by Yvonne Strachan

It was an ideal homeschool day, one I had dreamed about having for years! My children and I were up, showered, dressed, fed, and working diligently on our studies. I was sitting next to my sixteen-year-old daughter on our couch, sipping coffee and helping her with Geometry. Then my phone rang.

“Hello?” It was my mom’s neighbor. What happened next would change the trajectory of our homeschool efforts for the remainder of our school year.

Answering a Call to Serve

“Your mom fell; she is in tremendous pain, and she cannot use her arm or leg. Can you come pick her up and take her to the emergency room?”

Glancing down at my shoes, I thanked God that we were all up and ready. I looked at my daughter and said, “I need to help Grandma. Can you help your brothers and sisters with their studies? I will call you from the hospital.”

As the day progressed, we realized that my mom had shattered her ankle and wrist bones when she fell. She needed surgery on both and would be in a wheelchair for an extended amount of time. My husband and I put our heads together. He purchased a wheelchair and ramp for my mom. Since her home would be easier to navigate in a wheelchair, he helped our children pack suitcases so we could move in with Mom and care for her until she healed.

I felt as though my plate was already overflowing. I was homeschooling five children while also consulting from home. In addition, I was working through the final round of edits on a book with my publisher. How would I manage?

Wisdom Gained Through Home Discipleship

Amidst taking care of Mom, traveling to doctor appointments, making meals, doing laundry, keeping up with my work duties, and reviewing my book edits, we tried to integrate our study plan. But I quickly realized the most important lessons were not being amassed from books!

The seven of us lived in a small 1000-square-foot house for the next three months. All my children assisted with the loving care of my mom, which included safely transferring her in and out of her wheelchair. My older son helped my husband make necessary temporary modifications to my mom’s home. Even my youngest, who was six at the time, assisted by delivering and refreezing ice packs while providing much-needed encouragement and comic relief to uplift my mom’s spirits. I remember laughing with my mom as I corrected his terminology for the back of her knee (knee-pit) and the heel of her foot (foot-butt).

I grew to treasure the fact that my children were witnessing the beauty and importance of loving sacrifice. My children’s hearts grew as they embraced the opportunity to help take care of Mom. Our shared experience impacted others more than we could have ever planned. As life goes on, I only reflect on this unique home discipleship opportunity with a grateful heart.

Reflections on Home Discipleship

As homeschool parents, it is easy to get wrapped up in managing our schedules and completing our tasks. After all, we do have a lot to manage each day!

I reflect on many instances where Jesus was interrupted to care for others during His teachings. For example, in Mark 2:1-12, we read about Jesus preaching at a home in Capernaum when four men lowered a paralyzed man through the roof. Jesus responded to this interruption in the same way He did all others: with compassion and willingness to help. What a powerful reminder that compassion and selflessness are important aspects of discipleship as we raise and educate our kids at home.

We need to realize that the most significant aspect of educating our kids at home is the ability to disciple them at any and every moment, each day.

Are you inviting God to disrupt your carefully laid out plans with unexpected events? Are you embracing those disruptions, knowing He is guiding you to eternally significant work? Do you find yourself sighing and getting upset with your kids when they interrupt your math lesson with an argument? Or are you embracing sibling rivalry as an opportunity to teach your children forgiveness, teamwork, and the need to have compassion for one another? Do you complain about the exasperating list of disruptive mishaps and dirty diapers when your spouse arrives home, believing these interruptions were the cause of your unaccomplished lists of homemaking tasks or the incompletion of your study schedule? Or do you excitedly share what your family learned during these interruptions, describing the opportunities you had to disciple your children in being flexible and servant-hearted?

What if we thank God for each new home discipleship opportunity every time our plans are interrupted?

I invite you to a new challenge: as you wake up each day, ask God to interrupt you! Ask Him to help you embrace unexpected opportunities, identify the resources around you, and incorporate all those gems into kingdom-oriented lessons that will nurture your children’s love for God and others. Embrace the opportunity to teach your children to cook while you make a meal for a friend whose child is in the hospital. Teach your children to care for your home and those who visit by having them help you clean. Challenge your children to help your husband change a tire or fix a leaky faucet. Invite your teenager to sit beside you while you figure out how to best steward your finances or have a discussion with her while you file your yearly taxes. Let your time raising and educating your children at home be one of your greatest legacies.

And pray! Pray that your kids will combine all their knowledge, compassion, and talents as they serve others in the future as neighbors, co-workers, and parents, expanding God’s kingdom every day throughout their lives!

Your homeschooling friend,

~Yvonne Strachan

P.S. Although discipleship is a big part of homeschooling outside of academics, did you know that it is also an incredibly impactful aspect of academics? Check out our article Home Discipleship, Part II, and explore how you can teach discipleship through academics!

What interruptions have you faced during your homeschool journey, and how have they turned out to be invaluable discipleship opportunities? Please share your testimony in the comments below!

About the Author: Yvonne Strachan

Yvonne Strachan is on a mission to inspire and empower parents as she and her husband disciple their children, including one who has special needs. She is the author of the book Inspirational Homeschooling, writes blog posts, and has had her articles published in magazines. She also supports the homeschool community by interviewing others as a radio show host. Drawing from her professional experience consulting with parents who are educating their children at home and teaching homeschool art classes for nearly a decade, Yvonne co-founded a home education support group in her community. What joy it brings her to combine all these passions as she serves homeschool families with CHEC!