Remember the families I was meeting with last week?  Well, I never got back to you and told you about their situations, or how the meetings went. 

I wanted to give you a quick update, and ask you to be in prayer for:

*L* is a young girl who wanted to be homeschooled.  She is supposed to be going into 9th grade, and the local school she would be attending is a very rough place.  She had the foresight to NOT want to attend there, and you see she is an honor student and seems to have a lot going for her.  Please pray for *L* and her Mom and Dad, as they basically become the facilitators for a self taught, academically motivated girl.  These are working class folks and this is their first experience with home education---and jumping right into high school is going to be a challenge for them, but I know there is great potential there and since you can't cheer them on face to face---will you please pray for them?  Thanks!

Now, on to *M* is a mom who has been homeschooling for several years now.  She wants to boost some skill areas that she feels like her children are behind in, and so I gave her some ideas and resources that will hopefully help. She also confessed that they have been a bit isolated, and she feels that she needs to get connected with some other Moms out there for support. 

 Just a side note, my take on homeschool support is this:  It is available, and it is up to you and your personal needs as to how much you take advantage of it.  I think we need to be proactive on ANY needs that we have.  Don't wait for it to come to you, seek it.  If you want to meet some homeschoolers, it is up to you.  You can go to a group, and even if you are an introverted soul, you can still make a friend.  To make a friend, be a friend.  Have you ever heard that before?  It is true.  Your homeschool support system is only limited by YOU.  Make something happen.

Back to *M*.  After talking about books, styles, curriculum, schedules, no schedules, etc., for some reason I felt like mentioning an article I had read by (gasp) Michael Pearl, in the No Greater Joy magazine a little while back called "Jumping Ship."   (Be sure to read part one and part two---and I don't know if there will be anymore installments...) Now, there are some very graphic "points" in this article, and I absolutely did not allow my kids to read it.  BUT the premise is this:  Why do Christian kids leave their family's teaching behind and jump on the worlds band wagon?  One simple reason is this: Joylessness in the home.  If it's grim and depressing where we live, the world's "party" is going to be a magnet.  Of course you and I both know that particular party will have consequences that may last a life time.  But the thrill always looks really good at the time.

So I mentioned this article......and mostly because it applies to my life, not trying to indict anyone else.  Especially someone I just met.  But then this dear woman began to weep, and through her sobs told me that one of her children had run away.  And at this writing, has been gone a week.  This family is hurting.  Scared, worried, feeling empty, the whole gamut. 

I would like to talk more about the Joy aspect of our lives, or the non-joy part.  But that will have to come later.  Right now, I just want once again to ask you dear friends here at HSB, to lift this family heavenward. 

God is faithful. 

 We know the father of lies wants to break up every family who has a hearts desire to live for Christ.  But we can't let him win.  We are more than conquerors through Christ who died for us. 

 And we need to intercede for this family.  Gods Word does not return void, and this young person who has run away has HEARD the Gospel.  Pray that it will take root in this child's heart, and they will return home.

Thank you!!!

Nancy