he peace we’re going to talk about isn’t the absence of hard circumstances and never experiencing pain, conflict, or any other type of struggle. If peace were based on perfection it would never happen.

So what does it mean for us to step into peace when it comes to homeschooling?

It’s about creating an atmosphere that supports learning because it gives children a firm foundation to stand on no matter what.

Loved and Secure.

Love and security are intricately linked. Our children need to know they are loved by God and, of course, their family. Knowing their identity in Christ and their importance within the family will give them the sense of security they long to have.

Significant.

Deep down, our children also want to know they have a purpose. That they have value not just for what they do, but for who they are.

For the last several years I’ve been dealing with some chronic issues—at times, especially in the beginning, they were fairly debilitating and the fatigue was overwhelming. I often felt useless. But my husband, Brian, was so loving through it all. He very much showed me that he loved me like “Christ loved the church and gave Himself for her.” (Ephesians 5:25, CSB)

Brian went out of his way to continue to work, take care of me, do extra things around the house… He was supportive and kind and an emotional rock in my world. He was concerned and encouraging at the same time.

He’s always been a great husband, but his level of love made me want to be a better wife to him even though physically I was “less.” Oh, but God.

I found myself becoming more patient and understanding. (We haven’t argued in a couple of years. Yes, we get irritated with one another sometimes, but it’s so different. I guess we know who the problem was: ME!) Ultimately, I found myself displaying love, joy, peace, patience, kindness in our marriage… Sound familiar?

I was abiding in the love of my husband in a new way as he showed the love of Christ to me—a sacrificial love that put my needs above his own. He was the hands and feet of Christ in our home. Finding myself safe and secure not because of what I was doing, but because of who I was, because of our relationship—that deepened my understanding of how much God loves me. I began to truly understand what it means to abide in Christ’s love because I had a very tangible reflection of it right in front of me, day-in, day-out through the hard stuff.

Ultimately, abiding in Christ is what produced the fruit of the Spirit in my life. That is what produced peace.

I never had to doubt that I was loved and secure and significant because of my relationship with my husband, not because of what I could do.

And I know more than ever that I am eternally loved and secure and significant because I am loved by my Father, created in His image. I have intrinsic worth.

Just imagine what an incredible gift we can give our children when we commit to step into the peace that God has waiting for us. We have the opportunity to love our kids as a reflection of how their heavenly Father loves them. We can help them recognize they will always have security and significance because of their relationship with Him as demonstrated through us—their parents.

Take care of your own heart first. You’ve heard the saying, “You can’t give what you don’t have.” As a busy homeschooling mom, you may be thinking it’s impossible to nurture your own relationship with the heavenly Father between all the other things you have to do. Can I suggest that you may need to simplify what it means to abide in Him?

Deep study is incredibly impactful, but during some seasons you may not have opportunities to get all the resources out and sit and study for significant amounts of time. In our next issue, we will talk about this more in depth… but until then here’s a simple thing you can do. Listen to the Word on an app as a part of your day—whether cleaning the kitchen, waiting at appointments, doing laundry, etc.. Throughout much of history the Scriptures were heard instead of being read, and God has designed it in a way to be incredibly memorable. I’m loving going through The Bible Recap with Tara-Leigh Cobble right now!

Help your children get to know God.

There’s a difference between knowing about God (the first step) and actually knowing God. One of the best ways to help your children make this transition is to live it out yourself. That’s why we started with focusing on your own heart.

Modeling—the most powerful teaching method—means you teach “out loud” a deep abiding relationship by how you live, respond, and interact with others. This does not require perfection. Forgiveness is a cornerstone of our faith, and when we mess up we can show our kids that failure is an opportunity for growth as we humble ourselves before the Lord and one another.

Make relationships a priority.

The Holy Spirit will guide you in discerning when your children need consequences and when they need a hug. He gives us insight into their unique makeup. Let’s lean into that so we teach our children and not the curriculum.

Make plenty of time for fun and laughter. Learning about shapes? Unexpectedly stand up and say “We need to go get ice cream so we can see a real-life cone in action.” Plan regular family nights. Lighten the mood when chaos erupts. Everything going wrong? It’s time for a dance party.

Create a safe place

Create a place where your kids can make mistakes, messes, and a little “mayhem.” Encourage them to ask hard questions about life and faith—to be honest about doubts and fears. Explore new interests and try new things as individuals and as a family. Cultivate curiosity.

Give your kids meaningful work to do in the family.

Yes, having responsibilities like chores to do to keep the house running smoothly is important for children. But also look for their unique talents and gifts as well. Do you have a budding chef? Allow them to create culinary delights from the planning stages to the shopping and cooking. Do you have a “fixer”? No need to call a handyman!

(Yes, I’ve said that a few times in this article!)

I like the term “stepping into” peace. It reminds me of how we are to keep in step with the Holy Spirit… to take the journey together. The ideas above are all about letting Him guide you as you show your kids that they are loved and secure and significant.

ay Chance homeschooled her children for fifteen years. While teaching them, she discovered a passion for writing and developing curriculum resources. She loves sharing natural learning methods and creative lesson ideas with other homeschooling parents. Kay is the co-executive editor of Homeschooling Today magazine and the author of the older extensions for the Trail Guide to Learning series. She makes her home in Texas with her husband Brian.