The starting point of your influence is the state of your own heart, mind and soul. If there is purity, wisdom, strength, faith, love and righteousness there, then when you pour out your life, those around you will be blessed indeed.
In all of our ideals, righteousness is progressive. In other words, we make mistakes, we fail, sometimes we do foolish things because they are so accepted in culture. Sometimes, wickedness jumps after us like Potifer's wife chasing Joseph. And our children learned the concept of fleeing--just drop what will burn you and flee--run immediately away from the temptation.
These days, it seems we’re constantly faced with another example of an influential man using his power for evil, living without morals or care for others, or maybe even one who chooses to look the other way when confronted with another man’s bad behavior. Now more than ever, we need good men in this world, men who live a life dedicated to goodness, heroism, protecting those in need, and love.
We all long for kindred spirits — those with whom we could spend hours dreaming, laughing, and sharing our heart’s troubles. But many people I know struggle to find those kindred spirits. Living our busy lives, we hope that lifelong friendships will fall into our lap, or come knocking at our front door. But over many years of struggling with loneliness myself, I’ve found that the best way to cultivate a true, deep-rooted friendship is to commit to seeking them out, intentionally going out of our...
At this time in history, where very little is considered sacred or holy, we must seek diligently to create not just knowledge of what the word holy means, but to place tangible practices in our lives where we and our children come to learn that some things are sacred and set apart and deserve our reverence and worship.
Anyone who is seasoned in their faith has become used to trials, difficulties and hard times. Yet, it is how they responded to their stress and challenges that makes them worthy to follow.
We are all human beings—fragile—and limited. We need to take time to refresh, relax and restore. From time to time, when my four were much younger, and I had pushed them to their limits during the day without a nap, too much activity, beyond their bedtime, too much sugar, and sometimes with lots of over-stimulation, bedtime would be impossible.
Today, on my podcast, I will read a portion of Awaking Wonder, that gets to the heart of this message. This world is hostile to the gospel love and message of Jesus, in general. But each person you see was made to know God. As we get to know Him, our hearts will change. He will fill us with His love, His generosity, a willingness to lay down our lives, our pride and to humbly reach out to others.
Awaking Wonder, for us, was often simply opening our eyes to the beauty around us, then diving into whatever that beauty caused us to wonder about!
Feeling like a misfit is also something I have dealt with for many years. I am an idealist and passionate about living life purposefully in a world that is violent, relentless, filled with conflict and argumentative. This drains me to my toenails. And yet, from feeling this way before, I know that I am in good company—Job despaired of his life while being one of the godliest men on earth, same with Elijah, Jeremiah and more.
As we evaluate how to love our children and students well, we must ask ourselves, ‘Do they believe and feel I have their best interests in mind, or do they think I have my own agenda for them?’ ‘Do they understand that even though they struggle, I am here to help them succeed?’ ‘Is their heart open to my instruction, or is there a wedge of resistance that I need to figure out and address?’”
As we evaluate how to love our children and students well, we must ask ourselves, ‘Do they believe and feel I have their best interests in mind, or do they think I have my own agenda for them?’ ‘Do they understand that even though they struggle, I am here to help them succeed?’ ‘Is their heart open to my instruction, or is there a wedge of resistance that I need to figure out and address?’”
Anne Miller has been hosting home education conferences in Virginia for tens of thousands for many years. She has hosted speakers from every background and given her life to mentor and encourage families. I will, of course, be speaking from our family’s philosophy of home education and discipleship, (Whole Hearted Learning Model). But you will be hearing from many inspirers from different philosophies. I have discovered that when I engage with experienced educators, I always learn something and ...
A favorite memory of mine, was being with my sweet friends from the Wild and Free Community both in the States and in the UK—Stratford on Avon. What a beautiful group of women. One of the highlights was to meet wonderful Jennifer Pepito. We were kindred spirits immediately. I know you will enjoy our podcast together today.
Today, I would like to share a part of the story of my first chapter with you so that you can enter into our wonder-filled story of an unforgettable evening as we cuddled together in the Colorado Mountains. (And you can listen to me tell it on the podcast today.)
Today, as you face these circumstances, may you find purpose and live into your capacity to keep going to keep spreading light, to be patient, to invest your love in young hearts. He trusted us with these times, that in His strength, we would be able to endure with grace and live in the realty of His light.
In a series of twelve short video visits in different rooms of her home, I will share how she awakened wonder as a mother. Awaking Wonder at Home Together videos will let you walk with Sally, along with Clay and their grown children—Sarah, Joel, Nathan, and Joy—as she recalls the blessings and beauty of awaking wonder at home in the Clarkson family.
Grace and Peace, Grace and Peace…….a song from Fernando Ortega wafted through my home on many occasions. How we need to be around people who offer us a breath, a kiss on our cheek, an angel friend who brings grace to us in spite of our challenges, imperfections or just thoughts that must be shared with a kindred spirit. Such is sweet Sarah Mackenzie. We had so much fun talking that we are doing 2 podcasts, one on hers and one on mine—and an instagram live.
Part two of our discussion on shaping character and inspiring faith, we share about the struggles of having different “out of the box” children and how the life of Christ shows us the path of reaching their hearts. There is no formula, but a path of life formed brick by brick. My friends and I share book resources and practical ways that we incorporated scripture discussion, and built in habits and rhythms of being in the Word as a family.
One of the gifts we have as parents is the laying of foundations of faith in the lives of our children. I am back with my friends talking on the podcast today about building a life of faith with your children. Awaking their hearts to wonder, truth, beauty, and goodness is a call for all parents no matter what educational path you take. We share practical ways of how we shared scripture in our homes, walked through difficult seasons, and incorporated faith into all areas of our lives and home. We...
Today, I am back with my friends talking about science with older children today. (Refer to the previous science podcast for younger reads for children. It is so much fun. I learned so much by guiding my children through these subjects—my own personal favorite being physics.
A couple of weeks ago, Emily and I recorded a podcast together that expresses both of our hearts—our passion to see young women, teen girls, flourish. With so many voices coming at them on the internet, and constant pictures of impossible standards for any of us to meet, it is common for girls to feel inadequate and insecure just being themselves. How to we cultivate an atmosphere and a plan to reach their hearts with unconditional love, with grace and words to speak forward into who they will b...
Sarah and I conversed today about beauty, books, the shaping of hearts, minds and souls. I know you will love this podcast between mother and daughter, best friends. Sarah is the author of the book: Read For the Heart which provides hundreds and hundreds of favorite children’s books and authors. Currently it is out of print but has been a favorite resource of many.
Today, you will hear the hard seasons some of my inner circle leaders have born over the years. Sometimes I think just knowing others are moving through the same feelings and struggles helps. I just love these women so much. They are a treasure to me—I hope this podcast encourages you greatly.
Today I know you will enjoy the podcast I recorded with my friends as we discussed how to include science in a literary way of learning. So many wonderful resources. We even recorded 2 sessions. Enjoy, take notes and remember, with interesting books to guide curiosity and wonder, there is no need to buy age graded text books. You will be covering more ideals and concepts than you ever knew and it will all be intersting for you and your children. Enjoy!
Last week, I interviewed Joy about what she remembers as her favorite fiction titles and why she loved these particular heroines. But as she was speaking, I realized that Joy had, to a large degree, embodied the protagonists she was describing. Stories shape the imagination of what our children will become. And I had chosen each book because of the great vocabulary and wonderful character and attributes and choices each wonderful heroine had made.
Educating Others, whether adults, children, women in a Bible study, a book club, whatever the venue, teaching others will change and transform you. When we take on the responsibility of giving others wisdom, truth, knowledge, it forces us to become responsible for our own development, our own academic muscle, our ability to think.
