Recently, on a homeschooling forum, a homeschool mother said she is considering stopping homeschooling. Immediately, fellow homeschooling mothers, wrote back in, encouraging her not to give up.
Well, I certainly empathise with that homeschooling mother. I have often felt the same way in the early days of homeschooling a houseful of children and keeping up with everything else. My husband would often get SMS-es (the days before Whatsapp) with “I quit!” and “Just send them to school, la!” on a rather regular basis.
Because God Told Me To
But I didn’t. I didn’t because I know WHY I was and am homeschooling my children. My WHY for pressing on to continue homeschooling, though it was very difficult in the beginning, was “because God told me to”.
However, it was a struggle and I kept on trying to get out of it. I have lost count of the number of times I went to God and asked Him if I could stop homeschooling. I poured out my woes, told Him that I really couldn’t do it and that I am totally unqualified. But He was silent. He didn’t release me from my assignment. Despite my pleas and tears.
RELATED POST: Why We Homeschool
Let me just say this first: I know that had I given up and sent them into the school system, my salvation remains secure. God would not smite me for disobeying Him, though He would have been very disappointed. After all, He knows my weaknesses. But by saying NO to God, I would have given up seeing how He can work through my imperfection.
Anyhow, because I pressed on, my faith increased and the knowledge of my God deepened. I experienced His faithfulness and tasted His goodness. When I couldn’t, He could.
And that is why I told that mother mentioned in the beginning of this post, to start with her WHY. WHY did she decide to homeschool. In all major decisions, we need to know WHY we are making that decision.
Start with Your WHY
Watch this short clip by Simon Sinek where he explains why we all need to start with the WHY, in business and in life.
Let Us Start the New Year Right
We are already into the second week of 2017. I know we all want to start the New Year right, hence all the New Year resolutions and goals being made and shared on social media. All of us start out with the best of intentions. Eat healthier, exercise more, sleep earlier, drink less (be it caffeine or alcohol), read more, love more, nag less.
But most of us give up and give in to our old habits, old mindsets by the end of the month (or have you already?! 😀 ). Some of the more persistent amongst us manage to plow through for maybe 6 weeks. But most of us just stop making the effort and give up.
To be able to push through and stick to our New Year resolutions, we have got to start with our WHY. And our WHY has got to be convicting and powerful enough for us to be able to push through, no matter what.
What is your WHY?
- Why do you want to lose weight?
- Why do you want to read your Bible faithfully?
- Why did you decide to have a child or more?
- Why did you decide to stop work or not?
- Why did you choose School A over School B?
- Why did you choose to marry your husband?
- Why ……. What is your WHY?
Why We Must Start with Our WHY
We need to know WHY we do what we do because all of us will falter along the way. So when we are shaken, discouraged, challenged, put down, we can go back to our WHY and remember WHY we are doing what we are doing.
Is Your WHY Strong Enough?
And that is why our WHY has got to be compelling enough that we will push through when the obstacles hit, when the doubts come and when the fear creeps in. It has to be strong enough for us to keep keeping on. It has to be strong enough to carry us through when the voices in our head and people around us, are whispering, shouting, and accusing, “You can’t do this! You don’t know what you are doing!”
If your WHY is imposed upon you by someone else, it will be difficult to stay the course. There will be resentment and even bitterness. I pushed through with homeschooling and even continuing with this blog when things looked bleak and dreary. Because I know my WHY and for me, my WHY – because God said so – is a compelling enough reason. Is your WHY compelling enough?
Keep Your WHY in Front of You
So dear friend, as you start the year, whatever resolutions and goals you have made, remember WHY you have set it up. Write it down in your planner, or print it out and frame it if you want to. But put it somewhere you can see it daily. Like your bathroom mirror or above your kitchen sink. Start with your WHY and keep referring to it as you go through the challenges life throws at you. It will set the tone for the rest of the year.
First published on 9th January 2017. Post has been edited.