Encouragement

The Real Solution Is Found In Seeking God

May 14, 2012 By admin Leave a Comment

As moms, we all know how hard it can be to get some time alone for personal Bible study and prayer.

Somebody always needs Mommy!

Especially as a homeschool mom, the dream of a quiet morning with a cup of coffee and our Bibles isn’t very realistic.
I don’t know about your kids, but even if I try to wake up earlier for some quiet time, my girls seem to have a “Mommy’s Awake” sensor or something. It seems like they just know Mommy is up and so they wake up.

In this season of life, there are times that I simply long for silence and quiet time with God.

I can imagine getting in the car, renting a room at a hotel and just spending the day by myself… or finding a beach, pulling out a towel and sitting there alone with God… a park bench in the woods… a small table at Starbucks… so many options. so many reasons why those things aren’t part of my life right now.

Now, I know that God understands that I’m a busy mom with young kids who need me. I learned long ago that I can take small amounts of time and pray while the kids play or read my Bible while the girls color. I can choose to bring them along with me in my personal time with God.
I know that He honors the time that I give Him in this season of life. And, I know the impact my personal time with God has on my children when I seek Him in front of them.

But, there are times when I want more, times that those small study moments just aren’t enough, times when I feel the need to just get away from life for a few hours and spend some time with Him.

Quiet. Peace. Alone time with God.

Sounds so nice… so impossible.

Sometimes, in my heart’s tearful prayers, I tell God of my struggle to have more time with Him. I ask Him to help me hear His voice in the midst of the loudness of life.

And, in God’s patient loving way, He answered my cry. God led me to Psalm chapter 55 and wow… can I just tell you how personal our God is when we seek Him?

The cry of my heart was to break away, find relief and experience some quiet. Obviously, there was a moment when King David felt the same way!

Psalm 55:6-7 “I said, “Oh, that I had the wings of a dove! I would fly away and be at rest- I would flee far away and stay in the desert; I would hurry to my place of shelter, far from the tempest and storm.”
Psalm 55:16-17 “But I call to God, the LORD saves me. Evening, morning and noon I cry out in distress, and he hears my voice. “
Psalm 55:22 “Cast your cares on the LORD and he will sustain you; he will never let the righteous fall.”

The study notes of my Bible say it like this: “We often seek relief by trying to escape our troubles. However, in most cases we cannot simply escape the situation. THE REAL SOLUTION is found in seeking God. Call on Him constantly. Giving Him our concerns and trusting Him to take care of everything in His own time and way.”

The end of verse 23 says, “But as for me, I trust in You.”

So, I might not get any time alone today but God is still here with me in the craziness of my young household. He hears me when the girls are playing, screaming and singing. He enjoys our time together even if there is a girl or two climbing on me. He listens to my conversations with Him even if I can’t close my eyes to pray.

I can trust Him to grow me, change me and use me even if I can’t get 2 quiet minutes to put together. He and His love are right here with me.

The doubt, frustration and even guilt that I feel for not having that picture perfect quiet time is not from God. We put that on ourselves.
God reminded me through His Word that He is always with me and that my time with Him is precious in His sight.

I don’t have to fly away or run away to find Him.

The real solution is found in seeking Him right where I am in this moment.

Jenilee is a homeschooling mom to 3 girls – Elayna, Annalise and Abigail. She serves with her husband, Jeremy, a Children’s Pastor in Ohio, in full-time ministry. Jenilee loves a good book, coffee and blogging! You can read more about her family life, homeschooling adventures and other humorous Goodwin moments by visiting Our Goodwin Journey

Filed Under: Encouragement Tagged With: Jenilee

Has your homeschool Arrived?

May 7, 2012 By Beth 10 Comments

Most moms I meet are worried or stressed. They worry about schedules, children, and chores. They stress about not doing enough, discipline, curriculum and what other families are doing. They aren’t living a joyful life. Clearly, they aren’t living much of a life at all.

The truth is, I often find myself slave to this trap. You know why? Because I’m not perfect and it is so easy to get caught up in a whirlwind, wondering:

What if I tried this schedule? What if I tried this curriculum? What if I did it like this family? What if I did this, went here, or read that?

Would I finally be satisfied? Would I ARRIVE?

The answer is NO.

It is the classic grass is greener syndrome. No matter how many times I change curriculum, try to pattern myself after someone else, or read just one more homeschooling guru’s book, I will not be content. Those are just surface things. Before I rest at the feet of Jesus, I am just going to be restless. In our family, we call this “The School of Mary”.

To put down our good work, lay down our busyness, and just sit at the Masters feet. For no other purpose but to be near Him. To see His face. To hear His voice. To feel His presence. Our homes, our children, our blogs, our very lives will just be a list of words put together in story form. We must first wait before the Lord in order to have purpose.

People talk of perfection, of having THE homeschool experience, but I am here to tell you, perfection doesn’t come this side of Glory. We are blessed with just a foretaste of perfection here on this earth. We are also blessed with enough imperfection to know we aren’t there yet. Every now and then, we will have a homeschool day that looks and feels perfect. Those days are encouragements. They are lovely.

But those days are like the water Jesus spoke of to the woman at the well…they leave us thirsty again. Always wanting more. Trying to duplicate that day so we can say it was perfect. Instead, we need to drink in the Living Water, realizing He is perfect, and all that we need.

I know what it is like to second guess every move you make in your homeschool day (Trust me, the planning for 8 can be overwhelming). I want to be certain I have the right curriculum, the right schedule, the right everything. But friends, if you are always right, there is no room for God.

As a homeschool mom, you will find your education has just begun and it will last until that last little one has graduated. Don’t stress over it, but see it as a chance to put your relationship with Christ to work! You can expect interruptions, frustrations, and other things that take time away from your actual homeschool day. It is school, AT HOME. You are not in a bubble. Life happens. It’s ok.

There will be rough days. Don’t let the rough days ruin the good of what you are doing. Homeschooling is a labor of love. It is work, but it is good work. The bumps may slow you down, but they should never to beat you down. So, put Christ first in everything. Take a step back and rather than analyzing curriculum and schedules, analyze your walk with Christ, and how your day falls in line with God’s Will. Step away whenever you feel as if you are going to drown. Step away into your place of solitude. Pray. Rest. Be at the feet of Jesus. It is there you will find what you are looking for. It is at His feet, you will arrive.

Filed Under: Encouragement Tagged With: Beth

The Homeschooling For Realz Challenge

May 4, 2012 By Jessica M 15 Comments

It’s the end of March. I’m packing for a conference. This daughter of mine who shoots it straight and makes me laugh out loud, she asks, “Why are you packing?” To which I reply, “I’m going to a conference for homeschooling moms where maybe I’ll learn some new things and help us to do schooling at home better.”

She stands there and I lift my eyes to watch her. I can tell she is thinking, processing what I have said. Then out of the blue she shoots words across the room straight at me, “Well that’s good ‘cause this house is miserable.” [insert knife into heart here]

Yeah. That right there pierced so deep. I suck in a breath and try to process what she has said – but I can’t begin to wrap my mind around her words. Her truth. Our truth.

Our home is miserable? We’ve lost the joy? And I can’t help but think it is all my fault. I’ve lost my footing and focus.

So I drive to a conference put together by Apologia and I listen to women who have lived in the trenches and survived… thrived. I listened to moms who have graduated students. I listened to moms who struggled and were real. I listened and I prayed. I asked for His guidance to show me truth. (be brave enough to ask God to show you the truth about your home - He will rock your world)

You see I had been doing this homeschooling thing with half my heart. I wasn’t all in. I was waiting for the day when there would be “better options.” I was waiting for the someday. I was not fully invested in the here and now. Ultimately I wasn’t invested in them… in us. I was too focused on other things. I was lazy and distracted. I was disobedient.

I wept on the floor of that conference room and prayed: confessing, listening and seeking to be obedient. And as hands were laid on me in prayer – I heard a call to be the best option. To be the change my kids need. It starts with me.

So I brought the Joy of the Lord home with me.

We sat down together as a family and prayed. We thanked God for each other. We thanked God for placing each child directly where He has placed them and we thanked God for giving us a solid marriage and home. Then we got up off the floor and literally rearranged the furniture. We are all in. We removed distractions – the computer to an area outside our normal schooling/living space which freed up room for children to learn and create. We removed the excess. We organized our daily life. And we intentionally began to pursue laughter and God’s Word in our home. It is no longer God’s Word as a curriculum choice – it is God’s Word alive and active in our lives. It is no longer about my own personal quiet time, prayer time… it is about us.

“I was requiring them (my children) to live at a standard that I wasn’t living myself…God has a better plan. It starts by discipling you so you can discipline your children.” (Rachael Carman, Apologia Live, March 2012)

So my challenge to you this month is threefold:

1. Clear the clutter and distractions

2. Pursue God’s Word daily with your whole family not just a part of your curriculum choices

3. Be intentional about laughter in your home.

There is no reason for your home to be miserable…

Filed Under: Encouragement Tagged With: Jessica M

Mentoring, Encouragement

May 2, 2012 By Christine

Eight years ago, when my oldest son was in Montessori preschool and my husband and I were researching the option of keeping him home to learn, I called a woman I didn’t know at all simply because she happened to be a homeschooler. I clumsily introduced myself and told her why I was calling, and she proceeded to allay my anxiety and turn an awkward conversation into a wonderful connection between two hearts that shared a desire to find the best for their children. And after that day, after she answered my questions patiently and joyfully, I never spoke to her again.

Somehow in the past couple of years– in subtle small steps, successes and failures large and small– I have become an on-the-fly homeschooling mentor. This fact has taken me by surprise and frankly I don’t feel as if I deserve the privilege, seeing as how I haven’t graduated anyone and I still have struggles and questions of my own. Nevertheless the phone calls, emails and texts come in regularly asking for advice and tips and encouragement.

I fielded one of those phone calls this past week. A precious friend, one who remains close to my heart even though thousands of miles separate us, is finishing up her first homeschooling year with her twin Kindergarten boys. She asked question after question, gently sighing at my answers, relaxing into my words as I reminded her of her purpose and spoke grace to her anxious mama’s heart. A few times she apologized for taking my time, for only calling when she needed advice, and then another question would pop into her mind and she would quickly add it to the conversation. I tried to assure her that I love helping her and encouraging her and untying the guilt-knots she has tied herself in, and she believed me. I think.

But what I don’t think I made clear enough was how the conversation benefitted me.

The coin of mentoring- flipping between our need for encouragement and our ability to provide it to others- is one that benefits both sides. The woman who helped me all those years ago had a profound effect on me, though I don’t even remember her name. But a bit surprising to me is the truth that I, in all likelihood, also had an effect on her. Maybe she was in the midst of a difficult week. Maybe she needed to be reminded of why she chose the path of homeschooling and speaking her reasons to me gave her a much-needed boost. At the very least our conversation probably made her feel like a link in the chain that connects all of us on this challenging and rewarding journey.

As we come to the end of a school year, and as we start to plan for the next one, I’d like to remind you that we as homeschooling moms are often better together. That reaching out- either as a mentor or a mentee- benefits all involved. Isn’t that what we’re doing here, in this online place- I learn from you, and you learn from me?

So I say to you: thanks for being here. As you come seeking encouragement in this place, you bring some for me as well.

Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing.

1 Thessalonians 5:11

Filed Under: Encouragement Tagged With: Christine

The Time is Now

April 27, 2012 By LisaWalters

“If you wait for perfect conditions, you will never get anything done.” Ecc. 11:4 (NLT)

That verse smacked me right between the eyes when I read it.

I am a world-class procrastinator, and many times my excuse is that the conditions are not “perfect” for taking on the project that needs to be done.

Let me show you a gross example, if you think you can handle it!

One of the “blessings” of spring

Ewww! But, every time I walked by this window, I somehow found an excuse for why NOW was not the right time to clean this up.

Then I read this verse:

“I walked by the field of a lazy person, the vineyard of one lacking sense. I saw that it was overgrown with thorns. It was covered with weeds, and its walls were broken down. Then, as I looked and thought about it, I learned this lesson: A little extra sleep, a little more slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest–and poverty will pounce on you like a bandit; scarcity will attack you like an armed robber.” Proverbs 24:30-34 (NLT)

Is my family going to be pounced upon by poverty because I didn’t scrub the mold off the windowsill? Obviously not, but the principle is that NOW is the time to accomplish what needs to be done. No more excuses. No more procrastination.

The principle also applies to situations in life other than farming and spring cleaning.

That friendship I’ve been neglecting because it’s not the easiest? The time is NOW.
That letter I’ve been meaning to write? The time is NOW.
That spiritual discipline I need to make a part of my life? The time is NOW.
That tough-love I need to use with my teen? The time is NOW.
That playing I need to do with my husband or children? The time is NOW.

You get the picture.

There are definitely certain decisions or tasks that require a specific timing, and NOW may not be it. But, for a whole host of other things, putting them off and making excuses for not doing them is nothing more than pure laziness. That is a shoe that I do not like to try on my own foot. Too often, however, that shoe fits.

So is there a remedy for laziness?

I posed this question to my chaplain-counselor-husband. We had an interesting discussion, and this is the essence of our conclusions:

It comes down to discipline and determination. We have to get to a point of not doing things only when we “feel” like doing them, but because they must be done. It’s a change of mindset. It also takes a realization that ultimately, we work and live for the glory of One, and we need to ask ourselves if we are pleasing Him with how we spend our time.

I seem to recall a shoe company’s ad campaign that is apropos. Remember Nike’s “Just Do It”? Whether it’s spring cleaning, prayerfully evaluating homeschool curriculum, having an important discussion with your spouse, stepping away from the computer, or beginning that exercise plan–

Just Do It–The Time is NOW!

Filed Under: Encouragement Tagged With: laziness, time management

Realign: Making God’s Way My Way Again

April 25, 2012 By Kela

It is definitely a new season. All I have to do is hear the sniffles and see the red eyes of my youngest daughter.

There was a shift in the weather. From cold to mild. It was subtle, but the it eventually became very evident.

That thought took me to my walk of faith in Christ. Time in, and hunger for the word of God can shift from red hot to mild to cold.

This is where I’d gotten; not totally cold, but somewhere a little less that mild.

Sure, my Bible is open on my desk all day, every day. I’d read a Scripture, heck, even a whole chapter. I didn’t allow myself to align myself totally with the Word.

I still held the same standards and could confidently quote the passage when talking with friends. I could portray so much of God’s loving-kindness on the pages of my online feeds, but what did that look like in my real, daily walk. I want so desperately to get back in line with my Savior.

There were some things in my life that I let slip because of a weak time abiding in the Word.

Encouraging words to my friends waned. My thoughts weren’t always positive. I’d constructed a critical spirit toward my husband. I didn’t seek God first. I sought the advice and direction of friends. I wasn’t as attentive to my children.

The word “Realign” came flooding in.

Align: (verb) to fall or come into line; be in line.

Realign is to get back into line.

It’s time to realign my life with God’s Word with an expectancy for freshness; a new understanding or revelation of Him.

This is what God brought to my attention when I got intentional about seeking Him,

“For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.”

Romans 8:5-6 (NKJV)

Because of carnal thinking and attitude, I went from death to life and peace.

So, how does one go from carnality to spirituality? I can only share from my own experience.

Make a decision. My thought life is my choice. I don’t have to dwell on every thought that comes into my noggin!
Dig. If there is some sort of unrest looming in my life, I dig in the scripture for specific verses that deal with it and stand on God’s promise that He’ll never leave me alone.
Pray specifically. I’ve had enough of vague, blanket “Lord, forgive me.” prayers without praying about a specific attitude. I had to get to the root of my issues by asking the Lord to reveal my heart.

“Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a steadfast spirit within me.. Do not cast me away from Your presence, and do not take Your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of Your salvation, and uphold me by Your generous Spirit.”

Psalm 51: 10-12 (NKJV)

Shifts in our growing time happen. We can become stagnant and know that we need to realign so that our lives line up with God’s instruction for living. Sometimes it can be caught and dealt with quickly, other times its a subtle change.

Either way, God is still there and His mercies are ever present. Know that He’s always, ALWAYS a safe place to land.

Photo credit

Filed Under: Encouragement Tagged With: Kela

Daily Choosing to Live For Him

April 16, 2012 By Jenilee

Recently, I was reading in I Thessalonians. And, once again, I felt challenged by the word of God.

Challenged to take inventory of my relationship with God.

Challenged to take another look at my spiritual life.

Challenged to take a glance in the mirror of God’s Word and examine the reflection I see in my heart, my marriage, my mothering, my homeschooling and my friendships.

I am so thankful for the free gift of my salvation. The fact that God loved me enough in my humanness to send His Son as the one and only, final sacrifice for sin is amazing and incredible. What a blessing to know that I have been redeemed through His blood that was shed on a cross 2000 years ago.

The knowledge that He did that for me brings me to my knees.

I have been set free from the bonds of sin and I can live victoriously in this free
gift.

I am a forgiven, loved, hand-created child of God.

And so are you.

Amazing grace… how sweet the sound of that promise is to those of us who
believe.

In reading I Thessalonians 4, I was again reminded that we hold a responsibility to not only live in that freedom but to also continue living everyday in a way that is pleasing to God.

“Finally, brothers, we instructed you how to live in order to please God, as in fact you are living. Now we ask you and urge you in the Lord Jesus to do this more and more. For you know what instructions we gave you by the authority of the Lord Jesus. It is God’s will that you should be sanctified: that you should avoid sexual immorality; that each of you should learn to control his own body in a way that is holy and honorable, not in passionate lust like the heathen, who do not know God; and that in this matter no one should wrong his brother or take advantage of him. The Lord will punish men for all such sins, as we have already told you and warned you. For God did not call us to be impure, but to live a holy life. Therefore, he who rejects this instruction does not reject man but God, who gives you his Holy Spirit.”

Although we have been forgiven, redeemed, saved by grace, we are called to live a life that is worthy of God.

Colossians 1:9-14 says, “For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you and asking God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all spiritual wisdom and understanding. And we pray this in order that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and may please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, and joyfully giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in the kingdom of light. For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.”

Not that our works save us, but that our works show that we have been saved.

And, it is our choice.

God does not force us to “live a life worthy of the Lord”. We have the ability to live as we want, but when we accept Jesus as our Savior, we have HIS power to help us live a life free from the bondage of sin. We have been set free and no longer have to live in sin, but can choose to live a life that is pleasing to God.

He shines His light on our hearts and promises to daily help us clean out even the darkest corners.

In choosing to live a life for God, others will see God in us. We will shine like stars to the “crooked and depraved generation” around us.

I want to challenge you to dig into these scriptures, allow God to do some spring cleaning in your heart and allow Him to help you live a life that is pleasing to Him in every way!

Filed Under: Encouragement Tagged With: faith, Jenilee

We reap what we sow

April 12, 2012 By Beth

This time of year is full of newness, awakenings, and stretching out from the sleep of winter. Life is renewing, regrowing; and bright, bold and loud. You just want to be a part of it all.

Parents and children alike begin itching for the long days of summer. We get antsy for the season of warmth, sunshine, and carefree days. And to keep the spring-fever at a tolerable level, we begin preparing for this season of life. As Moms, we will do some major spring cleanin: closets, rooms, attics, and basements. Nothing escapes. We will clean out toys, clothes, housewares, and school items. And we are not alone. Many men will clean out sheds, garages, and workshops. Broken tools, equipment, and stashed junk will all be removed.

Dad and son tilling the soil

At our house, my favorite spring chore is the cleaning out of the garden, preparing it for the new growth. Tilling the soil, fertilizing, removing dead plants, rocks, and debris. From the dirt, sweat, smells, and sounds, it is a joyous time for me. I LOVE getting my hands dirty. I envision the bounty at the harvest, the days spent side by side my children and husband as we work the garden – weeding, watering, inspecting, protecting. I spend weeks and months planning, researching, prepping, and dreaming over our garden. From the cleaning out of the dormant beds, to the selecting and purchasing of seeds, and harvesting the finished produce, I am consumed with the life of our garden.

How much more should it be with our hearts? Do we look for days of regrowth, renewal, even rebirth? Galatians 6:7-9 tells us, “A man reaps what he sows. The one who sows to please his sinful flesh, from that nature will reap destruction; the one who sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life. Let us not grow weary doing good, for at the proper time, we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.”

If I want to harvest tomatoes, green beans, and okra, I have to plant those seeds. Clearly, I will reap what I sow. I am not shocked by what is produced. Yet, so often I am surprised and dismayed by the product of my life. Listen carefully sisters, if we want hearts, marriages, and children to produce a harvest of blessing, we MUST begin sowing now in the Spirit!”

We have to plan, research, and dream through God’s Word. We cannot sit back and “see what happens”. There is a heart of soil to till, weeds of sin to pull, and seeds of the Spirit to plant. If we want children with Godly character, we must sow seeds of good example. Families of Godly heritage? Seeds of good influence. A marriage that is secure takes seeds of time and togetherness. It takes sweat, hard work, and time, but our God is faithful. And He promised to bring a harvest. So in this season of rebirth, renewal, and regrowth, start preparing, prepping, and dreaming for your harvest. And get ready for the bounty God will bring!

Harvest

Filed Under: Encouragement Tagged With: Beth, heart-healthy

Discouragement ~ Not Giving In

March 27, 2012 By Jen

I don’t know about you, but I find it exceedingly easy to give into discouragement this time of year. This time of year, more than any other, I feel like I’m swimming upstream. All the choices we have made for our family, from our family size, to the way our family was formed (International Adoption), the schooling choices we have made, even down to the food choices we make, all seem so different to the mainstream. Some days it makes me feel like handing the kids the tv remote and crawling back in bed with a bag of cookies and a book. That’s what many people assume us homeschoolers do anyway right?

I’m good a blaming the weather. Winter in the Midwest is long, cold, snow-filled (most years anyway), and filled with many days in a row where the sun refuses to appear. We’re cooped up in the house way too much. It’s easy to feel like better weather is the answer, but I suspect it’s a grass is greener issue. Maybe people who live where it’s perpetually nice have their own disrupters this time of year, “if only we could take better field trips”, “if only I would have purchased the other curriculum”, and on and on.

I don’t think it’s any coincidence that February and March are notoriously hard months for homeschoolers, I imagine public schools too, as they now all have a winter break as well as a spring break. The holidays are over and done with and the excitement of getting back to the books for a new semester has worn off. Spring still seems to be too far away. We’re worried that we haven’t accomplished enough things this year, or the right things, or it seems like nobody remembers anything at all! I do know that discouragement is not from the Lord.

Our God is a God of hope, love and encouragement, not a God of discouragement, drudgery, and boredom. Jesus didn’t spend 40 days in the desert fighting temptation from satan, then perish on the cross and ultimately rise at Easter, so I could feel sorry for myself and eat cookies in bed. No, I do believe he has loftier goals for myself and my family – for your family too. It’s easy to lose sight and to wallow in discouragement but we need to cling to hope that Easter is around the corner.

I do know that perseverance is key. Here are a few verses of scripture that offer me hope and encouragement and keep me away from the bag of cookies! I hope they do the same for you.

“When the just cry out, the Lord hears them, and from all their distress he rescues them. The Lord is close to the brokenhearted; and those who are crushed in spirit he saves.” Psalm 34:18

“Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am meek and humble of heart; and you will find rest for yourselves. For my yoke is easy, and my burden light.” Matthew 11:28-30

“I command you: be firm and steadfast! Do not fear or be dismayed, for the Lord, your God, is with you wherever you go.” Joshua 1:9

“I continue my pursuit toward the goal, the prize of God’s upward calling, in Christ Jesus” Philippians 3:14

Jen is a wife to one amazing husband and mom to six energetic kids. Visit Forever, For Always, No Matter What where she blogs about their Catholic faith, homeschooling and adoption.

Filed Under: Encouragement

Don’t Give Up! It’s worth it

March 12, 2012 By Jennifer

It’s that time of year. Some days it feels like winter; other days we’re sure it’s spring. The days are getting longer. We see green start to unfurl among the brown of last summer’s burned out grass. Tiny buds appear on tree limbs. Flowers bloom.

We never really got back into a routine after our Christmas break. We make it through each day, doing lessons, logging days, but all the time we wonder how early we can take spring break. How many days left ‘til summer?

Then there are those goals we set for ourselves at the beginning of the year. It seems like a distant memory, the day we promised ourselves we were going to exercise regularly, eat healthy foods, cut out the sugar, get ourselves in better financial shape, make choices about next year’s curriculum that will keep it effective and inexpensive.

I’m behind. Taking small steps toward my goals is hit and miss. Some days I’m so overwhelmed I do nothing. I am frozen by the enormity of the task, by everything that needs to happen for our family to be where we want it to be, where we feel God is leading us.

It’s on those days that I want to give up, that I look for something to hold onto, a promise that God is with me, that we can walk this path. It’s on those days I hear that whisper in my heart: Don’t give up. It’s worth it.

And I remember the verse I have returned to for years, every time life gets hard and I’m not sure we’re going to make it through:

“Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.” Galatians 6:9 (NIV1984)

We will reap the benefits of all our hard work if we press on and press through the hard times, the times that we’re stuck, the times that we’re sure we’re done for. Keep taking those baby steps. Don’t give up!

What steps do you take to press on when life gets hard?

Jennifer is the wife of one hard-working husband and the multi-tasking mom of two, one with special needs. Read more about how her family presses on and presses through on her blog.