Should I Homeschool? How I Made That Difficult Decision

I had the privilege of being both homeschooled and going to public school throughout grammar and high school. There were things I liked about both so this is not a post that in any way endorses one over the other. I truly believe every family has different needs and callings on their lives.
As my oldest son, Trooper, approached kindergarten this year, I wrestled with what to do in regards to his education. We can’t afford a private school so that was out of the question. Also, there is a possibility we will be moving to a different county this year so I wasn’t sure sending him to school and having him change mid-year would be wise. I spoke with my husband and prayed often. I felt the Lord leading me towards homeschooling, but being 8 months pregnant at the time the decision needed to be made, I felt overwhelmed at the thought of a new baby AND educating my son… Not to mention I have no idea what I’m doing!

Whenever I’m at a crossroads in my life, I get before God and ask with all my heart for guidance. I understood this was only kindergarten (not Harvard!) but I so badly wanted to do what He wanted me to do, even if it scared me. God usually talks to me in a few different ways (because I’m that stubborn) in regards to a specific decision, and this time was no different. I don’t think He needs to confirm things in several ways, but I do believe He will always talk to us through the Bible… “For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart” (ESV, Hebrews 4:12). There are usually three ways that God gives me confirmation: one is with a scripture passage, another is through a trusted brother or sister in Christ, and the other one varies in the form of a song, a sermon or an experience.

After several restless hours of tossing and turning one night, I prayed He would give me a definite answer. Crawling out of bed, I went into the living room and opened my Bible to the Psalms. The first one that popped out was Psalm 78 which talks a lot about teaching your children and was coincidentally underlined, although I don’t ever remember doing that. That same night, I got a text from one of my friends who homeschools to tell me I was on her heart and she was praying for me. I wrote her back and asked her if she had time to get together for me to ask her a few questions. This girl is always busy, but she had time the next morning and came over. She eased a lot of the fears and anxieties I had about taking this on.

Whenever I’m at a crossroads in my life, I get before God and ask with all my heart for guidance.

I still wasn’t convinced (I told you! Stubborn, right?), so I made an appointment for Trooper to get a physical so that I could turn his application into a local public school to “keep my options open.” When I arrived at the pediatrician’s office, they said our insurance had taken our doctor off as primary and put someone else on. This was crazy because I never did that, but long story short, he would have to wait another month to get the physical while they straightened that out… The application was due that week. I smiled as I walked out of the office thinking, “Ok, ok… I hear You Lord,” but He didn’t stop there. There was one opening left in the Classical Conversation homeschool group I wanted to join, and I got the phone call about it the very same day.

So, I guess we will be homeschooling! I’m both excited and nervous. Excited because I know anytime the Lord has told me to do something that I didn’t necessarily want to do, it ended up being one of the most rewarding and amazing experiences. Nervous, because like I said before, I have no idea what I’m doing. Thankfully I have a supportive husband, supportive friends, and a supportive God who, when He calls you to something, doesn’t check in with you years later to see how you did, but rather walks with you step by step all the way till the end. “Be strong and courageous. Do not fear or be in dread of them, for it is the LORD your God who goes with you. He will not leave you or forsake you” (Deuteronomy 31:6).

Whatever the decision might be that you are facing, God will answer you. He loves you like crazy. You’re His child, the apple of His eye and He anxiously awaits for you to talk to Him. He wants to guide you even more then you want the guidance. He knows the future and He knows you because He created you. So, in His infinite love and creativity, He will find a way to speak to you so that you will hear Him. “The eyes of the LORD search the whole earth in order to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him” (NLT, 2 Chronicles 16:9).

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