Homeschooling While Grieving

Grief is a hard thing to struggle with daily but that is my current situation. Getting up each day to keep doing the things that need my attention are harder some days because of grief. Sometimes it is a fleeing thought or a portion of a book that brings fresh tears to my eyes. Since last summer, a family member has been dealing with some health issues and then my dad passed away unexpectedly earlier this year – and the grief has hit me hard.

It has been by the grace of God, which is my faith foundation, that I have been able to keep going. I am blessed to have a small but close support system of those that love me and help when the burden gets to be too much. I have wrestled with if I should even write about this on the blog, but if it could help even one person going through the same thing, then it will be worth it.

So how do I keep homeschooling while grieving? The short but powerful answer is prayer. Prayer has been my lifeline even more so during this time. When things get too much or when the tears will not stop, I have to find a quiet place to pray to God. According to 1 Peter 5:7 I can cast all of my cares upon Him, because He cares for me. Then He strengthens me to keep going a little more down the road. One of my favorite Bible verses is There are days where I alternate repeating that verse and John 3:16. By faith I know that eventually things will start to settle and life will begin a new normal for our family, but the grief is still fresh right now.

 “The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit” Psalm 34:18, NIV

On the days that business takes longer than usual, my husband steps in and helps with the homeschooling. My oldest two are able to do some of their learning independently, and the rhythm of our family studies is soothing because of the routine. There have been days where we just had to take off and reconnect as a family. We will go outside and enjoy the warmth of the sunshine or play a couple of rounds of the card game Uno. The last thing that I want is to feel like I am drowning in the grief, and distant myself from the ones that I love.

If you are in a time of grieving too, please know that you are not really alone. God in heaven loves you more than you can comprehend. All you and I have to do is turn to Him and call out to Him for help. Please know that you can email me to ask for prayer. Blessings to you!

GMG - Summer Bible Study

GMG - Summer Bible Study

Week 5 - Psalms

We are now half-way through our study of the book of Psalms! This week's chapters are some that I am more familiar with than some from the previous weeks. Today's reading is from chapter 23 which is probably one of the most often quoted passages of scripture. 

Psalm 23

1 The Lord is my shepherd;
I shall not want.
2 He makes me to lie down in green pastures;
He leads me beside the still waters.
3 He restores my soul;
He leads me in the paths of righteousness
For His name’s sake.

4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
I will fear no evil;
For You are with me;
Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.

5 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies;
You anoint my head with oil;
My cup runs over.
6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me
All the days of my life;
And I will dwell in the house of the Lord
Forever.

GMG Summer Bible Study Week 3 & 4

Summer Bible Study

Psalm 3 & 4

I have been learning a lot from reading through Psalms this summer. I especially love it when it is one written by David. The life of David was not prefect at all yet he is considered "a man after God's own heart". There are verses that stick out as ones I memorized as a child or a song lyric. I normally read a chapter from Proverbs that corresponds to the day, and it has been enlightening to also read a Psalm.

What have you been reading for your Bible Study this summer? You can still join the Psalm Bible Study group on Facebook. I would love to have you join!!

GMG Summer Bible Study ~ Week 2

Welcome to Week 2 of Our Summer Bible study!!!

How did last week go for you? What did you glean from your Bible Study?

This week we will be continuing in the Book of Psalms, reading chapters 6 ~ 10. You can leave your observations here or click on last week's post for the link to join the FB group. 

Good Morning Girls Summer Bible Study

Good Morning Girls Summer Bible Study

        Today starts a 10-week study of the book of Psalms covering chapters 1-50. Each Monday and Friday we will be meeting here on the blog as well as in the FB group to talk about what we are learning. 

Link to request to join the FB group:

https://www.facebook.com/groups/1833088310334642/

Grab your favorite drink, Bible, pen, highlighter, and notebook. 

The Hidden Village - Book Review

The Hidden Village

By Bonnie Rose Hudson

This blog post may contain affiliate links. Thank you for your support! 

Title: The Hidden Valley
Author: Bonnie Rose Hudson
Publisher: JourneyForth (BJU)
Release Date: June 2017
Genre: Children's Fiction/ Christian Fiction 

 The Hidden Village is a children’s Christian fiction book about a boy named Manju who lives in India. When Manju finds a village hidden in the mangrove forest, he wants to do everything he can to help his new friends. But what can he do when the people in his own village won’t believe his story, and even the weather keeps him away from the hidden village?

This story is a wonderful read for children and adults alike. The story is told through the eyes of the main character, Manju who lives in West Bengal, India. He lives in a small village surround by mangrove trees. One day while climbing a mangrove tree he noticed smoke from a fire in another clearing of trees. Since he knows what can happen if a fire breaks out in the forest, he investigates to find out where it is coming from.  This investigation leads him to the hidden village that this story is centered around. From there on, the story continues with the daily life and adventures of Manju, his village, and his new friends. The vivid details and descriptions transported me to India with Manju.

This short story is great as a read aloud or for an emergent reader to read independently. The chapters are short and leave you wanting to know what is going to happen next. This is a Christian based children’s book, and I think it would be a great tool to use to teach children that they too can share the Gospel of Jesus with others.  As a homeschool mom, I have been looking for books and resources to teach my children about missionaries and examples of children sharing the good news of Jesus. I thought this book was interesting and encouraging that no matter a person’s age they can be a light for Jesus. Some of the extra features that I thought were great include the pronunciation guide, information about Manju’s home country, and ideas for the readers to help others like Manju’s village.

About the Author:

Bonnie Rose Hudson's heart's desire is for every child to feel the love of God and know how special they are to Him. She works as the Director of SchoolhouseTeachers.com, the curriculum site of The Old Schoolhouse Magazine. She would love for you to explore the wonderful curriculum available there and to stop by her author's blog WriteBonnieRose.com for resources to help teach your children about missions and the persecuted Church, free history and writing printable, discover how you can write for the homeschool market, and check out her newest release from JourneyForth, The Hidden Village, an early reader  set in India. 

I received a copy of this book from the author. I was not required to give a positive review. I enjoyed this book very much and all opinions are my own.

What God Is Doing: Old Testament Object Lessons for Kids - Book Review

What God Is Doing: Old Testament Object Lessons for Kids

by Anne Marie Gosnell

This post may contain affiliate links. Thank you for your support!

Title: What God Is Doing: Old Testament Object Lessons for Kids
Author: Anne Marie Gosnell
Publisher: FutureFlyingSaucers
Publication Date: November 13, 2017
Genre: Children's Books, Christian Books



Build family relationships as you discuss biblical history and truths with your kids. Teach your children the Old Testament by using critical thinking questions and hands-on lessons. I love the kinesthetic approach that is presented to help children grasp abstract concepts. The object lessons use easy to find items, easy to complete, as well as a great visual for children. This book is a great resource for anyone who teaches Bible to children.


One of my favorite lessons from this book is about the tower of Babel with the language cards. My children like to ask me to Google how to say different phrases in other languages. This lesson helps children to understand the importance of why we should learn other languages so that we can share the Gospel with others from around the world. I can't wait to share more of the lessons from this book with my children.


She has a BONUS available this week ONLY when you buy her new book! From November 27th through December 1st the book will be 25% off on Amazon. The bonus includes the eBook Walk This Way and digital downloads of color posters for both of her books. To get the bonuses, email your receipt from Amazon to the email address: wgid@futureflyingsaucers.com



About the Author:

Anne Marie Gosnell has a graduate degree in education with a focus on developing curriculum and instruction. Her life journey includes over 25 years (so far!) in Children’s Ministry: Sunday School, puppetry, Vacation Bible School, Children’s Church, and various outreach ministries.
She is  also the author of Walk This Way: Ethics and Sanctification Lessons for Kids.





You can checkout more information about her book and other resources by visiting her website:
https://www.futureflyingsaucers.com/what-god-is-doing/


Amazon Link
https://www.amazon.com/What-God-Doing-Testament-Lessons-ebook/dp/B077H51FN9/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1511903634&sr=8-1&keywords=what+God+is+Doing+Anne+MArie+Gosnell

I received a copy of this book from the author. I was not required to write a positive review, and all opinions are my own.