If you’ve been homeschooling for a while, I think you’ll agree when I say homeschooling is more than a choice… it’s a lifestyle. It’s choosing a lifestyle of taking your children out of the rat race of competitions, comparison to others, and institutions. It’s an opportunity to truly bond as a family unit, to build relationships, and to restore what I truly believe is God’s plan for the family… instead of trying to fit our children into the the mold of what society says they should be. It creates opportunities for joy, peace, love, and play. It creates opportunities for discipleship, mentorship, and the building of a deep foundation in their faith (and ours). It’s a choice to embrace freedom and simplicity in our homes, every day of our life.
I came across this verse the other day and it really hit me deeply…. I have to share it with you because I think you might be able to relate.
There is one who makes himself rich, yet has nothing; And one who makes himself poor, yet has great riches.
Proverbs 13:7, NKJV
See, in our homeschooling journey, we have had to sit down as parents and make many choices… oh, so many choices… over the years. We’ve had to choose between curriculum types and homeschool styles, Bible studies, and devotions. We’ve had to discover new methods of teaching, find solutions to concepts our children were struggling with, and discover routines that work for our family. Who was going to teach them and when? What do we want this to look like? Are we doing this in a way that truly glorifies Christ? There are always more questions and more decisions to be made.
One of the most impactful choices we have ever had to make was whether to be a one income family or a two income family. We made the decision to be a one income family because we truly believed this is what was best for our children. In our younger years of parenting, this meant taking turns providing for our family. In doing so, we discovered something invaluable about ourselves. While I was the one with the degree, and the potential to earn more income, I was simply not happy working and he was not happy being home. My heart could not be satisfied outside of the home and his could not be satisfied without the ability to work and provide for his family. Of course this was the case. God created us to be this way… and there’s no way to get around what God has ordained.
With this newfound discovery (to us), we made another choice. We made the choice to switch roles permanently, for as long as we were able, for him to be the sole provider and for me to be the stay-at-home parent. We decided to align ourselves and our family with what we truly believed was God’s design… but it has not been easy. Choosing for me to be the stay-at-home parent meant a significantly lower pay range to work with. We were already a one-income family and making this choice meant that there would be less stability (as far as the world’s standards are concerned), and even less income in an already struggling financial situation.
We literally made the choice to make ourselves poor; we decided to sacrifice financial gain, trust that God would be our provider, and come into alignment with what we believed was God’s will for our lives. It was not an easy choice.
I’m not saying it’s wrong to work, or to have two incomes, or anything of that nature. What I am saying is that this scripture touched a deep place in my heart because many of the hardships we face as a family are ones we have chosen. We made these choices because we believe our family specifically was called to do it this way. For generations, my family has chosen to fight hard for financial stability and to overcome these financial hardships. They have always disagreed with my family’s choice of me not working. One reason they resent our decision is because with our circumstances, specifically my degree in nursing, we don’t have to live a life of hardship like they did. But we choose to… because we want the riches that come only from heaven. We have chosen to break the cycle modeled us by past generations and to come into alignment with what God is doing for our family now. It’s not about whether you work or don’t work, but rather whether or not you are doing what you know God has called you to do within your specific circumstances.
I don’t say these things to lift our family up, because we certainly have more issues than you’ll probably ever know. I say these things as an encouragement to you. Despite our hardships, we have always been cared for by our Creator. We have always had a place to sleep, something to eat and drink, and something to wear. We didn’t always know how or where those needs would always come from, but God always came through. We are no different than any of you, no more or less special; Jesus is the One who does the work. It is His responsibility to provide for us, if we would just let Him.
If you feel you have been called to be a one income family, know that your choices are not made in vain. Through every difficulty, God has made sure that you have always had someplace to sleep, something to eat, something to drink and something to wear. For us, it was an exchange. We exchanged the comfortability offered through doing it the way of the world, for the comfortability that comes from walking in obedience to Christ. We have exchanged the institutions and comparisons for the opportunity to live a life of simplicity. We have traded work stress for the opportunity of a home filled with love and laughter, mentorship and family discipleship. We have traded the riches of the world, for the riches of heaven.
If you have also made this choice, you are not alone. There are some who have made themselves poor, but have great riches that only come from heaven. This exchange has brought many opportunities for heavenly riches, and I know it will for you, too. For me, this truth brings many tears of validation. I hope the same for you.
31 “Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. 33 But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. 34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.
-Jesus; Matthew 6:31-34, NKJV
There is one who makes himself rich, yet has nothing; And one who makes himself poor, yet has great riches.
Proverbs 13:7, NKJV
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