September has always been a fun month in our homeschooling journey. But I’m a bit nerdy, and I’ve always loved unpacking the curriculum and making the agenda for the year. There’s something magical about the fresh start of a new school year—the uncracked spines of new books, the feel of crisp, blank pages. They represent so much more than an academic start. To me, they symbolize hope and possibility.
But as exciting as all that is, curriculum and schedules are not where my ultimate hope for my children lies. The anticipation of a new year can create a laser focus on getting everything right—choosing the perfect material, organizing a flawless calendar, and mentally preparing ourselves to meet every challenge. While these preparations are important, they’re not strong enough to hold our hope.
Our ultimate hope for our children’s future does not rest in our ability to choose the right math program or follow a classical education schedule. Because if it did, we would have the ability to derail our children’s lives, and the sovereignty of God says we don’t have that kind of power. God is the One who carries our children, who knows the plans He has for them, and who will guide their steps far beyond what we can imagine.
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.” — Proverbs 3:5-6 (ESV)
As you plan and prepare, remember to seek God first and seek Him urgently. Ask Him for wisdom, direction, and strength as you lead your children. And remember, you do not hold the outcome in your hands—God does. He is the one who will bring about the results in His perfect timing and according to His perfect plan.
Moving forward, I encourage you to three tasks:
Release the Burden: Take a moment right now to release the burden of outcomes to God. What are your hopes and concerns for the year? Prayerfully hand them over to Him.
Seek God First: Before diving into your daily lessons and plans, spend time in prayer asking for God’s guidance and wisdom. Make this a daily habit.
Encourage Your Children: Encourage your children to do their best, but more importantly, to trust God with their journey. Their identity is not found in their student average. Their value is not dependent on making the grade. Just as your identity is not in being the teacher and your value is not tied to their success or failure. Their identity and our identity are rooted in Christ. Their value and our value comes from the Creator who has made us to be His image bearer in this world.
As you walk through the days ahead, keep your eyes on the One who holds all things together. In Him, you will find the strength and peace you need to guide your children through their education and beyond.
Jodie and I share a publishing house. My debut novel, The Builder’s Reluctant Bride, my second novel In Too Deep, along with my Christmas Series set in Mistletoe Meadows are all published by Pelican Book Group. It’s always a pleasure to give a shout out to my fellow PBG authors. I love what they stand for – clean, uplifting, faith-inspiring titles.
Jodie starts her guest post with one of my favourite bible verses, Isaiah 43:2. Welcome, Jodie!
When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze.
Isaiah 43:2 (NIV)
It’s easy to say you trust the Lord, but what about when you go through continual storms, fires, and struggles? Do you begin to doubt and wonder where the Lord is or perhaps feel like He’s abandoned you? This is the premise of my (Jodie Wolfe’s) new book, ConvincingLou. My heroine, Ellie Lou Williams has always had a deep faith in God. But when she’s hit with continual storms, one right after another, she starts to doubt. Have you ever been there?
During the time of my writing this book, the Lord took my husband and me through the most difficult storm we’ve ever encountered in our lives. In fact, we’re still walking through it. But through it all, the Lord has remained faithful. We may not know the future, but we know Who does.
It’s especially in those times of doubting, that I turn to God’s Word. I love this verse in Isaiah. It doesn’t say if you pass through rivers, fire, and flames but when! God knows our future. We can trust Him to work even when we don’t see a respite from the waves threatening to crash over us.
Look to Him when you’re in the midst of trials. He promises to be with you.
*To open Convincing Lou’s buy page click the photo cover.
How hard can it be to round up one delinquent groom?
Ellie Lou Williams will do just about anything to save her ranch, even going undercover as a man to round up a fella who is late to his own wedding. The reward will more than cover the money she owes the bank and solve all her problems.
Caleb Dawson agrees to one final job as a deputy US Marshal before he starts his new life away from the trail and tracking criminals. What he isn’t counting on is a mysterious bounty hunter who’s determined to undermine his every step.
Will one reach their goal first? Or will they learn to lean on God and work together?
Jodie Wolfe creates novels where hope and quirky meet. She is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW), and Faith, Hope, & Love Christian Writers (FHLCW). She’s been a semi-finalist and finalist in various writing contests. A former columnist for Home School Enrichment magazine, her articles can be found online at: Crosswalk, Christian Devotions, and Heirloom Audio. When not writing she enjoys spending time with her husband in Pennsylvania, reading, knitting, and walking. Learn more at JodieWolfe.com.
My daughter and I were chatting about God and how He will do what He sets out to do every time. We talked about where human responsibility meets God’s sovereignty and the difference prayer or sacrifice makes.
I continued to think about our conversation long after the discussion was finished. My actions are less about motivating God and more about motivating my heart to keep in step with His. Prayer is not about changing God; it’s about changing me. Sure, He can and will accomplish His plans with or without me. He absolutely can work in spite of me, and in no way is He dependent on me. But how much joy could be waiting for me on the other side of submission and obedience? How much maturity could grow if I stopped passively waiting for Him to do as I asked and instead actively trusted Him as I walked in obedience?
God is fully capable of accomplishing His purposes without our help, but our eager participation in His plan might enrich our spiritual journey, multiply our joy, and increase our hope and awe of Him.
Lord, let my life be a testament to Your power and grace.
We put our oldest son on a plane and sent him up north for the summer. He has a job working at an outdoor camp and has been looking forward to this adventure for months. Thankfully, his local part-time employer gave him the summer off so he could take advantage of this opportunity.
I can’t help but think back to when we first adopted the boys. Our life became a whirlwind of noise and laughter. It was quite a shock moving from a family of three (parents + one daughter) to an instant family of five. The boys were two and three when they joined our family.
People said it would go fast. They said we would look back and long for those busy days with little ones. And I’d smile in return and nod, not fully understanding how correct those statements were/are. It has gone quickly. And this mini-send-off is the prequel to the bigger one not too far down the road. However, instead of looking back with longing, I want to be fully present now. The teen years have been a blast, and I have loved learning to enjoy our kids during this stage of life. I don’t want to miss right now because I’m too busy trying to reclaim what once was.
Because right now is pretty great.
So, however long we have with these amazing kids we’ve been blessed to raise, I’m all in. I can’t wait to hear all about his summer adventures when he returns. Here’s to cherishing each moment, embracing the present, and eagerly looking forward to the future. Life’s journey with them is a precious gift, and I intend to savour every second.
It’s the call every parent fears. There’s been an accident. Time moved too slowly and too quickly. The flashing lights. A totalled vehicle. A flood of emotions. Things are replaceable. People are not.
It was two days later that the anger hit.
It snuck in as a delayed response to trauma. I didn’t know—or expect—that I would be angry.
The Many Faces of Anger
I was angry about a mistake that could have cost a life. Angry about the stress and anxiety it introduced. Maybe even angry at God for letting it happen. Even this, I knew, was grief working its way out in me. But the knowledge didn’t bring instant relief. I still needed to find a healthy way to process my anger, but I didn’t want to deal with it. Not really. It was easier to feel angry than afraid of how quickly life can change and how powerless I am to stop it.
How Does a Person Stop Feeling Something?
Anger is a complicated emotion. Underneath its umbrella pulsed the specifics driving my feelings. I felt vulnerable, overwhelmed, and anxious. These all manifested as anger. I reached out to my community and asked them to join me in praising the Lord for physical protection and praying against sinful fear taking hold. I shared my coping strategy (I was doing the things I knew I was responsible for doing and praying over the things I had no control over).
As I did this, doubt whispered in my ear, “What good is this? It won’t help. Nothing will change.”
The Enemy is a Liar
In case you didn’t know it yet, the enemy is a liar. It was good. It did help. And I changed.
I have no way to explain the peace that slowly descended over my heart except to declare God is good, gracious, and full of mercy. As I continued to widen the circle of people praying, the consequences were not removed. The circumstances didn’t change, but the prayer changed me. I confessed my vulnerability to the Lord and focused on His immutable, unchanging, and loving character. I admitted to feeling overwhelmed but declared I would trust in my almighty, omnipotent provider. I gave God my anxiety and received from Him comfort. I was changed. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, guarded my heart and mind in Christ Jesus (Philippians 4:7).
Less than one week later, I’m relieved to say the anger is gone. When those underlying emotions try to creep back in, I remind myself who God is. And because I know the character of God, I can give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for me in Christ Jesus (1 Thessalonians 5:18).
