By Shari McMinn

Who is more nervous about high school, you or your student?

Whether you are continuing with homeschooling your unique learner through the high school years, or are just starting with home education now during high school, there are struggles and challenges that will arise. Not only are core subjects often harder to learn and more complex to teach, but your student is changing physically, emotionally, and spiritually to become an adult. And then there is the typical parent/teen dynamic, which all families have to deal with. It can be intimidating to think about, but God has called you to homeschool your son or daughter for His purpose. Seek His leading, wisdom, and comfort for the good work He is doing in your family. 

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By Shari McMinn

I recently heard a biblically-based message on the fall into sin of Adam and Eve. It was no accident or Plan B, in which God had to figure out what to do next. God had it planned from the beginning of His creation of the universe so He could pour out His forgiveness and love on them, and us much later in time. By God allowing the death of animals to clothe them in their nakedness, He showed Adam and Eve mercy even before their repentance. God allows sin in this world, so we can press into Him as He shows us mercy and we seek His forgiveness and the redeeming of our souls. This applies to our children, too, and what we model for them in our response to their sin.

We are sinners, raising sinners. It is only through sin that we can know the love of God. If we didn’t sin, if our children didn’t sin, we could not understand the breadth, depth, height, and length of His unconditional love for us (Ephesians 3:17-19). 

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By Shari McMinn

When your child struggles with one or more homeschool subjects for years, how and when do you decide to accept things as is or continue to push through toward progress? Perhaps your struggling learner “hates math” or “can’t read.” Even highly gifted students can be stuck in their struggles with time management or verbal communication. So what’s a homeschool parent to do? Because, when we are stuck and not progressing, we suffer — both parent and child!

Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us (Romans 5:3-5).

The Scripture passage above describes how the Holy Spirit uses our suffering to produce endurance, character, and hope. (Even if we are not rejoicing about it, right?) Did you consider that this also applies to our students who are miserable while they endure their schoolwork? God intends it to also be a means to build their character and develop hope for their future. It is not just a trial for us as homeschool teachers, but also for our students.

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By Shari McMinn

He said, “Come.” So Peter got out of the boat and walked on the water and came to Jesus. But when he saw the wind, he was afraid, and beginning to sink he cried out, “Lord, save me.” Jesus immediately reached out His hand and took hold of him, saying to him, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?” (Matthew 14:29-31 ESV)

Like Peter, we often have doubts when Jesus wants us to get out of the boat of our life. When He says to us, “Come,” we need Him to hold our hand and rescue us when we start to sink. Jesus is first and foremost the best lifesaver we could ever hope for. We should never be afraid (or ashamed) to cry for help in the storm of homeschooling — especially as we are nearly drowning. We need help first from Jesus and then from those around us that He will use to help rescue us! 

I love to swim, particularly in the ocean. I’m an experienced swimmer, and all of my children are too, after years of lessons and practice. If the surf is strong, it’s easy to be overcome by high waves and those scary undercurrents, which pull you further out than you want to be. Last May during a family beach vacation, my teenage son, although a very good swimmer, called for help when a strong undertow suddenly grabbed him. Thankfully, my adult son was nearby and had a boogie board so he could quickly get to my teen. It was scary to watch! My older son literally saved his younger brother’s life that day. Whew! I reminded my kids later that we never swim alone or in the dark for such a reason.

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By Shari McMinn

For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by His grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus (Romans 3:23-24 ESV).

Even though the holidays can be crazy at times, I don’t want you to just “get past” Christmas presents and New Year’s celebrations. I want you to receive Jesus as the best gift ever given. Given to you and me, He is the perfect gift — no returns needed! The gift of Jesus Christ is what we all need to enjoy every day into eternity with Him.

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