n my thirty years of homeschooling our eight kids, I can’t tell you how many times I have been brought to my knees calling out for wisdom from God that I simply could not muster. I think about the moments I cried on my husband’s shoulder and said, “If these kids turn out okay, it will be a miracle!” In many ways, it is a miracle that our kids turn out alright. There is so much grace from God that needs to be poured out on us as we walk this journey.

Homeschooling is humbling. It is challenging. It is hard work. It requires discipline and self-control. As homeschoolers, we have to have a certain amount of organization and intention all the while wondering if what we are doing is enough.

There were many moments when I had to ask God to give me the eyes to see my kids and our homeschooling the way He did because my perspective didn’t seem like enough.

So when asked the question, “How does faith transform your homeschool?” I can’t help but answer, “Because having a Creator changes everything.”

If we go back to the basics—to the fact that we have a God who created us, who created our children and intentionally put us together—we immediately have a purpose that is very different from the world’s. When we know that an all-present, all-knowing, all-powerful, perfectly good God intentionally matched us up with the children we have, we can wake up each morning also knowing that God has a specific mission for us with our specific children.

When God calls us to a mission, He also equips us for that mission. He doesn’t necessarily do that ahead of time, but rather along the way as we ask Him for wisdom and seek His heart for our families.

I love the quote, “God doesn’t call the qualified, He qualifies the called.” It’s not about knowing everything ahead of time, it’s about being teachable. It’s about becoming.

If my son receives a diagnosis that reveals he has learning issues or limitations, my faith speaks to that situation telling me that God weaved my son together as only He could, and He called it good. This means that I’m going to be doing everything I can to help my son overcome any limitations to help him do as much as he can. I’m also going to focus on the strengths and gifts that he does have so that he knows he has a purpose from God and a calling that is unique to the way God made him.

When I have a hard homeschool day and I question my sanity in deciding to home-educate, I remember that this isn’t just a choice I made out of the blue. It is something that God has called me to and that calling doesn’t disappear because I happen to be discouraged.

When our family walks through seasons of crisis and the normal homeschool routine moves to the back burner because we are all just trying to survive, I don’t assume that I need to stick my kids in school. I hit the pause button, spend time in prayer asking God to give me eyes to see things the way He does, look where He is working, and cooperate with whatever He is doing. I remember that our kids are learning all the time and often more when the books are closed.

When the kids are struggling to make progress in an area of learning, I don’t assume I’m doing everything wrong. I remember that learning is often about timing, about children being developmentally ready, and about finding tools that help them learn how they learn. It’s typically not a failure, but rather a much-needed direction that God, in His mercy and grace, is orchestrating.

Faith transforms our homeschool because it’s about working in God’s economy, not the world’s. Often what looks foolish to the world is wisdom from God.

Faith transforms our homeschooling because it lets God’s Word and ways inform our view of education, our children, family, marriage, and even ourselves. God is using our homeschooling journey to tune our hearts to Him and in the process lead our children to Him.

We live in an opposite world. What the world says is good, God says is not. What God says is good, the world hates. It makes sense then that our homeschooling would take on a completely different look than the world’s.

urenda Wilson is a homeschooling mom of eight (born 1991 through 2004), seven of whom have graduated. She has been married for 32 years to Darryl, and they have 9 grandkids. Durenda has written The Unhurried Homeschooler, Unhurried Grace for a Mom’s Heart, and The Four Hour School Day. She is the owner/writer/host of her blog and podcast, Durenda Wilson, and mentors moms at simplyunhurried.com. She also enjoys speaking at events where she can encourage homeschool moms to think outside the box and homeschool in a way that is a great fit for their families!