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God is So Faithful: Two Homeschool Moms Take on Arkansas

Well this post is long overdue, but I still felt the need to get it into words.

Two weeks ago, I spoke at Teach Them Diligently in Rogers, AR. This has been one of my favorite events to speak at these last few years. The location, the people, the venue…all of it is my favorite!

The past two years, my daughter has joined me on this trip. We have sure made some sweet memories. But this year, being it is her senior year and she is incredibly busy, she wasn’t able to take the trip with me. So, a dear friend joined me.

Here is where I get sentimental. You see this friend and I started our homeschooling journey back in 2006 together. We were both so eager, yet had NO idea what would lie ahead in the next 13 years! Especially, that I would eventually have a ministry and would write and speak about homeschooling! Only God!

And it was just fitting that here, as we prepare now to graduate those once itty bitty five-year-olds, we traveled to the convention together.

Not only was this friend integral in our homeschooling journey, but really in my spiritual journey. Someday I will have to tell the story of how we met and how it was clearly appointed by God and His divine intervention, but He used her to bring us to our current church. And that is the church where our family grew so much spiritually. It is truly amazing to see how He has woven our lives together.

Arkansas was a fabulous trip, and once again God proved faithful. For the first time at TTD, I was actually flying into town the day I was scheduled to speak. My flight was set to land at 12:40 pm and my session was scheduled for 4:30 pm. Now, I thought this would be plenty of time because the Arkansas airport is so small and easy to manage. There are no crowds. No lines. And the route from the airport to the venue is a county road drive of about 15 minutes. Easy peasy.

(And anyone who knows me, knows this a huge testimony of how less anxious I have become over the years. I would NEVER have traveled on the same day as speaking before, just because of sheer nerves.)

And all was right with the world as we sat on the plane, no delays, and set to arrive in Arkansas with plenty of time. Until the pilot got on the speaker and announced we were 22nd in line on the runway and we ‘d be sitting at least 30 minutes. (welcome to Newark, folks!)

Although it would still allow ample time, I was thinking, “Yup. It wouldn’t’ be a speaking trip for me if something didn’t test me!” Ha! And I really didn’t sweat it. I knew God was in control and it would be exactly how He wanted it to be.

Lo and behold, we arrived in beautiful sunny Arkansas with time to spare, and even time to freshen up and grab a bite to eat.

Teach Them Diligently Conventions are truly a blessing for me to speak at. The atmosphere is so friendly and the families always bless ME with their kindness. I love speaking with folks after my sessions and hearing how my words have somehow encouraged them.


I even had the chance to enjoy some time with two ladies I met there last year! I just love connecting with readers and podcast listeners! They gave me this gift, which BLEW ME AWAY. I couldn’t wrap my head around it, but can only say…God is so good.

One highlight was also hearing from a mom who said that she always remembers me saying, “I want to point you to Jesus” because she had a conversation with her son and he was struggling with something. But she remembereed my words and thought, “Point him to Jesus.”

That right there, is why I do what I do. One person pointed to Jesus. It’s all about Him. I don’t need to be known, but I want to make Him known. 

With this current culture in a downward spiral, my mission to share Jesus, see families transformed by His Word, and see new generations raised up in the Lord is my heart’s desire.

And so, my friend and I enjoyed our getaway fully! And I do not think it is an accident at all that she came on this trip, at this time. It was a testimony to me of all He has done. Praise the Lord. 

If you have the opportunity to attend a Teach Them Diligently Convention, I encourage you to DO IT! You will not regret it. They are a phenomenal event for the WHOLE family. You will leave refreshed and renewed, not just in your homeschool, but in your faith, marriage, parenting, and life! 

I will be in Waco, Texas April 11-13 and Denver, Colorado May 23-25! I would LOVE to see you there!

 

Get my new e-course! Bible Based Homeschooling!

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The e-Course is HERE!

Bible Based Homeschooling e-course

Training Up the Next Generation in Truth!
Building a firm foundation in your family, with the Bible at the center.

“I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth.”

3 John 4 NKJV

There is nothing that will equip your children more for life than to know God’s Word and to walk in the Truth. This course will walk you through how we used the Bible as our main textbook in our homeschool for an entire year. It was the MOST amazing year ever.

Yet, even if you don’t want to solely teach from the Bible, it is still imperative to teach with the Bible as the center of your family and your homeschool. Join me as we discover the most amazing resource we have as families- the Bible.

This is not intended to be a curriculum, but a guide.

This course includes unlimited access to over 85 minutes worth of videos detailing how we used the Bible for each subject to teach our children for one year, printable downloads to help you keep track of your resources and records, sample weeks, and extra resources PLUS free membership to a private member-only Facebook group to continue the encouragement and connect with others!  I will also continue to share resources and videos to answer questions and be available to you as you walk this journey!

JOIN ME!

~Karen DeBeus

Simply Living for Him and Bible Based Homeschooling

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Why On Earth Are You Homeschooling?• ep122

this podcast is sponsored by Apologia

Today we are asking why on earth are you homeschooling?  If you are a homeschooler, I bet you have been asked that before…and I bet you ask that of yourself many times too!

But really, the answer is so simple. And I want to encourage you to focus on keeping the main thing the main thing…it’s not always easy or even comfortable, but I don’t think anything we do of worth is.

If we keep in my mind why we are doing this, everything else falls into place.

Join me and then let me know your thoughts in the comments below!

An Unlikely Homeschooler

Ep 105•Thirteen Years of Homeschooling. What We Have Learned, What Methods We Have Used, and How We Have Changed.

Lost Your Motivation? Turn Around The Winter Doldrums in Your Homeschool Ep 79

Should You Homeschool? Podcast Ep 58

 

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Almost 13 Years of Homeschooling: What Are You Doing With Your Life?

I have so many thoughts and emotions as we approach the senior year for my oldest daughter. For anyone who doesn’t know, God called us to homeschool her when she was a four-year-old about to leave preschool and enter kindergarten. It has been quite a journey, with a very rocky start, and a miraculous near ending! (find out more here and here)

But as I look forward, I can’t help but think about how we were going against the grain 13 years ago, and here we are maybe going against the grain again…

The late years of high school bring about the constant questions about college and future plans. The age-old question, “What will you do with your life??” and, “Where will you go to school?” 

Well, I think about it more like this:

What are you doing with your life?

It isn’t like this is some huge stop and start point. Just like we have been on these past 17 years since my daughter was born, we will continue to point her to Jesus in each moment and say, “What is God calling you to do today…” So yes, the circumstances will change, the school will now be out of the home, the life path will turn, but life is a journey and this is another step in that journey…

We have a different perspective than many these days. Rather than pushing her to strive to climb a “successful” ladder in the world’s eyes, our main goal is that she uses the desires God has given her for His purposes.

Because we are ultimately here to glorify God with our lives. 

So I tell her to pray. Let the Lord continue to guide her just as He has these past 13 years of homeschooling, and we can trust His plans. We have seen firsthand His miraculous work in our lives and I am confident in Him and where He will lead her. His plans are always good.

They may look different from the world’s view of success. They may not include a high-cost education at an Ivy-league college for a high paying job out of school. And that is OK.

Because at the center of those plans is God.

I know my daughter has huge desires in her heart and I know the One who planted them there. He didn’t give her gifts, abilities, and desires to keep for herself, but to use them for good. And ultimately for Him.

So we look to the future and ask, “What will you do with what God has given you?”

We have been an “out of the box” family for many years- homeschooling, running our own businesses, and hobby-farming for ministry. We will continue to use our life for a purpose and for God. We were created for Him and will be used by Him.

And that is the goal of education for my children. That they will know Him, make Him known, and most of all glorify Him in whatever He calls them to do and wherever He calls them to do it. Ivy-league school, community school, or wherever it is…as long as it is His will and she uses the gifts He has given her for a purpose.

Life is short. Too short to be wasted chasing the wind. We want to chase Him. Wherever He leads.

So I look to my daughter and pray she continues to chase Him…and that is what she will do with her life.

 

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