by Brook Wayne

Pouring Into Our Children

Passing our convictions to our children is an amazing, time-consuming, rewarding, eternity-impacting experience… and sometimes downright exhausting. Parents who have a vision to educate their children, not just in academics but also in a Christian worldview, find a purpose much larger than themselves. God wants parents to hold Him first in all aspects of their lives.

God calls parents to train their children for His glory each day. We educate our children in increments. Foundational concepts are laid, and then more complex ideas. The alphabet precedes reading. Addition must be mastered before multiplication. So it is with teaching Scripture to our children (Isaiah 28:10). We begin with who God is, who we are as humans, and right and wrong. Opportunities to teach our children these truths abound in our normal, everyday lives if we look for them.

Do Not Waste the Ugly Moments

We think these glorious moments of guiding our children to the Scriptures will be beautiful times that our children embrace with gladness. Often, this is not the case. Instead, we meet whining and complaining.

As parents, ugly moments make us want to run away, but we know that is not an option. We should run toward these moments, not away from them. God meets our families in the messiest of times.

Why can our family not be perfect like “all” the other homeschooling families we know? Why is there bickering and squabbling in our homes?

Capture every ugly moment in your family life and cry out to the Lord to redeem it. Revealed sin is an opportunity for the Holy Spirit to bring conviction. Galatians 6:1 gives such perfect, prescriptive guidance.

Burnout

As I have talked with countless home-educating parents, I have become convinced that feelings of burnout have much less to do with academics (although this can play a part) than with heart issues. All parents will gladly teach obedient, humble, and grateful children. It is the defiant and proud child that brings heartache. Yet this is precisely the child who needs his parents to embrace that moment (not run) for the good of their child and the glory of God. The child is unaware of the mire of self-centeredness he sits in. He is unmindful of his great need for God, which has been revealed through today’s tedious fractions lesson. This is where God uses parents to help lead their children to Him.

Placing Undue Burdens on Ourselves

Another way we experience burnout is by placing unrealistic burdens on ourselves. We take on more than God requires. We measure ourselves by others’ expectations rather than focusing on pleasing the Lord. We also take on more activities than are reasonable. We need to learn balance.

A “Season”

A bad season will pass. The newborn baby season does not last forever. We often cry out for relief in a time of testing. Recognizing the temporary nature of a particularly draining situation can help us realize that we will outlive the burnout season.

“Me Time”

I am sure you have heard this phrase:

“You cannot pour from an empty cup.”

While true, this sentiment is usually followed by a call for self-care or “me time.”

The concept of “me time” is often all about looking within, spending time tuning in to one’s inner feelings, and finding solutions from oneself. While self-reflection with a biblical framework can lead us to repentance and truth, self-actualizing cannot empower us as God can.

Refueling in the Lord is more than semantics; it is a position of the heart. Whereas humanistic “me time” focuses on oneself, biblical rest can refresh us to serve others once again. A biblical time of rest can consist of eating, sleeping, reading, a hike or craft project, and maybe just being alone. The goal, however, is to seek God, not our inner strength.

A Call to “Do Life” Together

Trials shake up so many things. They cut through the “fluff” of life, helping us focus on what is important. In our trials, we have an opportunity to demonstrate to our children how to lean on the Lord and follow Him. We find that the best teaching times come as you “sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise” (Deuteronomy 6:7b ESV). Instead of running for more “me time,” let us run to Jesus. He alone has everything we need.

About the Author: Brook Wayne

Brook Wayne is an author, conference speaker, and co-founder of Family Renewal, LLC. She is wife to Israel Wayne, and a homeschooling mother of eleven. You can connect with Brook at FamilyRenewal.org.