Philippians 1:11

May you always be filled with the fruit of your salvation – the righteous character produced in your life by Jesus Christ – for this will bring much glory and praise to God.
~Philippians 1:11~

As moms, homeschoolers no less, we have the tendency to give until we don't have anything left to give. We empty ourselves on a daily basis...even hourly. If we don't remember to fill ourselves up, we've got nothing to give to our families. We're meant to be filled with the fruit of our salvation or righteous character. What is that fruit? Galatians 5:22-23 gives us quite a list: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Some days, I remember fairly well to have most of those.

When things don't go the way I planned, do I remember to control my reaction? Do I practice self-control? I know I try to...and have to ask for extra grace on those days when I just don't “feel” it. How about you? Are you reactive or pro-active? (I don't mean the acne program either.) We are to PROduce fruit and be PROactive. We are not meant to be spectators in our own lives. God wants to actively use us. When I haven't practiced self-control, it means my day has revolved around me and my feelings rather than what He might want to teach me in those situations. Like John the Baptist says, “He must increase, and I must decrease.” Why is that the way it is supposed to be? The last phrase of the verse has it absolutely right...”for this will bring much glory and praise to God”.

Wow! Has this covered a lot or what? Usually, we're really good at producing most of the fruit most days. On days where we've failed, we just need to remember to go to the One Who modeled this for us. When we fail miserably and feel like we were fruitless the entire day while our kids were watching, we can always lead them back to the Word. Let them see how Jesus would've handled it. If need be, we need to apologize to them for anything said or done while we were “out of control”. It's very humbling, but they realize we aren't perfect. The only One who was and is perfect is Christ Jesus.

Dear Heavenly Father~
I don't even know where to start today. I need so much the fruit the Holy Spirit gives. I realize there are days I do pretty well, but, on other days, I fail to produce anything. I pray, in those moments when I am reacting to things, You will put Your Hand over my mouth, keep me in my place, and quiet my spirit. Give me Your peace and patience, Lord.
Yielding to You~ Amen

Philippians 1:10

For I want you to understand what really matters, so that you may live pure and blameless lives until the day of Christ's return.
~Philippians 1:10~

How do you convey what really matters to you? You discuss it all the time, don't you? What do your children believe is important to you? Homeschool curriculum? Their grades? Their penmanship? How often do you talk about Jesus to your kids? For that matter, how often do I?

Each day as I study (and write) these devotionals, I get just as convicted as I think you will. Just today at lunch, I spent quite awhile probing my kids for their thoughts on the curriculum we're using. Other than praying over our meal, we didn't speak about Him. I truly believe the saying that, “Christ is the head of every house, the unseen guest at every meal, and the silent listener to every conversation.” What exactly did He see and hear? What does He see and hear at your house? I know some days we forget that. We can be so wrapped up in what's happening in our lives that we don't remember that He is there with us.

When we remember He is with us, it makes us more aware of what choices we're making each and every day. When those choices are following His will for us and our kids, we know we are living lives that are pure and blameless. What a relief that can be! (<-- That's this font's exclamation point.) Imagine what it would be like to never have to second guess ourselves. How much freedom would you experience? We wouldn't have doubts about WHAT we're using to homeschool our kids, HOW we're homeschooling them, and most importantly WHY we're homeschooling them. If you don't know the what, how, or why you're teaching your kids, now is the time to pray asking for the Holy Spirit's guidance to help you find your own motivation. I can tell you it is very difficult to stay on course during this journey without knowing your own motivations. To avoid burnout, we need to always be mindful of the fact that Christ is the head of every house and every homeschool. If He has truly called us to homeschool, He is faithful to equip us to do just that. That is how we, as homeschoolers, live in a way that is pure and blameless.

Father God~
I would love to feel what it's like to live a pure and blameless life. I feel like I fail in so many ways on a daily basis. Show me how not to feel like that. I want to relinquish control to You. If I need to change my focus or resources for homeschooling (or any area of life), please bring it to my mind. I want You to understand You really matter to me...and I want my kids to know You matter to me, too.
In Jesus' Name~ Amen

Philippians 1:9

I pray that your love will overflow more and more, and that you will keep on growing in knowledge and understanding.
~Philippians 1:9~

I think it's safe to say this verse sums up exactly what you and I want for ourselves and our children. We want our love for others to overflow so much into our kids. How do we make sure we are full of love instead of being at our wit's ends at times? Are you like me? Sometimes I don't feel like I have that much to give, but I know Who can fill me again. We need to make sure we have spent sufficient time with our Father. He fills us with love (and patience), so we can pass it along to those around us. It's only from our own resources that we can share with others...especially those closest to us. If our entire family is overflowing, His love naturally flows from our house to the world around us. Isn't that what we want? Or better yet, isn't that what He wants?

The second part of this verse is fairly easy to see how it relates to homeschooling. What does He want for our kids after His love has been planted in their hearts and lives? He wants them to “keep on growing in knowledge and understanding”. In Proverbs, we read over and over how the beginning of knowledge is the fear of the Lord. Are you making sure your children have a healthy fear or respect for the Lord? How do you help them to have that? Mainly, that comes from natural consequences...and discipline if rules are not followed. One consequence can be, if they don't finish their work, they don't get to play. You have the distinct privilege of making sure all of their work helps them to grow in knowledge and understanding. Are you yourself continuing to grow in those areas? I can assure you the day is coming when they will ask you questions to which you may not yet know the answers. You need to be in the Word daily studying for yourself what He wants you to learn, so you can pass it along to your children.


Dear Father God~
I know You love me and want the best for me...just like You do for my kids. There are days where I just don't know how You do that for all of Your children. I want You to fill me to overflowing, so I have plenty to give to my children and family. Part of loving You and my children is making sure we all continue growing in Your knowledge and understanding. I know I want to follow Your will for my life...and I want my children to learn to do the same. As we love You more, we naturally grow more and more.
Your Loving Child~ Amen

Philippians 1:8

God knows how much I love you and long for you with the tender compassion of Christ Jesus.
~Philippians 1:8~

The beginning of this verse, “God knows...”, reminds us how He knows everything about all of us. He knows how much we love others...especially our families. God knows our hearts and what we really desire for our children. Sometimes we can't even put into words or actions just how much we love them. We need to get to know our children and teens, so we know how best to help them in every area of their lives. Homeschooling moms are in just the right position to learn everything about their kids. That can make it easier to choose how best to proceed with their middle and high school years. In our homeschool, I have them do a semester's worth of career studies around 8th grade especially if they're unsure of what their career path is. Once they knew what they wanted to be, we could then determine whether they need a college-preparatory, vocational, or general diploma. From there, we discussed and planned how the next four years will look in high school. During this time, I had to make sure the goal is really theirs...and not what I wanted for them.

If those goals are not theirs, they will just get more and more frustrated...and so will you. If the frustration is lasting and/or grows worse, it is up to you to sit down and re-evaluate what the source is. Do they still have the same goal? Are the resources we're using just not right for their learning style or goal? This is where we need to show the compassion of Christ. Part of the definition of compassion is “a strong desire to alleviate the suffering”. After re-evaluating, we need to get them motivated again to stay on their path. If this is truly their goal, it won't take much to do that...even during the middle of diagramming sentences or an algebra lesson.



Dear Heavenly Father~
Sometimes I feel such a weight on my shoulders in teaching my children. I want so much to do what's right by my children. I love them SO much and only want the best for them. Please help me to turn over whatever dreams I may have for their future, so their dreams can be realized. Help us also to make sure those same dreams are aligned with what You want them to be, so they can help further Your Kingdom.
In Your Hands~ Amen

Philippians 1:7b

You share with me the special favor of God, both in my imprisonment and in defending and confirming the truth of the Good News.
~Philippians 1:7b~

God's special favor, His grace, is what's required to get through each and every day. We all know there are some days that we need even more of it just to get the bare necessities done...daily housekeeping, language arts/English, and math. During times when life is a daily struggle or hourly one, we need to remember to lean on His everlasting arms to hold us up. Maybe you're in one of those valleys right now. Keep the faith! He will be there to get you through it. If you're on a mountaintop, thank Him for the wonderful view...and enjoy every minute of it!

Do you ever wonder how you're going to deal with being cooped up in the house every day with the kids for the duration of their schooling? It can be a daunting task. Whether we are suffering from “cabin fever” or out enjoying the day, we should still be sharing the gospel. We have Good News to share every day with everyone. No matter what we're going through, it can't compare to the agony and anguish our Lord and Savior suffered before His death. In the shadow of the cross, we have a whole new perspective of our own circumstances. He does care about every detail of our lives and the lives of our children. Because of that, we need to show Him how much we appreciate His love and sacrifice.

According to today's verse, we are to “defend and confirm the truth” of the gospel. How are we meant to defend the truth? When I think of defensive action, I think of sports which is unusual because I watch very little sports. Defensive players are meant to protect their end zone, goal, or basket to the best of their ability. This leads me to believe we are meant to protect the truth of the gospel. We must not let anything harm the purity of the gospel. If we don't know how to do it ourselves, we need to study our Bibles. Our kids will find it much easier to defend it if we can show them how to study and discern alongside them...and by doing so, we also confirm the truth of the Scriptures.

Father God~
I pray for the wisdom to learn the Scriptures effectively. I would love to be able to aptly defend the truth. Please also help me to learn how to teach my kids to be able to do the same. We need your grace to help us get through each day. Help us find those things we can use to accomplish everything to confirm and defend our faith. Bring to light anything in our home and schooling that doesn't do that.
In Your Service~ Amen

Philippians 1:7a

So it is right that I should feel as I do about all of you, for you have a special place in my heart.
~Philippians 1:7a~

Homeschooling and homeschool moms have a very special place in my heart...if you haven't figured that out yet. I can talk for hours with other moms. I know most of us have basic things in common: we feel this is our calling, we want to do what's best for our children, and we all have some measure of doubt whether we're accomplishing those things.

I think the longer we homeschool, the clearer our vision becomes. We start to figure out what methods of homeschooling work best for our families. We learn what goals our children have...and help research how to meet and exceed those goals. As we learn more about our kids and our capability of teaching them, we also tend to have more questions about how to plan their remaining school years. Are they interested in pursuing a career which will require college? Are they headed for something that requires a vocational school or better yet becoming an entrepreneur? Whatever path they choose, we need to help motivate them and encourage them in their pursuit.

We need to make sure our children know they have worth and have a sense of purpose. If our relationship with our own kids is strained, we need to make it right. How do we do that? We make sure we're honest with them. We take them seriously...even when it comes to things we don't like. It makes even more of an impact if we take those things seriously BECAUSE they do. They will know we can put our own feelings aside to make them a priority. They know they're important to us if we remember the little details because God remembers the little details about us. It's especially important to build the relationships, so they feel safe in coming to us when they need guidance or just to talk. Do your children know they have a special place in your heart? Have you told them that lately?

Dear Heavenly Father~
Please help me to examine my relationships with each of my children. Bring to light any part that needs work. It can be very difficult to know how to guide them. Especially as a homeschooler, SO much of their future seems to be up to us. At times, I feel so inadequate to prepare them for whatever You have in store for them. Please help guide me in the way to make them ready for their life and service to you. I need You to help me and my kids to rely on You for the future and all that entails...for all of us.
In Your Son's Name~ Amen

Philippians 1:6

And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns.
~Philippians 1:6~

According to Webster's dictionary, the first definition for the word certain is fixed, settled. This could easily be substituted in the beginning of this verse. It is settled “that God [who] began the good work within you.” God started something good in you! You, in turn, are starting something good in your children...or have already started. It's the trickle-down theory at work. God works within you, and you help God to work within your children. How awesome is that!?!

Even on days where it seems like nothing has gone well, when nothing seems to have been accomplished, He promised He WOULD continue that work until it was finished. I can testify that this is true. This is the beginning of our 16th year of homeschooling. I have now graduated two of my kids. It is finally finished! Hallelujah! Praise the Lord! This phase of parenting is over for these kids. When I began this journey, I was newly separated and had a third grader, a kindergartener, and a three-year-old. I can tell you He has remained faithful during all of these years. Through all of our curriculum switches and times it felt like we hardly got things done, His faithfulness endured.

He will do the same for you. He has promised He will continue to work within you until Jesus' return. What do you have to do? It's as easy and as difficult as letting Him. You need to rely on Him daily. I believe Proverbs 3:5-6 says it best. “Trust in the Lord with ALL your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek His will in all you do, and He will show you which path to take.”

Dear Father God~
I want so very much to trust you to complete your work within me. Some days it feels like it's a simple do-it-yourself project, and other days it feels like a complete renovation down to the studs. Since You have done this for my homeschooling sister, I'm going to believe You will do it for me, too. I am excited, and maybe a little apprehensive, about what your finished work will look like when this journey is over. I want to be able to have my own testimony of what a profound impact Your work within me has had.
In Your Hands~ Amen

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

Philippians 1:4

Whenever I pray, I make my requests for all of you with joy.
~Philippians 1:4~

I really hope during your quiet time with the Lord you have often had moments of joy. I know there are times in life where you might not feel joyful. When there are times of sorrow or brokenness, we need to all draw near to Him to feel his comfort. When I've found myself in those dark times and have the intimate fellowship with Him, I do find myself coming away with a sense of joy. I need to point out how joy differs from happiness. Happiness is a momentary emotion based on current circumstances. Being happy is having free time to treat the kids to ice cream because, by some miracle, all of them finished their work early. Joy is a deep down confidence that God is always working in our lives and doing what He knows is best for us. This verse reminds us to pray and ask with joy.

Let's look at this a little closer. “Whenever I pray” is based on a choice He gives us. Whenever you get around to it, I'm here to help you, My Child. He is always wanting us to be close to Him to be an intimate friend. When you don't know which math or English to choose, he's there saying, “Ask Me. I know what's best for you and your children.” Sometimes in the busyness of our days, we have forgotten to go to Him. (If you're like I am, there may have even been stretches of days or, dare I say, weeks when we've done little more than the rote prayers before meals.) You start to wonder why is it that everything seems like a struggle. Maybe we need to remember to really pray...to pour out our hearts but also to listen to His answers to us. When we've really relinquished our options to Him, that is when we KNOW we can pray for everyone with real joy.

Where do we need to find our joy? In what areas do we already have joy? I can tell you I don't find joy in teaching some subjects...like art and some sciences. In spite of that, my youngest son really likes science. I know for certain that is all God's doing. When you don't have clear direction, step aside and let Him guide you.

Dear Father God~

I know I may not always set aside time with you each day. Sometimes circumstances pop up and throw a wrench into my entire day. When I don't get my quiet time with You, other things steal my joy. It could be a temporary glitch, or it could be a real emergency that could put my life on hold for quite a while. I want you to know, when I miss my time with You, it really begins to show. I will commit to spend time with You. I need Your help to focus on what's important to You, and to do everything I can with joy.

With Your Joy~ Amen

Philippians 1:3

Every time I think of you, I give thanks to my God.
~Philippians 1:3~

This is easy to do with a lot of people, but sometimes it can be very difficult to do with our own families. Every time we think about our kids (especially as our students) do we give thanks. We do when they've earned good grades, completed a fantastic project, or finally learned how to read. It's not so easy when they have questioned why they need to learn algebra, when you've had them sound out their phonics for the millionth time and still can't sound out the whole word, or conveniently forgot to do their chores or that writing assignment. It's enough to make you pull your hair out or hide in the bathroom for a few minutes to collect your cool again.

Those are the days when looking for ways to thank God for that child can be the most difficult, but THOSE are the days we need to do it the most. They need to know we're grateful for them as the blessings they are in our lives. Not only are they in our lives because God believes we have things to teach them that only we can, the reverse is also true. We can learn a lot from them. Our children seem to magnify the good traits and the bad in our own lives. As we teach them, we also need to be open and willing to learn from God. How often do we ask those same kinds of questions with God? Why do I need to do this? Can't it wait until later?

Do you ever wonder if God puts these challenging days into the mix to bring you to your knees? Maybe your quiet time with Him is already a sweet time full of fellowship with you and your Savior. How many times do you thank Him for what He's done for you? For the blessings He's already given.

During the day, we need to look for ways to be grateful for our children...even if they've presented us with a ton of challenges. In their own way, they've made me go to My Father for more strength, grace, and peace. I want you to be able to say about your own family, “EVERY time I think of you, I give thanks to my God.”


Dear Heavenly Father~
I want so much to be able to count my blessings every day. My children are a source of delight in my life, but there are days where that delight is more hidden than others. Please help me to see that my children usually are just as frustrated on difficult days as I am. Help me to point them to You...to still find ways to be thankful for them. Without them in my life, it would be so empty. Even on the worst days, I'm going to CHOOSE to give thanks for them EVERY time I pray.

In Jesus' Name~ Amen

Philippians 1:1, 2

This letter is from Paul and Timothy, slaves of Christ Jesus.

I am writing to all of God's holy people in Philippi who belong to Christ Jesus, including the elders and deacons. May God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ give you grace and peace.

~Philippians 1:1, 2~

These are the first verses of my favorite book of the Bible. I read this book over and over to help re-focus my attention on other things besides life. As a homeschooling mom, it's easy to get our focus off of where it should be. That first verse usually convicts me every time I read it. “Slaves of Christ Jesus”. Would anyone use those words to describe me? Would I? Would He?

Let's take a look at what we so easily become focused on instead of Christ Jesus. As a veteran homeschooler, 16 years and counting, I can say I have found myself a slave to the teacher's guides of whatever curriculum I'm using...be it a big-name publisher, unit studies, online freebies, etc. It is not wrong to want the best for our children and, as the ones responsible for the moral and academic upbringing, it's easy to get caught up in the sometimes never-ending search for the perfect choices for our children.

I've learned over the years it's so very important to pray about our choices. We belong to Him and so do our kids, and He wouldn't want us to spend SO much time worrying about what we're using. If we're spending the majority of every day around the school books and going about our busy lives, we're not like Paul and Timothy being slaves to Jesus. We're slaves to our homeschool. We are meant to be His holy people devoted to serving Him and making disciples of our own kids. A tall order, I know. He won't have us do something without giving us a way to get it done. However, what that looks like for each family is very different from one to the next. It could change from each season of your homeschool journey, too.

The last verse mentions what our Heavenly Father wants to give us His grace and His peace. When we take a look at our school days are our choices part of that grace and peace? If not, we need to take a look at how to change that. Do we need to tweak it or dump it? What is most likely going to help us show our families and the world around us what being a “slave to Christ Jesus” looks like?

Dear Heavenly Father, I pray for those reading this devotional. I pray it would be a help to keep them mindful of You and what You want for their families. As we're feeling convicted or more confident of our choices, may we always feel your grace and peace...and know how to restore it.

In Your Son's Precious Name~ Amen

Devotional for Homeschool Moms

This is a devotional I've been writing based on the book of Philippians and is using the New Living Translation. Feel free to use your preferred translation.