The Love of God For The Triumphant Church!

The Love of God For The Triumphant Church! 

...a book to share full of love ... a key to the kingdom for the triumphant church! 

THIS IS HOW WE ROW THE BOAT EARLY SUNDAY MORNING

BY: Tammy M (Andis) Navigato

 

(Intro): Song clip of Nursery Rhyme/digital copy

 

1 - Institutional Epidemic

Introduction

History of Homeschooling

Our Homeschool Journey

 

2 - The Way It Used to Be

All The Reasons Why, Though I Didn’t Need Them

A Word from the Mouths of Babes

Lessons Learned, Lessons Taught, Lessons Lived

 

3 – Truth in The Foundation

It is Written

What is changing To Change You?

How Are You Being Led?

Yes, You Are Different

 

4 - Some Things Never Change

The Winds Upstream

How Deep Do You Desire To Go?

Your Influence Toward Others

 

5- Radical Unity

Foundations of Unity… What It’s Made Of

The Beginning of the Vision

The Valley of Decision

 

6 – Freedom Choices

 Decisions or Freedoms?

Freedom… Don’t Ever Forget

 Endless Freedoms

 

7– The Turning of The Tide

Changes In Real Time

 Not Encouragements, Just All the Responses

It is Washed

 

8- To Rock The Boat or Not

Rocking The Boat Continuously

 

Not Just a Nursery Rhyme

 

Ask First, Ask Always

 

 

9– Arguing For the Kids’ Sake

 

Waging War for You and Yours

 

 Discerning The Battle Lines

 

Fighting From Victory

 

10 – Casting Off All to Do God' Will

Reactions

Reminders

Realities

 

11 – Favor For The Future

In The Past

In The Present

In The Future

 

12 – Rowing the Boat Everyday

                                Up and Down the Generations

Service To Every Age

 The ‘Now’ Vision?

 

The Conclusion: Why Now?

Inspiration

 

**************************

 

1 - Institutional Epidemic

Introduction

 

I love you and so I am sharing this book with you.  Why this book, you ask? I could have chosen most any other thing being led of the Holy Spirit. You will find that much of this is not written in my usual style of prophetic writing as shared throughout the years. Some things must be written plainly to run its readers. I haven’t stayed here in this place, though it is worth the read. It is worth the hear. Because I love you, God loves you and if God first loved you then it is that love that you love others. This book I bring to you should be brought before the eyes and ears of many and passed to those in whom you love because God first loved you. There is so much to gain, no matter how it speaks to you. This book is about foundational truths of love.

So, let’s go way back for a moment and with purpose on a divine rewind. There is a leading to be confirmed. There is an influence to be shared. There is vision to be increased. From where it began, it has grown in multi-faceted ways and for those in whom I was given to grow, love and reach very directly. This too has progressed much over time to include you. I took it on in all diligence in the doing, seeing the end from the beginning. Who are these I long to reach? My children. My family. Both acquaintances and friends. Those in ministry and those being called to it. The visionary. The lovers of life. The ones that need to grow their faith and also the ones questioning theirs. It is for those who will go with God in the deep things though it is not for those who won’t but will change rather.

Goodness. To begin. I was a timid child. Inside, perhaps though not to others who might have told you I never stopped talking. Later this translated a worth issue. My worth, not what everyone else valued as my worth. I knew it internally, but my leading wasn’t supported in the knowing. Contemplative, yes. A speaking gift, most definitely. Much change, much flexibility and coming into the knowledge of my worth as I embarked on this journey, the journey to, of and from schooling my children. Ironically, now I will always share with you that you must know who you are…your identity is of upmost importance! Much learning came as I began homeschooling them, then teaching others and then God gave the vision for raising up the triumphant church. This vision came gradually and also suddenly at times. A one teaching always stands to learn much more than once thought. This I did and to share with you. All things will be made good because God is good and all the time.

The young years of my own school, homeschooling my own children for a near few decades, a great deal of time and seasons set apart for very deep study and prayer, then afterwards going to school for church ministry. It has been a long way. In the leading, I have cultivated a vast love to share in bringing up a victoriously triumphant church. If it seems daunting to you, worry not, and read on. It isn’t your call, though make no mistake you have one and are worthy of walking it out unto victory. God will go to all lengths to make very certain that you know who you are and utilize the gifts given. It is a promise both for you and to bless so many others!

Some years have passed since I started the journey of homeschooling. To use this term now, seems like it needs an upgrade. Perhaps something like ‘life lessons’ yet a term far too general in what I want you to come to see and know. Here I am sharing with you deep-seated beliefs. It is with great purpose I convey to you my heart and that many people and nations will be brought into repentance to see many hard truths and also be fulfilled with so very much favor.

What am I determined for you to do? Two things. The first, know that you know that you know what Romans 8:1 says…

 

There is therefore now no condemnation for those who walk according to the Spirit and not of the flesh.

 

I might speak to the vast majority of readers that most have went to public school. So, there is NOW no condemnation. This is about sharing life with you that your family learn the freedoms that you were previously unaware.

Secondly, to finish the book and not believe it to be written with the intention of sharing my beliefs as a documentary penned from a timeline. The little things are actually really big things. These make a difference overall. And when the little things become catchy, what is captured in one’s heart, can be captured in a home. What is then gained in the home can be made eminent enough that families of communities make changes. The church is then edified in the spiritual matters to grow unto the triumphant church. Why? Because all things begin in the house of God. The church grows victoriously, making grand impact upon nations as it too realizes its vast significance. It’s been worth it. Why? Because you are worth it.

Why now? When you finish this book come back and reread this introduction. Your first (#1) instruction with promise. I will remind you later. The key word: Generations!

How we row the boat is not exactly about rowing the boat and certainly not on a Sunday morning. A nursery rhyme, yes, though one we can all learn from. Let me bring you some clarity as we get started. You have surely heard the adage about the easiest way to insanity, right? Maybe not. Or perhaps you haven’t put too much thought to it. You do many things over and over again in rowing a boat to get to where you are going. Drawing on this visual, there are some important things to know for the journey.

 

·        One, where you are going isn’t to the same place with the exception of heaven if you receive Jesus as your personal Savior.

·        Two, how you get there isn’t perhaps on the same boat. And if there had to be another, I would add this next one to it.

·        Three, everyone on the boat will get something different once they get there because everyone is unique and that is a good thing.

 

The goal is always the same, no matter how high or low the waters are, the goal is heaven! The grandiose takeaway from the journey is you do not have to mindlessly row the boat to get there. It’s about enjoying life. Someone has likely given you directions that didn’t align to the Word of God or your perceived if you didn’t do it their way there is no way. True, there is only one way to Jesus. Though speaking to the religious spirit, a scripture comes to mind, paraphrased from Matthew 23:15. Religious ones (and nothing wrong with religion regarding your worship of God) go through land and sea to make converts and then make them twice the son of hell by all the rules. Second (#2) instruction. Please reread and meditate this above paragraph.

 

History of Homeschooling

 

Do not be confused. You did not just read ‘Homeschooling is history’. Here I will share a few brief points of the history of what homeschooling is and how it got started to those who are unfamiliar. This book is not a ‘how to’, though I will attempt to share God’s heart in what I know to communicate.

‘Homeschooling History 101’ will be brief here. I found three persons whom I am both more and less aware of even after a few decades of homeschooling. I was aware of their theories or ‘schools of thought’ on homeschooling, however. I am not so fond of the word ‘theories. For the sake of researching what others have done I will share this portion but know that what others have done is not golden. What the Word of God says is. So, when I say this, allow me to draw a distinction. Thoughts and ideas are important in the share as you will see, however, I am leaning away from an idea for a sake of an opinion. I like uniqueness because God likes uniqueness. What sometimes looks like the long way is actually not and surely to your blessing.

 

Back to 101 for some explanation. These three persons carry three different impactful ideas that brought back the movement of children returning to home to school, thus, the newly created term, ‘homeschooling’. Yes, this was no new thing, though in a culture that rows the boat as many others row the boat, it seems so that it is from another planet. Case and point, if someone told you to jump from a building, would you find it to be a good idea? If you were given a child that you longed to have, would you give them to someone else to care for? If you disagreed with something that was taught to your children, what could you do about it? Digging deep I know. It’s the answer you find on your knees that matters. I have already found it on mine. I am therefore passed the burning looks. I do not fear your face. I see way passed that point. Onward. Once upon a time, by example, children were raised in rural farming communities and they worked together and learned together, at their own pace, with and without formal instruction and were raised to be God-fearing, highly literate, good citizens with a specific bent toward their God-given giftedness. They later grew up and into a solid people who served others with these gifts and well. Identity. Strong in the power of God.

I call myself blessed to have gotten together on my great grandparent’s farm and put sweat equity into this real description. It is a small portion of what I come to know as truth. More than that, determined that my son would grow up to be a hard-working man, leader, husband, and father. Yes, I drug him up before morning light in the summer when school was typically out to go to work for a local farmer. He could likely recount to you those hard days of work. I fully decided that it was not only with the above purpose but also because he learns by using his hands and doing so it was exactly what was needed.

 

·        To begin, I will share about John Holt, a strong influencer of counter-culture homeschooling who coined the phrase ‘unschooling’. ‘Unschooling’ came on many levels, but the foundational belief of unschooling was to remove some, if not all, structured methods used in the typical school setting. His encouragement was to streamline the idea of children learning by their own curiosities. My own observations through the years of families who incorporate unschooling into their homeschool practices, have been that it spurs as much curiosity for the ‘love of learning’ for the parents as the children. Families find themselves learning new freedoms that were not visited previously in their lives during the more rigid lifestyle of a public-school setting. Looking at the entirety of the unschooling idea, in our own schooling experience, this might have looked less like a theory guiding our school (I don’t follow hard after theories), though was more like the overarching vision that brought about learning from curiosities as well as our ‘days off’. This was not a belief we followed after. I preface my words with the many I observed who utilized this theory eventually as an excuse to be lazy, to not teach or foster love for anything. God must be at the center or what are you teaching and how are you guiding them.

 

·        The next, Raymond Moore, who impacted the homeschool movement greatly by and based on his highly devout faith as a former Missionary. His thought was that learning should be far greater than learning facts and apart from that believed that there were many negative aspects to public education. He guided the homeschool community from a platform based on the responsible parent and becoming more inclusive in the family values and core beliefs. In our schooling, faith was incorporated into all aspects of learning with the Word of God being the foundation for doing so. For our schooling journey, these are facts that serve as a good teacher when aligned to the Word of God. If it held a negative connotation or atmosphere it wasn’t going to be a part of the taught journey. A definite responsibility is necessary. Should it stray too far in one directive it can open you up to a ‘spirit of religion.’ Facts are needful; therefore, core beliefs do make a difference. I agree with him on much. I didn’t see this as too rigid to be a thought to model after. Ultimately, you pick your battles.

 

·        Finally, Ayn Rand who helped create the modern movement of homeschooling as we know it today held the belief that each child should have the opportunity to develop their mind with greater emphasis on the individual freedoms. Doting on individual of the child’s bent and their giftedness is something that more easily made up the focal point of the homeschool setting. This was a larger part of our schooling. This wasn’t the easy route in any aspect, nonetheless, how I was led in guiding them as they grew. I did not know much about her truly until now though her share best explains my leading during the journey. It aligns to the Word of God, not as much as a theory, though a practice to emulate in loving each child according to their learning bent.

 

Each of these reformers in the homeschool community abroad have distinct views that helped color the world of home education, but all somehow work well together to bring totally changed hearts, lives and households of families. These are prefaced with the following: Early on in my life and more specifically, my spiritual life, Colossians 2:8 raised a flag of caution to learn from but not be ‘taken  in’ by anything other than the ‘Word’ which I have grown to have a passionate love for. Therefore, when it says,

 

‘Beware, lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit, according to the traditions of men, according to the basic principles of the world and not of Christ.’

 I found it with ease to research the reasonings of others and truly make no idols of such leaders or their ways, but to choose wisely from those who might have paved past freedoms to incorporate how God leads the church to be triumphant. I gleaned personally from only a few books that I was more inclined toward to read and study as I researched learning early on, like:

·        ‘The Strong-Willed Child’ by: Dr. James Dobson[i]. In quite serious laughter, if there is such a thing, I might have rewritten this book in this journey of mine in homeschooling my own children. In no way am I exaggerating.

 

·        Another was ‘Creative Correction’ by: Lisa Welchel [ii] which was a fun way to incorporate rewards, organize family chores and teach responsibility when they were young to bring about solid loving discipline for a lifetime.

 ·    ‘Shepherding a Child’s Heart’ by: Tedd Tripp[2], which was a book I found thoughtful in showing much mercy and love geared toward guiding them down the right path of life toward God.

•      ‘Life Keys: Discovering Who You Are, Why You’re Here, What You Do Best’[3], which is a book geared toward your passions, talents, values and personality. This book in simple explanation fuels my whole life’s ministry, though now in far greater measure for the many. What is your bent?

•  ‘The Birth Order Book’ By: Dr. Kevin Leman, a book that held interest to me watching the children grow up and interact with one another, watching   the similarities you can see in families and church families as well. This   fun-loving book brings good medicine to tough days in raising the family.

Though these are far in the past researching, and there has been much growth from there, these formed solid thoughts and help guide me with the family. I was born with an innate predisposition to not follow fads, trends and the next big thing. I knew deep down I was to be the catalyst for many, then and now. Developing and pioneering many things have characterized this homeschool experience for sure to the furthest degree, from the beginning and forward.

 

Our Homeschool Journey

 

Though this book’s intention is not being written with the purpose of sharing our curriculum choices, I will share here briefly about my heart regarding our schooling experience. Moreover, it is about sharing through the leading of the Holy Spirit and giving God all glory for it. I might dote on this more in different areas of this writing as life is God’s great graces to us.

Our homeschool was comprised of five children who were all as different as one another. I can hardly explain just how different. The leading: I now know why I was given a diverse bunch and many. The vision being formed was as diverse. God does not waste anything.

I was led in the Word and in prayer and researching, fellowshipping with homeschool families, endless study, and prayer (individually and corporately), though these were some main titles other than the Word of God that always held first place. There were a few specific areas in teaching and guiding my children that became focus in guiding them in growing:

·        Individual learning bent (innate, a distinct leading)

·        Giftedness (ever growing, to be encouraged)

·        Passions (utilized gifts with strength of anointing)

Here are the basics of how I incorporated these focal points: I prayed. I always pray. Though I prayed a lot. I got a notebook and made notes on what I felt each child needed for each upcoming school year to learn, skills to sharpen and areas of character to work on. I would sit them down (which looked more like gymnastics in the living room while we talked) and ask them what kinds of books they wanted to read this year, what new things they wanted to learn, what they thought they needed work on and fun things they wanted to do (field trips we would incorporate). I then researched, chose the units we would focus on which were anywhere from 4 weeks to 18 weeks in length with the ability to shorten or lengthen lessons according to need. The longer the unit the more they seemed to learn in that particular unit. Rarely did we do school past mid mornings on Friday. This was a review, finish up and testing day, reserved for a homeschool group or parents group that was headed up for the community, sports, choir class or a field trip. By the time 2^nd semester came I knew if there was anything we needed to upgrade or make adjustments. This became a pattern I utilized for many years.

 

Apart from the reading, writing and arithmetic (which translated reading the Word, reading their choice of a books, reading for Language Arts or English curriculum, copy work or math) we mostly and for many years utilized unit studies. Grades K-8 worked on a character unit with history as a basis and High School worked from a historical era. Sound hard? It wasn’t. The oldest did the most work and according to the level working on down to the youngest. This took up the afternoons while the mornings were set aside for core learning.

 

2 - The Way It Used to Be

 

All The Reasons Why, Though I Didn’t Need Them

 

My daughter gets off the school bus everyday crying. Inquiring of the upset with much prodding, I find that at the end of the day she is struggling in Math class. This happens every day. I thought it merely not being able to understand the material. As it turns out, it is far more. I did what any mom would do. I walked to the school and slipped in the back of the classroom for what I thought might be a few afternoons. It took only three.

·        Day one; I am enthralled in listening to the Nigerian teacher’s accent as he taught this small group of children (who were in a select class). I am accepted well this day to observe, though at the end of the class, questioned as to why I was there (a later red flag #1). Well, I was there because this was my daughter, though I sensed he felt that he might be under some type of scrutiny. This was not so. I assured him explaining that she was a bit upset for a few days after school, having a hard time in Math class, so I was there to observe in knowing how to handle this. This was my responsibility as a parent.

 

·        Day two; still enthralled with and better deciphering the thick accent of the teacher, I sat observing while she sat at the front row right under his explanation of the problems at hand. Class goes on. I see her tensions when I arrive, and he seems perturbed with her even upon my arrival. She is upset. The room is full of tension. He seems a little more than concerned that I am there again. This time class stops early for them to gather their materials and asks me if I believe she is still struggling with the material at which time I replied she was. He went on to tell me very abruptly that she should not be struggling with her aptitude and reiterated that the material covered had been explained repeatedly and that she simply was not listening (red flag #2). I became a bit uncomfortable at his quite ‘matter-a-fact’ explanation for her not ‘getting it’. She leaves the classroom with me upset once again crying because she does not understand the work, believing she is in trouble for not listening to his instruction. She was not.

 

·        Day three; I am there on time. He does not want me there and it is very greatly evident. He is agitated and even angered in his teaching. When he calls her out for the answer and she does not know how to answer, she hangs her head in defeat. I could feel her hot, embarrassed face from the back of the room through a mother’s heart, though I don’t even know if she knew I was there. At once he snapped a ruler on her desk and yelled at her to sit up and answer him (How many red flags now? I lost count). Now my own face is red hot, and I am growing angry, but gave him a moment that it would take to clean up their supplies as class was over. He walked to the back of class while I waited for her to gather her things. Boldly approaching me, his shoulders squared, as if in some type of a stand-off, he tells me that it is not his teaching that is the issue, rather it is that she is not listening at which I turned and let him know we would meet in the principal’s office (all of us) as I exited the classroom. He told me as I exited, I was a racist parent, or I would not have a problem with him at all and that he resented taking this to the principal. I turned to him with a look of complete shock at his incorrect judgments of me that he could not see what had just taken place.

 

Moments later, the meeting in the office commenced with him beginning by telling the principal that I was only there observing because I was racist. Later in the conversation he told the principal that because my daughter was in ‘gifted or accelerated’ classes that she should readily be able to handle the material. When I gently suggested that this might not be an area where she excelled, he then blurted out that if she is in gifted classes she should be gifted in all areas and able to meet the standards (many more red flags!). Without another thought, I suggested that perhaps she should be put in all regular classes once again if it is going to cause her so much stress in this one class. Pay attention here. They looked at each other wide-eyed and then to me to let me know almost simultaneously that I cannot do that and proceeded to let me know that she is pushed to get the grades because the school district gets a large stipend of money for the specific number of children being in this type of ‘gifted’ program and if one leaves their program, the school on a whole would suffer financially because of the grant received on her behalf. Wide-eyed and seeing fully all the red flags, I excused myself letting them know I would be sending a formal letter of withdrawal in the mail tomorrow, and I left at once, with them telling me that I cannot do that. I did.

 

Fast forward, to my amazement when I felt compelled to slip in to visit in my son’s classroom for a few days just a few days later. I did this specifically to check on what may be going on in his class regarding what I had come to know in the first setting. Oh, my goodness, is all I can say! I opened the classroom door to what I could only explain to you in the closest terms possible to be a zoo. It was wild. I remember seeing more things in the air over the few minutes at the end of the day than I saw students in their seat. There were questions being shouted at the teacher from across the room, yelling, bouncing, shouting, singing, paper airplanes complete with a teacher that seemed to overlook the lack of order totally of her classroom. This was all to my complete amazement. It was completely out of control. Again, I slipped in the back of the class at day’s end for the next few days and nothing changed, having hoped it was a tough afternoon. At my gently calling this out to the teacher, she laughed at and her felt agreement about how rowdy they were and how ‘they do get so excited in the afternoons’. This was like phase two. Day three and I realized fully that there was one more week of school and this too, was my son’s last week of school as he was learning nothing in an atmosphere of chaos as it was not conducive to learning.

Fast forward again to years later when there are now three more girls, about a year in a half a part. These girls began homeschooling, never having been in a public-school setting and for many years and knew nothing different. They possessed freedoms they didn’t know they held. 

 

A Word from the Mouths of Babes

 

Out of the mouths of babes and nursing infants you have ordained strength, because of your enemies, that you may silence your enemies and the avenger.  Psalm 8:2

 

My daughter and son had graduated from high school in our homeschool "Faith Academy". The girls were all between elementary and middle school years and then through a terrible turn of events that was more exactly described as an onslaught brought directly from hell itself, the youngest three children were put into public school without my authorization or consent.

 

In summary, it was all of these; tragic to my oldest of the girls, three or more days of screaming and crying endlessly at the prospect of such an atrocity. For the next daughter, a new adventure, melancholy and not sure what to do but hurtful and torn in her heart mostly at her older sister’s grandiose upset as she looked up to her as such a great confidant. And very heart-breaking for my youngest that knew she was being taken away from everything she knew. They got acclimated though it was not the best option for their lives. This would be a good space to let you know that God wants the best for you, not the mediocre, barely getting by. Not the sacrificial, the very best. Not the common, but the truth.

 

I share this that my daughter shared with me one night through great aggravation to help shed light on what has our country numbed to and what I call an ‘institutional epidemic.’ Meaning: Being bound by a place, a community of thought, originally thought of as binding, which carries the idea of being widespread or most prevalent way of doing things, though has not proved itself to be a healing or learning atmosphere, perhaps even becoming an idol, because it is conducted most often without the mission of God at the center of its foundation.

 

So, now that that has been explained, try not to laugh at her reaction as even I have when I recall regardless of how real and raw its explanation. I laugh because of how it came across, but I cry deeply because of the depth of her hurt and on a whole other level, because it was the absolute truth that so very many on a grand scale don’t see this or simply haven’t thought about it and so this is how we got to ‘This Is How We Row The Boat Early Sunday Morning’. So, lighten up for a moment as I share this visual.

 

Before I do this, allow me to explain this child, short and sassy and brutally honest as they come. Bouncing as she walks and right into her Sunday school class in kindergarten and proceeds to loudly proclaim to the whole classroom and makes sure they are listening first that they all need to know just in case they didn’t know, that  ‘there is no such thing as Santa Claus and if you thought that then someone lied to you’ and she is mad and angry that she had been violated that people just go around lying. Do you get the picture? Let me add to this. Long, wildly curly, ringlets and big chubby cheeks. Yes, that child! We could get into in-depth discussions on Christmas fun versus blanketed widespread lies though a topic for a different day. In the way a child like her sees things this might give you a fuller picture of what I am about to share.

 

She calls me this one evening, not having been unable to see me for a few weeks, having just started public school, though she has never known anything else but homeschooling, which consisted of reading together, math manipulatives, projects, lots of library visits, field trips, arts, children’s gatherings, church, Sunday school and studying schoolwork and at times over lunch on a blanket at the park. Know that there was order but also freedom. So back to the call… (I could hear her hands on her hips, no real breath between her words as to get her point across as I am her mom. Moms know things). 

“Mom! We have to talk, like now! Do people really do this?... every single day? This is the crazy, Mom! Do they expect me to do this forever? …because I just can’t! Listen to me. Just listen. I get up every single day so early that it is still dark outside and hardly have any time to eat any breakfast at all and starve all morning. It is cold outside. I can never find my jacket. I ride all the way to school and stand in line to do everything, even to go to the bathroom! And to get lunch! I have one boy that I sit by but if I say anything to him in my class, I get in trouble for talking and have to sit in time out. Then we go to lunch. You can talk if the light is green but if it turns red you have to stop talking right then. What is up with that? And it is really being rude to your friends because you cannot even finish what you were saying! So then after school we have to wait in line again to go home and then I have like forever to do homework! Then I go take a shower and have hardly any time to do it and then I have to eat dinner and go straight to bed. I don’t get to play with my sisters or my toys! I don’t get to go outside hardly at all. I don’t see my family and I certainly don’t see you!”

 

You might read that a few times all the way through to hear her heart fully and mostly for the very real context. Many have or do this every day by rote without so much as a thought. We don’t question the hustle, the stress, the meals, the lack of family time, the behavioral programming or the pace. So, out of the mouth of babes the truth is told, the uncut truth. So, is this how to row the boat? No, and certainly not on Sunday morning. In fact, not on any day. 

My summary: She was a little child encountering everything I never wanted my children to have to be stripped of because they were already given it; the every freedom, love of learning, giftedness, true and deep joy, their family time and so much more to be institutionally bound by buzzers, conversation per an on and off light, programming even if we were not aware, classroom religion, just plain having no fun, having life taken rather than given because ‘this is how we row the boat’. Because truly, this is not how we rowed the boat! And this is not how God designed you to row the boat!

  

Lessons Learned, Lessons Taught, Lessons Lived

 

 At some point I looked back and saw what I already had seen as a child that I never wanted for my own children. I heard these all coming from my own child’s mouth. I had held them in my heart unexplained as a child myself. Somewhere inside it was ingrained in me that my children would not live this. I saw these patterns that I call ‘institutional’ and now as I look and see, an ‘epidemic’. They didn’t live this as long as I could help it.

 

 It was quite the same only on a slower level growing up in school in the 70’s and 80’s. I had an incredible love of learning as a child but for other things not taught in the traditional classroom. I was curious and wanted to learn ahead which was discouraged in every way in public school. The love of learning was never fostered. You needed to stay uniform to everyone else, in or out of uniform. God looks on the heart and the heart of the matter. I went to many schools having many varied things take place that would discourage me as an adult from desiring my own children to attend public school. I knew there was a better choice, and this one was not God given. So many things were the same, not entirely different, though it was all by rote. ‘This is how you row the boat.’ I had no interest in the mind-numbing, monotony of ‘this is how you row the boat’ kind of life for my children. Not every day. Not any day. Not on Sunday.

  

Lessons learned as a child were somehow held close to my heart that led me to know right from wrong, better, and best practices and the wisdom to know the difference in them. Lessons I taught were pulled from the many wisdom pieces I had learned personally that aligned to God’s leading. I taught these to my children and wills to be taught to my children’s children. Lessons lived are the best teachers from previous learning. These are real life and can come to life without as much heartache in the learning and are so much more fun. Promises from the very precious Word of God.

 

All your children shall be taught by the Lord and great shall be the peace of your children. In righteousness you shall be established; You shall be far from oppression, for you shall not fear; And from terror, for it shall not come near you. Indeed, they shall surely assemble, but not because of Me. Whoever assembles against you shall fall for your sake.

Isaiah 54:13-15

 

3 – Truth in The Foundation

It is Written

 

What is written in your heart? Look inside this verse. Look into this verse. What defines you? What is securely sound within you? What tells the story of you? It is written on your heart.

 

Do not let mercy and kindness and truth leave you (instead let these qualities define you); Bind them (securely) around your neck. Write them on the tablets of your heart. Proverbs 3:3

 

What then becomes written on your heart, you share with others in mercy, kindness and in truth. These that you keep, you share. And a verse that leads me to my next thoughts to share…

 

It’s better to be wise than strong; intelligence outranks muscle any day. Strategic planning is the key to warfare; to win you need a lot of good counsel. Proverbs 24:5-6

 

 What is Changing to Change You?

 

        Change. It’s imminent. I want to discuss this a little more to bring some clarity to the meaning. Let’s start with flexibility. One must stretch as a warmup to a good workout and then you are also stretched in the pressing forward to your goal during that same workout. At some point you begin the workout. You decide on the length, the duration, the push you put into it, the cool down and then it is brought to a close. Then it brings you to the next work out session. Over time you adjust these to meet your needs and goals with what you are learning from each workout. At some point you look on what you used to do and what you are currently doing to then decide what has changed and what is changing you? You might ask, what has not changed? Or what won’t change if there isn’t a change?

 

Change versus convictions. Convictions are the hard pressed, non-compromising parts of you that have become written on your heart. They come with tenacity. Don’t be confused by the element of tradition or by the all trends. Change is good. Some change, however, is not. The Word of God explains the difference.

 

My Son, fear the Lord and the king; and do not associate with those who are given to change (that is; change of allegiance and something revolutionary) Proverbs 24:21

 

How Are You Being Led?

 

    Listen. Pay attention. Take it in. Believe it. Study. Meditate. Receive it. Memorize. Know it. Become it. Fall in love with it. Apply the most precious Word!

         So don’t you see that we don’t owe this old do-it-yourself life one red cent anything. There’s nothing in it for us, nothing at all. The best thing to do is give it a decent burial and get on with your new life. God’s Spirit beckons. There are thing to do and places to go! The resurrection life you received from God is not a timid grave-tending life. It’s adventurously expectant, greeting God with a childlike “What’s next, Papa?” God’s Spirit touches our spirit and confirms who we really are. We know who he is, and we know who we are: Father and children. And we know we are going to get what is coming to us- an unbelievable inheritance! We go through exactly what Christ goes through. If we go through the hard times with him, then we’re certainly going to go through the good times with him! That’s why I don’t think there’s any comparison between the present hard times and the coming good times. The created world itself can hardly wait for what’s coming next. Everything in creation is being more or less held back. God reins it in until both creation and all the creatures are ready and can be released at the same moment into the glorious times ahead. Meanwhile, the joyful anticipation deepens. 

Romans 8:12-24

 

        The most precious of points to note on the tablets of your heart from this passage are these:

·                    Salvation in God is the first and most important  point.

·                    The resurrection life is ever-expectant and ever-longing for the God kind-of-life

·                     Identity in God clarifies vision.

·                    There’s always a birthing into the new.

·       A ‘spirit of religion’ or society as a whole will never teach you the truth of hope; that you are about to come into a great inheritance and with great joy! Why? These don’t or won’t understand about change. These are those that ‘know’ but don’t want you to know, or you might grow. It chooses for you and would rather you remain trapped in sameness, numbness, all things customary, the social norms that drifts over to near mindlessly into ever-worsening things… like dullness, blindness of spirit, intuitionalism and socialism. You should also know that a ‘spirit of religion’ is devious and is not just found in a religious setting like the church. It is, however, divisive, and deceptive. This is why most don’t even recognize it. It wants you to blend in and adhere to its principles of thought, like ‘this is how we row the boat’, and not to recognize a rowing aimlessly.

·                    Nothing of the past is worthy to compare to the glorious future.

·                    The litmus test: Instruction (#3) three. Reread the above seven most precious points of this book.

 

Yes, You Are Different!

 

Yes, it’s true. A foundational truth that carries with it much reward. Your difference in respect to every other person you will ever meet is your very giftedness. It is to be sought out, to become very well acquainted with and to be utilized for kingdom ability. It is to affect that every other very different gift and then teach these to go and do likewise. God’s unique and glorious creation!

 

Labels. You will have heard them all over public school to try to compartmentalize you, more as a name or a number, rather than your giftedness or your true title that is God-given and wills to define you. These are things such as…

 

·        ‘Gifted Student’ as if all the others were not. Gifted student, yes you are, though not to be lifted in pride or for the sake of someone else’s gain and not sold for a bribe.

·        ‘Handicapped’ which speaks to what a person is not or cannot do rather than the capabilities that outshine the rest. Non edifying. Doesn’t count in God’s name calling economy of health and healing.

·        ‘Special Education’, the one that goes out of its way to make you stand out but has a secret kind of mockery behind it. You are also not dumb. The offender has a deep area of blindness to your giftedness because of sin that makes it so easy to not see in and of themselves that they are special or these would not be the offender.

 

The real labels are these. You have gifts galore, regardless of your aptitude. You have gifts that no one else has to be used as no one else can. The word ‘labels’ brings on a whole new meaning of disparaging and belittling and is all that is opposed to healing, to encouraging and toward the furthering. In conclusion, you have an enemy that is very real and is so nonchalant in telling you who you are. Meanwhile, child of God, heaven is trying to get to you your real titles and your real gifts.

 

4 – Some Things Never Change

 

    The Winds Upstream

Don’t feel the need to change everything at once, though you must know and be aware that there will be some winds upstream. Some changes will happen little by little. Don’t be tempted to think that ‘some things never change’. It is true not to associate with those tossed to and fro with every wind of doctrine, but I am speaking of carrying about a negative spirit. It has taken a lot of years of programming that this is ‘how you row the boat’ to believe that there is some sort of solemn truth held in it that schooling at home is wrong and the majority wins. Wrong race. Wrong program. I want it to take you far less the time to realize this is ‘not how you row the boat’ and certainly not on Sunday morning. Any influencing toward change should come from the Word of God and not from a society that has removed God from their man-made plans. This has allowed for the masses to be influenced toward the world rather than away from such and back to following hard after a Holy God.

 

Allow a visual for a moment. There used to be a sign that hung on the wall of our homeschool with one fish that swam in the opposite direction of the rest of the school of fish. An inquisitive one might question why the fish was not swimming in the same direction as all the rest. A wise one might look on this wondering what was just upstream that many others might be missing. A scholarly one might answer that some fish swim against the current to bring about life. Case and point. While unity is good, conformity in deception is not. Where is God in all you do? This is the only real question that begs an answer. I am not making your decisions. You are. But be certain you are making them whether you make them or just go with the flow. Be certain of your why. You will have to answer. It wills to share the hope of what you do and why you do it. Statistics don’t answer for you, you do. Know why you are rowing the boat to make change. Don’t stay with ‘it never will’ because one thing is sure and that some things ‘will never change’ unless changes are made.

The continuous questions that you are tempted to laugh about and  one time felt condemned by, if it is not already, is now making way for what will be your testimony of faith. It means to bring up the next generation and furthering other’s faith! To affect others with the hope that makes way for positive change. You are the trailblazer or the forerunner and be not confused, I am not talking about a car. You will know you have been brought through some things when you have gained compassion for those who have not been through what you have. Empathy goes a long way in exemplifying the things you believe have never changed. And yet there remains a hope in your love. Never forget this as it wills to change a generation and that matters most to God.

  

How Deep Do You Desire to Go?

 

I did not mistakenly say, ‘How low do you desire to go?’ Rather, I said, ‘How deep do you desire to go?’ I am speaking to you and your own growth as a person. It is not just about how you grow ever more keenly aware of as ‘the great responsibility you have’ to raise a family but also most definitely the great adventure in it. Your growth matters to them. Your growth matters to God. You see, it is not just about how you can somehow manage your home, their lives, each curricula choice as there are so many demands, but it is about how deep you yourself desires to go with God. Remember without your leading, your love, your care everything falls apart. Without being led into the deep things of God all things remain shallow. The boat won’t row in those waters. You will manage the home and well, though what is God’s desire in the depths for you? Have you asked? What are your desires?

 

Beloved friend, I pray that you are prospering in every way and that you continually enjoy good health, just as your soul is prospering.

3 John 2

 

     God desires that you also enjoy a prosperous life as you go. The verse is not merely for household salvation and growing them up in their gifts, but also utilizing yours as well.  How to? You pray. You pray a lot. You pray for your family. You pray for your church. You pray in the mornings. You pray in the noonday. You pray in the evenings. You pray under your breath. You pray out loud. You pray in your sleep. You pray in your songs of worship. But you pray. More on this upstream, though make no mistake that it goes deep.

                     

Your Influence Toward Others

 

Your growth matters to God. So, your growth matters to them. It is your constant influence. Your love of learning fuels the rowing of the boat. Don’t let it be in sameness, both in your pursuits and in your desires. The little ones pay attention. The little ones grow up to be like you. Let life be fun and not the drudgery of what you must do the next day, in the next week or next month. In no way am I telling you that planning is not part of the process of doing life with family, but I am telling you that each day has enough issues of its own and to not miss what God has for you in the here and now. There is so much God longs to show you of yourself and your gifts and your influence towards the many. The only way to influence others is to look to God as your main influence. Learn the ways of God and model your life as such. The Godly influence you carry will influence everyone around you.

 

5 – Radical Unity

 

Foundations of Unity …What It’s Made Of

 

Unity started for me right there in what I saw as broken, misplaced, disgruntled and lacking togetherness. It was there that radical unity began.  It was in the ‘less than’ rather than the ‘more than’. It was the place to go to where what isn’t wills to be. It is this place that you learn the most and often in the trenches or throws of the hardest of times. You learn what is not and what should be, what is and what to do next. Dig deep. Tear it apart in your mind. Pray it through. Set it straight and then row the boat.

Many things I witnessed as a young child in public school or encountered in a public-school setting were truly what I couldn’t or didn’t want to believe happened anywhere else in other schools. The examples I am about to share are to be prefaced with the fact that I was either a very young child or a now grown adult realizing right from wrong and others have been discovered truths. What is in the foundation? What is in the mission? Is God in it? I have been where God was not. You likely have to. Do you now recognize it? Know that these things I witnessed comes from the root of deep pain in some, everything apart from what I call ‘radical unity’ and did not emulate God but normalized sin and irresponsibility where God is not at the head of all. Radical unity calls for God’s Spirit to be at the center of all you do; order, freedoms, and love and that love to be the central focus, which again, comes from God. I am not making excuses for pain, sickness and sin but know that a looking back is necessary to impact change. There was a deep lack of joy missing.

Things I mention here are not to evoke anger, upset you or even sympathy but to give a real view of what has been shared previously versus what needed to be filtered in the growing process. Wisdom gained to take with me for the future of my family. Don’t get caught up in the small stuff. The larger overarching issues are what make for the stronger points in the leading.

So, we all remember if alive then or have heard of the blizzard of 1978. I was one of the happy kids that was not able to go to school for two and a half weeks. When I did go to school, I walked 10-15 blocks to and from school every day and it was scary at best. It wasn’t a snow story. It was so and looking back, even then, I do not think it was safe. In this day, not at all what I would call safe. I was 7-9 years old at the time and went to city schools.

Fast forward for a moment. I have graduated two children from high school, sent them off to college and life, having three more children who at this point years later went back to public school. This was not by my authority or with my authority. God gave it none as well. My daughter had a 30-minute or more walk home from school so when no one could pick her up she would have to walk all that way through a shady part of town past places she didn’t trust. She voiced this concern to me to help her. After a few days of picking her up, I was then banned from driving my own daughter from school and she was made to walk home alone. These were school officials who made these decisions about my young daughter’s safety or the lack thereof. This was nearly 40 years later with changing times. At what point did the school system make decisions for your children? I will preface this with there being extenuating circumstances or my children would not have been there with a need to walk all the way home for 30 minutes at the same young age I once was, when they previously were already home being cared for and being taught to care for others.

In 1976, 1^st grade, I would walk in a long lunch line with the whole school in a large foyer back when most all schools were Kindergarten through grade 8 and the older children who should have known better would throw boxed lunches at you and hit you in the face with them. The teachers would see it and turn the other way. This happened every day. Why? Because the teachers were scared. During this same year, sitting in class doing copy work of a writing assignment, there were loud yelling and sounds of furniture breaking down the hall. A father of a student in my class and the father’s brother stormed the principal’s office to violently attack him and then left him beaten in his office. Learning environment? I think not.

During the year of 1977 I caught my 2^nd grade teacher calling my home making sexual advances over the phone. I recognized who it was and told my mom who was on the phone. Teacher of children?

In that same year during gym class none of the children in class were listening to the gym teacher. While he was tending to a few other children, he asked me to go tell the many other students to come to where he was and to get in a line. When they would not line up as he had asked me to tell them to do, I got paddled. Had I not learned better, I would have learned to not trust adults as this was the message. You decide. 

During that same gym class a few weeks later, we were told to line up to do the uneven bars. When it came my turn, I swung off of the high bar onto the next. As I came around the second bar my hand slipped and I fell off the top bar on my back onto the floor covered by a mat, though not padded enough and with blunt force. The teacher had walked away way over to the far side of the gym and was not spotting me. It knocked the wind out of me, and I couldn’t breathe. I couldn’t speak. He came running when he seen me. He then kept hitting me hard in the back out of fear and making me walk telling me I was going to be ok. He had sent everyone else back to class until I was ok enough to breathe until I could say the alphabet all the way through while making an excuse as to why I was late. He did not take me to the nurse and call home and spoke for me for me that I was now ok chiding me to say nothing. At that very young age, I somehow knew there was a specific target on me anytime I was in that class, though I didn’t know how to verbalize it. I almost died and was well aware. I could not catch my breath. The enemy of your faith will try to take your breath, so you won’t use it to breathe truths. Though God was not given place there, God was with me.

In 1978 my 3^rd grade teacher was so very angry. If you uttered a word in her class when you were not asked to speak, she would slam your hands with a ruler. No one dared tell on her as they were so fearful. Those who were especially unruly would be taken to the bathroom and all would hear screaming from them being beat from the next room and threatened them if they told it would be worse the next time before they came out.

In 5^th grade I had a very long walk to the bus, about 15-20 blocks. One day almost nearing the bus stop a large raging dog, chased me all the way home and twice in the next few days. I was fearful for the younger children as there were many that had to walk alone. They couldn’t run nearly as fast as I could to get away. Eventually, they found the dog and found it to be rabid and it was put down. Some circumstances might not have been necessary. Consider.

One of my daughters is a very gifted singer. Actually, three of them are. They all sing a beautiful harmony together. She sang in church when she was young and would teach the others. When they were made to go to public school, she naturally wanted to go into choir having been in choir classes at a local church for a homeschool class. To her, it was the lesser of the evils. Every day the teacher in the public school would yell at the top of her lungs at the students, ‘Shut Up’! I made a gentle reproving call full on with radical patience and compassion to know what was directing her poor behavior. I did this without directly calling her out. After no success, as it only continued and was made worse for my daughter, I drove from two hours away to meet with the principle. He admitted that other teachers had also heard this teacher yelling at students from all the way down the hall. He said he would meet with her to correct this and would not call her into a meeting together. He did not meet with her, but he did sit adjacent to me testifying against me in court a few weeks later. He sat explaining that my children were getting excellent grades and that they were being cared for in the highest degree in the public-school arena to ensure that they would remain away from me. He seemed to be unaware of the lack of truth in his statement. Time did tell. He resigned from his position. Thereafter, the choir teacher would not take my next call as she knew she was not treating the students with care and definitely not invoking an atmosphere of song. This child was so very full of joy. She begged the school office to no longer go to choir class. Eventually they called to take her out of choir. She was not accustomed to being treated in this way. That year the teacher left the classroom as she was diagnosed with a sudden illness. That was sad and also that my daughter, once full of joy, stopped singing altogether and within a few years stopped attending church altogether.

 

It would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck and he were thrown into the sea, than that he should offend one of these little ones.

Luke 17:2

 

Another daughter, who actually graduated in the top ten of her class, was told she was ‘stupid’ in an email for her comments on an assignment that didn’t agree with the opinions of the teacher.

Another daughter, graduating in the top ten of her class, had her usual grade lowered by more than a letter grade because she wrote a paper against the teacher’s political beliefs regarding an election and because of it ended up having to drop her class to keep her grade point average up.

After going to school my own thirteen years, homeschooling my five children for nearly two decades, while homeschooling, I returned to school for ministry. In writing a 20+ page thesis on biblical gifts I encountered some of the most derogatory, unbiblical, discouraging comments and grade on a paper that not only represented my whole heart for the church and ministry but my own gifts and place in the kingdom. More than that, it was directly opposed to the Word of God. This was a religious spirit.

Not everyone should become a teacher. God takes willful offense against His children very seriously. This means everyone, young and old. Let me conclude this portion about radical unity by saying that my bent toward such came from on high and not from earthly entanglements. These that were shared merely to know how not to conduct oneself and how best to judge a situation, to make a right and proper decision for you and yours and not to stand in judgment of others but to make a judgment call. Let God be the judge.

Radical unity is full on with the love of God. It knows right, loves right and loves big, so big that it unifies many and radically so, with a pulling toward all the more unity in love. Radical unity seeks the best for you and your gifts to bring about radical unity into the bigger picture. It’s a radical love that grows from God, to family, to others…the church. It longs for you to see unity is possible rather than all things that divide and oppose unity.  

 

The Beginning of The Vision

 

 There was the always inner knowing that there was more to the vision being formed. It was personal to me. It was personal to my family. It was personal to my children. It affected them then. It affected me. It affected them for the future. It would later affect many as it was for the many, not for a few. God wastes nothing. God never gives a vision that wills to favor only you. This would be short sighted and egotistical at best. There are always seed, a sharing from the journey, an extension of the vision, writings that run you for a future that becomes you.

 

Then the Lord answered me and said, “Write the vision and make it plain on tablets that it may run who read it.

Habakkuk 2:2

 

I have written to you for years to share vision. Because if I wasn’t schooling my children, going to school myself, being taught in the Word, teaching the Word in church, worshiping in song in the church I was writing to you that you know when no one else wanted you to hear or didn’t hear themselves. God-given vision is given to be shared.

 

Valley Of Decision

 

Multitudes, multitudes in the valley of decision! For the day of the Lord is near in the valley of decision.

Joel 3:14

 

There is always a new decision to make. You can be sure of God’s voice in it. Ask. It’s in the indecision that doesn’t affect change. Jesus is coming. At what point will you decide; whether a change to receive God, a decision to make a change for those you love or to not get to the end of your days and realize you were living in a lie. I took on a contrite heart and prayed through and decided I would not live in a lie and more than that, made the decision that I would not teach anyone else to do so, most closely, my children, but also anyone. You do the best with what you have. God is there for you. I challenge you to get into the Word of God and ask God in prayer what to do. Though there is safety in a much counsel, there is no one that can make life changes in your home as you can. No one can answer the hard questions for you. A decision to give your heart to the Lord is the first decision and with a promise of a heavenly home. It comes with a grace on your life you didn’t previously have. Maybe the decision is to see with new eyes the worth you carry that you can do this thing called life and do it as you also are led. It will not be easy, but you can do it. And your answer is?

 

6 – Freedom Choices

 

Decisions or Freedoms?

 

The choices you make do not always look like freedom in the beginning. Make no mistake, if it is what God desires, your simple human choices are making way for freedoms for you and yours. Your decisions have a great effect on your freedoms. It is moving toward freedom that frees you and yours. What begins as a decision affects your ability to live in freedom. Moving away from every God-given choice doesn’t offer freedom to you or anyone. You will inspire others in the choices you make toward freedom. You have to know that. You must also know the truth and it is this…freedom is hard fought and to be kept when won! The enemy longs to take your giftedness and even your gifts.

 

The gifts of God are irrevocable. Romans 10:29

 

Irrevocable means ‘given without repentance’. You don’t owe anyone anything for the giftedness that God has given you. Do you know why? Because God didn’t give it to another. God gave it to you. Envy and jealousies are that which divides radical unity. Remember that. God can’t make the mistake of giving you the same gift. It isn’t possible. Someone might possess a similar gift but make no mistake whatsoever, it doesn’t belong to anyone else. It will not manifest the same. It cannot. The sin of mockery doesn’t even do a good job trying.

 

Freedom…Don’t Ever Forget

 

This country was fought hard for its freedoms. These freedoms are enjoyed daily by those who have either fought or still fight for your freedoms. They were fought and won by God. Consider the preamble to the Constitution, the beginning of this Nation.

             We the people of the United States, in order to form a more perfect union, establish justice, ensure domestic tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general welfare and secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution of the United State of America. 

The realest freedoms however are fought in prayer, and this is a freedom that is yours and a freedom never to forget. It costs nothing to have a relationship with the God that has afforded it all. From a time of war or a time of warring on your face in what felt like blood, sweat and tears to keep your freedoms. God doesn’t forget. They are yours. It is the same as keeping your healing that you have fought for. God didn’t design sickness. There is a decision to keep your freedom. There is also a decision to receive that which has been given you. Row toward it, not away from it. Destination just upstream.

       

                Endless Freedoms

 

What do endless freedoms even look like? It looks like the battles won in prayer and continued prayer for you and yours that gives you strength and strengthens those you love to stand tall in who you are knowing that God who made you to be who you are. It’s not walking away from what you gained and what you were taught in it. It’s looking back seeing the blessing coming so fast that you must stop yourself to be ever thankful in them. There has been or wills to be much realized. There is much revelation knowledge to be had and these are treasures to behold that will take you and yours into truly endless freedoms and for future generations.

 

7– The Turning of The Tide

 

Changes In Real Time

 

When you are about to turn the tide, or in other words make a change for the good for you and yours, you will encounter many opinions from everywhere. Some will be more discouraging. Some with be discouraging, demeaning and downright atrocious. I have already explained how I was told that I could not take my daughter out of school. I didn’t even discuss the possibility in the situation with my son. I knew what was best for them.

 

In real time, here I will share an example close to home. A family member found that the children would be coming home for learning. I was in prayer and determined not to answer derogatory calls that I was already made aware would be on the way. The phone rang and there were 10-12 short and long messages left over the voicemail from the same family member that started out angry with a demand to return the call immediately onto elongated messages from every reason that this should not take place all the way to name calling and worse threats. Not everyone will agree. The Word says, ‘Redeem the time, as the days are evil.’ And you cannot listen to any other voice over and over again tell you what is best for you and yours. Your enemy comes with and from many voices and it is not in your family’s best interest.

 

Not Encouragements, Just All the Responses

 

There is a focus here to see what isn’t so that you can see readily what is for you! Beware. You will encounter more responses than encouragements. Think this not odd, though here is how to tell the difference. Responses are the knee-jerk reactions that carry little to no validity in what decisions you have to make for yourself and for your family. They are derogatory. There are emotional. They are demeaning and don’t meet the standard of the opinion held. More than that, responses are often birthed out of sameness. Sameness is learned just like ‘this is how you row the boat’. Sameness received transfers to mind numbing, dumbing down, lack of growth and the less than the encouragements that could and will do so much more for the decisions you must make. They are not catchy. These responses just happen and most often when you don’t even realize it. Receive the few encouragements and consciously cancel the responses.

 

 The first way to discern a response from an encouragement is the atmosphere it brings with it. Does it sound like God? Is God even in the response? It is positive or negative? Does it further you? Does it have more to do with an emotional response itself than it does an aligned truth that speaks to your situation? Is it a response full of degradation, not of willing change and disheartening? These are the responses.

 

It is reassurance that affects change. It will hope with you and carries the sound of an empowering. It will speak to your goals and your dreams. It is for you and yours. You must make up your mind. The responses won’t change it, they will just try to sway the boat but rather from moving, acting more like an anchor. The encouragements will launch you out toward your journey and will add to your boat’s excitement along the way.

 

It is Washed

 

Does salvation belong to you? Do you believe that Jesus died for your sins and was hung on a tree at Calvary for you that you might believe in him, knowing that he died and was placed in a tomb and three days later arose from life to save you from your sin? He took it all for you. If you receive love or received Him, you are than washed in His blood. You are clean and what you do, you do for God. The changes made are for you in Him. The responses matter not. He is your encouragement because this is where it comes from. Receive this washing as you row the boat. It is amongst the continual and endless freedoms that belong to you and all of yours. Pray the blood covering, the washing over all these that you love.

 

7  - To Rock the Boat or Not

     

Continuously Rocking the Boat

 

Continuously you will make decisions that will rock the boat. What you should know is, the ones who do not want you to rock the boat unto change are most often not even on your boat. You might often find them standing on shore shouting responses rather than encouragements. You have to move in faith for you and yours, not listening to all the responses.

 

Not Just a Nursery Rhyme

 

While the title is based on a nursery rhyme ‘This is How We Row the Boat’, stop for a moment and pay mind to the tempo of the song. It’s a children’s song and there is nothing wrong with it. But hear the sound. It’s for the young. It is same. It doesn’t change. It is slow. It carries a mind-numbing sameness if sung continuously, right? But it’s easy for the babies to learn. Yes. So, it is if you do the same thing over and over again and do it because everyone else does it, it makes a religion out of it. You must become like a little child to enter the kingdom of heaven. It’s not about a nursery rhyme. It’s about life and life more abundant.

 

For I thank you Father, that you have hidden these things from the prudent and the wise but revealed them to babes.

 

Mathew 11:25

 

Ask First, Ask Always

 

So, ask God the real and hard questions. Ask yourself the real and hard questions. Don’t go to God last. God to God first. Asking and receiving is relationship. God wants to hear from  you more than you desire to hear from God. Press in to His love. Don’t suppress what God tells you. God is good and has good plans for your life and the life of your family and for your children’s children.

 

9– Arguing For the Kids’ Sake

 

Warring for You and Yours

 

Seek Him for you and yours. He will answer. Has God spoken to you? Then the war is won. You then make the decisive strategic moves, and you are covered in it. Make no mistake the heavenlies will back you in the war for all of the children. Such is the kingdom. Make no mistake. There is a call for life and family to then walk away from battle and into blessing. The battle is won in prayer and worship. God will not forsake you. Rather, God will give you what you need and just when you need it the most. I’m living proof.

 

Discerning The Battle Lines

 

Boundaries. Where do you draw the line? Where do you put your foot down? The real lines are drawn out of the Word from spiritual prayer for you and yours and then they translate as non-negotiables in the school of life. It doesn’t look like single file order. It looks more like the fish swimming in the opposite direction. It throws off the enemy and his tactics to go with God and not row the boat the same way. Satan is a defeated foe.

Fighting From Victory

 

I am not condoning arguing for the sake of argument and certainly not with one another. I am saying to fight for your family. You fight from a place of victory. The argument is a simple one. It is on one side or the other of the responses that are opposing what God is telling you to do as encouragements. There is an argument. It is the one you are having with yourself. That argument is answered on your knees. You don’t argue with the enemy. You tell your enemy how it will be, and it goes something like this…

           

            “You are commanded and demanded to get your hands off of my children, family and church; in theory, practice, physically, mentally, emotionally, financially, spiritually and in another way... you and all of your cohorts and in any and all that you come up with and in any strategy, you can muster is shut down in Jesus Name! You shall have no part or portion in or around them or the church therefore, you are officially dismissed from our lives! The blood of Jesus is against you!”

 

That is all the argument necessary with the enemy and it’s not an argument at all, it’s rather a stance. The claim is made for walking in triumph rather than defeat.

 

10– Casting Off All to Do God’s Will

 

Reactions

 

By your reactions of this book or the lack there of are still your reactions. You and yours cannot and do not live by reactions, responses, and the like. You will receive many questions in the journey of raising up your family. Some will be so simple and yet so often. For instance, if I had just a dollar for every time someone asked me (some from inquisitiveness, others from shock and some quite genuine) if the government pays for the schoolbooks? No. Or something like, how do you school all the grades at the same time? By God’s great graces I would answer. Do you have to turn in their grades? No, but I do add them to my grade book to help them know how well they are doing and also what they need work on. Some parents don’t issue a report card, though I thought it to be encouraging. Other reactions look more like retaliations though you didn’t fire shots, so you quickly consider where they are coming from. You might quickly discern when asked things like; do they all share a room, do you have desks for everyone, isn’t that against the law, does the government give you a stipend to do this (in their considering why would I?) and the like… What you are dealing with a belittling spirit most likely. And there is always a speck of dust holding up the whole stronghold wrought in hell which is likely called ‘jealousy’. Sad but true. Carry on with your head held high and your eyes on the prize. God didn’t give your family to your mocker. He gave them to you, and you share your answer the best way you know how and move onto the higher waters and brighter tomorrows reminding yourself of how grateful you are to be the spokesman for all the questions as you are more equipped for the job. Sometimes the contentions about what you do is so thick you could cut it with a knife. In that case get a sharp spiritual one and cut off the negativity with prayer before it thieves the opportunity to rear its ugly head.

 

                                      Reminders

 

·        Where there is any question, pray! When you ask for wisdom God will pour it out liberally James 1:5

·        God didn’t give your children to anyone but you to raise! Reread that last sentence a few times as there are more than a few things to gain in it: first a reality check, next an identity check and lastly, an authority check. For others this might look like a truth check as they have not been given what God gave you. Luke 12:48

•         Never say you could never do this… as you do not possess enough patience for it. Oh, the many times I have heard this. The real truth. You possess all that you need in order to do what God is calling you to do towards life and godliness. 2 Peter 1:3

 

Realities

 

You get one chance. Time doesn’t stand still. They are counting on you, whether you realize it or not. God will provide. Here is a list of people who will get over your decision to care for your family on your own: your grandparents, your parents, your neighbors, the grocers including those who shop in the same stores, the librarian, the bank teller, the public school you unenrolled them from, and I pray it isn’t so, but also any busybodies you might encounter in any local church. What people have not done, they are leery of or full of a spirit of religion stemming from what they do not know or what they have not sought God for themselves. Pray using the name of Jesus!

 

11 – Favor For The Future

 

In The Past

 

In your past and in my past, in all of our pasts there was favoring to be had. This is why there is hope. Favor comes from a God who longs to get it to you.  This favor was always with you in the past. What you have been through in learning to row the boat is a divine set up in favoring you.  Everyone has a place in the past where they sought favor or places of favor where you now realize the favor of God was always with you even in the past where there might have looked like the complete absence of favor. God was always there. God remains the same; yesterday, today and forever. God has an advanced plan from the beginning of time for favor. Look and see His goodness.

 

His anger is but for a moment, His favor is for life. Weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning. Psalm 30:5

 

In The Present

 

It is in the gift that God longs for you to see just what gift you truly are. It is in His presence and yes, in the present, that God longs to show you. Seek God now as His favor is gracious and it is golden with protection as you come to know Him more and more every day. You are a gift, and He longs for you to use yours. You will obtain His favor as you seek Him. Your gifts will become known to you and shared with all. Favor is growing now.

 

For You, Oh Lord will bless the righteous; with favor you will surround Him as with a shield. Psalm 5:12

 A good man obtains favor from the Lord… Proverbs 12:2

 

In The Future

 

The past favoring has become strong in the present. What God has always longed to do for you, in the now and in the future has become clear.  He longs to grow and grow up the church and give favor to you in the doing. And so, it is and shall be in praising God and having favor that has been given for the future that many will be added to the kingdom with a solemn promise of a heavenly home. Many shall be saved. God’s favor is upon the triumphant church.

 

Praising God and having favor with God and all the people, and the Lord added to the church daily people who were being saved. Acts 2:47

 

12 – Rowing the Boat Everyday

 

Up and Down the Generations

 

When the vision was given for the triumphant church to arise and to be built it was always to bless generations of people young and old in every age group and every walk of life. It was purposed to bring heaven to earth and operate as such. God did not ever stop loving you. From the time you were a babe unto your golden years. There is some important things to be made real to your spirit that supersede some things that matter not from your past that you can know how to navigate life in the use of your gifts. God wants you to know how to row the boat but with all joy from the beginning. Let every day be open to learning more of Him through and to every generation.

 

Service To Every Age

 

God did not ever stop loving you. From the time you were a babe unto your golden years. He did not come to a day when it was enough, but He does say that you possess more than enough. He wants to love the many of every age in the church as God’s great joys become new every day. God desires that you see his mercies fresh with every new morning and your heart possess the many graces that he so extravagantly loves you with to bring the service to the many of every age group. As you become as a little child, you will grow to know that your identity in the kingdom of heaven and will realize your potential in bringing your service to the kingdom of heaven to all.

 

 The ‘Now’ Vision?

I have sought in prayer and was given what is needful for the now vision. In as much, I have shared here so much as to how I have come to know the gifts I have been given and to share with you. Rowing the boat will never be dull, but continuous in going further. The answers were long sought for and the trials were so many, but the joys are so very many more.

Joy is that thing that you come to when you have prevailed in prayer for a time of conversation or a period of time. When tears turn to joy you will know that you have that thing you have brought before God. You will know what God’s will is. You will know that the vision given is for you and for now!

 

The Conclusion: Why Now?

 

Time is of the essence. Many need to know God. Let us build the triumphant church together, giving all glory to his name in doing so. It shall be so full of joy!

          Keyword: Generations. Please reread the Introduction.

 

Inspirations

 

The most Holy Word of God has been my greatest source of inspiration always and in all ways. They are but words of life, though there have been some other glorifying works shared here. But nothing compares to the most Holy Word of God! Pray and God will show you mysteries inspired straight from the throne room to your spirit concerning you and that which the Holy Spirit longs for you to do. It is to give Glory To His Name!

 

[1] History of Homeschooling - Homeschool Curriculum

https://homeschool-curriculum.org

 

[2] https://www.amazon.com/Shepherding-Childs-Heart-Tedd-Tripp

[3] https://www.amazon.com/LifeKeys-Discovering-WhoYouAre

 

[i][i][i]https://www.audible.com/pd/The-New-Strong-Willed-Child- By: Dr. James Dobson

[ii] https://www.amazon.com/Creative-Correction-Lisa-Whelchel