A guest post by Kimberly Chase
If anyone was ever unqualified to homeschool their children it would be ME! I didn’t know how to be a mother (didn’t have one), I wasn’t particularly affectionate, and still wanted a mom myself! No college degree in teaching, not even a general studies or associates degree. Heck, I only made it through one year of college – a Bible college – where earned a stellar 1.9 GPA (I had an especially tough year…I was a solid B student in high school.)
On top of that I was battling severe marriage difficulties, chronic & severe depression, and we lived in poverty with one unreliable car (no co-ops or homeschool class options for us!) Oh, and one of my children was diagnosed with autism.
I was NOT qualified. I had no resources.
But God basically told us to homeschool anyway.
My firstborn was reading at a 2nd grade level the same month he turned 4. (That was pretty cool!) My second born was reading a 2nd grade level at 5. (That was a miracle…lol)
God eventually provided a tremendous support system when He led me to start CPCH (aka Sunshine In Cedar Park). He provided free tutors for many subjects over the years. (An English grammar tutor – doubled as a grandfather figure & marriage mentor for years…he also taught English grammar at Concordia AND came to our home often buying his own copies of all the different curriculum we used. God provided free classes in theater, drama, art, violin, piano, choir, and orchestra.There was also the semester one of my kids got to try out Classical Conversations – pro bono. He provided several math tutors, and a geologist to work with my kids – at our home – free! They have had other loving & fun teachers this past year for worldview, history, lit & writing teachers. Then a special family offered to teach high school English, poetry, chemistry, Rocket building/competition, and physics…FREE…seriously. Who does all that??!! (That’s the difference Jesus makes, baby!)
Fast forward 14 years… My 16 year old has 26 legit high school credits. He could’ve graduated last year. (We just didn’t know it, so we will graduate him after one or two more semesters.)
My fourteen year old, skipped 8th grade, successfully completed a full 9th grade school year & was accepted into Austin Community College this fall.
My family is not only intact, but we like each other. We love each other. My marriage is restored…brand new, really. We have two cars. We are paycheck-to-paycheck, but I think are out of poverty now. Yay!
See? God is so much bigger than any problem. He provides ALL I lack(ed). I’m experiencing success, and it really was never dependent on anything about me. Things aren’t perfect. I have health issues & still battle depression. But, I don’t really worry anymore. God makes me adequate for EVERYTHING He’s leading me to do & be. And He doesn’t show favoritism, so I know He will be just faithful to any of you! ♡
So, have no fear, friends! Keep trusting God to meet every need. Be intentional. Keep your eyes & heart fixed on Him. (This world is so distracting & tempting – put some blinders on, friends! ☺)
Good read. Although i am old now this article makes me refelct back on the times in high school. I always remember seeing the gloomy faces of the eldest (and most experienced) teachers. They always, ALWAYS were the least effective of the bunch. And it was the younger, new crop of incoming teachers that had that bright smile and enthusiasm to teach its students.Although i feel the school system needs reforming to make schooling a lot more fun, i feel unless the teachers actually enjoy what they are doing then it wont translate and infect its students too, which is important.One of my teacher’s was Mr. M (i wont say his name) and it was his first year at our school and he came in with all kinds of new ways of teaching and each day near the end of class he would tell us new life stories. He inspired his class to be more and it worked. My favorite classes were his and my marks refelcted it.
Thanks for your perspective Sewenkz!