Celebrate the Journey

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I have just returned from the Apologia Live retreat in Atlanta this weekend. It was my first time and can I say, "WOW!?!" This retreat is  for Christian homeschooling moms and it was amazing, encouraging, and empowering! I am so thankful that my husband encouraged me to go and that I had friends to go with (I also made some new friends). I almost didn't go to this retreat because I did not know anyone there. My other homeschooling friends were not sure they could go, but I had it on my heart that I really needed to go. Then, I remembered another homeschooling mom that I had just recently met. The deadline to register was just a few days away and I sent "S" a FB message, "It's short notice but would you like to come with me?" She replied, "oh wow short notice. Let me talk to Hubby tonight." Then, she yes. This was not accidental, friends. This was God's work. The prayers that I had been praying...God answered them by sending me to this retreat. Everything I heard on this retreat was just what I needed to hear...to encourage me as a wife, a mother, and my children's teacher.

These speakers were pioneers of homeschooling. It was such an awesome privilege to hear the testimonies of how God worked and is still working in these women's lives. I kept getting goosebumps. Sometimes it's so hard to see what it will look like in the future for our family, how our children will turn out, and all the other worries that the enemy tries to bombard us with so we can doubt God's will for me and my family. We can't see the big picture that God sees but that isn't what he asks of us. He only asks that we obey and follow with faith.

Back to the speakers...Rachael Carmen (I am smitten by her!) presented her talk on Love, Laugh, and Learning and how as homeschooling moms, most of us probably have the list flip-flopped. Where we have placed academic learning above loving and laughing. I admit, that when I began this homeschooling journey, I did it with the intent of love. But somewhere along the way, I lost the tenderness and laughter as I let my prior experiences as a teacher and as a student from secular schools inhibit the way  why I should be homeschooling. I had not freed myself or my children from the ways of institutionalized "schooling". I confess...I was not smiling...I was not laughing. I was being way too serious.  I was in fervent prayer about it all for awhile now and God answered my prayers as I fellowship with these other amazing homeschooling moms at this conference. I needed to lighten up, enjoy my children, and celebrate the journey that we were on.

Did I mention that Pam Tebow was there? She sang to us...scriptures that she sang to her children. SO AMAZING! She is such a lovely person. I love how she referred to her son as Timmy :)

We also got to hear Debra Bell, Elizabeth Smith, Jeannie Fulbright, and Zan Tyler. They were all so wonderfully talented and eloquent in their words to us. Everything they shared was everything I needed to hear. God did this. He planned this for all us homeschooling moms that were in need of rest and renewal. 

I have to share that I love Anne MacCallum! She wrote a song specifically for this year's retreat theme "Celebrate the Journey" and has done the same for previous retreats. What talent she has for singing and songwriting. I loved the theme song and I bought one of her CDs while there- Over The Moon and absolutely love it! Even my kids listen intently to her CD. If you have never heard her sing or her songs, please spoil your ears by checking out her music.

This scripture has been on mind lately and one that I am trying to commit to memory...

1 Corinthians 13
¹ If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. ² If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. ³ If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast,but do not have love, I gain nothing.
 ⁴ Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. ⁵ It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. ⁶ Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. ⁷ It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

Another one of my favorite part of the retreat was the time for prayer. Both nights, we were given time to pray as Rachael walked around praying for us as well. It just reminded me how important prayer is in my daily life. I came home exploding with excitement and sharing it all with my husband. I have already told all my friends who weren't able to attend that we must go next year.

Thank you God for answering my prayers, for leading me beside quiet waters, for refreshing my soul, and for guiding me along the right path for your name sake. Thank you God for this journey!

PS. I had the honor of meeting Gretta (far left) this weekend at the retreat and hear about her wonderful testimony of God's providence in her life. She also does a beautiful job of describing the Apologia retreat this weekend. She did it much more succinctly than I did without some much rambling. ;) Visit The Johns Family to read all about our awesome weekend! I'm honored she mentioned me and my little ole blog :D

~H