BJU Press Blog

HAND

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As believers, we don’t dispute that God’s hand is over all. But to see and acknowledge it as being open in our every circumstance is the hard part. When the storms of life come, we are tempted to think He has closed His hand of blessing and withdrawn His strong arm of protection.  Note in the following verses, no one and no circumstance can take us out of God’s hand. If it is closed, it is only because He has His fingers wrapped around us in a tight and unbreakable grip of love.

cover image of Wonderful Words

“They pierced my hands and my feet” (Psalm 22:16). “My times are in thy hand: deliver me from the hand of mine enemies, and from them that persecute me” (Psalm 31:15). “The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord . . . for the Lord upholdeth him with his hand” (Psalm 37:23–24). “And let the beauty of the Lord our God be upon us: and establish thou the work of our hands upon us; yea, the work of our hands establish thou it” (Psalm 90:17). “Thy hands have made me and fashioned me: give me understanding, that I may learn thy commandments” (Psalm 119:73). “And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand” (John 10:28). “Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time” (1 Peter 5:6).

GOLDEN THOUGHT:  Neither shall any man pluck them out of My hand.

[Excerpt adapted from Wonderful Words by Stewart Custer (April 6 reading).]

Why Do You Homeschool? Customizing to Fit Your Child

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Why do you homeschool? Part 2Why should you homeschool your child? At the beginning of this blog series, you met Deborah, a homeschool mom of four. Through these posts, we’ve been exploring the five reasons she had for taking charge of her kids’ education. This week we’ll look at her second reason: customizing to fit your child.

Every child learns differently. The learning method that works for one student may not work for another. If you have children, you probably know this. One child might sit and complete his schoolwork without having to be asked twice, while another might be constantly distracted.

As a parent, you know your child’s learning needs better than anyone. You know his favorite subjects, which ones he struggles with, and what teaching style he responds to the best. That’s where homeschooling comes in. Suddenly, there are no longer the fifty- to sixty-minute daily time-slots that bind you to a particular subject.

Deborah sums it up this way: “Homeschooling made more in-depth studies of certain areas much easier.” You have the power to customize the learning to support your child’s strengths and coach him through his weaknesses. If he’s a Civil War buff, spend a little more time on the Civil War. If he wants to take on more subjects, empower him to do that.

Likewise, if he’s having trouble grasping the fundamentals of a subject, you can hone in on problem spots before moving on to more challenging concepts. One of Deborah’s favorite parts of homeschooling was seeing the “light come on” in her kids’ eyes when they finally understood a concept they had struggled with.

Deborah also notes that homeschooling “stretches the parents as well to grow, mature, and be more disciplined.” Even if you’re not a teacher by trade, there are worlds of resources available to you today. You can easily get teaching tips, diagrams, and activities to help you in your quest to enhance your child’s learning.

What are your thoughts on or experiences with homeschooling? Let us know!

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A Creative Writing graduate of Bob Jones University, Hannah worked for BJU Press for almost nine years as a writer and proofreader. Currently a coffee barista and freelance writer, she also tutors one student in French. While Hannah herself was not homeschooled, her experience in tutoring and teaching violin have shown her how beneficial one-on-one education can be. She hopes to homeschool her own kids someday.

Remember These Dates in April

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Welcome to the month where some say “April showers bring May flowers.” Whether or not that statement about the weather is true where you live, we can celebrate the literary emphasis that April brings.

For starters, it’s National Poetry Month. A poem presents us with a different way of thinking about a topic. The writer’s (or narrator’s) meaning is not always apparent on the first reading, and this can be frustrating to young readers. That was the case for me. But poetry is a valuable and symbolic way of communicating to others. During my homeschool years, Mom introduced me to this literary genre using Favorite Poems Old and New, a collection of poems for children. My favorite was “Puppy and I” by A. A. Milne. Take time this month to read poetry out loud with your kids and introduce them to the forms and types of poetry.

April 10–16 celebrates National Library Week, and the 2016 theme is “Libraries Transform.” Take time to visit your local library and check out a book for free. The local library opened up a world of learning for me as a child not only because of the books I was able to read but also because of the workers who dedicated their time. Involve your family in doing a random act of kindness for a librarian.

April 1

The origin of April Fool’s Day is uncertain, but we all know that now this date is associated with fun, lighthearted practical jokes. Plan a comedy night family fun night with ideas from Kim at Not Consumed. Watch out, or else the joke might be on you!

Booker T. Washington

April 5

Booker T. Washington was born this day in 1856. As a young man, he had the opportunity to attend a school where he learned to read and write as well as how to contribute to the value of society as a whole through industrial means. Later on Washington used the principles he learned to develop the Tuskegee Institute, a training place for teachers. Learn more of his life and work in this fast facts video.

April 14

Noah Webster’s American Dictionary of the English Language was registered with the copyright office on this day in 1828. This book helped standardize the spelling of “American” words and supported many definitions with examples of the word’s use in the Bible. Webster learned twenty-six languages to complete this dictionary. As a child, I had the opportunity to visit Noah Webster’s childhood home in West Hartford, Connecticut. Their website includes a kid’s corner with activities to do with your children.

Hubble Space Telescope

April 24

The Hubble Space Telescope was launched into space in 1990. It has allowed scientists to observe objects in space without interference from conditions in earth’s atmosphere. As this telescope orbits the earth, it provides clear, colorful images that add to our understanding of the Milky Way Galaxy. Interpreting what these images show us depends on our worldview of how everything came to be. Show your family these images of space taken by the Hubble Space Telescope.

GODLINESS

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Holiness and godliness are first cousins. There won’t be one without the other. The former is a state of being and the latter relates to behavior. Our Lord, because He was holy, was the perfect example of godly behavior during His earthly life. By studying Him, I can learn to “live godly in Christ Jesus.”

cover image of Wonderful Words
“I exhort therefore, that . . . prayers . . . be made for all men, . . . that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty” (1 Timothy 2:1–2). “And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh” (1 Timothy 3:16). “Exercise thyself rather unto godliness. For bodily exercise profiteth little: but godliness is profitable unto all things” (1 Timothy 4:7–8). “But godliness with contentment is great gain” (1 Timothy 6:6). “But thou, O man of God . . . follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness” (1 Timothy 6:11). “And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith . . . godliness” (2 Peter 1:5–6). “Seeing that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness” (2 Peter 3:11).

GOLDEN THOUGHT: Godliness with contentment is great gain.

[Excerpt adapted from Wonderful Words by Stewart Custer (March 30 reading).]

Why Do You Homeschool? Teaching from the Heart

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Why do you homeschool? Part 1Last week we introduced you to homeschool mom Deborah and told you that in the coming weeks we would be revealing her top five reasons to homeschool. Today, let’s take a look at the first of those reasons—teaching from the heart.

Think back to when you were a student, however close or far away that might seem. If I asked you to give me the name of a teacher who really taught from the heart, could you do it?

What are some qualities that teacher possessed? Did he really make learning “come alive”? Did she inspire you to be what you are today? Did he encourage you to follow God? No matter what your reasons are, I think we could probably all agree on one thing in particular: that teacher cared.

As a parent, you know more about your children than any other teacher could. Not only do you care about their education, but you also care about their hearts, their futures, and their walk with the Lord. In Deborah’s words, “The ability to guide a child’s heart is precious. I looked at homeschooling not just as a time of learning academics but a time of teaching life skills and strong character traits based on biblical truths.”

It’s no secret that secular ideas have pushed the Bible out of many schools. As a result, spirituality is no longer a goal worth striving for; morality will do. In some cases, “what is best for me” is even substituted for what’s moral. As a parent, you want your kids to do the right thing, but more than that, you want them to do it for the right reasons. All parents hope their children will become productive members of society, but as Christians, that’s not enough. We should pray for them and guide them to become champions for God’s kingdom.

Homeschooling your children allows you to address issues of the heart on your own terms. There’s no competition between what you teach at home and what’s taught in the classroom since they are one and the same.

As a parent, you are the ultimate caring teacher.

What are your reasons for homeschooling? We would love to hear from you!

Read more of Deborah’s motivations for homeschooling.

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A Creative Writing graduate of Bob Jones University, Hannah worked for BJU Press for almost nine years as a writer and proofreader. Currently a coffee barista and freelance writer, she also tutors one student in French. While Hannah herself was not homeschooled, her experience in tutoring and teaching violin have shown her how beneficial one-on-one education can be. She hopes to homeschool her own kids someday.