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    Press Into God, Family, Community - 2020-04-01 18:54:44-04

How are you holding up?

Most homeschoolers know how to be home a lot, but also have freedom to run errands, go to friends’ homes, participate in outside activities. From my perspective, the shelter-in and lock-downs affect all groups, incluing homeschoolers.

How do you adjust to your new normal?

One of the best pieces of advice I’ve heard is to “press in”. Press into our current situation. How can you press in this week?

It may seem obvious, but you first press into God. Spend time daily with Him to keep your focus on your firm foundation. Four years ago, on my prayer walk, I talked to God about spending time with Him all day long, not just when I was praying in the morning. I wanted to be dependent on the Holy Spirit all day long, in all my decisions.

Boy, did He answer that prayer. Unfortunately, that’s when my mini-hell erupted. The one I mentioned in my last blog post about my hope in Jesus.

Trials, like the global one we are facing now, can grow our faith in ways good times don’t. My mini-hell pushed me to God in ways I had never experienced. Two areas that grew in my life were prayer and Bible reading.

Press into God with Your Bible

I read all the Psalms at least three times that summer four years ago. The Psalms were a balm to my soul. If you don’t know where to start reading your Bible, start with Psalms 1 and move forward. I bet you’ll discover God’s unfailing, enduring love in ways you haven’t experienced before. I sure did.

Press into God with Prayer

Start talking to God. That’s all prayer is. There is no right or wrong way to talk to Him. That summer, four years ago, I wanted desperately to pray God’s will in my trial. But what was God’s will?

That’s when I started praying Scripture. I simply declared God’s Word back to God. Many times, I read a Scripture and told God, “You said this truth Yourself, so I’m holding You to it.”

If you’re not sure where to start, I recommend praying the armor of God every day for your family. You get dressed in clothes every day (or at least you have on your pj’s).

Do you get dressed in God’s clothes, God’s armor each day?

Every night is free. No outside activities. Spend time with your family.

That’s about it. How are you spending time with your kids?

Even if you homeschool in the morning, like our typical homeschool daily schedule, you can spend afternoons & evenings together, playing, working, creating together. Do something besides scrolling through Instagram. A few ideas off the top of my head:

• Eat dinner together
• Cook dinner together
• Family movie night
• Play board games
• Play basketball on the driveway
• Toss a football or baseball to your kids
• Read a classic book together
• Pray together before bed
• Science Experiments – Bean Plant or Oreo Moon are fun
• Crafts
• Family Devotions after breakfast (or lunch or dinner)

Personally, I think the shelter-in can have a positive impact on our families. I know you might get tired of each other, especially if you’re working from home. But, being with each other 24-7 can grow relationships with your kids and spouse.

Press into Your Marriage

If there’s been tension in your marriage, NOW is the time to deal with it. You can’t go off for coffee or a pedicure to escape. God may be using this crisis to work out marriage problems.

We had a Zoom call with our extended family last Friday. It was fun to see siblings, nieces, nephews, kids, grandkids. I wish my parents had been able to join us, but they have major problems with their phones & computers. Hopefully, we get them fixed this week.

Have you received any texts, out of the blue? How did you feel?

I’ve received several texts out of the blue. It was super-encouraging. To know someone was thinking about me, praying for me, or concerned about me.

You can still press in to others, without being there physically or from a distance.

• Old-fashioned phone call
• Zoom call (or Google hangouts or WhatsApp)
• Text
• Bake cookies for your neighbors & deliver (I delivered homemade bread yesterday to neighbors I don’t see often.)
• Buy a take-out meal and deliver it to a friend who needs it (possibly lost job or can’t leave home)
• Continue your small group or Bible study on Zoom, Hangouts, WhatsApp
• YouVersion Bible Reading Plan together – I’m doing one with 2 other friends. Each day we read the devotional & verses. Then, we leave a comment.

What are you doing to press in to this global crisis?
Please leave a comment so we can encourage each other.

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