A question answered

I've known for a few days now that this is a post I want to and need to write, but now as I sit to do it, I seem to be lacking direction in my thoughts.  Maybe it's God telling me now is not the time or maybe it's Satan trying to keep me from saying it.  Or maybe it's 10:45 p.m. and I'm just plain tired.  I don't know.  Bear with me, though.  This might be going some place good.  :)

A question I get almost every time I leave the house is, "How is homeschool going?"  I generally answer with something along the lines of "Oh it's good.  Some days are better than others, but for the most part everyone is enjoying it."  (Which is the truth.)  To which nearly every person replies, "I don't know how you do it.  There is no way I could homeschool."  At that point I give an uneasy chuckle, say something about not knowing if I can really do this either and then follow up with an example of a day gone bad.

But that's not what I'm thinking.  I'm thinking, there is absolutely no way I can do this.  Not on my own power - no way, no how.  This homeschooling business, at least at my house, is 100% God-powered.  I take no credit.  My flesh and bones would have thrown in the towel after week 1.  But praise God, each day He has given me new energy and focus and strength to run this marathon.  But I have to ask for it.  So before I even roll out of bed in the morning, I'm praying for energy (yeah, the baby still doesn't sleep through the night and I'm still not a fan of morning!).  When I'm in the shower, I'm praying that the kids will be able to focus, that I will teach what they need to learn, and that I might have patience.  And more patience.  And a little more patience!  When half way through our day Sadie is screaming, Braxton is pushing every one of my buttons and Adeline has no desire to do her work, I retreat to my bedroom, lay on the bed and cry out to God for help.  And He answers.  He calms my spirit and gives me a new perspective.  And then I can continue with the day.  You see, there is no way I could do this on my own.  

I'm 5 weeks into the Beth Moore "David: Seeking a Heart Like His" Bible study.  LOVE IT!  It has forced me to ground myself in the Word of God and surround myself with fellow believers.  Every single day of homework has spoken something to me that I needed to hear that day - absolute truth.  This morning when I met with my Bible study group to watch the weekly video, Beth made some points I want to share.  The first comes from 1 Samuel 7:10-12.  I'll let you look it up yourself, but it ends with Samuel saying, "Thus far has the Lord helped us."  I don't know what challenges tomorrow will bring.  I'm certain that there will be some.  But what I do know is that thus far, the Lord has helped me.  And I feel quite certain that He will continue to do so in the future.

Farther along, in 2 Samuel 7:18 we hear David crying out, "Who am I, O Sovereign Lord, and what is my family that you have brought me this far?"  Who am I that you have chosen to do such good things for me and my family?  Who am I that you have chosen to bring me this far?  We've moved from "thus far" to "this far."

According to Beth, there are 3 beliefs that keep us moving forward.  2 Samuel 7:28 says,  "O Sovereign Lord, you are God!  Your words are trustworthy, and you have promised good things to your servant."  

Here are the notes from the video.  The * is my addition to the published notes:

1. "You are God!"  We can know we've come "so far" when we can make the shift from our plans for God to God's plans for us.  *We have to relinquish the control.

2.  "Your words are trustworthy."  We can know we've come "so far" when we begin to want most what God has already offered us.  *We need to KNOW God's words - the specifics!

3.  You have promised "good things" to me.  We know we've come "so far" when we grow convinced that God only does us good.

*So, you ask, does God do us good?  Take a moment to look up these verses.

God's will for us is good.  Romans 12:2
God's purpose for us is good.  Phil. 2:13
God's work in us is good.  Phil 1:6
The hope God has given us is good.  2 Thess. 2:16
The works God created us for are good.  Eph. 2:10
The fight God called us to win is good.  1 Tim. 1:18-19
The fruit God produces in us is good.  Jas. 3:17
The gifts God gives us are good.  Jas. 1:16
God equips us with everything good.  Heb. 13:21
God works all things together in our lives for good.  Romans 8:28

AMEN!!

And that, my friend, is the answer to "How do you do it?"

Through God alone.

Good night.