This is Chapter 3, Encountering Jesus, from my book, God is Real: The Eyewitness Testimony of a Former Atheist. I pray it would bless you and be a sweet aroma for my Savior and King Jesus.
Author: kendraske
I can’t homeschool because …
After 18 years of homeschooling, I have rarely heard criticism about my choice to homeschool.
Rather, people say, “Well, I could never homeschool because …”
- My husband / parent / child doesn’t want me to
- I don’t have the time
- I only want to do it for a year
- I don’t have the patience
- I’m not qualified
- I can’t afford it
- I want my kids to have friends and be socialized
- My child is __ (gifted, dyslexic, autistic, ADD, an only child…)
I just finished a prequel along with a 8-part series on YouTube addressing these topics. You can check them out on my YouTube Channel http://www.youtube.com/formeratheist58
Here is the “prequel” to whet your appetite:
I also developed a 2-page PDF of my favorite homeschool resources. I hope it helps you!
United for the Glory of God – includes audio
“May the God of endurance and encouragement grant you to live in such harmony with one another, in accord with Christ Jesus, that together [NASB: ONE ACCORD] you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.”
Romans 15:5-6
In Romans 14, Paul urged his brothers and sisters in Christ not to quarrel over petty opinions, not to pass judgment on one another, knowing that each one of us will have to give an account of ourselves before God. Paul exhorted the Romans to serve Christ as their master and Lord, living by faith and pursuing peace and mutual upbuilding. This exhortation continued into Romans 15 where Paul prayed that the God of endurance and encouragement would grant us to live in such HARMONY with one another, in agreement with Jesus Christ, that TOGETHER, in UNITY, in ONE ACCORD and with one voice we could bring God glory.
This word translated in English as “together” in the ESV or “one accord” in NASB or “one mind” in the King James and the NIV is the Greek word “homothymadon“
According to Thayer’s Greek Lexicon, homothymadon is, “A unique Greek word, used 10 of its 12 New Testament occurrences in the Book of Acts, helps us understand the uniqueness of the Christian community. Homothymadon is a compound of two words meaning to “rush along” and “in unison”. The image is almost musical; a number of notes are sounded which, while different, harmonize in pitch and tone. As the instruments of a great concert under the direction of a concert master, so the Holy Spirit blends together the lives of members of Christ’s church.”
It is not a million clones singing the same note, mere robots uttering identical words. It is a million unique individuals coming together to GLORIFY God, made even more marvelous as we each share our unique testimonies, our unique personalities, our unique passions and experiences and gifts to serve Him as a united body of individuals. WOW!!!
See 1 Corinthians 12:4-27 for further study.
for God’s Glory
When you listen to the audio, this is the surprise gift that I received.
Notice how it matches the “Unique and United” image that I’d designed completely separately!
Uniquely Made – includes audio
God has a unique purpose for each of us. We need to hear this today more than ever. God is particularly glorified in the incredible variety of gifts, talents and colors of the people He has created in His image.
This is part 1 of a 2-part series, “Unique and United.” Check out part 2 “United” tomorrow!
“What do I know, How do I know it, and Why does it matter?”
I’ve been trying my hand at LIVE videos on YouTube and Facebook. Which one do you prefer?
My attempt at Chinese … and at video making!
I’ve been a VIPKID teacher for over 2 years now and LOVE it. I’ve been learning a little Chinese, but am making poor progress. But I sure love making videos, so when I heard about contest by Lingo Bus (the sister company to VIPKID that teaches Chinese with native Chinese speakers), I quickly jumped on board!
Could you like and share my video so I can win???
Xiexie.
An Unknown Future and a Well-Known God
Never be afraid to trust an unknown future to a known God
Corrie Ten Boom
I hope you enjoy this guest post from my one and only sister, Kristan, which she wrote last week on May 6.
I had never really heard this quote before, but during the quarantine I have been doing some coloring pages of Bible verses and inspirational quotes and this was one I had colored. Last week I gathered some homeschooling books to send to my sister Kim. (That’s me!) I went through the pictures I had colored and included this one in the box.
Yesterday, Kim posted on Facebook asking suggestions on how to honor Brady (Kristan’s son who passed away 23 years ago) and 2 others on “Giving Tuesday”. The first suggestion was a comment made by Bobby (Kristan’s women’s Sunday School teacher) for a fundraiser T-shirt with that exact Corrie Ten Boom quote!
Wow! I immediately commented, asking Kim if she had received my box yet. She actually had received it, but hadn’t opened it yet, letting it sit for a few days first (Coronavirus craziness). She went and opened it and found the coloring page!
Neither one of us had heard this quote before, but in God’s amazing providence there it was, at just the right time.
It is amazing how God works! I had no idea, but God knew!
So in these crazy times, if you are feeling uncertainty, fear, or even grief, remember to never be afraid to trust an unknown future to a KNOWN GOD!
Micah 6:6-8 with a 21st Century American Twist
With what shall I come before the Lord and bow myself before God most high?
Shall I go to church every Sunday morning and Sunday night?
Shall I attend Wednesday morning Bible studies and Wednesday night choir practices?
Will the Lord be pleased if I post Bible verses every morning on Facebook and every night on Instagram?
What if I homeschool my children from birth to high school graduation or put them in the finest Christian schools?
Shall I wear long hair and long skirts and bake homemade bread and desserts for my family?
He has told you, O woman, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness and to walk humbly with your God.
To love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind and strength and to love your neighbor as yourself.
For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known. Faith, hope and love abide, but the greatest of these is love.
See Micah 6:6-8, Matthew 22:34 – 23:39 and 1 Corinthians 13.
Moms as Missionaries
I love reading missionary stories, whether by myself or with my children. I love hearing about the gospel being proclaimed to the ends of the earth. I love to see the biggest to the smallest prayers answered. I love to see people set free from their chains to sin, pride and selfishness.
For many years, I’ve wished that I could be a full-time missionary on the front lines or that one of my children would be called to go to an unreached people group on the other side of the globe, but so far that hasn’t happened.
But, do you know what has happened?
I’ve still had plenty of opportunities to be a missionary on the front lines outside of my home, in spite of being a full-time homeschooling mom. I’ve shared the gospel and seen people saved. I’ve discipled and seen people grow. I’ve prayed and seen God respond in mighty ways. I’ve spoken and written the words that God has given to me and I’ve seen people touched.
But I’ve also gotten to be on the front lines of my own home – a privilege NO ONE ELSE has.
My children have read and studied and memorized the Word – at my dining room table, in my queen-sized bed, and on my sectional leather couch.
My children have prayed bold prayers for themselves, for those they love, and even for those they’ve never met.
They’ve seen prayers answered and lives changed.
And they’ve learned how to share the gospel themselves and seen the power of Christ transform lives.
Moms, don’t lose heart. Our God is a God of eternity, of yesterday, and today and tomorrow. Make the most of today. Pick up one of the Christian Heroes books by Geoff Benge – maybe Hudson Taylor or George Mueller or Gladys Aylward – to read with your kids. Read “The Insanity of God” or “God Smuggler” or “The Hiding Place” or “Tortured for Christ” for yourself (or with your older children).
Read the book of Acts.
Memorize a verse or a passage or a whole chapter with your younger disciples.
Pray boldly and watch God move.
You are on the front lines in this battle between good and evil. You are training up warriors for God’s kingdom. God has called you to this and He will equip you to do it.
And I’d love to help you.
Some Resources for Families at Home
My heart goes out to the families new to homeschooling. I remember all too well how hard it was when I started 18 years ago.
I spent my first few years home schooling focusing on teaching my children that I loved them, that they should obey and that they should love God and others. That wasn’t my PLAN. My plan was to teach them to read. But God had better plans.
If your children learn that you love them, that you have their best interest at heart, that they should obey their parents and that God wants them to love Him and love others …. then homeschooling is a success!
In the process of learning these foundational principles, my children also learned to read, write, do math, learn about the history of the world and the science of creation, and yours will, too. Here are a few resources to start you on your journey.
for parents to read with their children.
The ESV Family Bible
is excerpted straight from the Bible.
Leading Little Ones to God gives you a great little study, plus some discussion questions,
a prayer, a brief Scripture to look up
and even a few song lines.
I have her Dinner Table Devotional
to read with our children
as well as one for my own prayer time
Get your children ready – either snuggle on the couch or in bed, or get them some coloring pages or Legos or playdough so they can keep their hands busy while they listen,
or take everyone outside on the deck to relax while you read.
Tuesday, April 28 at 7pm.
Leave a comment if you’d like the link.
I’ll be reading a chapter book aloud on Facebook live M-F at 1pm.
You can search my blog for my series called “Favorite Things” for more detailed homeschool resources. And check out my post from a couple weeks ago for 5 tips for laying out your day at home.
Teach What is Good 
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