Welcome Home to the HomeRoom: Finding Rest in Spirit, Soul, and Body

Welcome Home to the TOS HomeRoom! We are here to give you all the help and support you need to keep your children home and give them rest in their spirits, souls, and bodies as they thrive in the best learning environment: home!

We also know that parenting, ministry, marriage, career, and homeschooling all mixed together can create a tornado that threatens to wear us out. There can be turmoil in that tornado some days (or seasons) and you may be functioning without enough physical sleep or emotional rest. We can become depressed and lose our joy in all this good work if we forget to feed our spirits. We need help. This space was made for that. Check back often to find the new encouragement you need.

When we ask ourselves, “Why am I so tired?” our bodies and emotions may be suffering. We can be so tired in spirit, soul, and body.  

Are You Tired and Worn Out?

A little physical rest helps the body and soul. Is lack of organization causing frustration? Organization is not once and done; it is a daily process. Are your children regularly disobeying or purposely slow? A little bit of consistent training goes a long way towards peace. Add to your Bible time the character issues you’ve seen that need addressing and make it your goal to disciple them in Christ.

 Are You Lacking Spiritual Strength?

•   Consume Spiritual food and music throughout the day.
•   Meditate on one verse of Scripture all day and night.
•   Copy and place Scripture where you will see it often.
•   Set a daily alarm to spend time in God’s presence.

“You will show me the path of life; In Your presence is fullness of joy; At Your right hand are pleasures forevermore” (Psalms 16:11).

When we dwell in the presence of God, we hear Him whisper His direction for life, we find our dreams and pleasures fulfilled, and we experience the fullness of joy! 

Here are a few video devotions on Homeschooling and Rest:

Homeschooling and Rest, Part 1,  YouTube Schoolhouse Devotions

Homeschooling and Rest, Part 2, YouTube Schoolhouse Devotions

Homeschooling and Rest, Part 3, YouTube Schoolhouse Devotions 

The Good Shepherd

In Mark 6:31 Jesus said, “Come ye yourselves apart into a desert place, and rest a while.” In finding your quiet place, you may need to take your little disciples with you as well. Gather them all together and teach them to pray and read with you in that quiet place. It may not be all that quiet, but as they grow, they will also grow to see your relationship with your Father and desire one of their own. This is where true rest is found, and we must bring our kids there with us as we keep them Home. Where They Belong.

~Deborah

Enjoy this devotional relevant to this topic of rest from our TOS archives.

LEAD ME TO REST

By Deborah Wuehler

Psalm 23:1–3 “The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not want. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures. He leadeth me beside the still waters. He restoreth my soul. He leadeth me in paths of righteousness for His name’s sake.”

Did you think you had some good ideas for school this year, only to find that you never implemented them? Have you ever started something new only to stop, discouraged, after a few weeks? Do you sometimes think you know where you’re going with your curriculum or philosophy and then soon feel lost? Are you ever tired of the daily routine or just plain tired?

“He leadeth me . . .” If we really believe that statement, then we would be following our Shepherd’s leading and not going our own way. I happen to like my own way. But does it bring me rest? Sometimes, but not usually. I often do not allow God to lead me into rest and to restore my harried soul. If He really is leading, then I really should be following. But most often, I am driven toward my own plans and agendas and am full of unrest. We simply cannot rest if we are striving in our own agendas, thoughts, and understanding, especially regarding our homeschooling, and especially, if we are going in the opposite direction of our Leader.

Proverbs 14:12 says, “There is a way that seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof is the ways of death.” It’s not that our plans are wrong or bad—they seem right, but they are not necessarily where our Shepherd would lead. So, where does He lead? He leads us to green pastures and still waters. Why would He do that? I mean, there is so much to be done! Because He knows our souls are hungry and thirsty. Because He knows we are like sheep. We are like sheep in the sense that we cannot rest if we are hungry. Sheep will not lie down unless they are satisfied. We will never be satisfied and find rest until we follow His leading and eat what the Shepherd offers.

I can be driven towards accomplishing grand things (or even one full school day), yet lack what I need to make it through. I have wanted for rest and not been able to attain it for the very reason that I am hungry and thirsty and have not been satisfied: I have been too busy with the cares of this life to sit at the Lord’s feet for nourishment. Yet, the very thing I crave is rest for this poured-out mother-teacher. I must follow my Shepherd and eat in order to find rest, strength, and satisfaction from hunger. Only then, will my plans succeed. The first chapter of Joshua says we need to meditate on the Word of God day and night, for then our way will be prosperous and we will find success. This is the food that satisfies.

Our children also need to be led to Jesus so they can get the nourishment they need from Him. We need to lead by example. We can lead our children to Jesus by following His leading ourselves! When you are weary or frustrated, let the children see you go to Jesus. They will then know where to go in their time of need. Read the Bible and pray together first thing in your school day. You will be sure to find goodness and mercy following you the rest of your day and all the days of your life.

Prayer:

“Help me follow you, my Shepherd, and not my own understanding. Lead me to You so that I will find rest, relief from hunger, and a restored soul. Open my eyes to see Your goodness and mercy following me each and every day of my life.”

~Deborah

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