BJU Press Blog

Shaping Worldview

You homeschool because your child’s faith is important to you. We want to support you in training up your child. These blog posts show how to give your child a biblical worldview of each subject.
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Family Bible Time: The Habit Families Need Most

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Family Bible Time

The most important pattern we can establish in our families is a consistent Bible time together. From the time our children can communicate until they leave home, we must be continually teaching them God’s Word. Deuteronomy 6:6–7 exhorts, “And these words . . . shall be in thine heart: and thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up.” All throughout the day we should be bringing up Bible conversations with our children. Every opportunity we have, we are to point them to Christ. But it’s important to schedule a specific time during the day to put aside everything else and gather as a family to study God’s Word and pray together.

Why Family Bible Time

It’s a time to learn more about our great God! It’s a time to teach our children how to effectively study God’s Word. It’s a time to share close fellowship in the Bible and prayer. Maintaining this mindset will help keep us from viewing devotions as a chore or duty. If we are passionate about God’s Word, it will encourage our children to get excited about it as well.

When and Where

Try to have your family devotions at the same time and place every day. We like to have our family devotions in the evening, just before bedtime. Usually it takes place in our daughters’ bedroom on one of their beds. Perhaps mornings or afternoons work better for your family. Whenever it is, try to have everything done and put away before devotions so no one will be distracted.

What to Read

Scripture itself is always the best choice! Choose a book of the Bible to read through, such as one of the Gospels or the book of Proverbs. Depending on your children’s ages, you can read just a few verses or an entire chapter. Recently our family started reading through the book of Psalms.

How to Get Everyone Involved in Bible Time

Every family member should be engaged during family devotions. One way our girls participate is by taking turns reading Bible verses aloud. If your children are too young to read, you can involve them by asking them simple questions about some of the verses you read. After reading a psalm, my husband asks our daughters specific questions about what we just read. For example, from Psalm 1 he asked questions like these:

“What does the word blessed mean?”
“How do we delight in the law of the Lord?”
“What does it mean to meditate?”
“Why does God compare the righteous person to a tree?”

After discussing the passage, we sing some songs together. We quote a memory verse and then close with prayer. We like to use “prayer sticks”—craft sticks with names of loved ones, missionaries, and church members written on them. We keep them in a jar and each of us draws one prayer stick and prays for that person or family.

Let’s make family Bible time the most special part of our day!

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Jennifer is a pastor’s wife and mom of two young girls and loves homeschooling them. During her own twelve years of being homeschooled, Jennifer developed a passion for reading and writing. She earned a bachelor’s degree in creative writing and relishes writing during her free time.

Loving My Neighbor with a Strawberry Cobbler

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loving my neighbor with a strawberry cobbler
I love to cook, and I especially love to bake. But a while back, I found myself in a quandary. I had three guests in my house. One was on a grain-free diet. Another was vegan. And I had no idea what to make for dessert. I had some fresh fruit in the house—including a large container of fresh strawberries—but all my usual strawberry dessert recipes had been ruled out. How could I possibly make a dessert that had no eggs, no dairy products, and no grains of any kind? Did such a thing even exist?

Showing Love with Food

People all over the world use food to nurture relationships with each other. Many of my own relationships have been built and maintained over a shared meal, a shared plate of cookies, or even a shared table at the local coffee shop. Food is an important tool that we as Christian homeschool moms can use to show love to our neighbors.

But, as I realized that afternoon in my kitchen, sometimes cooking for other people can get complicated. I’ve been blessed with a husband and children who can eat just about anything I care to cook. But many families in my church and some members of my extended family deal with food allergies and other dietary restrictions on a daily basis. How could I love my neighbor when they come to my home? By caring enough to adjust my cooking to fit their needs.

That afternoon, I managed to substitute my way through a strawberry cobbler recipe in order to meet the needs of my guests. To be honest, it wasn’t awesome, and I probably wouldn’t duplicate it even if I could remember the recipe. But it wasn’t a disaster. And it said “I care” in a very tangible way that went a long way toward making my guests feel welcome. In that sense, it was a very big win.

Cooking for Others with Dietary Restrictions

Here are a few tips that I’ve learned about caring for people with dietary restrictions.

  • Before you take someone a food item or have people over to your home for a meal, ask if there is anything that they can’t eat or don’t prefer to eat or if they are on a specialized diet (such as paleo). That way, you can avoid any potentially awkward moments.
  • Read the ingredients lists on food labels. Some items have ingredients that you would never expect. (Bottled salad dressings and other sauces can be particularly tricky.)
  • Pay attention to how recipes work. If you know what each ingredient contributes, you’ll find it easier to figure out substitutions.
  • Encourage your kids to eat whatever you fix, especially if you have guests in your home. I fix vegan meals on a fairly regular basis now, and my four young daughters eat whatever is placed in front of them. It’s their way of loving our guests and making them feel welcome.

And here are a couple of my favorite variations on the classic strawberry pie that are tailored to meet some specific dietary needs.

Scripture for Your Homeschool Journey

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Homeschool scripture
I’m about to finish up my third year of homeschooling. Our homeschooling journey so far has been filled with many fun, joy-filled days along with a lot of really hard, frustrating days.  But that’s not really surprising; life is like that. We all have days of blessing mixed with days of trial. But regardless of whether you are in the middle of a dark trial right now or enjoying a time of blessing, God wants to teach you something. Here are some Scriptures to meditate on wherever you are in your homeschool journey.

Scripture for being mindful of the blessings

Honestly, some days my calling as a homeschool mom doesn’t feel like a blessing. Some days it feels more like a burden. I’m overwhelmed. Discouraged. Stressed. On those days, I need to read Scripture that reminds me of the great blessing and privilege it is to raise and teach my children.

Psalm 127:3

Children are an heritage of the Lord; and the fruit of the womb is his reward.

Psalm 128:1–4

Blessed is every one that feareth the Lord; that walketh in his ways. For thou shalt eat the labour of thine hands: happy shalt thou be, and it shall be well with thee.  Thy wife shall be as a fruitful vine by the sides of thine house: thy children like olive plants round about thy table.  Behold, that thus shall the man be blessed that feareth the Lord.

Being a mom is a wonderful gift! These little seedlings in my home require a lot of time and care now, but someday, with the Lord’s help, they will be self-sustaining, fruit-bearing trees. I am continually amazed that I have the privilege to be a part of that growth process.

Trusting the Lord to do what you cannot

When I, as a homeschool mom, feel anxious and stressed, it is often because I am trying to control everything around me. I’m living in constant fear of failing because I’m forgetting something really important—that the one responsible for outcomes is God, not me. My only responsibilities are to trust the Lord and be faithful to what He has called me to do.

Proverbs 3:5–6

Trust in the Lord with all thine heart, and lean not on thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.

1 Thessalonians 5:24

Faithful is he that calleth you, who also will do it.

Philippians 1:6

Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ.

As homeschool moms, we have a calling—a calling to be our kids’ mom and our kids’ teacher. Most days, this calling feels like more than I can handle. But I am often reminded of 2 Corinthians 12:9: My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. I have always found God’s grace to be sufficient for whatever day I’m having. And I know that God’s grace will be sufficient for your day too.

Internet Filters for Christian Families

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internet filters
Anyone who has spent any amount of time on the internet knows there’s a lot of bad stuff out there. Even when we’re trying to avoid wicked images and messages, they can pop up on the screen and catch us unawares. First Thessalonians 5:22 exhorts us to “abstain from all appearance of evil.” We can also translate this as “every form of evil.” As God’s children, we must be vigilant in guarding ourselves and our children from evil in all its forms, including the kind on the internet. That’s why if you have a computer in your home but don’t use internet filters, you may want to strongly consider installing one. But with so many choices, where do you start?

Accountability versus Filtering or Blocking

First, let’s look at the difference between two software options. (1) Accountability packages provide the ability for you to select from many email addresses of accountability partners. Your partner(s) will receive reports of everything you view online, thus holding you accountable to develop wise, godly viewing habits. (2) Filtering, or blocking, packages provide the service of deciding which websites are safe for your family to view and which ones should be blocked. Some software packages offer both accountability and filtering. When choosing a software package, consider the following questions:

  1. Do you want both accountability and filtering?
  2. How many accountability partners do you want?
  3. What type of devices need protection?
  4. How many devices need protection?
  5. What are the ages included in the package?
  6. What can you afford to spend on a software program?

Best Packages Available

You might call the following software protection plans “the cream of the crop.” Each has its pros and cons; and keep in mind that no program, no matter how secure, can perfectly protect from the dangers of the internet. But these are certainly excellent options to consider.

Accountable2You

This program provides personal accountability but not filtering. Both individual and family plans include real-time internet viewing reports, an unlimited number of accountability partners, and the capability of restricting inappropriate words. The individual plan provides coverage on up to six devices ($6.99 per month); the family plan provides coverage on up to 20 devices ($9.99 per month).

Covenant Eyes

With this program, you can protect your entire family on multiple levels. Each family member’s settings can be customized according to age and maturity level; and each has his or her own username. You can also choose from several options of “block” and “allow” lists, set up specific times of the day to prohibit users’ ability to view websites, and select different filter sensitivity levels for each user. (Levels include everyone, youth, teen, mature teen, mature, and highly mature).

Signing up for Covenant Eyes is thoroughly explained and the instructions are simple to follow, the website is easy to navigate, and customer service is available by email or phone. The price, however, is a little higher: $15.99 a month (family plan) or $11.99 a month (personal plan—for individuals or couples with no children). They offer a 30-day money back guarantee if you decide this program isn’t for you. Another potential drawback is that the filtering/blocking option is not available for tablets (including Kindle Fire) or Android phones; these are accountability only.

Net Nanny

This software program offers multiple layers of protection through personal accountability, alerts, filtering and blocking, setting time limits, unlimited personalized user profiles, and prohibiting obscene language. Parents will appreciate this product’s ability to protect their children as well as to hold their spouses accountable. Three different price plans are available are based on the number of devices that need protection. Yearly costs are $39.99 (one device), $59.99 (five devices), or $89.99 (ten devices). The latter two plans can be used for iOS and Android devices as well as Mac and PC. Net Nanny’s interactive, user-friendly website provides clear, helpful instructions on installing the program; you can also contact them by phone for additional support questions during regular business hours (8:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m. MT).

K9 Web Protection

This is a free blocking or filtering plan for families. The software can be downloaded on individual devices (including iPhone, iPad, iPod, MacOS, Android, and Windows). It doesn’t provide accountability services but does filter content based on personal preferences. You can also create a summary log to view activity on the internet.

Whichever plan you decide on, remember that we already have the ultimate protection—our God-given armor—to help us guard ourselves and our families from every form of evil (see Ephesians 6:11).

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Jennifer is a pastor’s wife and mom of two young girls and loves homeschooling them. During her own twelve years of being homeschooled, Jennifer developed a passion for reading and writing. She earned a bachelor’s degree in creative writing and relishes writing during her free time.

The Best Gift of Christmas

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gift of Christmas card
During Christmas time, we often focus on giving. We teach our children that it’s better to give than to receive. You may have helped them create a Christmas gift budget. Or you may have encouraged them to give by serving others. We must remember that we as children of God are able to give in love because we were first loved. In this season of giving, let each gift shine with the love of God.