Another issue of The HomeFront military homeschoolers e-newsletter is out.  If you haven't signed up to start receiving it, do it now.  You can go to the bottom of my blog or any of the HomeFront writers' blogs, or The HomeFront blog and sign up.

This month, we began mobilizing for the new school year.  Each of us is in a different season of our homeschooling lives and God has given us many blessings to share.  So, without further ado, here is my article from The HomeFront.  In the newsletter itself, Trish has made the Scriptures into a bookmark format to print and clip to keep in your Bible. 

Deuteronomy 32:2 "May my teaching drop as the rain, my speech distill as the dew, like the gentle rain upon the tender grass and like showers upon the herb."

I imagine each of us reads this verse and desires for our teaching to be refreshing to our tender little shoots of grass or herbs; our children. As I become more deeply convinced to give each day of our schooling to God, even if it calls for "minute prayers," I desire to serve Him as He has called me to in our school. Over the course of this past year and as I look forward, I see the importance of prayer not just for school, but for our children's lives and ourselves. I would like to share with you some Scripture to claim and to cling to throughout the coming year as you face good and not so good times. Praying God's word is the best way to remain equipped to do His will and accomplish His work with our families and children so that we may be as the rain and dew..

When you need wisdom:

I Corinthians 1:26-29 "My dear friends, remember what you were when God chose you. The people of this world didn't think that many of you were wise. Only a few of you were in places of power, and not many of you came from important families. But God chose the foolish things of this world to put the wise to shame. He chose the weak things of this world to put the powerful to shame. What the world thinks is worthless, useless, and nothing at all is what God has used to destroy what the world considers important." (CEV)

James 1:5-6 "If you don't know what you're doing, pray to the Father. He loves to help. You'll get his help, and won't be condescended to when you ask for it. Ask boldly, believingly, without a second thought. People who "worry their prayers" are like wind-whipped waves." (The Message)

Proverbs 3:6 "Trust God from the bottom of your heart; don't try to figure out everything on your own.Listen for God's voice in everything you do, everywhere you go; he's the one who will keep you on track." (The Message)

John 14:26 "But the Comforter (Counselor, Helper, Intercessor, Advocate, Strengthener, Standby), the Holy Spirit, Whom the Father will send in My name [in My place, to represent Me and act on My behalf], He will teach you all things." (Amplified Bible)

Psalm 32:8 "I will point out the road that you should follow. I will be your teacher and watch over you." (CEV)

When you need confidence:

James 5:16 "...The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and wonderful results." (NLT)

Luke 11:9-13 "So I tell you to ask and you will receive, search and you will find, knock and the door will be opened for you. Everyone who asks will receive, everyone who searches will find, and the door will be opened for everyone who knocks. Which one of you fathers would give your hungry child a snake if the child asked for a fish? Which one of you would give your child a scorpion if the child asked for an egg? As bad as you are, you still know how to give good gifts to your children. But your heavenly Father is even more ready to give the Holy Spirit to anyone who asks." (CEV)

Acts 4:13 "They were surprised and wondered how easy it was for Peter and John to speak. They could tell they were men who had not gone to school. But they knew they had been with Jesus." (NLV)

I Corinthians 10:13 "But remember that the temptations that come into your life are no different from what others experience. And God is faithful. He will keep the temptation from becoming so strong that you can't stand up against it. When you are tempted, he will show you a way out so that you will not give in to it." (NLT)

Psalm 27:1 "The LORD is my light and my salvation--whom shall I fear? The LORD is the stronghold of my life--of whom shall I be afraid?" (NIV)

Philippians 4:13 "Christ gives me the strength to face anything." (CEV)

Philippians 1:6 "And I am sure that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on that day when Christ Jesus comes back again." (NLT)

Romans 8:31 "If God is for us, who can ever be against us?" (NLT)

When you need encouragement/are discouraged:

James 4:7-8 "Come near to God, and he will come near to you." (CEV)

Isaiah 40:11 "He will carry the lambs in his arms, holding them close to his heart. He will gently lead the mother sheep with their young." (NLT)

Psalm 121:1,2 "I look up to the mountains--does my help come from there? My help comes from the LORD, 
who made the heavens and the earth!" (NLT)

Psalm 461 & 10, 11 "God is our mighty fortress, always ready to help in times of trouble....Our God says, "Calm down, and learn that I am God! The LORD All-Powerful is with us. The God of Jacob is our fortress." (CEV)

Joshua 1:9 "I've commanded you to be strong and brave. Don't ever be afraid or discouraged! I am the LORD your God, and I will be there to help you wherever you go." (CEV)

Proverbs 18:10 "The name of the LORD is a strong fortress; the godly run to him and are safe." (NLT)

I Peter 5:7 "God cares for you, so turn all your worries over to him." (CEV)

Galatians 6:9 "So don't get tired of doing what is good. Don't get discouraged and give up, for we will reap a harvest of blessing at the appropriate time." (NLT)

Jeremiah 29:11 "I know what I'm doing. I have it all planned out--plans to take care of you, not abandon you, plans to give you the future you hope for." (The Message)

When things are going well, praise Him:

Psalm 138:1-3, 8 "With all my heart I praise you, LORD. In the presence of angels I sing your praises. I worship at your holy temple and praise you for your love and your faithfulness. You were true to your word and made yourself more famous than ever before.... When I asked for your help, you answered my prayer and gave me courage." (CEV)

Psalm 8 "O LORD, our Lord, the majesty of your name fills the earth!Your glory is higher than the heavens. You have taught children and nursing infants to give you praise.They silence your enemies who were seeking revenge. When I look at the night sky and see the work of your fingers--the moon and the stars you have set in place-- what are mortals that you should think of us, mere humans that you should care for us? For you made us only a little lower than God,and you crowned us with glory and honor. You put us in charge of everything you made, giving us authority over all things--the sheep and the cattle and all the wild animals, the birds in the sky, the fish in the sea, and everything that swims the ocean currents. O LORD, our Lord, the majesty of your name fills the earth!" (NLT)

Psalm 9:1,2 "I will thank you, LORD, with all my heart; I will tell of all the marvelous things you have done.I will be filled with joy because of you. I will sing praises to your name, O Most High." (NLT)

Psalm 119:105 "Your word is a lamp for my feet and a light for my path." (NLT)

Psalm 119:57 "You, LORD, are my choice, and I will obey you." (CEV)

I encourage each of you to begin practicing praying God's Word as you face each day. It takes some practice, but once you get the idea it becomes like second nature. Remember, He promises us that His word will not return to Him void. So with that in mind and His Word in hand, let me leave you with a prayer promising God to put Him and His Word first in our lives.

Heavenly Father, I come before you making the decision to put You and Your Word first in my life. I look to Your Word as the authority, the standard, and the final word to live my life by. I seek Your Word as counsel for every area of my life. I will be quick to obey the commands and instructions You reveal to me in Your Word.

Your Word is alive and powerful. It is the source of wisdom, instruction, and direction for my life. Reveal Your truths and principles to me and speak to my heart and life through its wisdom and instruction.

Help me to take time to study and meditate on Your Word and apply Your principles to my life and my children's lives. Enable me to discover creative ways to memorize Your Scriptures and teach them to my children so they may do the same. As I read and meditate on Your Word, speak to me. Bring correction, reproof, direction, insight, and guidance to every area of my life. Give me wisdom through Your Word that I may deal wisely in the affairs of my life. In Your Holy Name. Amen.

(Taken from Joshua 1:8, 2 Timothy 3:14-17, and Psalm 1:2).

Memory Verse: Deuteronomy 32:2 “May your teaching fall like rain and your words descend like dew, like showers on new grass, like abundant rain on tender plants...”

Additional Verses:

I feel this month, all these verses will do.  However, we want to hear from YOU!  Please either post a comment on my blog or email me with Scripture God has used in your life to encourage or guide you.  We will post them next month.  The theme for next month will be sending workers for the harvest, gathering for the harvest. 

So, gather your verses and send them to me!