An Undivided Heart

Teach me your way, LORD, that I may rely on your faithfulness; give me an undivided heart, that I may fear your name.  (Psalm 86:11)

So many things are pulling at my heart, some good, some not, but I am called, just as every believer is, to love God with all my heart, soul, mind and strength—all of it!  God has been incredibly faithful to me and I am learning to rely in Him in every situation.  I want my heart to be completely whole, without even a tiny piece divided, but I can’t do this on my own—only in His strength can I learn to love God completely.

Father, teach me to trust You and rely on You—You are faithful!  I admit my heart is divided and distracted.  Create in me a pure heart that is whole and teach me to love you with all my heart, soul, mind, and strength.  In Jesus’ name, Amen!

Battling Weariness

This is our school verse. Not because we are prone to finish strong. Quite the opposite. I chose this verse after much prayer for our homeschool because I are prone to become weary. I am prone to give up and I am prone to move on to something else and something new- especially when it comes to curriculum! I have this verse on the wall above our school room where I can read it over and over- praying it takes root and changes me.

*Let us not become weary in doing good....  I have a choice and a responsibility. I can choose to not become weary and I have a responsibility to ensure I'm ready and prepared to stay strong. I can make an intentional decision to keep going when its hard. I can make choices ahead of time that will help me endure. I must be steadfast in my choice that what I'm doing matters. I must go to bed early enough that I can wake refreshed and rested and ready to begin the day. I must be prepared ahead of time and stick to the plan most of the time. One of the joys of homeschooling is the freedom to dig deeper when something sparks an interest and we can chase the learning. But I have to be prepared and disciplined to get us back on track when we wander too far. It is much better to avoid becoming weary. Once weariness sets in, it can be almost impossible to get that determination back. I must not allow myself to become weary in doing good. 

*for at the proper time.....  This is God's time and not mine! I may think I know the proper time and I can spend hours planning and scheduling, but God is the only one who knows the whole picture and knows the best time- I must trust Him!

*we will reap a harvest.....  I desperately want to see my children become the fullest and best of all God has planned for them. I do not want them to be unprepared or unexpecting of what lies ahead. My prayer for them is that they walk with God, trusting Him and loving Him all the days of their lives. God has a plan for their lives and it is good. I just have to trust Him!

*if we do not give up!  I must keep going if I want to reap my harvest. God will bless my efforts to keep going even, no especially, on the days when it is hard to keep going. I cannot do this in my own strength. I cannot teach them what they need to know and I cannot ensure they get it all done. Our homeschool journey depends solely on God. My job is simply to not give up!  

So how do I not give up when its hard?

Prayer, prayer, prayer! I cannot be what I'm supposed to be and I cannot do what I'm supposed to do without the strength and direction from God that comes from spending time with Him. I must pray for my family and for our homeschool!

And pray in the Spirit on all occassions with all kinds of prayers and requests.  With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord's people. (Ephesians 6:18)

Father, thank You for the gift of spending this time teaching and guiding these amazing blessings You've given me!  Thank You for choosing me to be their mom.  Teach me, strength me, and equip me for this journey You've chosen for us and keep our focus on ou!  In Jesus' name, Amen!