just was so Life-giving

to me and I remember having him at the

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end of the day, so everybody was tired

and ready to go home and he was just

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very life-giving to me and he would.

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Make that history or the topic

that we were studying for that day,

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just come to life and made it so

interesting and he made it fun.

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And you had mentioned that one of

your teachers made it fun for you.

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And I think that's what makes.

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education stick is when you are

enjoying what you're doing and

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I Enjoyed it for the first time.

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I didn't really care about some of the

other history classes I was taking in

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the years prior, but he made history come

alive, and I just loved that And just

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took a personal care, like I remember him

coming to my high school graduation and

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he had just gotten a red Corvette and he

let all of my friends drive it around.

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It was, I know it was just so fun and just

personal, it wasn't just a person that

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I saw on the weekdays that did his time.

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He really cared about his students,

and so that was really cool.

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Steph: That's fantastic.

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Very invested.

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There's some teachers that love their

subject matter, but it's like they

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are like on the journey by themselves.

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They're not bringing

anyone along with them.

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And then there's some that you

can't help but get caught up in it.

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And yes, it's so powerful.

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Jen: That's cool.

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Steph: Okay, if you could snap your

fingers and have gained any one

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quality or attribute, what would it be?

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Jen: Ooh, that would be really good.

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I think to Be able to get

myself completely ready.

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My hair and makeup and everything

perfectly done the way that You would

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have it done if you were a movie star?

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Like just to look really nice.

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Not even so much the makeup, just my hair.

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I really don't enjoy doing my hair, and so

I don't like to spend a lot of time on it.

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Sure.

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So I would say I would love to be able

to just be like, oh, this is how I do my

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hair every day and it looks wonderful.

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As opposed to having to be like,

what am I gonna do with it today?

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Steph: Have it determined.

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Yes.

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And settled.

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Yes.

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Not another decision.

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Jen: Yes.

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Agreed.

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It's a weird one, but that's just

the first one that came to my mind.

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Steph: But it's a consistent one.

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Jen: Yes.

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Steph: It's an again of your life.

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Jen: again!

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Yes, exactly.

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Yes.

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What about you?

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Steph: It's of course I can think

of like really deep spiritual

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answers, but I also feel like I'm

gonna pick something not as deep.

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I, if I could be a morning person

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Jen: Oh, I changed my

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Steph: answer.

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Jen: That's it.

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Yes.

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Steph: I have grown a lot

and I'm not a late sleeper.

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Jen: Yeah.

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Steph: I wish I could be someone who

just woke up at 5 every day and it wasn't

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hard, cause I, I know the days I do

it, I'm so grateful for that time, 6.

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30 is like more my norm.

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It feels like no matter how early I go to

bed, I can't completely make the shift.

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Jen: Yeah, agreed.

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Steph: I'm gonna say yet.

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I'm hoping for myself.

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That's

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Jen: a

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good answer though, I agree.

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I feel like morning people

have a leg up in life.

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Some things are just a

little easier for them.

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Steph: Yes, right?

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I'm like, well, if you could

see what I can accomplish,

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at 2am, you would be amazed.

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That's

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Jen: Okay, I have one for you.

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If you could return to school, what would

you want to study, and would you want

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to return to school to study something?

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Steph: Absolutely.

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I would, for sure.

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Actually, a couple years ago,

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I started getting my Master's in

Counseling, I just have such a

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heart for, joining people alongside

them in their trials, but pointing

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them to the Lord, and Yes, so I,

that's really, I love doing that.

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But I also well, I, actually the

Lord interrupted my plan and that's

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when I started working for Entrusted.

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And I knew I, I couldn't do both.

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I couldn't homeschool my kids

and go back to school and work.

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And and so I think it's so

sweet of the Lord to give me an

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opportunity to pour into women.

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Maybe a different avenue.

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And.

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So I'm like, Lord, is it on pause

or is it a, no, I'm just giving

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you a different route to still

use the desire that you had.

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So I would say it either be that or

like getting my master's in biblical

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studies because I just love studying

the word of God, but I also would be

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a little bit hesitant because I would

never want it to feel like homework.

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Jen: Good point.

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Yeah,

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Steph: And so I, Again, I'm like,

Lord, are we just going to go like

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a non traditional route here, or is

that going to be in my future someday?

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But those are the two topics that

really, and if I had to pick a

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shorter one, culinary school.

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Jen: Ooh.

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Ooh.

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That

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would be good.

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Yeah.

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I have a couple as well.

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I think I would definitely do

something to study the natural

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world and natural medicine.

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I would love that.

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I just, I find that so interesting.

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I also would like to do some type

of Bible class, I don't, I agree.

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I think that was a good

word that you said.

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I didn't want it to be like homework, but

I would love to understand some things

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that I wasn't taught in, a public school.

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Yeah, I think that's it.

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Steph: You can tell that we

both love learning, right?

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So it's probably not a mystery why we

chose to homeschool, but that doesn't

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mean that we knew that we were going

to necessarily from the beginning so

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why don't you just bring us into what

that decision looked like for you

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and how you decided to homeschool?

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Jen: to homeschool around preschool

age we had desired to send her

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to our church's school that they

had on campus of the church.

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And so since we thought we were going

to be going there five or six days

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a week, we're like, well, let's move

close so we can be there, easily.

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And we did, we moved into the home.

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And then a couple of months later,

they closed the school that was at that

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Steph: No!

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And I was devastated.

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Jen: I literally wept.

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I remember just being like, Oh

no, like that was the best option.

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And I cannot believe it.

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I just remember feeling like,

Lord, what are you doing?

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And I had even spent the year prior

just very much praying for her teacher.

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Our firstborn was very, still is very

tenderhearted and sensitive and kind

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and gentle has a desire to obey and

Wants to please people And I just was

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like, Oh goodness, she needs a teacher

that's going to see her tender heart.

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And so I was praying for

her teacher for a full year,

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Not

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knowing that the Lord had plans

that I was going to be her teacher.

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And I was the one that was

going to need those prayers.

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But so what we did was I, we

started looking around at different

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Christian schools in our area.

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Cause we felt very called that

we did want her to be educated

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through a Christian worldview.

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So we looked at different.

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Schools in our area and interviewed them

and a number of them were like, Oh, we

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just have them, you know, know that Jesus

is their super power or their superhero.

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And I said, well, what scriptures

are you having them memorize?

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They're like, we don't really

have them do scriptures.

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We've just more talk about

that Jesus is always around.

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And I was like, then

what am I paying you for?

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We did find one school that we were

going to send her to, and we felt

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like they were pretty intentional.

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They did have them do scripture memory.

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And.

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I paid the enrollment fee and the

day was coming where we were going to

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send her and I just couldn't do it.

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I couldn't do it.

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I was like, I just had in my heart

that she needed to stay home.

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So I talked to my husband about

it and I said, I just feel like

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we should keep her home, but I am

freaked out about homeschooling.

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Steph: but

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Jen: I could do this, but I

don't know what else to do.

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And.

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As the Lord would have it, there was a

local homeschooling conference like the

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next week, and it was right before their

school year was going to begin anyway.

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So he was like, why don't

you go to this conference?

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Just think about it and pray about it.

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And then maybe after the

conference, you'll just have a

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leading as to what we should do.

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Steph: That's great

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Jen: So I did, I went to it and I.

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I literally sat there and bawled and I

felt the heavens like, were like, Oh,

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opening up this is where you need me.

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And I remember going and asking this

lady, they had a question area where you

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could go and ask any questions and there

were a bunch of women sitting at tables.

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And I remember asking this lady through

tears I think I need to send her to school

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because she's so shy and tender hearted.

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And I don't want to send her

to school, but I'm also really

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scared about homeschooling.

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I don't know if I can do this.

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And she said, Well, who

is your daughter shy with?

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Is she shy with other kids?

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Is she shy with adults?

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And I was like, No, she's

great with other kids.

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She'll talk and play and she

has no problem with other kids.

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It's like adults and people she doesn't

know she's very painfully shy with.

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And she was like, Well, then tell

me why you would want to send her

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all day to hang out with a group of

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Children.

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All her age to get

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Steph: shy.

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And I was like,

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Jen: I was like, I don't know.

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That's just what the world

says that you have to socialize

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them and you have to do this.

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So I just thought that's my only option.

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And she was like, I think you

could be a little more creative

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if she's shy with adults.

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Why don't you take her around adults?

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And so I came home and I prayed about

it and I, we lived at that point

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right next door to a nursing home.

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She loved to do artwork and so I

would take some of her artwork that us

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mamas are always trying to figure out

What do we do with all this artwork?

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And I found the perfect solution She

would take her artwork and we would go

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to the we would ride our bikes to the

nursing home And she would walk into

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the room and she had to say her name.

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Hi.

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My name is here is a piece of

my artwork, would you like it?

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And if, whether or not the person

said yes or no, then she would have

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to ask them their name and say,

thank you for taking my artwork.

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I hope you have a good day and

say her name or say their name.

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And the first time she did it, she was

so nervous and I was like, honey, these

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are the perfect people to practice with.

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One, they think you're just so cute.

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Two, they're just excited to

see another little girl here.

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And three, They won't remember

you two minutes after you leave

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this room, like it's totally safe.

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And so she did it and she just became

so social and so confident and it

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really, it blessed the old people in

that little home and it blessed her

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and it was a beautiful thing, way more

beautiful than I could have imagined.

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Steph: I absolutely love that idea.

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It's so special.

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Jen: It was very sweet.

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So after that I was like, Oh!

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She's not as shy, like she's

willing to talk to people.

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And I continued to homeschool then,

obviously we made the decision to

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homeschool and so just continued.

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And each year I just kept getting better.

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It was like I'm sure every homeschool.

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Family has said we'll

take it a year at a time.

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I kid at a time, but every

time at the end of the year,

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I'm like, man, that was great.

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Let's do it again.

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So that's our story.

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Steph: And how many years

has it been for you now?

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Jen: I guess this is like 10th year.

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So we then have homeschooled her from, we

did preschool and kindergarten, and now

326

: 00:15:46

she's going into her ninth grade year.

327

: 00:15:48

And then we have three other kids, and

we've just taken them along with us.

328

: 00:15:53

And the beauty of this is I've

always taught to the oldest.

329

: 00:15:58

And so they have all been educated

without even being of school age.

330

: 00:16:04

So even the little one that I would be

You know, playing on the ground with,

331

: 00:16:10

or whatnot, and there would be an audio

book playing in the background, and she

332

: 00:16:14

would be listening and saying, Horsey!

333

: 00:16:16

And it was, yeah you understand.

334

: 00:16:18

You were listening to this story, even

though you're not even of school age.

335

: 00:16:22

Steph: Oh, that's fantastic.

336

: 00:16:24

Jen: So what about you?

337

: 00:16:25

How did your homeschool journey start?

338

: 00:16:27

Steph: Well, as I mentioned, I thought

I was going to be a pediatrician because

339

: 00:16:31

I loved kids and then realized my heart

was probably too sensitive for that.

340

: 00:16:35

My dad asked me, well, what if something

happened to one of those children?

341

: 00:16:38

Could you handle it?

342

: 00:16:39

I was like, what a horrible question!

343

: 00:16:41

Jen: And

344

: 00:16:42

Steph: he was like, why

don't you be a teacher?

345

: 00:16:44

I kind of reluctantly went into education

and then when I graduated, I came to

346

: 00:16:49

teach at a Christian school, and actually,

the Christian school that you're talking

347

: 00:16:54

about, that you were going to send your

daughter to another location of it, and

348

: 00:16:59

it was a wonderful school, and I felt

like the Lord taught me so much there,

349

: 00:17:04

even about parenting, just watching godly

parents and, but, my, I met my husband,

350

: 00:17:10

he worked on the church side, and When

we got married, we were in a small group

351

: 00:17:14

together and we went through a book about

just different decisions that you'd make

352

: 00:17:19

once you have kids and when it got to the

chapter on just about schooling decisions.

353

: 00:17:24

It's funny because he and I probably

argued way more about like our

354

: 00:17:29

China pattern than this decision.

355

: 00:17:32

Like every decision we've ever made, it's

probably been a lot more debate over this.

356

: 00:17:36

But I remember us sitting in an airport

and kind of being like, okay, well,

357

: 00:17:41

we've got to get the chapter done

for a group this week and we both

358

: 00:17:44

knew we had a heart for education.

359

: 00:17:46

To provide discipleship and come alongside

our spiritual goals for our kids.

360

: 00:17:51

And we knew, well, on his salary,

and then if I'm home, it's probably

361

: 00:17:55

not going to work for private school.

362

: 00:17:56

So we looked at each other

and like, homeschool?

363

: 00:17:59

And both of us were like, yeah.

364

: 00:18:01

I might've been pregnant

with my oldest at that time.

365

: 00:18:04

And then when we had our oldest,

he is such a bundle of energy and

366

: 00:18:10

I think he taught himself to read

when he was three, and yet he

367

: 00:18:13

was still bouncing off the walls.

368

: 00:18:15

And I felt no, I'm not sending

that kid, to sit in a desk all day.

369

: 00:18:20

Jen: Totally.

370

: 00:18:20

Steph: Then we had three

boys in three years.

371

: 00:18:22

And I wanted them to be so close.

372

: 00:18:24

That's one of my biggest goals for

my family, that they are close.

373

: 00:18:28

And I felt like, who is going to care

more about their education than me?

374

: 00:18:32

I had been a classroom teacher and

been extremely invested And yet I knew

375

: 00:18:37

what I was feeling for my own child

completely surpassed what I felt for my

376

: 00:18:43

students in my class, and I know him.

377

: 00:18:45

I know his strengths.

378

: 00:18:46

I know his weaknesses.

379

: 00:18:48

I just was delighted at the

opportunity to try to guide him

380

: 00:18:51

and his siblings through it.

381

: 00:18:53

Later we had a little girl.

382

: 00:18:55

It's just been such a

delight to grow as a family.

383

: 00:18:58

And even when, we've got through some

pretty hard trials as a family, I feel

384

: 00:19:05

like homeschooling has been our anchor.

385

: 00:19:07

Jen: Yeah.

386

: 00:19:08

Steph: If I almost think that I've

been discipling them emotionally as

387

: 00:19:13

much as academically and training

them in those things that we

388

: 00:19:17

needed time together to process

through things that were happening.

389

: 00:19:22

And if I were sending them off each

day, which some days probably would

390

: 00:19:27

have been a lot easier, as I'm trying

to process my own emotions, but.

391

: 00:19:30

I think it was such a gift to be like, no,

we're going to go through this together.

392

: 00:19:34

Jen: this together.

393

: 00:19:35

Yeah, That's true.

394

: 00:19:37

I think of that often when I'm in

the midst of the homeschool days.

395

: 00:19:42

In fact, I have a little part on

our calendar that I do like my

396

: 00:19:46

little planner, and I started to

put in the top right corner, just

397

: 00:19:50

a box that I put anything that God.

398

: 00:19:54

planned that I didn't plan for the day.

399

: 00:19:57

And it makes it, I like to put the

things in there like character training,

400

: 00:20:01

Steph: Yes!

401

: 00:20:02

Jen: because we spent a lot of

time on character training today.

402

: 00:20:05

And that was not part of my curriculum

that I thought I was going to teach.

403

: 00:20:09

And, but it makes it.

404

: 00:20:12

It makes me realize that

there is a purpose in this.

405

: 00:20:15

And so as you spend every waking hour with

each other, things are going to come up.

406

: 00:20:21

But the joy of homeschooling is

that we, as the parent, we get

407

: 00:20:26

to disciple them through that.

408

: 00:20:29

Biblically, and how to handle

that conflict with them.

409

: 00:20:33

Where when they were in a school

setting, even if they were in a

410

: 00:20:35

Christian setting at school, the

teacher does not have the time or the

411

: 00:20:40

ability to stop and take as long as she

wants to disciple them through that.

412

: 00:20:45

And we've just been able to see the

blessing that we can take as long as

413

: 00:20:49

we need until we learn this lesson.

414

: 00:20:52

I always think of It being funny

when people say we homeschool.

415

: 00:20:56

So that.

416

: 00:20:56

They wouldn't be exposed to the sin in

the world, and I'm like, oh my goodness,

417

: 00:21:01

we have enough sin in our own home.

418

: 00:21:02

Steph: Exactly.

419

: 00:21:04

We

420

: 00:21:04

Jen: We got enough curriculum here on sin.

421

: 00:21:07

Like we, we've got it in these walls.

422

: 00:21:10

So there's so much to teach them and

so much to disciple them through.

423

: 00:21:16

And I'm just so thankful for the

time that we can spend doing that.

424

: 00:21:20

Steph: Often people will say to me, Oh,

what did you do before you became a mom?

425

: 00:21:24

And when I say teacher, then

they say, Oh, of course you

426

: 00:21:26

homeschool.

427

: 00:21:27

And

428

: 00:21:28

I feel like, No, I really

had to unlearn some things.

429

: 00:21:33

I have some different

convictions about education now.

430

: 00:21:36

I actually really love

this model of education.

431

: 00:21:39

I think sometimes it can be more efficient

in this way or I see how kids are gifted

432

: 00:21:43

at this age and I want to teach to that.

433

: 00:21:47

And I can so clearly remember when

it's the middle of first quarter and

434

: 00:21:53

I'd be sitting at my computer writing

out my progress reports of students.

435

: 00:21:58

And I loved my students, but I

can remember saying Lord, please

436

: 00:22:03

give me something true and good to

say about them because I'm trying

437

: 00:22:08

to get to know all of them, but I

just don't know them that well yet.

438

: 00:22:11

And I didn't want to be dishonest

to the parents and say, Oh, well,

439

: 00:22:15

Billy needs to work on self control

or something, but I love his.

440

: 00:22:18

Servant heart or something.

441

: 00:22:20

I wanted it to be true.

442

: 00:22:22

And that is what comes

to my mind Every time

443

: 00:22:24

a mom says, I just don't

know if I can do it.

444

: 00:22:28

I want to tell her, you are

an expert on your child.

445

: 00:22:32

And every year that they go to

Another, educational environment, that

446

: 00:22:37

teacher is learning about them, and

it takes so long to learn about the

447

: 00:22:42

strengths and weaknesses of children.

448

: 00:22:44

And not only are kids, losing over

the summer and needing to review,

449

: 00:22:48

it's, and that, that beginning of

the school year is like just such a

450

: 00:22:52

review and maybe not as efficient, but.

451

: 00:22:55

The new teacher and the way that works.

452

: 00:22:58

What a blessing to be able to have

different teachers in your life.

453

: 00:23:01

I think that's fantastic, but just the

reality that they don't know you like your

454

: 00:23:05

mom knows you and an expert is defined

as having 10, 000 hours of experience

455

: 00:23:13

with something how long would that be

with your child to reach 10, 000 hours?

456

: 00:23:18

It's about two and a quarter years

if you think that they're awake

457

: 00:23:22

on average of 12 hours a day.

458

: 00:23:24

You are an expert on your child.

459

: 00:23:26

You know how they learn.

460

: 00:23:28

You know what they're excited about.

461

: 00:23:29

Ooh, this is how I could get

this child excited about books.

462

: 00:23:33

This is how I could get this child to

do a math lesson, I can pull it in.

463

: 00:23:38

I'm going to bake with this one

as I teach fractions because

464

: 00:23:41

they love to bake with me.

465

: 00:23:43

And so I cannot underestimate that, that

knowing your child well already puts you

466

: 00:23:51

in a great position to be their educator.

467

: 00:23:55

And you don't need to feel like you're

at a deficit because maybe you don't know

468

: 00:24:00

the pedagogy, which is how you educate

that can be learned and you're already,

469

: 00:24:06

you've already done that because you've

taught your children so many things.

470

: 00:24:10

You've potty trained them at this,

by this point, you've taught them

471

: 00:24:13

so many manners, you've taught

them about the Lord, probably.

472

: 00:24:16

So you are already learning how it works.

473

: 00:24:19

That would just be my

number one encouragement.

474

: 00:24:21

You're already an expert on your

child, so don't feel disqualified from

475

: 00:24:25

Jen: Totally.

476

: 00:24:25

I agree wholeheartedly, and I don't think

that the world really understands that.

477

: 00:24:29

I get it the opposite.

478

: 00:24:31

I wasn't a teacher, and so people are

like, how are you gonna do calculus?

479

: 00:24:35

And I'm like, well, if it's something

that I haven't taken myself, there's

480

: 00:24:39

this wonderful thing called the Internet.

481

: 00:24:42

And these curriculums that you buy,

they teach so much that you don't

482

: 00:24:50

need to understand it as a whole.

483

: 00:24:52

And be like the expert in it.

484

: 00:24:54

Your child, the beauty of homeschool

is that your child is learning

485

: 00:24:57

how to learn alongside with you.

486

: 00:25:00

So you are teaching your child, even from

an early age, how to find information,

487

: 00:25:05

where to find information, how to

understand, to read the information.

488

: 00:25:10

And as they grow and develop

and they get more and more.

489

: 00:25:14

Educated.

490

: 00:25:16

They know how to find the

information on their own.

491

: 00:25:18

They become self learners.

492

: 00:25:19

And it's a benefit for when they get

older and they are going off to college.

493

: 00:25:23

They already know their learning style.

494

: 00:25:25

They know how to find

information and where and what

495

: 00:25:28

to look for good information.

496

: 00:25:30

And a lot of times when you're in college,

I know I didn't know my learning style

497

: 00:25:35

near as well when I got to college.

498

: 00:25:36

I was like, Oh.

499

: 00:25:38

How do I figure this out?

500

: 00:25:39

And I, you already know that because you

were the one working with them to help

501

: 00:25:45

them figure this out from the beginning.

502

: 00:25:47

It wasn't just shoving

them off and then saying,

503

: 00:25:51

well, good luck.

504

: 00:25:52

Steph: It

505

: 00:25:53

Jen: they become self learners.

506

: 00:25:54

Steph: Mm hmm.

507

: 00:25:55

I think you and I would both say

that probably our precious time

508

: 00:25:59

with our kids homeschooling has been

reading to them and sharing stories.

509

: 00:26:04

I just picture so many mornings of

snuggled up together and reading

510

: 00:26:09

books and laughing together and

having great conversations and

511

: 00:26:13

how that love of learning is so

important as we're guiding them.

512

: 00:26:18

And The joy that inspires, Sarah

McKenzie, well, she's my number

513

: 00:26:23

one recommendation, and she wrote

a book called Teaching from Rest, A

514

: 00:26:28

Homeschooler's Guide to Unshakable Peace.

515

: 00:26:31

And it's a pretty quick read

516

: 00:26:33

except you feel like you need

to underline the entire thing.

517

: 00:26:36

Jen: It's, true.

518

: 00:26:37

Steph: so I, that is a book that

I have told people just read

519

: 00:26:41

that every year before you begin.

520

: 00:26:43

a school year because

it's just so phenomenal.

521

: 00:26:46

She has so much rich wisdom there,

but she talks a lot about reading

522

: 00:26:51

to them and the value of that.

523

: 00:26:53

And she has a lot of great

book lists and things.

524

: 00:26:57

But she talks also about just living your

life in front of your kids and teaching

525

: 00:27:02

them how to, steward a home, how to

garden, how to cook, all sorts of things.

526

: 00:27:08

Do you have any recommended

resources that have encouraged

527

: 00:27:13

Jen: Yes I also agree

with Teaching from Rest.

528

: 00:27:15

I think that was a wonderful book.

529

: 00:27:17

I enjoyed it as well.

530

: 00:27:19

But I also like to read For

the Children's Sake every year.

531

: 00:27:22

It, That has been such a blessing to

me, just to reaffirm to me why I'm

532

: 00:27:28

doing this and a little bit of how

I want to do it as well, but more.

533

: 00:27:33

Just like encouragement as to why and

to get my heart behind it each year,

534

: 00:27:38

when Especially during the summer you

get relaxed a little bit and you're

535

: 00:27:43

like, oh, it is a lot of work to

homeschool But when I read that it's

536

: 00:27:47

like it inspires me to do the work.

537

: 00:27:50

So yeah, I like that one a lot

538

: 00:27:53

Steph: And of course God's word has

been such a guide and when I read

539

: 00:27:57

in Deuteronomy six, six, and seven.

540

: 00:28:00

When it says, And these words that

I command you today shall be on your

541

: 00:28:04

heart, you shall teach them diligently

to your children, and shall talk

542

: 00:28:08

of them when you sit in your house,

when you walk by the way, and when

543

: 00:28:12

you lie down, and when you rise.

544

: 00:28:15

And, of course, I know moms that

send their children to school

545

: 00:28:20

and are so faithful and diligent

with this in the other hours.

546

: 00:28:23

But I love how homeschooling

gives me many hours to do that.

547

: 00:28:29

It's just it makes it

easier for that diligence.

548

: 00:28:33

And the other scripture that has

brought me so much peace and hope in my

549

: 00:28:39

homeschooling is Isaiah 54 verses 10 and

13 says, for the mountains may depart and

550

: 00:28:46

the hills be removed, but my steadfast

love shall not depart from you and my

551

: 00:28:50

covenant of peace shall not be removed,

says the Lord who has compassion on you.

552

: 00:28:55

All your children shall

be taught by the Lord.

553

: 00:28:57

And great shall be the

peace of your children.

554

: 00:29:01

Even though I know I'm taking on a huge

role of educating them, ultimately, at the

555

: 00:29:06

end of the day, the Lord is their teacher.

556

: 00:29:08

If I keep that in perspective, I

don't put all that pressure on myself.

557

: 00:29:13

The Lord is ordaining so many

circumstances in their lives and,

558

: 00:29:16

who their siblings would be and where

we would live and our neighbors.

559

: 00:29:20

I want to trust in him and seek his

guidance and his leadership for them.

560

: 00:29:25

And our name of our homeschool

is Covenant of Peace Academy

561

: 00:29:28

because of that scripture.

562

: 00:29:30

That's been really sweet to me, especially

when we've gone through hard times , we

563

: 00:29:34

don't need to be shaken, that I believe

there's fruit at the end of all of this

564

: 00:29:39

character building and, sanctification.

565

: 00:29:42

Jen: Yes, absolutely.

566

: 00:29:44

Steph: Would

567

: 00:29:45

Jen: that.

568

: 00:29:45

And I love that you have that

verse about teaching because I also

569

: 00:29:50

have felt the same way that the

Lord is their ultimate teacher.

570

: 00:29:54

My favorite verse for homeschooling,

one of them is Psalm 32, 8,

571

: 00:29:59

I will instruct you and teach

you in the way you should go.

572

: 00:30:02

I will counsel you with my eye upon you.

573

: 00:30:05

And.

574

: 00:30:06

Just a totally different verse, but

about him being our teacher, that

575

: 00:30:09

he is leading us, not only us as the

moms, but he's leading our children.

576

: 00:30:13

He is their teacher and he is

going to perform what he needs to

577

: 00:30:17

perform in their lives to get them

to the point where he wants them.

578

: 00:30:21

And I love that.

579

: 00:30:22

And I find such peace in that as I'm

planning for the homeschool year and I'm.

580

: 00:30:27

Worried even on those days where

I'm like, oh, we didn't get as much

581

: 00:30:29

math in as I wanted or whatnot.

582

: 00:30:32

I love that one.

583

: 00:30:32

I also love the verse in Isaiah 40, 11.

584

: 00:30:35

He tends his flock like a shepherd.

585

: 00:30:37

He gathers the lambs in his arms

and carries them close to his heart.

586

: 00:30:41

He gently leads those that have young.

587

: 00:30:44

I find such peace in that

because he is gently leading me.

588

: 00:30:48

There's times where.

589

: 00:30:49

I'm like, God I don't know what to do.

590

: 00:30:51

I don't.

591

: 00:30:51

I have taught this child in every

way that I can imagine how to do this

592

: 00:30:56

equation in math or whatnot, and it's

just the light bulb isn't clicking on.

593

: 00:31:01

And then I'll go away to pray and

I'll give some time for the child.

594

: 00:31:05

And even if the child doesn't get the math

that day, I feel like he's leading me.

595

: 00:31:11

He'll be like.

596

: 00:31:12

Take a break, or go for a walk,

or just sit down and do another

597

: 00:31:17

worksheet with that child.

598

: 00:31:18

But I have never felt in a day that

I just don't know what to do and

599

: 00:31:24

I don't have the resources I need.

600

: 00:31:27

There's definite times where I

don't know what to do, but the Lord

601

: 00:31:30

reveals to me in those moments Just

take a break, or go pray about it.

602

: 00:31:35

Steph: Sure

603

: 00:31:35

Jen: It's amazing how He's

leading us, and I love that.

604

: 00:31:38

Steph: absolutely

605

: 00:31:40

The Lord has really allowed me to

be humbled as I've needed to work

606

: 00:31:44

to help provide for the family, and

been dealing with different health

607

: 00:31:48

issues in our family and then also

financial constraints, and I feel like

608

: 00:31:52

I can't do it like I want to do it.

609

: 00:31:54

And it's hard because I know the

right way I know what to do often,

610

: 00:31:59

and yet the Lord is allowed.

611

: 00:32:02

These restrictions upon us and that

takes a lot of faith for me To say

612

: 00:32:08

I trust you with the result because

I know that these are things you've

613

: 00:32:11

ordained and I know you're sovereign

God, and I know you love them more than

614

: 00:32:15

I love them So you're providing for us

and providing what they need and the

615

: 00:32:20

scripture that really encourages me is

from the feeding of the 5, 000 When

616

: 00:32:26

the little boy, the lunch is given, and

Jesus basically says, what do you have?

617

: 00:32:31

Give it to me.

618

: 00:32:32

Jen: Oh, I love

619

: 00:32:33

Steph: And if I focus on,

Lord, I was faithful today.

620

: 00:32:38

That's what you called me to.

621

: 00:32:39

You didn't call me to, do miracles

in my children's mind I don't

622

: 00:32:44

have to be the one to produce all

the fruit, but was I faithful?

623

: 00:32:49

And of course, some days I'm not, I, I,

624

: 00:32:51

don't know, stopped to scroll for a little

bit on Instagram or I, decided I really

625

: 00:32:56

needed a closet cleaned and that was going

to bring me some sort of peace or, but.

626

: 00:33:01

I just, to try to be faithful and to

trust Him to produce the fruit, just

627

: 00:33:08

like He did with the feeding of the

5, 000, then it's a lot less pressure

628

: 00:33:12

on me for what's produced in them.

629

: 00:33:16

And I think when I can rest in that,

just like teaching from rest, when I can

630

: 00:33:21

rest in that in what the Lord is doing,

it takes a lot of pressure off of me.

631

: 00:33:27

Jen: Yes.

632

: 00:33:28

Yes.

633

: 00:33:29

I agree.

634

: 00:33:30

And going back to that scripture,

I love that because you know that

635

: 00:33:34

little boy's mama made him that lunch.

636

: 00:33:36

She's before you go off,

you're gonna get hungry.

637

: 00:33:39

Here's a little lunch for you.

638

: 00:33:41

I think that's so sweet that he And she

trained him up to be willing to share.

639

: 00:33:46

I love that story.

640

: 00:33:48

I love the, to think of that behind

the scenes with that little boy

641

: 00:33:52

being willing to share his lunch.

642

: 00:33:53

And we know boys with

643

: 00:33:54

Steph: Yeah.

644

: 00:33:54

Lunch is a big thing.

645

: 00:33:56

Jen: He's willing to share.

646

: 00:33:57

That's really sweet.

647

: 00:33:58

So

648

: 00:33:59

Steph: It is.

649

: 00:33:59

Jen: I love that you had

mentioned earlier that education

650

: 00:34:02

is discipleship and It so is.

651

: 00:34:06

It is so a discipleship.

652

: 00:34:07

And I love the fact that we

have the time to be able to read

653

: 00:34:13

through the Bible in a school year.

654

: 00:34:15

We've planned through how much we can

read in a day in our homeschool day

655

: 00:34:19

to be able to get through the Bible.

656

: 00:34:21

And I know that if we were doing a

different type of schooling, I would, I

657

: 00:34:27

don't think at the end of the day they

would come home from school that I'd

658

: 00:34:30

be like, okay, now sit down and we're

going to read through the Bible together.

659

: 00:34:32

I don't, maybe I would, but

I just don't think I would.

660

: 00:34:36

have that in me.

661

: 00:34:37

And having the time to be able

to do that has been so amazing.

662

: 00:34:43

And to be able to dive into a

different book series because

663

: 00:34:47

we're like, Oh, we love that book.

664

: 00:34:48

And I think that even with

reading aloud to kids, one of the

665

: 00:34:52

coolest things that I've learned.

666

: 00:34:54

Being a homeschool mom is how these

book characters come so alive and

667

: 00:35:00

become like part of your family.

668

: 00:35:02

Like I remember weeping when we

got done reading Little Britches.

669

: 00:35:06

We sat around the table together weeping

like we didn't want the book to be

670

: 00:35:11

done and we just felt in our hearts

like these were dear friends of ours

671

: 00:35:16

we learn so much from the different

characters in those books about

672

: 00:35:21

How

673

: 00:35:21

to be a good son, how to work hard,

how to have integrity and I just

674

: 00:35:27

love that part of reading aloud and

snuggling together on the couch and

675

: 00:35:31

being able to experience different

cultures and different situations,

676

: 00:35:35

Steph: jen, you have such a beautiful

homeschool space, will you tell us a

677

: 00:35:39

little bit about how you've planned that

and what the name of your homeschool is?

678

: 00:35:44

Jen: Yeah, three years ago,

we built a custom made home.

679

: 00:35:48

In the plans, we decided

to have a homeschool room.

680

: 00:35:51

And it was so much fun to plan and

just to, I actually remember crying

681

: 00:35:56

over the plans thinking, this is where.

682

: 00:35:58

The discipling of our kids is

going to happen on the daily.

683

: 00:36:02

So yes, we have a

homeschool room that I love.

684

: 00:36:04

Above the door before we enter

it is our school name, which

685

: 00:36:08

is Joyful Adventure Academy.

686

: 00:36:10

I, we asked the kids what

they wanted to name it.

687

: 00:36:14

And we all agreed that it needed to have

joyful and it needed to have adventure.

688

: 00:36:18

We're constantly talking about

anything that doesn't go well in a day.

689

: 00:36:23

We're like, well, it's an adventure.

690

: 00:36:24

Steph: Ha ha Ha!

691

: 00:36:28

Jen: it is a fun adventure

and it's a glorious adventure.

692

: 00:36:31

And other times it's not as fun, but

it still is definitely an adventure.

693

: 00:36:35

And and.

694

: 00:36:36

Both of my daughters have the middle

name Joy, and so we just wanted to keep

695

: 00:36:40

in the joy of learning, the joy of being

together, the joy of being a Christ

696

: 00:36:45

follower, and the joy of being siblings

together, and the joy of being a family.

697

: 00:36:49

And so that was important to them,

and so we named it Joyful Adventure.

698

: 00:36:54

And I just think it's so funny because

sometimes when we're in public and people

699

: 00:36:58

say aren't you supposed to be in school?

700

: 00:37:00

And we give the We are in school

answer and then sometimes we'll

701

: 00:37:05

ask the school name and we'll

say Joyful Adventure Academy.

702

: 00:37:08

And I had one lady at Trader Joe's say,

703

: 00:37:11

Oh,

704

: 00:37:11

I think I've heard of that

705

: 00:37:13

Steph: one.

706

: 00:37:13

You do?

707

: 00:37:14

And I

708

: 00:37:15

Jen: And I just had to

laugh and say not too new.

709

: 00:37:19

And we moved on.

710

: 00:37:19

But it's very sweet.

711

: 00:37:20

And our kids just like to tell people

our name because I think it's just a fun.

712

: 00:37:25

It's a fun way of sharing who we are.

713

: 00:37:28

Steph: absolutely.

714

: 00:37:29

Oh, it's great.

715

: 00:37:29

It's about the perspective, right?

716

: 00:37:31

Jen: Yes, absolutely.

717

: 00:37:32

Where do you do your homeschool?

718

: 00:37:35

Steph: We've had dedicated homeschool

rooms before, but I have found

719

: 00:37:40

that the table next to the kitchen

is where we almost always are.

720

: 00:37:45

I think the light is

the best in that room.

721

: 00:37:48

Yeah.

722

: 00:37:48

It's an open room and so often we'll start

out reading on the couches and having

723

: 00:37:52

our morning time and then we head over

to the table it's not our dining room

724

: 00:37:57

table, the dining room table is a room

over and so then if I need someone to be

725

: 00:38:01

able to have a little bit more focused

time, they can go over there or, and it's

726

: 00:38:05

right outside so then if the younger ones

need to play outside for a while or if I'm

727

: 00:38:10

like, okay, go run laps around the house

or go, catch 50 pop ups or something.

728

: 00:38:15

I still have an eye on them.

729

: 00:38:17

And then if I need to make snacks,

that's what works best for us right now

730

: 00:38:21

I have, One cabinet right off of

that room that's filled with the

731

: 00:38:26

curriculum that we really need.

732

: 00:38:28

And then everything else is

in our playroom with a lot

733

: 00:38:32

of bookshelves and things.

734

: 00:38:33

But I try to even limit

what goes in the cabinets.

735

: 00:38:37

Can I actually get to this?

736

: 00:38:39

If I can't, then why would I

put that guilt on myself every

737

: 00:38:43

time I see that resource?

738

: 00:38:45

I still tend to over plan, but I don't

want to forget that I have something

739

: 00:38:50

but just, it's like, if you can't

really get to it, get it out of here.

740

: 00:38:53

Cause it's just going

to make you feel bad,

741

: 00:38:55

Jen: yeah, agreed.

742

: 00:38:56

I agree with that.

743

: 00:38:57

We also do, we have a homeschool room.

744

: 00:39:00

But, and we start there in the morning.

745

: 00:39:01

We do morning time.

746

: 00:39:02

We pray over all of our neighbors,

all of our friends, prayer requests.

747

: 00:39:06

We have a little notebook, which I love.

748

: 00:39:09

It's my favorite time of the morning.

749

: 00:39:11

And I ask each kid a prayer

request and I get to hear.

750

: 00:39:14

What's on their heart, and so we

pray about that, and then we read

751

: 00:39:19

the Bible together, and then we'll

move to the living room, especially

752

: 00:39:23

in the winter where the fireplace is,

and we'll snuggle up and listen to

753

: 00:39:25

either an audiobook or me read aloud.

754

: 00:39:28

And then we will break off into math,

and one kid goes in the homeschool room,

755

: 00:39:32

one goes to the dining room table, and

one's going up to their room to do it.

756

: 00:39:36

So we're all over the home, but the

curriculum is housed for sure in

757

: 00:39:42

the homeschool room, but, I agree.

758

: 00:39:44

It becomes a home

throughout the whole home.

759

: 00:39:47

We're homeschooling.

760

: 00:39:47

Steph: Absolutely.

761

: 00:39:49

There are definitely things that

we love about what we're doing

762

: 00:39:52

now, but we've had to learn,

763

: 00:39:54

yeah.

764

: 00:39:55

What is something, if you

could go back, you would change

765

: 00:39:59

about the way you homeschooled?

766

: 00:40:00

Jen: Yeah, for sure.

767

: 00:40:01

I would not buy brand

new full box curriculum.

768

: 00:40:06

I remember thinking I needed to

buy everything that was in the

769

: 00:40:10

catalog and if I didn't they were

gonna be Very unwise children.

770

: 00:40:15

So I would now, what I do now is I will

look at the curriculum and then I will

771

: 00:40:20

go on eBay or on Facebook Marketplace or

even at random garage sales, wherever I

772

: 00:40:25

can, ask other friends, and I will buy

at all costs as many used books as I can.

773

: 00:40:30

And then even the used,

we use sex and math.

774

: 00:40:33

And so I would always

buy a used sex and math.

775

: 00:40:36

And then I'll go on Amazon and buy.

776

: 00:40:39

The new, brand new workbook

that the child will go through.

777

: 00:40:42

But I definitely don't do

the whole box set anymore.

778

: 00:40:44

And I wouldn't, especially because

then, if it doesn't work for us for

779

: 00:40:49

some reason, or if I didn't finish it, I

don't feel like I'm out three grand and

780

: 00:40:53

I have to be a slave to this curriculum.

781

: 00:40:56

I'm only out a little bit because I

didn't have to pay for it brand new.

782

: 00:41:00

Steph: Yep, I agree.

783

: 00:41:02

It's wonderful to find used resources.

784

: 00:41:05

I remember when my oldest, cause

I saw that he was so bright,

785

: 00:41:11

and so I would sit him down.

786

: 00:41:13

And we'd go through these math

books and he was getting stressed

787

: 00:41:17

out by it and I didn't understand

why it wasn't clicking more.

788

: 00:41:22

And I thought, he's so

smart what's the problem?

789

: 00:41:24

And I learned that he's a kinesthetic

learner he needs to be moving.

790

: 00:41:29

Even though he had the intelligence

to do it, the way I was presenting

791

: 00:41:33

it to him was so defeating and

discouraging for this little boy's

792

: 00:41:37

body, and I said to my friend, yeah,

I feel like I failed him this year.

793

: 00:41:41

And she said, you didn't fail

your son, you learned about him.

794

: 00:41:45

It was such a good word.

795

: 00:41:47

And she said she actually knows of

some corporate companies that embrace

796

: 00:41:52

a culture of failure that if you are

doing something, if you're embarking on a

797

: 00:41:57

project and you realize, wow, this isn't

gonna be profitable and you cut bait,

798

: 00:42:01

they will reward you with vacation time.

799

: 00:42:05

And That was so helpful for me

because I felt like when I started

800

: 00:42:09

out, I have to do it all right.

801

: 00:42:11

I have to pick the curriculum

we're going to start with.

802

: 00:42:13

And my fourth one had just been born.

803

: 00:42:15

I didn't know exactly what our

family was going to look like.

804

: 00:42:18

As much as we want to start

well, be willing to let the Lord.

805

: 00:42:23

Change it

806

: 00:42:24

maybe you're convinced.

807

: 00:42:25

Okay.

808

: 00:42:25

I think I can do this.

809

: 00:42:26

I have a heart for it.

810

: 00:42:28

I just don't know where to start.

811

: 00:42:31

That book, Teaching from Rest, is a very

practical resource to lay out how you

812

: 00:42:35

could start and it will be different.

813

: 00:42:38

Dependent upon the age of your children,

but we really do believe that you can

814

: 00:42:43

do this and there are a lot of wonderful

resources online, but I would encourage

815

: 00:42:49

you to not seek too many avenues, not

to listen to too many people because

816

: 00:42:56

that's when it gets really overwhelming.

817

: 00:42:58

And as we've said, the Lord is your

teacher, just as he will be your

818

: 00:43:02

children's teacher, he's your teacher.

819

: 00:43:04

Allow him to lead you on this go to

him, surrendered, and he will guide you.

820

: 00:43:09

We want to remind you to stick around for

the end, for the part that we pray over.

821

: 00:43:13

You.

822

: 00:43:13

We truly are rooting for you.

823

: 00:43:15

if you've been blessed by this

podcast, please leave a review on

824

: 00:43:18

your favorite listening platform.

825

: 00:43:20

And we will have more

homeschooling episodes.

826

: 00:43:23

In the future, but we just

wanted to get this one out.

827

: 00:43:25

To help you persevere through one

of those hard seasons in the year.

828

: 00:43:29

You can do this.

829

: 00:43:31

We know you're busy, Mama, so

we are truly grateful you joined

830

: 00:43:34

us for this episode of Again.

831

: 00:43:37

If you're looking for more information

about building your home on the

832

: 00:43:39

foundation of Jesus Christ, head to www.

833

: 00:43:43

EntrustedMinistries.

834

: 00:43:46

com to learn more about our study for

moms, Entrusted with a Child's Heart.

835

: 00:43:50

This scripture saturated study

has blessed families around the

836

: 00:43:54

world, and we want it for you, too.

837

: 00:43:56

Before you go, I want to pray

this benediction over you

838

: 00:44:00

from 2 Thessalonians 1, 11 12.

839

: 00:44:04

We're rooting for you.

840

: 00:44:06

To this end, we always pray for you,

that our God may make you worthy of His

841

: 00:44:11

calling, and may fulfill every resolve

for good, and every work of faith by

842

: 00:44:17

His power, so that the name of our Lord

Jesus may be glorified in you, and you in

843

: 00:44:23

Him, according to the grace of our God.

844

: 00:44:26

And the Lord Jesus Christ.

845

: 00:44:28

Amen.

846

: 00:44:30

Until we meet again.