Orville and I fasted and prayed over this decision and at the end of our fast we talked about what God had revealed to each of us separately, and knew right away that God was calling us to go!

Orville’s verse was from Matthew 9:37-38 and it says:  “He said to his disciples, “The harvest is great, but the workers are few. So pray to the Lord who is in charge of the harvest; ask him to send more workers into his fields.””

My verse was from Matthew 28:19-20 and it says: “Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.””

God uses so many things to speak to us, but I love when we get confirmation directly from His Word!! That same night, we shared with our kiddos what we had been praying about and told them to pray with us before we met with Ben and Brittany the next day! Ashtyn wasn’t quite sure about how he felt at first, but we prayed together and God confirmed, yet again, that this was His plan for us!

Ashtyn shared this verse from Luke 4:18 with us the next morning: ““The Spirit of the LORD is upon me, for he has anointed me to bring Good News to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim that captives will be released, that the blind will see, that the oppressed will be set free,”

Anyway, I just wanted to share my heart!! We are so excited about this new adventure! We are thankful we get to be a part of sharing Jesus with others! We’re excited to help launch Inspiring Hope! We’ll continue to be at Grace Point with the rest of our core team until our official launch in the spring of 2021! So, if you would, pray with us!! Pray for Grace Point Fellowship as they continue to grow and share God’s word!! And pray for Inspiring Hope, as our core team starts to put all the pieces together and gets ready for take off!! In the words of Channing Mangrum, pray that God “brings the people and saves the people!” ?

Right away, I didn’t have words, only tears.

See, I don’t even know how to bring myself to tell my kids that their lives will look different than mine because of the color of their skin. I don’t know how to start conversations that could ultimately end in breaking their innocent hearts. I don’t know what to say to my children. Because they are the ones that will deal with hate, not because of who they are on the inside, but because of what they look like on the outside.

We had some sweet kiddos over yesterday, and as I was going through these emotions of thinking about what to say about racism to my own children, I was watching these precious kiddos, from two different races, play without any idea they were different. Of course they notice things like curly hair and straight hair, darker skin and lighter skin. But they don’t think one type of hair is better than the other, and they don’t think one color of skin is better than the other! They know, because they’ve been taught by their parents, to love others and be kind.

My friend told me that she talked to her kids about this, not to scare them, but to make them aware of how awful this is. Her kiddos are some of my kids’ best friends! And she told them, “if you ever see anyone being mean to your friends, you stand up for them! Do not let mean people hurt your friends!”

And as I allowed my tears to flow last night before bed, I came to this simple conclusion. You need to teach your kids to love others. The hate against a different race is real in our country, and we can’t hide that from our children. We need them to be aware there is an issue. But, we need them to know they can help make a change! They can stand up for their friends of color, they can show love and not judgement, they can include others from different races, and they will be better for it!

Hate towards a different race is not naturally in our hearts. That’s taught to us. But we can’t let history continually repeat itself! We have to teach our children that hate towards anyone will never win. Hate will only cause more disruption and chaos. Love wins, every time! And not one color of skin is better than the other!

And one more thing, to those with white babies, you have to teach your kids to not be afraid of a different race! Being afraid of someone because they look different, is a huge part of the problem! You might not be racist, but you have prejudice thoughts about a different skin color, and if that is passed on to your kiddos, it continues the cycle. We have to start assuming that there is good in everyone! Let’s stop judging people by the way the look! Let’s show people grace by giving them a chance to show us who they are! This is not the fight of just one race, we have to link arms and let each other know that we're in this together!

Have you ever looked around a crowded room and noticed that your husband and children are the only people of color there? Have you ever gotten disgusted looks from people walking by because you are white and have brown children? Have you ever had to think about making sure that, if you move to a different state, your family would be safe there?

Have any of you ever noticed how BAND-AID Brand bandages are either nude colored, transparent or have characters on them? As you all know, I am a white woman who married a man of color and together we have 5 mixed children. Growing up, I never worried about the nude colored band-aids because they matched my skin, and they did their job. Now that I have children with brown skin, I have noticed how simple minded the company is to still only have nude colored band-aids. If they can make Disney character band-aids, I think it is time that there were brown colored ones as well. The whole point of having nude colored band-aids is to cover up the cut or scrape and for it to not be too noticeable because it matches our skin. But as you can see in my picture, the band-aid does not match my beautiful daughter’s brown skin.

Now, I know that there is ONE brand out there that gives me the option to buy brown-colored bandages.. but, the question that still presents itself is; why is there only one? Only one company that has bandages that match my husband and children's skin. ONE... This is 2020, and there is only ONE option for this!!

{Here's the company that has made a difference in our lives, personally!}

Now, I know it's just a bandage, but..think about the fact that you can say that! You have the advantage to say that the color of the bandage doesn't matter to you..because it does what it is intended to do for you and your nude-colored skin.

This bandage situation is just one example of how we can go about our day, as white people, not realizing that there still needs to be so much change in our country. We need to stand up for those that have been held back because of the systems in place in our country. We need to use our advantages in the world RIGHT NOW to help those without any! Because, whether you want to believe it or not, if you are white, you have an advantage. And you have to choose whether you'll use it for those that need it!

I’m just so tired of feeling like my husband and children aren’t treated as equals in our society. I am willing to fight for their right to equality until the day that I die. I know that heaven is going to have all colors, shapes and sizes of people. And I can’t wait to get there and feel the peace and love towards every person. But, until that day, I will try my best to make this world a better place! Awareness is key..if you don’t know there’s a problem, how can you make the change?!

So many mommas have asked me what I do for curriculum for our homeschooling! So, I decided to put all of the things I’ve used into a blog post, with links, so you all can check it out! If you have any questions, please just send me an email at: laura@thebennettproject.com

Homeschooling is a lot of trial and error! What I use may not work for your specific needs, and what others use sometimes doesn’t work for my needs! There are so many options out there! And if you continue to second guess your choices, you could be searching for days, weeks and even years! So I say, do your research! Read about the different methods of homeschooling, and figure out which one fits you the most! For me, I am a little Classical and a little Charlotte Mason!

Check this article out to find out more about Learning Styles:

And then figure out which curriculum is a good fit for you and your child! We use a mix of things. There are so many options for you!

So, to start, we are a part of a co-op called Classical Conversations!

And we use their curriculum for Science, History, Latin, Bible..and much more!! We go on Mondays and a tutor teaches what memory work we will be reviewing all week! In Foundations, (the first part of our day), which is for kiddos age 4-12, We do science experiments and some form of art! (Music, drawing, listening to different composers, etc...) Then all we do with that on Tuesdays-Fridays is review for 10-15 minutes each morning! Oh, and the kids have a presentation to share each week in front of their class, which is really like show-and-tell, and totally builds their confidence!

For Essentials, (this fall will be my first year doing this, so I don’t know 100% what goes on in there yet) we will do an English curriculum and math facts! This class is for 9-12 year olds and is held in the afternoon.

And then our oldest is in the Challenge program! They are there for the entire day, learning from amazing tutors! They discuss 6 different strands: Grammar, Exposition, Logic, Research, Reasoning and Debate. I could go on and on about this part, but let’s just say it’s amazing! And, teaches your older kiddos (age 12 and up) how to be critical and logical thinkers! I love it!

So, on to the rest of the curriculum!

Math: We use Horizons for our younger two kiddos and Teaching Textbooks for the older two!! Horizons is a spiral-based method and we really love it! And Teaching Textbooks is all online; grading, lecture, and tests!! We have found it’s a slower-paced curriculum than we’d like, so our kiddos took the assessment and are in the math class that is two “grade levels” ahead! Which is fine!! You can move at your own pace! There are assessments on their website to find out what level your kiddo should be at.

Horizons Math:

Teaching Textbooks Math:

We have also used Saxon Math and find it to be tedious! Which is fine, but not for me. I know that lots and lots of moms love it! It is a very thorough math curriculum! It just wasn’t the right fit for our family! But it may be right for you, so definitely check it out!!

Language Arts: We use The Good and the Beautiful!! It is my favorite! It teaches so much information in one book! Writing, phonics, spelling, grammar, geography, art!! ? It is such a precious curriculum! And by that I mean, it has little snippets of God’s beauty and grace throughout, and has great classical stories! I just love it! We also use their handwriting curriculum! In the past, we have also used their history and science programs and I love those too!! ?? The only thing I haven’t loved from them is their math!! It’s just too fluffy for my liking! But if you have a kiddo that learns better by doing activities and games, this math may be just for you!!

We’ve also tried the All About Reading and Spelling curriculum and I didn’t love it, but I know that a lot of other mommas do!! So, check that one out too!!

Also...Here's a great site to check out reviews for different curriculum! I've used these reviews multiple times as a guide!

Ok, so.. I know that was a lot of info.. but I hope that it gave you a starting point! At any moment, I could find a new curriculum and fall in love with it! There are so many options, and I don't believe any of them are right or wrong..just different! Find what works for you and your kiddos! Each kiddo learns differently, and it definitely takes some time to figure it all out! Be patient, and expect to not have it all figured out the first year! Give yourself a lot of grace! You got this, friend!

Anyway, I was thankful to hear that she also felt the same as I did about how people are becoming angry and full of hate! We both felt like this pandemic, and other circumstances in our country, were making everyone feel a little on edge and super judgmental.

Number 1.. we can’t sit on a computer and type things that we wouldn’t say in person. So we should stop.

Number 2.. we don’t have to all agree on the way things should be. So, we should stop arguing about it and we should stop talking about people, behind their backs, who have different opinions. We most likely won’t change their minds. (And side note.. if you’re talking about them behind their back, it definitely won’t change their minds, because they don’t even know what you’re saying unless someone else tells you!) (And another side note.. it’s super childish to gossip.. so also stop that!) “A perverse person stirs up conflict, and a gossip separates close friends.” Proverbs‬ ‭16:28‬ ‭

Number 3.. we should stop judging others’ posts for being rash, angry and uncalled for. Some people are just passionate people who are just sharing their heart..and haven’t had adult human interaction because they’re following the temporary stay-at-home order.

Number 4.. if you aren’t speaking truth and encouragement, just stop. We need to rise up and speak truth. Hope. And Love. Build others up! Get rid of your bitterness and anger. Forgiving others as Christ forgave you.

Number 5.. do research. Look up the facts. Stop believing everything you read. This is the internet. Probably less than half of it will be true facts.

So, let’s be better today! Speak truth. Build others up instead of tearing them down. Get rid of your mean words, both written and spoken. Stop being angry. Forgive others.
Choose kindness and compassion as we are called to do! ?

https://m.youtube.com/watch?feature=youtu.be&v=8YuWAZmD0aU

And, it just so happened that I started reading in John this morning.. and this was the verse that I underlined while reading!

The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. John 1:5

So, I want to encourage you all today! In the beginning, Jesus was with God. All things were made through God. In God was life, and the life (Jesus) was the light of men...

Jesus is still the light that shines in the darkness! And the darkness will not overcome him! Jesus can use YOU to shine HIS light all over this dark time! The question is, will you let him? It’s time to put your agendas aside and let Jesus use you to light up this darkness! Praying you can find peace in Him today, and surrender to what He has planned for you! #bealight ?

I’m sorry that you are seeing this side of me, honestly, I like to keep my opinions to myself. But, I just can’t on this one. We serve a God who loves all races equally, so, tell me why so many of my Christian friends still don’t get this truth?  Tell me why I’ve had to explain to a grown woman why a person of color can also be Santa. Tell me why I’ve had to tell people to stop saying, “cotton pickin”. Tell me why I’ve had to be careful with where we stop on road trips. Tell me why I have to explain to my children that the reason someone hates them is because of their skin tone! Tell me why we have to think twice about moving to Atlanta, because it’s been a dream of my husband’s to work for the CDC. Tell me why my husband got stopped on a walk once because he “fit the profile” of a suspect. Tell me why I have to educate my children on the dangers of their reality! Tell me why I have to explain to them that even though people hate their dad, because of the way his skin looks, we still have to show them love and grace.

Tell me why we can’t change their future! Tell me why I don’t have more friends ready to go to battle for this! Tell me why we can’t come together to make a different world for not just the people I love, but so many others. Tell me why I will sit in prayer for hours upon hours for my children who will one day not have the freedom to just go on a run in their neighborhood. Please, tell me why.

The reality of our world is harsh for a person of color. But, I refuse to sit here and let the ignorance of so many effect their lives! They are precious children of an almighty God! And there should be nothing in their way of having the same freedoms we do! They’ve done nothing to deserve harsh judgement. They’ve done nothing to deserve your prejudice, pre-conceived thoughts about them. My husband and my children, and their children, and their children after that, all deserve a better world to live in! I refuse to let this go on any longer! Help me make a change! Help me fight for my husband’s and children’s freedom of equality here on this earth! Have hard conversations! Spread the word! Hate will not win!

People constantly ask about the socialization part of homeschool. They always wonder how my kids are getting everything they need to develop social skills!

But I just have one thing to say to you all. I’m thankful they aren’t getting the socialization that you all think they need!
I recently went to a public high school to spend a day with some sophomores and realized very quickly that most of these kids are hurting! This world is a nasty place, full of judgement and hate! And if I can give my kiddos enough goodness to share with others someday, then I have done my job!

You see, the type of socialization I handpicked for my children is a community where the kids help each other! Or ask questions about how they can be a better friend! Or teach each other new things that they have learned at home! Or cheer each other on in their weird quirks and never make anyone else feel like they are less than anyone else! See, I want to foster positive relationships in their lives now, so that they aren’t scarred emotionally in their adult life. I know from experience, that being exposed to mean people at a young age doesn’t teach someone how to navigate mean people as an adult! And I also know that teaching your kiddos grace and kindness from the start will give them the tools they need to work things out as adults!

I love partnering with other parents who feel the same way! I love being able to say, “Hey, Your son bit my son and called him dumb!” to another mom and then having conversations with that mom and child, together, to work out a solution! The child always says sorry, and forgiveness is granted and the two stay friends! AND, no adult felt offended by the other child’s behavior or the fact that you brought it to her attention! They don’t point fingers and ridicule you or your kiddo, they rally beside you and help each and every one of the kids learn what they need to! Because I’m not raising perfect kids! And they will make mistakes!

This is the type of community I want for my kids! The kind where adults help other adults! And where the kids see first-hand how to be kind human beings!

So, to sum that up, my kids are plenty socialized! They don’t need a public school setting to get socialization! They need opportunities to grow with my guidance! And I’m extremely thankful for the opportunity to stay home with them and teach them!

And one more thing. This isn’t a post to slam public schools or teachers!! Because I think you guys are amazing for what you do!! This is a post to assure anyone questioning the socialization of a homeschooler!! Thanks for checking, but we’re good! ❤️

So, I struggle with parents who can’t ever let their kids fail.

How will they ever learn from their mistakes if they don’t think they have made any? How will they learn to be honest people if you don’t tell them that what they did was wrong and that they need to learn from it? How will they own up to what they did and work hard to make it right if it was wrong?

STOP MAKING EXCUSES FOR THEM!

LET THEM MAKE MISTAKES!

HELP THEM LEARN FROM THEIR MISTAKES!

See, I’m all about teaching kids right from wrong. And also about standing up for what’s right and what’s wrong! And when there are kids in this world that are always getting away with everything with no consequences because they know how to work the system, you make things so much harder! For you, for them and for anyone that interacts with them!

I think that as parents, we can get embarrassed by our children’s behavior! But if we hush the concerns of others, we are only doing our children a disservice! We need to lay down our pride and let them see that they can make mistakes, but they WILL learn from them! Don’t let the embarrassment of your child’s behavior get in the way of your parenting! Tell them they were wrong, and that you want them to fix it.

Also, look at yourself in the mirror! Are you constantly making excuses for yourself? If so, your kids see that! They know that you make excuses for yourself and for them. So why would they ever try to be honest about anything if they always have a way out? Stop saying, “It was an accident!” And start saying “They totally made a mistake and I’m going to make sure they know not to do that again!”

I will be the first to protect my family, but I will also be the first to admit when I did something wrong, or when my family did something wrong! Honesty is a top priority for our family! And humility is another! I will never be too prideful to apologize when my children have done something wrong, and I will never give them an excuse not to! Tell them it’s ok to make mistakes! And help them to learn from them! But never give them a way out! Hold them accountable for doing something wrong! And give them wisdom to learn the right way! And give them grace when they mess up again!

Another thing I feel the need to address is the fact that you think your children are always honest. Please know that children lie! All the time! It’s natural to them! And when they’ve already been taught that you’ll cover for their mistakes, you better believe that they’ll lie all the more! So, check their devices! Check their backpacks! Check who they’re hanging out with! And check who you let your kids become close to!

I know many adults that still get away with being dishonest because they know how to work the system. And let me tell you, those people aren’t great people! So, focus on getting your kids’ hearts right...By first getting yours right! Be honest, be humble, be kind!

“Consequences can’t be dodged or fooled permanently. The sooner we face them, the smaller they are. The longer we delay them, the bigger and uglier they get. The only way to truly remove consequences is to accept them head on and allow them to do their work in us.”

“No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.”

Hebrews 12:11

The more kids I have, the more I realize that I have little control over keeping the house the way I want it. I loooooveee a tidy house! Like, it gives me great, unshakable joy to have everything in its place! And sometimes I lose it when it doesn’t look how I had dreamed it would! We keep a tight ship with chore charts and to-do lists for each of our 5 kids!

But, the older these kids get, the more I realize: I. Am. Wasting. My. Time. Stressing over the way my house looks!

And I’m wasting their time! You see, we are only together on this earth for a short amount of time. Why do we waste it by keeping ourselves overly busy? Or by making ourselves look better? Or by making our house look immaculate? All of that is for nothing if we have lost precious time with our children! We have lost that time to teach them life skills, the time to share memories with them, the time to show them who Jesus is, and the time to just be ok with being messy.

Today we stopped our busy schedule and canceled all of today’s chores to just be messy. And it was refreshing! The kids had a chance to create, to slow down and think about the choices they had to make and the consequences that go with them. They had a chance to feel empowered by being able to call the shots while making a fruit salad! They learned that it is ok to be messy!

They aren’t going to forget today, because it was special to them! They got to be kids. They got to explore the kitchen. They got to try new things and excel at them!

So, to all you mommas worried about the sink full of dirty dishes, or the bins upon bins of dirty laundry, just relax! Embrace the chaos for a while! Because in the blink of an eye, it will be over! Enjoy the sticky floors! Enjoy the memories that your kids are making. Enjoy the laughter happening, and enjoy the fact that it’s ok to just be messy!

I was 21 when I finally got it. I went to church from the time I was a baby until I was about 11 or 12. My grandpa was a preacher. And my grandparents prayed over me my entire life. There were little seeds planted throughout my life that, with time, grew into a fully bloomed life with Jesus.

I think it can take time to understand what God did for you and just how amazing He is! Even after you are saved, you don’t have to know all things and life surely won’t be easy! But, having Jesus as a foundation through all of life’s battles is monumental!

Then, there are some people who just get it! My three sons are great examples of this! I feel so incredibly blessed to know that three (out of 5) of my children have asked Jesus to be their Lord and savior! They want to live a life with Him! They fully understand what it means and have declared that they want salvation in Jesus! They have all publicly shared their faith with believers and non-believers alike! They share the gospel with people they meet! They are doing what God has commanded them to do! Go out and love others..and teach others about God’s love for them!

Today we got to baptize our third son, and I have to tell you.. it was everything I dreamed it would be! Quentin is so full of joy! He radiates goodness and love! And from the moment that he got out of that water, he hasn’t stopped saying, “I’m so happy I got baptized! I want people to know that I love Jesus!”

See, you guys.. it’s simple, really! There is a message to spread to people! The Good News! The Gospel! God has a plan for all of those who love him! And it is to share His love with everyone! I feel like so many religions, denominations, and ignorant people complicate the gospel! I wanted to share some words we use with our kids..(and anyone else who wants to listen) to explain salvation! Our job as Christians isn’t to grow a certain church, or to do things that most people agree with. It is simply to spread the good news for all to hear!

Here are some simple words to say:

1. God created everything!
2. We all sin and need a savior!
3. Jesus died on a cross and rose again three days later to save us from our sins!
4. Jesus wants to give us the gift of salvation!
5. All you have to do is accept the gift!
6. Declare that Jesus is Lord and that you need a savior!

If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved. As Scripture says, “Anyone who believes in him will never be put to shame.” For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile—the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on him, for, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”
Romans 10:9-13

My goal here is not to get praise. My goal is to help others share the good news! Stop complicating things! Keep it simple! So simple that a kid can get it!! Because, let me tell you! Seeing someone that you love understand and fully acknowledge God’s plan for their life is priceless! All glory to God for guiding us as parents and giving us the words to say so that our kiddos know the uncomplicated truth! ❤️

When I say I was called to do this, I mean it. The desire was never there... questions about how the whole thing worked, definitely, but desire, no. Non-existent.

It all started when I did a 21 day fast with my church, New Life Chapel, at the beginning of this year. I remember writing down on day one in my prayer journal, “Jesus, Where do we send our kids next year to school? Do they go back to public school? Am I supposed to homeschool? How are we going to afford private school for all 3 boys?”

By day 3 I had an answer to all of those questions. I feel like I have heard God’s voice before, but this was as if He was smacking me in the face... “You are going to homeschool your children.” I remember being so excited to tell Orville that I got an answer from God! I couldn’t wait to say, “God answered my questions. I know what we’re going to do!” So I thanked God for the clear answer and the next thing out of my mouth was, “How in the world am I supposed to do that God?”

The thoughts/words I spoke to God next went like this: “Not one person in my family has ever walked this path. I don’t know how much support I’ll have. There’s no way I’m capable enough to teach my children who are wise far beyond their years. I will clearly fail them all. I can’t compare to the education they are currently getting at a brilliant Classical Christian school. The kids will hate me for taking them away from their friends. And most of all, God: how am I supposed to have enough patience to do this EVERY SINGLE DAY?!” See, I love to argue. and God knows I don’t just go quietly, so that morning, pretty soon after I got off my soap box, he sent a little messenger to me.

This sweet friend of mine sends out a “Thought for the day” every single morning, and on this particular morning, God affirmed everything He just told me. This was her email that very morning:

“For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord. Plans for good and not for harm, to give you hope and a future.”
Jeremiah 29:11

How many times do we get frustrated when plans we make don’t work out the way we wanted? Wise believers don’t set their plans in concrete, because we know that God has a way of changing things to produce a much better outcome than anything we could come up with on our own. We need to be open to other possibilities and alternatives, to be flexible, recognizing that God is in control and He will rearrange our plans and our lives to suit His master plan for us.

Today, acknowledge that:

• God is I AM (and I am not).
• He is in control (and I am not).
• He has the master plan (and I do not).

Just for today, I am going to go ALL IN and let the Great I AM be in total control. It works out better that way.”

After I read her email, I thanked God again for his answer. Even though I was so terrified of the unknown, and my plan was way different than His, I knew that if I wanted to be in alignment with His will, I had to be obedient in this. So, I wrote it down. I will homeschool the kids this coming school year, and I will do it to serve the Lord!

The research that came to follow most definitely consumed my life! I needed to find the absolute best curricula for my children, I had to figure out the best schedule, the most efficient way to do this with 5 kids! I felt like I had something to prove, so I set out to be the best homeschool Mom there was!

Now, fast forward to last week, my ultimate low moment of mom life.. I literally couldn’t get out of bed, I did 7 loads of laundry on Monday, 3 loads on Wednesday and 2 on Friday and didn’t fold ANY of them until Saturday morning.. I threw away some of our plastic dishes that we used because I didn’t want to wash anymore..(side note: my oldest 2 boys do the dishes most of the time and we don’t have a dishwasher—and we have a 7 person family).

My kids probably thought I was possessed because of my short fuse and I really couldn’t wait to send them back to school! But God knew exactly what I needed. That Wednesday, I went to NLC’s sisterhood, and felt God re-affirming me over and over again. He used ladies in all different walks of life to speak directly to my heart, and I am so grateful! And if that wasn’t enough, my Pastor talked about functional faith on Sunday. God used him to directly speak to me through this (I’ll post the link to the sermon below)^[1]. To top it off, God used a special friend to remind me that I can do this, and that all my children need is for me to just keep pushing through. And that I am not alone in this crazy journey!

I felt called to share this story today, because this week, my Connect Group leaders asked me what I would be doing this week to deepen my faith. And I said, I want to ask God to make me more uncomfortable so that I can be a blessing to someone else. And I felt God prompting me to share this because someone might need to see it! This week has been a turnaround for sure. No, my laundry still isn’t done, my dishes are piled a mile high, and my house would most definitely not pass a white glove inspection, but my children are learning!!! They are thriving in this homeschool setting!! And I am 100% NOT failing them!

I know there are going to be days where I want to lock myself in the bathroom (which I definitely do), but I know that the beauty of all of this will outweigh the struggle! I know that God has called me to do this, so I will continue to do His will for my life. I will continue to be obedient. I will have functional faith. I will try my best to encourage others. To show them that sometimes, (well, most of the time) God’s plans are different than our own. And we have to be willing to take a step of faith and trust in His will for our lives. Even if it is absolutely terrifying!

Yesterday, I posted the link to this touching story from Michelle Duggar to Facebook:

It was 1:00 AM in the morning as I stood folding laundry with tears streaming down my cheeks. Feelings of being overwhelmed flooded my mind. I cried aloud, "LORD I NEED YOUR HELP, I can't do it all! I feel so inadequate! Diapers, dishes, laundry, meals, cleanup, school lessons, baths, hugs, kisses, correction..." My list seemed to go on and on.

Then it was as if a still small voice said, "Michelle, it's easy to praise ME when things are going good, but are you willing to praise ME now?" Immediately the scripture that says, "Offer up a sacrifice of praise", came to mind.

I said, "OK Lord, I will praise you even now! It really is a sacrifice!" So through the tears I began to sing, "The joy of the Lord is my strength". In my heart there was a release as if a burden had been lifted. I finished the laundry at 2 AM and went to bed.

Days later, I was at our piano teacher's home (at 7 AM) trying to catch up on paperwork while the children were taking their lessons. Instead, I kept drifting off to sleep! The teacher noticed and asked, "Are you OK?" I replied, "I'm fine, I'm just tired. I was up late finishing laundry."

As we talked more she said that she actually enjoyed doing laundry and that she would be glad to come and help me! That weekend when she arrived we had mountains of dirty laundry, and when she left we had nice, neat, orderly stacks of clean laundry! For 12 years now, our piano teacher, whom we consider a part of our family and loving call "NaNa" has faithfully come (now twice a week) to help us with laundry! GOD sent "An angel" in answer to my cry for help.

He is faithful to hear the humble cries of his children. "Humble thyself in the sight of the Lord and He will lift you up." God lifted my burden (literally mountains of laundry!) and freed me to meet the more urgent needs of my family. "Now unto Him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us, unto Him be glory..."

Remember mothers, where God guides He provides!

With Love,
Michelle

As I read it, I thought to myself how similar I feel as I do my daily housework, take care of 4 very different kids with 4 very different sets of needs, and try to keep it altogether. No, I don’t have 19 kids like Michelle, but my struggle to handle everything is indeed real. My list of diapers, dishes, laundry, meals, cleanup, school lessons (in my case, homework), baths, hugs, kisses, correction, is very overwhelming. There are times where I just go to a quiet place (Ya right..there isn’t a quiet place in this house!) and cry, asking God how I am supposed to handle it all!

After reading Michelle’s story yesterday I prayed a different prayer..”Jesus, I need your help, I can’t do it on my own.. I know that the joy of the Lord is my strength! I will praise you in the middle of this crazy storm!” I felt at peace after praying this.

Today, i received a note in the mail (I Love getting letters in the mail!) from a very special lady. It said:

Hi Laura, I’ve recently found myself looking over papers, poems, special articles, etc that I've kept through the years. When I came across this one I thought of you and your role as a stay-at-home mom! After reading it you’ll again be reminded of the awesome privilege God has blessed and entrusted you with! I pray that you young mothers be blessed with the strength, patience, understanding and unconditional love necessary to fulfill this God given responsibility each and every day. Love ya!

The Poem was: "CONTINUE ON" by Roy Lessin

A woman once fretted over the usefulness of her life. She feared she was wasting her potential being a devoted wife and mother. She wondered if the time and energy she invested in her husband and children would make a difference.

At times she got discouraged because so much of what she did seemed to go unnoticed and unappreciated. "Is it worth it" She often wondered. "Is there something better that I could be doing with my time?”

It was during one of these moments of questioning that she heard the still small voice of her heavenly Father speak to her heart. "You are a wife and mother because that is what I have called you to be.” Much of what you do is hidden from the public eye. " But I notice." Most of what you give is done without remuneration. "But I am your reward.”

Your husband cannot be the man I have called him to be without your support. Your influence upon him is greater than you think and more powerful than you will ever know. I bless him through your service and honor him through your love. Your children are precious to me.. Even more precious than they are to you. I have entrusted them to your care to raise for me. What you invest in them is an offering to me.

You may never be in the public spotlight, But your obedience shines as a bright light before me. Continue on. Remember you are MY Servant.
Do all to please me.

As I read this poem and note from this very sweet lady, I cried. My God used this woman to comfort me, to tell me that I am doing what I am supposed to be doing, and I am right where I am supposed to be! Some people say that it’s a coincidence, I say it is GOD. God uses people in big ways. We are all His children and he loves each and every one of us! He knew I needed His comfort. He knew exactly what to do so that I would know He is still there, that He still cares and that He will never let me deal with anything on my own!

Like Michelle Duggar said, “Remember mothers, where God guides He provides!”

Being a stay-at-home mom is not a glorious job. I am always wearing my yoga pants, deal with spit up, poopy diapers, millions of loads of laundry, dirty dishes, cleaning boys’ pee off of the toilets, breaking up arguments and I pray to shower at least every other day! But, there are times when I need to comfort my children because they get hurt, someone bullies them at school, they’re sick, or they just want a hug. Regardless of whether it’s a glorious job or not, it is my job. My job that GOD has entrusted me with, and I must do it to serve Him!

I so needed this touch of comfort from God today. I am so thankful that He listens to my cries! The joy of the Lord is my strength!

I seemed to have forgotten to add all of the continuous blessings through all of our struggles in my last blog… BUT, since there are so many, I guess they can just have a blog post of their own!

Starting before Christmas time… the blessings of money were just unreal! We knew that we were not going to be able to buy Christmas presents for the boys this year… Being on such a tight budget and not having a job lined up, we knew that we needed to cut out some of our expenses. First thing being Christmas presents. We knew that just with our family and the love that surrounded us, that we would be okay without having to buy any new toys that our children didn't even need!

I remember posting a little comment on Facebook about how even though we didn't have a single present under our tree, our love that was in our home would get us through!

That little comment, about how blessed I was to have such an amazing family with so much love and joy, changed everything! Someone very near and dear to me decided to take a step out of her way and ask if her and her husband could buy presents for Ashtyn and Parker this year. We accepted her offer and had never felt more blessed! I could not believe that someone actually wanted to spend some of THEIR hard-earned money for our children, so that they could open presents on Christmas morning!! How amazing is our God!! This couple has blessed us with so much!! And the joy on Christmas morning when our boys got to open presents was almost more than I could handle!! God is so good to us!

This wasn't the only blessing during Christmas time! Not only were people willing to help us with our children's Christmas presents, but people were willing to give so graciously to us in other ways!! We walked into to church the Sunday before Christmas, and were handed an anonymous $250 gift card to Wal-Mart/Sam's Club. Just in time too. Seeing as my list for Sam's club that day was almost a mile long… God knew exactly what we needed. And, He was going to take care of it, when we needed!

These types of things do NOT happen by CHANCE. These things happened to us because we have a loving relationship with the One and Only Jesus Christ! He knew what we needed and when we needed it.

Monetary things were not the only blessings we got around Christmas time! Christmas Eve, we were invited to Jeff and Erin's house for an amazing dinner and family time! These people have taken us in as if we were their family. These people have given so graciously to us and have given us the greatest friendship! After dinner, they sat down to open presents… and Orville and I saw that there was one for us… AND one for Ashtyn. WHY on earth would these people want to give us something like this… we are not even family… and we've only known each other for a little over 2 years! But they did. Gary and Sherry gave us a gift as if I were their 4th daughter… and gave Ashtyn a gift as if he were their very own grandson! These people love us so much! And why… Because of God! Not only were we invited for a Christmas Eve dinner, and given gifts, but also for Christmas morning breakfast! All because of Jesus Christ our Savior!!

The blessings do not end here. After Christmas breakfast, we headed to Celina for our BIG family Christmas. We were so excited to spend time with everyone and enjoy being with most of my sisters! When we got there, to our surprise… my sister Rachel was there. I could NOT believe it… it was such a surprise!! I hadn't seen her since my wedding, a year and a half prior to that! WOW!! I was completely shocked. I dropped my stuff and gave her the biggest hug ever!! Then I took a step back and just stared in awe that my sister from Arizona was standing in my dad's living room!! HOW AMAZING!! The best part about it was… a few months before Christmas, I was listening to K-Love, a Christian radio station… and they had this thing going on, and it was called, Home for the Holidays They were flying people to see family that they hadn't seen in years, or fiancés that were overseas. I thought to myself, how amazing would it be if my sister Rachel could come home for Christmas?! So as soon as I got home… I got onto K-Love's website and submitted our entry, so that we could have a chance at seeing Rachel for Christmas! See how God works there?! See how amazing He is?! I didn't win the contest… but she got home anyway. Think that's a coincidence? NO!! That is the power of God!

Orville, Ashtyn, Parker and I have been so blessed these last few months. Things like this do not happen to many people. We were given so much joy and love. We have been so blessed by so many people! I cannot explain the gratitude I have for everyone who has touched our lives in some way or another! But these people do not do these things for any other reason than because God lives in their hearts… and they know that God is a gracious God, and he never leaves anyone astray!!!

GOD IS SO GOOD!!

So much time has passed since I have had time to sit down and just think! Also, so many events have happened during this time.

Where should I start? Let's take it back to the end of November/beginning of December…

I remember thinking, is Orville going to finish his Master's degree in time? Is he going to find a new job? Are we going to have to move? Do we need to start looking for apartments? Should I start looking for a job? These questions circled in my mind for days! I was hoping that things were all going to work out, and I was praying that they would happen in a timely manner…

BUT, GOD HAD OTHER PLANS!!

I always try and plan out the future, (it's a flaw of mine) so that I can be comfortable and know what is in store for me next. But, God does not want me to plan… He wants me to do what I need to do, today, and then let tomorrow be up to HIM!

Matthew 6:34

Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own. NIV84

I have to try and remember that! Although, it is tempting, and sometimes hard to not worry about tomorrow!

The day before Thanksgiving, was the day that everything started to unfold right in front of me… The day that I had to start trusting more in God, and stop trying to plan everything out step by step!

That night, we were packing our bags, and getting ready for our road trip to Good Ole' Celina for our family Thanksgiving. While I was doing a load of laundry, our washer overflowed, and flooded our apartment. We had to rush out and buy a wet-vac and were up until 2am trying to clean up all of the water! This was definitely not a part of my plan for the weekend. We decided, however, that this little water was not going to ruin our weekend away with family! We headed to Celina the next morning, leaving the fans on for the whole weekend, and enjoyed our time away! When we got back, however, the smell of mildew and mold overwhelmed us as we walked into the apartment. We knew then that we could not sleep there, because it would definitely harm the kids!

That night, we went to a hotel to sleep. We enjoyed that night as if we were on a vacation!! We try and make the best out of every situation!! It just so happened I was able to do laundry at my dad's house that weekend, so we had clean clothes prepared for church the next day!! (That was a God thing, for sure!)

After we dealt with all of that, our landlord decided he didn't want to help take care of any of the costs for the flood happening..and we couldn't stay there with that smell… so this is where we prayed for the impossible and took a step of faith!

These next few steps would probably seem CRAZY to some people. We decided to move closer to church, because that was where we were hoping to find a job for Orville. So we decided, even though he didn't have a job yet, and even though he wasn't finished with him masters degree, that we would take a step of faith and move anyway.

In one day, we found an apartment in Monroe… that weekend, we moved! We just up and moved!! (Sometimes, it's hard to believe myself!) Orville then had to drive back and forth to Wright State to work (and finish his masters) until the end of December. So, we were moving to a place that was over $100 more per month, with the same income, without a new job lined up, and without his degree finished!! Yes, that does sound a bit crazy. But we knew one thing, and one thing only. That God would take care of us, no matter what!! We knew that we would be okay, if we just followed Him and trusted in Him!

So, now we're here, in Monroe, and things are all finally coming together! Orville has finished his Thesis in time and has submitted it!! He will be able to graduate in March! The interviews are a'coming!! And we have faith that God will work everything out in his own time! (He ALWAYS does!!!)

Being unemployed for Orville, is hard… I'm sure. There is always a need, for the husband, to be able to provide for his family! But he also knows that God will provide our food, our shelter, our heat. Orville knows that God will take care of us… always! That is the best part about having a Christian husband, who has such great faith!! I know I don't have to worry, because I never see him worry!! He sets such an amazing example for our children, and for me! Orville is such a great leader for our family!

Me, being a planner, thought that it was time for me to apply for jobs, just in case Orville didn't find one soon. I did, and I actually got a job, but when I went to work, it didn't seem right. My first day there, there were things I was supposed to do, that my fast did not allow. I knew that I was somewhere I shouldn't be, I knew that I needed to be at home with Parker and Ashtyn, so that I could take care of them, and be the housewife that I am supposed to be! Although it seems like a small role, God has called me to be a housewife… (for the time being) and I accept that role, and will do it to glorify Him!

So, after continuing my fasting and praying, God revealed a few things to me. He revealed that I did not need that job. That HE would take care of us until Orville found a job, and that He would continue to provide for all of our needs!

We sit here, together, both unemployed… with out medical insurance, and still continue to have such amazing faith! God has seriously taken our lives out of our hands, and has guided us through everything.

Did I say all of this to complain, or to get attention, NO, I said all of this to prove to YOU that you don't need a plan, or an income to survive. You need God, Jesus Christ, to survive! You need a relationship with him to survive. You need faith to survive. You need HIM!

Through all of this, I have realized so many different things! I have realized that we do not need all of the STUFF that so many people think are necessities. We don't need all of the fancy clothes, new furniture, new purses, TV, or a new house. I need my family, my friends, my church, some type of shelter, some food on the table, and God's love. I need a personal relationship with the One and only God! I need to stay in the Word, and continue to pray. But, not just pray for things that I want, but pray for the things that we need, and then believe that God will provide for those needs!

I believe that God will continue to show us the way.. I believe that God will continue to provide for all of our needs… I believe that God will continue to help us grow in our faith! Our God is an awesome God! He never fails us!

Philippians 4:6-7

Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. NIV