Trusting God with Your Homeschool Journey: Embracing Faith for Successful Education at Home

Trusting God with your home education journey is more than just the decision to provide a Christian education! Trust can encompass how you allocated time, curriculum choices, subject choices, or even what gets left out of your planning and remains undone! Home education uniquely allows for flexibility, personalization, and a deep integration of spiritual and academic growth within the family.

As you navigate this path, remember that every family’s experience is unique. Embracing a Christ-centered approach transforms uncertainties into opportunities for faith development. Resources like Portals exist to support you in building a curriculum that aligns with your values and educational goals. With the right tools and a reliance on divine wisdom, you can confidently teach while remaining grounded in your faith.

The Mandate for Godly Instruction

Home education involves more than just selecting textbooks; it requires understanding educational philosophies and creating a spiritually and academically conducive learning environment. The Bible lays a clear charge upon parents to instruct their children diligently.

Guidance on Educational Philosophy

Educational philosophies—like Classical, Charlotte Mason, or Montessori—guide your teaching style and curriculum choices, emphasizing critical thinking, creativity, and joy in learning. However, the most enriching approach is integrating a Christ-centered perspective. By teaching all academic subjects through a biblical lens, you align education with your family’s deepest values, fostering a deeper understanding of faith and its application in daily life.

"And you shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up." – Deuteronomy 6:7

The learning environment plays a crucial role. A dedicated space, free from unnecessary distractions, will enhance focus and motivation. Incorporating a variety of hands-on activities, field trips, or science experiments allows your child to explore concepts in real-world contexts, encouraging a lifelong love for learning.

“Train up a child in the way he should go, / And when he is old he will not depart from it.” – Proverbs 22:6

Custom vs. Standardization: What is "Comprehensive"?

A critical distinction for Christian home educators is deciding where they place their faith for comprehensive content. What is needed for learning? Many secular educational systems champion ‘Common Core’ standards as the definitive measure of a complete education–the problem is that they are simply an opinion of what is needed. These standards, while offering consistency, are fundamentally rooted in secular, state-driven values and often reflect political or cultural agendas that may directly contrast with biblical convictions concerning morality, history, and the nature of truth. Further, if everyone masters them, then no one is distinctly skilled, no one nurtures unique learning or expertise in niche areas that can lead to career or exceptionalism.  

In contrast, the Christian educator places faith in God’s Word as the true standard for comprehensive learning. A curriculum built on biblical principles is truly "comprehensive" because it integrates the eternal truth of God's existence, character, and plan into every subject—from science (studying His creation) to history (understanding His providence) and literature (examining human nature). Choosing to follow a Christ-centered curriculum (like Portals) is not a retreat from excellence; it is an affirmation that wisdom begins with the fear of the Lord (Psalm 111:10), providing a foundation that standardized secular standards simply cannot touch.

Learning scripture is sufficient for all education, allowing much more flexibility in pursuing expertise in a greater variety of areas. Not everyone may master geometry, but then not everyone needs to. Faith in the Lord to guide you in a comprehensive education for each child may mean very different learning paths.

Cultivating Faith and Relying on Divine Strength

Integrating biblical principles and relying on divine strength during challenges provides the essential guidance and support you need as you teach your children. This faith-reliance is the anchor of a successful home education.

Most homeschoolers start the day with a rhythm of devotions and prayer. This is a key time for you to see how the learners are doing and for them to settle into the day. God is a God of order, so we do that for the structure, but God also can wait for us to pray before acting. So it’s important not just to pray out of routine, but with a fresh spirit each day.  

Integrating Biblical Principles

Incorporate scripture into your daily lessons to establish a foundation of faith. Start your mornings with prayer or devotions, fostering a spiritual atmosphere. Use biblical stories to illustrate moral values and life lessons. For example, discussing the story of David can inspire courage and faith when facing challenging subjects or life circumstances.

“All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.” – 2 Timothy 3:16–17

Relying on God Through Challenges

Every parent faces moments of uncertainty, whether in lesson planning or dealing with behavioral issues. During such times, it’s essential to lean into your faith. Pray for wisdom when making curriculum decisions or when your patience is tested. Trust that God is with you, guiding your decisions and providing the strength you lack. Support from a network of other home education families can also serve as a tangible blessing from God.

“If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him.” – James 1:5

Building Your Fellowship Network

Creating a supportive network is crucial for sustaining your home education journey. Engaging with others and fostering collaborative relationships offers valuable insight and encouragement.

Engaging with the Community

Connecting with the home education community, through local support group meetings, co-ops, or online forums, can significantly enrich your experience. These networks help you meet fellow parents who share similar challenges and successes, providing valuable platforms for discussing strategies and asking for advice. Building these friendships can lead to lifelong support systems, making your journey feel less isolating.

“Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching.” – Hebrews 10:24–25

Lean into that community for new ideas too. Instead of ‘knowing it all’ or making an effort to look like you do, seek humility in asking for ideas and suggestions. “What do you do for…” can be one of your greatest resources for ideas. 

Lean on fellow home educators for encouragement, whether it's for lesson ideas or emotional support. Collaborative learning experiences, such as group field trips or joint projects, provide social benefits for your children and break the monotony of routine. 

“Two are better than one, / Because they have a good reward for their labor.” – Ecclesiastes 4:9

Platforms like Portals can assist by offering structured lesson plans that easily accommodate group learning. The “Share” button on lessons can even help you invite non-homeschoolers to share a project or weekend field trip together–helping you host great events! 

Developing Your Teaching Capabilities

Enhancing your teaching capabilities is essential to creating a successful and joy-filled home education experience. This involves personalizing your approach and continuously seeking to improve.

Personalizing Your Approach

Understanding your child's unique learning style is crucial. Identify whether they are visual, auditory, or kinesthetic learners and tailor your lessons accordingly for better engagement. Flexibility is key: if they grasp a topic quickly, move forward; if they struggle, take time to revisit foundational concepts or take a break. Incorporating your personal faith can also enrich their education by discussing how various subjects relate to Christian values, making lessons more meaningful.

“And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.” – Romans 12:2

If you need a change of pace, your children likely do to!  

Enhancing the Experience

Creating a supportive learning environment is vital. Set up a designated study area and ensure it’s stocked with necessary materials. Balance structured learning with socialization by joining home education co-ops or community groups for a well-rounded experience.

“Let all that you do be done with love.” – 1 Corinthians 16:14

Take one afternoon a week for ‘outings’ visiting various workplaces, parks, or points of interest in your area. 

All of our lives can be enhanced with God blessing them too, look for those blessings, share them, and train your children to be on the lookout too. Helping to form a positive disposition, optimistic outlook, and naturally sharing prepares them as servants of Christ.  

Trusting God can happen in a variety of ways, times, and choices throughout our days!