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Do Not Fear!

August 12th, 2008

So do not fear, for I am with you;
do not be dismayed, for I am your God.
I will strengthen you and help you;
I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.

Isaiah 41:10

I’ve had several emails from fellow home school moms lately who are feeling extremely overwhelmed. They’re fearful about choosing the right curriculum, the right classes and creating a healthy schedule for their children. Will they have everything planned in time, will they be able to implement and follow through with the plans they’ve developed, will it all be enough or is it possibly too much, is home schooling really the answer? And the pressure seems to increase exponentially with high schoolers.Please know that I have been right there with you! This topic has come up often between God and me during my quiet time. He has laid upon my heart, one simple message…Do Not Fear!

I know…it’s so easy to say, but what can a parent really do to overcome their fear?

Give up – Not really! But it’s always an option and I thought it should be addressed. What would happen if you really did give up and just send your child back to school? Would your fear go away? Just an educated guess, but I’m betting that you’d just be replacing one set of fears with another. So, while it’s an option, it’s probably not the best one for dealing with fear.
Begin with quiet time - God is wonderful about helping me examine what it is that really concerns my heart. By leaving my fears at His feet, I realize that I’m not in this on my own. Even as a single mom, I am never alone. His wise counsel, through prayer and His Word, leads me. Sometimes, I think we separate our lives into practical and spiritual issues, then only share with God those things that seem spiritual. He created us, He loves us and He wants us to come to Him in all things, whether we’re joyful or completely overwhelmed. I find that if I go to the Lord prior to planning and writing, my head is clearer, my mind is more focused and my heart is less stressed.
Evaluate your fears and concerns – write them down and evaluate their worth. I often divide things into two categories: what I can change and what I can’t. If I can’t change it, I have to let it go, otherwise I am not honoring God or myself by letting it fester in my heart and mind. If I can change it, I brainstorm what I can do about it. Often, surprising ideas come to mind as I am making notes and I realize that a more creative solution is possible. Another positive about addressing fears is that often by writing them down, we take the steam out of them. The mind is an amazing instrument, but it can certainly work against us when we’re focused on the wrong ideas, allowing them to grow to mammoth proportions making them appear unsolvable. As a writer, I have an active imagination. It can a tremendous gift at times and a real monster creator at others! Actively evaluating your fears allows you to gain a realistic perspective.
Deal with the real fear - After evaluating your concerns, you should have a clearer picture of what’s really at the heart of your fears. For example, maybe you really can’t decide on the best math curriculum for your fifth grader. You’ve endlessly searched the web and put in a multitude of hours examining the math materials of every other family you know, but you simply can’t make a decision. What if you choose the wrong curriculum? Is your fear not even related to math, but more to the fear of being equipped as a homeschool parent? Our insecurities often result in stress over simpler matters. If you worry about your capabilities as a teacher or parent, remember that God designed your children and you specifically as a family. It wasn’t accidental or coincidence. In His ultimate plan for the world, He took the time to give you children to love and teach. He won’t let you down when you are acting according to His Will!
Grow in your fear – I know it sounds odd, but scripture is pretty clear about growing through trials. If you can view challenging and insecure times as a period of maturing, situations take on a whole new meaning. This attitude develops through practice and by laying all things at the Lord’s feet knowing that He has already worked out the solution. This isn’t a passive methodology, but an active willingness to trust in God through all things.

Home school parents are as prone to peer pressure as anyone, it seems. We easily fall into the trap of comparing our children and our homes with those of others. We’re a tight knit group and it’s easy to think that others know more than we do or make better decisions. The reality is that each of our families are unique, each of our children have different gifts and weaknesses and even our goals may be different. We have one important thing in common…we were all created by a Heavenly Father who sincerely loves us and wants to be active in the lives of our families. By seeking His wisdom before others, we can be assured that He will lead us to those who will give us godly direction.

As you begin your school year, anticipate that there will be challenges, but don’t fear them. God will hold you up and in your challenges, you can glorify Him!

Many blessings!

Beth

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This entry was posted on Tuesday, August 12th, 2008 at 5:30 am and is filed under Encouragement, Parenting/Homeschooling in General. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.

Tags: Encouragement, homeschooling

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