By Lauren Gideon
“. . . she couldn’t see the forest for the trees.”
Pray, Pray, and Pray Some More
If you are a mom like me, homeschooling is not new to your family’s rhythm. My oldest is a senior, and I have been his primary teacher since he was born. Right now, my prayers naturally turn toward asking for wisdom for this new season and what lies ahead for him and our relationship. I also naturally pray through the changes our family has been going through this last year and the changes still to come. I pray over the new events and trials for others in my life. I pray for the “new trees.”
In the forest of my life, sometimes I lose sight of what’s going on around me because it all looks the same. Most people have heard of nose blindness to the smells we’ve become accustomed to, but could there be a blindness to the consistent rhythms of our lives? My cousin once told me of a lady she knew who would literally stand in the bread aisle and pray over which loaf of bread to buy. That has never been my style, but could there be a chance that I am missing out on paying attention to and praying for the things that aren’t new, the things I find ordinary?
Today is National Day of Prayer
That is where my thoughts took me when I learned of Homeschool Freedom’s National Homeschool Day of Prayer. Here is the list of ideas this organization suggests should inform your prayers.
PLEASE JOIN US AND OTHER HOMESCHOOLERS ACROSS THE COUNTRY AS WE:
- Give thanks for the freedom we have to homeschool our children,
- Pray for homeschooling families in your own nation and around the world,
- Pray for upcoming elections and the impact they may have on homeschooling,
- Pray for your state’s homeschool organization and its leaders,
- Pray for your elected officials to recognize that the education of children is the responsibility of the parents, not that of the nation,
- Pray for your own family—your homeschooling journey and the Lord’s guidance as you take that journey, your relationships with one another, your own children and their futures, as well as seeking ways your family can minister to others,
- Rejoice in God’s mercy and His faithfulness in all things.
If you’re like me, it’s good to have these reminders to help us see what we have become accustomed to seeing. If you are reading this, I’m praying for you, too. Wherever you are in your homeschooling journey, I pray that you will see the tiny miracles of grace happening in yourself and in the lives around you, that you won’t take a single school day (which is every day) for granted, and that you will invest each moment for the sake of the kingdom and for the smile of your Father.
Head over to Homeschool Freedom’s Facebook page today for additional prayer prompts and live guests.
Lauren Gideon is the Manager of Grassroots Advocacy for Classical Conversations. She co-leads and teaches through an organization committed to raising citizenship IQ on U.S. founding documents. She and her husband homeschool their seven children on their small acreage, where they are enjoying their new adventures in homesteading.