Our pastor spoke on Sunday, Father’s Day, about “The Power of a Praying Father”, and I was so blessed. I am writing in the hope that I can solicit a group that will cover fathers in prayer during these summer months as many families are preparing for the next school year. My specific prayer is for fathers to receive, submit to, and then share a God-given vision for their families. In conjunction with that, I pray for myself and for other wives that we are receptive and submissive (yes, it’s the dreaded “s” word) enough to partner with their husbands in carrying this vision forth.
Let me say first that I write this with an understanding that there are men who teach in their homes, my awesome cousin being one of them. If there are men reading, you might have to bring a different balance to my comments.
My pastor’s statement about men casting forth vision in their homes and consequently changing the environment struck me. I couldn’t help but reflect on the number of women I know whose husbands are either clueless as to what goes on in their homeschooling world, or whose husbands are antagonistic about the whole endeavor. I wonder how many of us are in line with his vision for the family. Now some of you who will say, “My husband never casts a vision about anything!” I challenge that thinking by saying that our husbands tell us their visions all the time, but we may have to tune ours ears differently to hear the words in light of what we’re trying to accomplish on a day-to-day basis. As a personal example, I’m blessed to have a husband who takes an active role in our studies and is genuinely curious about what we do. I sometimes will share with him stories I read or hear of other homeschoolers, and he says repeatedly, “God forbid we have to put the kids in a private or public school, I just don’t want them to be behind in any way.” I consider this a critical piece of his homeschooling vision, and if I align myself with it, I know that he’s uncomfortable with learning gaps, and certain learning approaches won’t work for him. I could argue the value of those approaches and decide rebelliously to “do my own thing”, but why create a situation where he’s uncomfortable? In addition, when a co-worker/peer/client asks him about his kids and their education, he has to defend a decision he’s uncomfortable with to a society that’s even more skeptical. Why set the stage for that?
Romans 12:1-2 tells us to not be conformed to this world, but transformed by the renewing of our minds. The world’s plan for our schools says to pour resources into planning, buy the best curriculum, teach, test, and start the loop all over again. God’s word teaches us order: there is a spiritual head (God), and there is an earthly head (man).
We have such an opportunity through educating at home to truly pour into our children. Prior to putting any book before them, I invite you to put before them a household that is ready, through an aligned vision and prayer (more on that later) to take on the monumental task of developing God’s next world changers. Ask your husband about what he sees for the family’s future and then listen. Just listen. Then pray for God to deal with you both about the vision–if it’s out of kilter with His will, He will adjust it. If the vision is in His will but out of your will, He will adjust you. Lord, I would ask, why am I hearing this? How should I use this information? It just takes a step of surrender to Godly alignment and then trusting God for the rest. I am a living witness that it works.
How important is alignment? My pastor pointed this out, and you may have already known it, but it was a revelation for me. We often think of Eve as willfully disobedient and/or disrespectful as she yielded to the serpent’s tempting regarding the fruit of the forbidden tree. When the Lord gave Adam instruction regarding the trees of the garden (Genesis 2:16-17), Eve wasn’t even there! The scripture says that He commanded the man. We never read where Adam shared with Eve what the Lord had told him. Was Eve disobedient, or could it be that she was ignorant of the vision? In light of these thoughts, think about this: how much happiness, peace, and joy are we missing out on because we don’t know the vision?
God bless you today and always.
I wanted to say hi and I am so glad that you are here at HSB. I have been sending friends your way to take a look at the History curriculum on your website. I am looking forward to getting it myself. Your post today really ministered to me. My husband is not very vocal at times, but as you said if I would allow my spiritual ears to be open, I would be able to hear his heart loud and clear. Something that I like to pray is that God will allow me to see my husband’s heart and vision for our family. I don’t want to be guilty of manipulating him into doing my will. I believe the Word says that rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubborness is as iniquity and idolatry…(1 Samuel 15:23). I used to struggle a lot with submission but as time has passed, I have come to realize that it is for my protection. I will join with you in praying for the fathers this summer. I know that I am truly blessed to have my husband in the home and walking in his high calling as priest, provider and protector and he is fine on top of that! LOL Blessings to you today my friend.
Veronica