So you've decided to WHAT?!

Life is full of decisions. Big ones, small ones, seemingly insignificant ones, monumental ones. Lots of choices. I believe God is over them all. He is completely sovereign. There is nothing too small for him to care about or be involved in. There is nothing too big for him to handle.

Recently, we went down the road of the "school decision" for next year. Our oldest will be 6 this summer. There are oh, so many different directions we could go for school. And none of them are wrong or bad ones. But the still, small voice kept tugging, whispering in our spirits what we should do. My husband heard it clearest first (which was nice, since he is the leader of our home ;). And then it followed with me. Through people, sermons, songs, and most of all just through God's word, He kept bringing up two words for me. Faith & Perseverance. "Step out on faith. Persevere through the difficult, knowing I am with you always." I think I was insecure at first about what I was hearing, not wanting to admit it might be about this, that I might be chosen to do this thing.

Homeschool.

Yes, we're crazy. Not exactly how I'd envisioned our life to look, not really something I ever thought we'd do, but that is where we are headed. We have been dabbling in it this year, embarking on adventures of learning, but not really admitting that this is actually what we were doing. Next year, Jack would officially be in Kindergarten, and Luke will be rising up. And the Lord is calling us to do this at home.

It will not be pretty. In fact, it is already pretty messy! I am not *naturally* a gifted teacher or an organizer-type. But that is not the point. We have 4 kids under age 6. We are not deciding to homeschool based on the ease of it or our ability to accomplish it. Literally the only reason is that we believe that God is calling us to do this. That it is right for our family, for right now. That we would be disobeying Him if we did not heed this call. We believe the Lord has something to teach all of us in this. That He is doing a work in us through this. It's about dying to self day in and day out, and obeying HIM by serving each other in this way. It's about taking the journey he is calling us to, walking by faith, and being refined and sanctified in the messy process.

The main reason for this post is not to convince anyone that our choice is right, or that theirs is not. There is no condemnation here! Not everyone is called to the same schooling decision, and the only thing that's "right" is what you and your family are called to do for that moment.

I'm actually posting this most of all to remind me of the why of all of this for us. When days are hard, I want to remember and be encouraged that this is a path God has led us down, and there is NO other logical reason. When I get asked, "You're going to do what?! How on earth? And...why?" I want to have an answer. And when I am falling into bed exhausted at the end of a long day, feeling like I might be failing at everything I'm attempting to do, I want to know that God is also the one who will give me the rest & renewal I need and prepare us to try it all over again tomorrow.

"Let us keep on running the race marked out for us."   ~Hebrews 12:1

The "race marked out" looks a bit different for everyone, but we are all running just the same. What decision might the Lord be calling you to in this season of life? When we ask & listen, He is always faithful to lead...even if it doesn't seem to make a whole lot of sense!