Teaching from Rest: A Homeschooler's Guide to Unshakable Peace

by Sarah Mackenzie

Those are the moments wherein you build cathedrals for God.

Every moment of the daily grind in raising and teaching and loving on them is hallowed, because we do it for Him and because there would be no point of doing it without Him.

We are weary because we forget about grace.

We recognize all the small moments throughout our day for what they are—the makings of a cathedral of timeless beauty, the planting of seeds that will bear fruit in their season.

Never be in a hurry; do everything quietly and in a calm spirit. Do not lose your inner peace for anything whatsoever, even if your whole world seems upset.

However, how we interact with our children while using the material matters far more than whether or not we get through it.

How you teach is just as important as what you teach.

the trouble arises when we value the timeline over the child God gave us to teach.

that our daily grind is holy ground.

Which words, phrases, or sentences do I want my child to use when describing his or her homeschooled childhood? Without contemplating too deeply on this, jot a few

I can ensure that my home is one of warm conversations, filled with stories and beautiful experiences. I

(Philippians 4:8–9)

They tell me to focus on relationships, to help my children preserve wonder and perceive truth, and to do each day’s work as diligently as I can.

If you have more to do than time to do it in, the simple fact is this: Some of what you are doing isn’t on His agenda for you.

“Margin is the space between our load and our limits. It is the amount allowed beyond that which is needed. It is something held in reserve for contingencies or unanticipated situations. Margin is the gap between rest and exhaustion, the space between breathing freely and suffocating.”14

God did not give you nine months a year in which to educate your children—He gave you twelve.

Make yourself worthy of imitation.22 If we would like our children to practice deep thinking, contemplate big ideas, and relish truth and beauty as they go about their learning, perhaps we should make that a habit ourselves.

There are no ordinary people. You have never talked to a mere mortal.25

returning and rest you shall be saved; in quietness and in trust shall be your strength.’ ” Repentance, then, goes hand in hand with rest.

If we cry out, He will immediately reach out His hand.

Faithfully tending to your work each day is what success looks like for the homeschooling mother.

It’s natural—the waxing and waning of enthusiasm and desire to grow, think, and reflect.

“Homeschooling is not about school. It’s about pursuing wisdom; it’s about becoming virtuous beings; it’s about soul transformation.”29