Most of us buy into the lie that says that we are inadequate to teach our children their ABC's and 123's.  True, many of us do not possess a teaching degree, but does that disqualify us?  Let me ask you this, who taught your child to talk, walk, eat, go to the bathroom, and dress themselves?  Was it a public school teacher?  No, it was you the parent!  If God made you competent in your role as a mother, then surely He will make you competent for this role as well.  It is a man made lie.

"Not that we are competent in ourselves to claim anything for ourselves, but our competence comes from God." 2 Corinthians 3:5

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Remember my Thankful post the other day when I mentioned that we parent's tend to believe in a lie that we can't (and shouldn't) teach our own children, whether they be our own flesh and blood or not I'll add, and that I said I had a post on that? Well, here it is.  As I was going through and cleaning out the "library" of homeschooling materials that we have collected over the past 8 years, I came across notes on the above devotional that I did 8 years ago when WE first started homeschooling.  Notice the WE.  Even though this devotional talks of us mother's being doubtful that we are competent in schooling our children, it is likely that you at some point in your marriage you looked at your spouse...or they looked at you, and stated that there is a desire to HOME educate your children.  So this decision was not made on your own, hence WE. Maybe you already had children, maybe they were still twinkles in your hubby's eyes.  The fact of the matter is, you as a husband and wife probably decided that Homeschooling your children was and still is the best decision for you and your family.

I remember the time a dear lady at my church (who was the ONLY homeschooling family at the time in the church...I think) approached me when B1 was almost school age and asked me if I had considered homeschooling. I know that I probably looked at her like she was a Hydra who's head had been cut off and now there are 20 of them.  The thought never entered my mind and I soon forgot that awkward conversation.

It took two years of public school for that thought to show up in my head again.  The first year it was fun, I missed my baby though and so did her little sister.  My days were busy at home with B2 and all the duties of the home, my nights were filled with trying to catch up on the day with B1.  I went through a lot of emotions during those first two years, always feeling torn that I felt I wasn't able to spend as much time with B1 as I wanted.  After all, she had been in daycare for all her life because I worked outside of the home and I had never been able to spend the quality time with her that I was able to now with B2.  A bomb threat during B1's first grade year made an unwanted impression and the next school year we brought her home.

I remember approaching my husband with this idea.  I was so worried that he would say no and look at me like I looked at that dear lady who was trying to relay a message to me.  To my surprise, and dismay, he was in agreement.  The dismay came when he stated that he had thought about it before that day but didn't think it would be something I would even consider.  So here is where the WE part comes in.  If it is something on your heart and mind, it is there for a reason and you must discuss it with your husband.  If you prayed and prayed and are still praying about it, and it is still on your heart and mind, you must discuss it with your husband.

When it was apparent that both husband and I were on the same page and the decision had been made, the lie crept back into my head again.  "Are you sure you can do this?  You don't have a degree (yet a church will allow me to teach a room full of children about God and salvation).  You don't have time.  It will take a lot of money.  What will people think of you?  What will the in-laws think? "  All those thoughts rampaged my mind.  "It's going to be to hard to do!!!"

Today I can say that I have way more confidence in the reasons as well as the hows of educating my own children.  It can be overwhelming and challenging at times.  I still get slack from my in-laws sometimes on this decision that is 100% mine and my husbands.  So where do you, or should you look for the confidence in the idea that you are competent in educating your children.  First and foremost, if God put it on your heart, God will lead you through it.  Second, if your husband is in agreement then you have the only valid support group you need. Some of us have husbands who take a neutral stand and allow us moms to pick the materials that we see as a good fit, others have husbands who are 110% involved in ever decision made.  If you have the foremost type of husband...run with it!  Take that confidence that he has in you and explore all the options you see that fit your family.  If you have the later of the two, embrace him and his opinions as if they were your own and meet in the middle as a husband and wife should.

Finding these devotions after eight years was a blessing to me.  It has shown me how I have grown in my walk of educating my children.  I hope that this little story has helped you in finding the confidence you need to feel competent in this walk.  As you ponder over this and meditate on the verse above, also take a moment to answer these questions below.

• List something new that your child learned this week or improved upon:

• Are there improvements or praises on the character of your child?

• List a moment of struggle.  How did that make you feel?

• Have you prayed about the struggle?  Has your child prayed about the struggle?

This is the first of about 30 devotions that I want to share with you.  The homeschool journey can be a lonely, doubt filled road that can leave you feeling like you are unqualified to teach yourself how to brush your own teeth!  Together with the guidance of God, your spouse, and good friends, you can do it, no matter what the world tells you.