Do you ever feel as if you walk around with a target on your back? Can you withstand one more hit? You know that saying, “God doesn’t give you more than you can handle?” Do you ever just want to say, “I wish you didn’t have such a high opinion of me, Lord?” This has been a rough year for us. Paula’s dad died at the end of July. Paula’s been dealing with significant health issues since September. Mike was laid off in April. This isn’t our only year that has been riddled with challenges that have surprised and stretched us. We’ve certainly seen our fair share of hardship, loss and pain. (James 1:1-6)

Good thing the Lord brings us up with encouragement from His Word, by working through others to cheer us and by surrounding us with His providential care in all the blessings He shares with us, both those we recognize and those we take for granted. (Romans 15:4, Hebrews 6:8, Philippians 2:1-3, 1 John 4:19, Romans 5:8)

For some reason the high school years loom as the big bad boogey man in many a homeschoolers’ nightmares. Fear of not being able to give their child the education necessary to have a fruitful life as an adult feeds the doubt that homeschool parents can provide all that the child needs.

It’s easy to understand when people are battling with doubts how they can lose focus and try out the myriad of programs that now proliferate and masquerade as homeschooling. It bothers us when they prey upon your fears and doubts that you cannot effectively and successfully homeschool through high school. They tell you that you cannot do this without some program such as theirs.

We want to encourage you that you can homeschool your child through high school. We want to make you aware of the multiple families who have done just that. (1) (2)

We hope you understand that these entities are after you as surely as if there is a target on your back. Homeschoolers are a hot commodity. The proliferation of homeschool products and services are enough to make even a seasoned homeschooler feel overwhelmed at the choices available. Unfortunately, when these entities take up more than 49% of your time you are in jeopardy of stepping outside the Colorado homeschool law. HSLDA and local lawyers have relied upon interpretations of the homeschool law that require parents to conduct 51% of the core classes in their individual homeschool.

Are we advocating that you educate your child exclusively without using outside entities or people? No way! Music teachers and co-ops have been immeasurably helpful to us and to many homeschool families that we know. We want to make you aware, as leaders, that there is a line and limit to the law.

We want to share with you our happiness in graduating our second child this June. Her journey through homeschooling was different from her older sister’s. But that’s part of the exceeding joy and freedom we have as homeschoolers. We were able to tailor their education to meet their individual needs and talents. We did so by the grace of God, and with encouragement from our friends and support group. We did so by praying through the hard times and the stress-free times as well. It wasn’t always easy. There were times of doubt and uncertainty. Fortunately, God was always there to pick us up and point our eyes toward the reason He called us to homeschool in the first place: to raise our children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. Our goal hasn’t been to raise the smartest or best, but to raise them to be in the world and not of it.

“These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world. (John 16:33)  So, while you live a while longer as strangers and pilgrims on this earth, you will have no horizontal peace with the troubles, trials and tribulations of this world. But Christ has overcome the world for you, and gives you His everlasting, heavenly peace in His Word.” (3)

Abiding in His gracious peace, love and mercy,

Mike and Paula

(1) Dr. Brian Ray’s research projects that there were 250,000 to 340,000 homeschooled high school students in 2001 in the United States of America. If you take one quarter of that number as those who graduate from their homeschools, then in the last eight years that’s approximately 500,000 (half a million) students. This does not include his projected 7-8% yearly increase in the number of homeschool students.  http://www.hslda.org/research/faq.asp#1 and http://nces.ed.gov/pubs2004/2004115.pdf.

(2) CHEC’s Homeschool High School/Prepare for Life/High School and Beyond seminars have served hundreds of families in the last 6 years and CHEC consistently receives feedback that the seminars have encouraged families to continue homeschooling through high school and shown them that they can do it! (2 Timothy 4:7)

(3) http://higherthings.org/reflections/easter2009/2009-05-17.html

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