Homeschool Heartbeat for 2025

Of Issachar, men who had understanding of the times, to know what Israel ought to do, –1 Chronicles 12:32

Many Americans are wondering what the election of Donald Trump will mean to the economy, freedom, and health of the United States. Only time will tell. As I think about 2025 for the homeschool community, there is one word that rings in my spirit like the Liberty Bell on July 8, 1776. What is that word? PRAYER.

Of course, when we hear the imperative to pray, we all give a rhetorical nod and perhaps even give a silent but reverent, “Amen.” Understand, I am not talking about few elderly ladies praying dutifully over their prayer list at Wednesday night prayer meeting where they talk more about the requests with each other rather than praying about them to God. Instead, I want to encourage us to pray as if the eternal safety of spiritual legacy is at stake because it is.

Prayer is the biggest indicator of our dependence upon God. We cannot honestly say we are depending upon God if we pray very little. For many Christian homeschoolers, their dependence is upon curriculum and coops rather than Christ. While these things are most assuredly wonderful resources, only Christ alone can move on our children’s hearts with life-changing insights.

The same can be said for many churches in the 21^st century. We have programs, technology, beautiful buildings, and expository preaching. The one thing we lack is the presence of God. If numbers and offerings are solid, we content ourselves with this equating to God’s blessing. A better reflection of God’s presence is when lives are being transformed.

Prayer also helps us to better tap into God’s word to understand how we should live. Becoming more mainstream as an educational option in America is not the goal, but being conformed to Christ’s likeness is. Popularity and prosperity has ended more than one divine movements in history. While God moves mainly through the scriptures, He also speaks through His Spirit to give us insights. In talking with one homeschool mom recently, she said she knew something was not right with her son. Although she had no proof, she felt like he had started viewing pornography. When she told her husband and he lovingly confronted his son, the tears started to flow, and the son confessed to this sin. By God’s mercies and a mother’s discernment, this young man’s future had been spared.

This was the result of prayer as these parents had been praying that God would make their home holy before Him. God came through. This child could find the cure to cancer one day, but if he was addicted to porn for the rest of his life, he would know nothing but misery and despair.

Prayer also gives us insight into God’s sense of timing. As important as the what is, so is the when. This is especially true for parenting as the right thing at the wrong time can provoke our children to wrath. Prayer gives us the courage and boldness to say “slow” when everyone around is screaming, “Go! Go! Go!” If Job would have submitted to his comforters’ bad counsel, he may have missed his own powerful restoration.

1 Thes. 5:24 instructs us to pray without ceasing. As we enter a new year, I am challenging parents to pray as they never have before. I will be writing about it often. Why? Most folks really haven’t had that much teaching on prayer. Sure, they know they are supposed to pray, but they really don’t know how to do that in their 21^st century lifestyles. This is reflected in the modern-day church where there are many programs and activities but very little unction of the Holy Spirit.

Second, there are so many gadgets and gizmos at our disposal—from technology to curriculum—we think these things in and of themselves will bring us the success we covet. A cute video and a glossy 8 X 10 with a mother smiling over her children will not cut it when our children are at the crossroads of temptations.

Finally, in our culture of immediate everything, we don’t like to wait on anything or anyone, including God. If He doesn’t move according to our personal schedules, we can just substitute Him with a myriad of other gods. No problem … so we think.

Rather than waiting the week before New Year to challenge us to make 2025 a year of prayer, it needs to be put out there now, so we can begin to evaluate whether we are a people of prayer or are only loud-sounding brass and clanging cymbals. ICHE, will you step into this moment of intercessory prayer or your nation, your culture, your church, your family, your marriage, and your homeschooling journey? We must be a people who understand the times.