~ HOME LIFE NEWS ~
Some Trust in Chariots
March, 2009                                                                               Vol. 6, No. 12
Greetings!
 
These are indeed uncertain times. If you're like me, watching the news is a daily reminder that our hope is not in this world. "Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the Lord our God."  This verse of scripture, Psalm 20:7, was put to song. And what a great song to sing! Even if we have to go back to riding horses we're not going to trust in them, because we trust in the name of the Lord our God.
 
Trusting God with HLA

HLA sign Trusting God with HLA has been a wonderful experience. Thanks to parents telling other parents about HLA we continue to enroll hundreds of new students every year. And every year we talk about ways to improve our ministry to home educators. This year, we are working on a brand new website, with easier navigation and more information. If you have ideas we would love to hear from you. HLA's reputation with the state and with colleges and universities is very good. We are so proud of the terrific parents who are part of HLA. Thank you for making HomeLife Academy what it is today.
 
 Trust God for Your Child's Future                                    by Lynn Knowlton
Lynn hatThere are many struggles parents face when making the
decision to home-educate their children. One of these struggles is between what society views as a good education compared to what we believe is God's desire for our children. Parents who choose to home-educate will often ask me what they need to do to make sure their child stays on grade level and learns everything they need to learn. It is very hard for us to set the world's agenda aside and follow God's agenda, but we must. Believe me, I know how scary this can be.

It is very hard to lay down the only things we have ever known and do things totally different. Success depends on us leaning on God and following Him in all we do. Sometimes it requires us getting out of the box and trying new things.
For example, my daughter, now a 10th grader, has decided to pursue an on-line bachelor's degree. She wants to begin this while still in high school. This is new territory for our family since my husband and I each attended a traditional university. Since this is very unconventional, we have begun to ask ourselves if this can really be accomplished and if this is really a wise choice. In other words, can this really work? What will our friends and family think? These are just a few of the many questions that come to mind.

We have taught our children to make decisions and to search God for direction in their lives. My daughter feels this is the direction she should go so we will trust the Lord and help her as she follows His will. Is this scary? Do I have doubt? Yes, but without doubt there would be no need for faith. So we will set the world's ways aside and think outside the box. This is a situation where I cannot presently tell you the outcome because we have not yet reached the other side. Time will tell. We will not be controlled by fear but will walk by faith. We can spend hours a day teaching our children everything the public school says they need to know, but if our children are not following God's plan, we have failed! 


Trusting God with My Dreams                                by Kelsey Knowlton

Kelsey I am sixteen years old and have been homeschooled my entire life. One of the things I love most about homeschooling is that I have the flexibility to pursue the things I am most interested in. Not only that, but I also have the free time to develop the skills I will need to fulfill God's plan for my life.

For example, although I am currently only a sophomore in High School, I have recently made the decision to begin working on a college degree online. This will not only enable me to graduate early, instead of spending four years or more at college and thousands of dollars, but it will also give me the extra time to work on the skills needed to pursue my dreams. For most of my life, my ultimate dreams have been to become a music teacher from the home, a worship leader, and a stay at home mom. Before these dreams can be fulfilled, I know there are several skills I will need to develop. For example, to be a music teacher or a worship leader, I know I will need to work daily to improve my singing and piano playing skills. To be a stay at home mom, I know I will need skills in areas such as cooking, sewing, and cleaning. More importantly, I will also need to have a strong relationship with the Lord so I can raise my children to be who God wants them to be.

Homeschooling has provided me with many other wonderful opportunities to develop and improve the skills I will need to accomplish the goals I have for my life, and more importantly, God's plan for my life. I am very thankful I am homeschooled because I know that if my parents had put me in public school, this would be impossible.
 
Trusting God with Plans                                        by Kevin Knowlton

KevinI love being homeschooled because it allows me to do the things I enjoy. Last year we had an additon built onto our house and I was able to help with some of the work. I learned a lot about masonry, and carpentry, met new friends, and had a great time. I also got to build a barn with my dad. I get to go on a lot of church outings. For example, just this past Tuesday me and my sister went on a youth outing. In the winter I can get off school to go on ski trips and other trips and catch up on my lessons in the summer. I could never do that if I was going to school. I have been on six ski trips and two hiking trips in Colorado with my dad. We have hiked over 70 miles on 14,000' mountains. Since I have the freedom to do school at my own pace, I am in the 6th grade and doing eighth grade math. I believe that God's plan for me is to someday become an engineer like my dad. About four months ago I ran in a 5k race and won third place over all and first place in my age group. If I went to a public school, I could not have done any of these fun things. This is why homeschooling ROCKS!
 
Well, there you have it. Homeschooling Rocks.

We simply cannot trust the things of this world. They will let us down every single time. But as you step out in faith each day, look your children in the eyes, reach into their hearts, and hold fast to the calling God has given you, your reward will be great. What a delight to place our children in God's hands, to trust Him and lean not on our own understanding!

Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the LORD our God.