Overcoming Homeschool Worries

“For your Heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you." Matthew 6:32b-33

In my first few years of homeschooling, I found myself occasionally worrying that our children would not be academically equipped when it came time for them to leave the nest. Would they know how to add fractions that lacked a common denominator? Could they appropriately locate all 50 states and recall their capital cities? Would they remember that there's only one 'm' in 'tomorrow' and two in 'committed'? Or more important, what if a total stranger stopped them on the street and asked them to diagram a sentence, would they be able to do it? Oh, the needless worries that can plague the mind of a homeschool mom!

It was in the midst of one of these fretful sessions that the Lord graciously brought to mind Matthew 6:33, "Seek first His kingdom and His righteousness and all these things shall be added unto you." Could it be that all these things went beyond food, clothing, and shelter and actually included math, science, and history? Could it be that if our family truly made seeking God's face the priority each day that He would be faithful in helping me teach our children all the other things they needed to live fruitful, productive lives?

The answer was a resounding yes! But claiming this promise required faith on my part. Faith to believe the Lord means what He says. Faith to believe that "the fear of the Lord truly is the beginning of wisdom." I had a choice to make. I could either take the Lord at His Word or I could spend the next 18 years fearfully spinning my academic wheels and wringing my hands, only hoping it would be sufficient.

Thankfully He gave me the ability to trust Him. It took awhile, but once I allowed the truths of Matthew 6:33 to sink deep into my heart, my fears regarding homeschooling were replaced with joy...the joy of knowing that if I loved God with all of my heart, He would take care of the details. Whew!