In 1993, Gregg Harris published the first ever devotional written specifically for Home schooling parents. This Devotional was the first book his company would publish. Many others followed this one, however this one has a special place in my heart, it was mine. Encouragement Along the Way is not just the title of my blog, it is the title of my first book. It began as articles in our local homeschool newsletter. I knew I had every book on how to home school and what to teach available to me. What I did not have was something to encourage me to continue once the decision was made. I soon realized other mothers needed encouragement as well. One article at a time gave birth to Encouragement Along the Way.

I mention this today, because this is the time of year I needed this book the most. I still read it to remind myself where we began, how far we have come and how faithful our Lord is. January is a difficult month to homeschool. After all the fun of December, the crafts, the projects, the baking and the parties, it is difficult to return to the textbooks. I found January the perfect time to re-evaluate our home and our school. By now you know somethings are working and some things are not. By now you need encouragement to continue and not find the nearest public school system. That is why I wrote Encouragement Along the Way.

Here is an excerpt

Hear, O' Israel: The Lord our God is one Lord - The only Lord. And you shall love the Lord your God with all your mind and heart and with entire being, and with all your might. And these words, which I am commanding you this day, shall be {first} in your own mind and heart; [then] you shall whet and sharpen them as you make them penetrate and teach and impress them deligently upon the [minds and] hearts of your children, and you shall talk of them when you sit in your house and when you walk by the way and when you lie down and when you rise up. Deuteronomy 6:4-7

Deuteronomy 6:4-7 has been the cry of the home-schooling movement. "Teach your children all through the day." I hear these verses used to support home schooling, more than any others verses, except maybe "Train up your child..." However, upon closer examination, after all, God examines the hearts of men so examination must be a godly characteristic; I have discovereda fualt in my teaching.

Somewhere along the road between Deuteronomy 6:4 and Deuteronomy 6:7, I made a wrong turn. You see,I had become so absorbed in diligently teaching my children (here is your book, paper and pencil,read chapter 10 and answer the questions) that I had misplaced (under all the papers to correct verse 6!) I'm not sure where or when, or even to what extent, I had lost it. I only know that on closer examination of my heart, I hadn't tended to my needs as well as I should have. Although we had our daily Bible Study and our prayer time, it had become a requirement, no longer did we read it as a heart-felt love letter from my Bridegroom. was I indeed teaching our children what was first in my heart and mind? Maybe, but maybe not!

The cry of my heart had not been very visible to my children becuase the cry of my mouth had become just do it and get it over with. My heart longed to show them the depth of the love Jesus was extending to them. I wanted to teach them to embrace the Word of God as the love letter it is intended to be. Only now I see that perhaps my own heart had turned our Bible into academics.

However, the Lord is faithful and causes me to pause and examine myself and in doing so, I can hear the voice of the Holy Spirit speaking ever so gently. Drink deeply of the Living Waters that refresh your soul. Bask in theSon; feel the warmth of his love flood your heart.

I am  writing the Amplified Bible's version of Deuteronomy 6:4-7. Read it carefully; then begin to apply it "first" to your own heart and mind.

I find these words as true today as the day I first wrote them. January is the perfect time for examination and application. I hope you have been blessed by this exerpt and will have a very happy and encouraged new year. keep on keeping on, God is for you!

Our gift to you...orders placed during the month of January at our website www.mthoward.com  will be shipped Priority Mail Free. Limited copies are available.