Philippians 1:5

For you have been my partners in spreading the Good News about Christ from the time you first heard it until now.
~Philippians 1:5~

Have you noticed that we are to be partners in spreading the gospel? The first people with whom we're obligated to share it is our families. A reason we're homeschooling is to share Christ with our children...at a level they can understand. When they're little, it could be as simple as teaching them how to sing “Jesus Loves Me This I Know”. It's a simple song, but it teaches one eternal truth...Jesus loves me! Jesus loves everyone! That's the beginning of the gospel found in John 3:16. “For God SO loved the world...”

It's very easy to get caught up in our daily lesson plans with the academic subjects and to forget about sharing the gospel or teaching our kids how to share the gospel with others. Academics are a great way of helping our children prepare for their future, but, if we are not preparing them for eternity, what good is their education?

Besides being partners, the other phrase that captures my attention is “from the time you FIRST heard it until NOW.” Maybe you're a fairly new Christian, or maybe you've been saved for awhile. From that first moment until now, you have to ask yourself if you've done all you can to spread the gospel. Are your children going to spend eternity with you in His glorious presence?

As homeschoolers, we also partner with publishers and other entities to teach our children. If those things do not align with our beliefs, are we also teaching our children why we don't agree with things in the books we choose to use? Be honest and tell the truth...even if you don't know the answer. Tell them you'll research it and get back to them. All areas of life can be moments of learning whether they are during school hours or not. If you have not yet run across any of those moments in your homeschool journey, how do you plan on dealing with them when they do occur? One thing to do right now is to pray and ask Him to help prepare you ahead of time.

Dear Heavenly Father~

It is a sobering thought to be a partner of the gospel, but it is also a very exciting one. I want to work at furthering the Kingdom with Your guidance. Help me to start with my own family. Guide my actions, words, and thoughts, so I can be on the look out for those teachable moments throughout the day.

In Your Son's Loving Name~ Amen