Homeschooling has been a big part of shaping who I am today. Although really Jesus is the One who really makes changes, but homeschooling can be used as a tool to help Christian children grow closer to Jesus Christ through their Christian walk.
At the age of 5, I started Kindergarten, and I asked Jesus into my heart. If I wasn't homeschooled, there's a good chance that I might not be following Jesus Christ anymore. The reason being is that I got more Christian influence from my parents being homeschooled then I probably would have going to public school. If I had gone to public school, I may have had a lot of influence from non-Christian friends.
So really, being homeschooled kept me out of trouble and from bad, ungodly influences in the public school and anywhere else. But we always did talk about that kind of stuff with our parents. Being homeschooled, instead, kept me at home with my family like the Lord intended in the beginning. We read and still read the Bible in our homeschool, which we may not be doing if we were going to public school.
Parents can still have a good, Christian influence on their kids even if their kids go to public school, but their influence would most likely be a lot more effective if they're homeschooling their kids.
Back to my homeschooling journey, through grades 1-6, as much as I can remember, I tried hard to obey my parents. That was probably my way of serving God at such a young age. There were times, of course, when I fought with my brothers. Satan still has Christians do bad stuff, too. Of course, though, usually another Christian, probably sent by God, to come along side the Christian that's stumbling to help them see what they're doing wrong, and then the stumbling Christian asks for forgiveness. As in my case, our parents would come along and help us kids see what we were doing wrong and encourage us to ask forgiveness of one another.
At the age of 11, I was baptized on January 7, 2007. During that time, I found that my faith grew stronger. Since then, I have always tried hard to do what God would have me do, and I tried doing personal devotions. I never did my devotions very often, but now I try hard to do them daily because it's the Lord's commandment and because I want to keep growing in my faith as well as to know Christ more.
I am now 18 years old, finishing grade 12, and it's my heart's desire to be Holy because Christ is Holy. It's also my desire to be a Godly woman like in Proverbs 31:10-31 and Titus chapter 2.
For awhile, I was starting to doubt that I was really saved, and Satan was probably having a blast playing games on me. My Mom helped me realize that if I believed with all my heart that God was God and that He sent His Son to die on the cross, then I was saved. I was so happy to have this assurance!
But then again, Satan was playing with my mind. I was doubting my salvation again, and I was about to start helping my pastor's wife teach Sunday School. I was wondering how I was supposed to teach kids about God, Jesus, and Salvation if I wasn't saved either! But one day I was reading the Sunday School book, I came across a paragraph speaking about how to discuss salvation with children. The paragraph went on to say that children praying ''the prayer'' cannot save them, believing does! I believed, the prayer I said when I was 5 did not save me. I believe with all my heart that God sent His Only Begotten Son to die on the cross for my sins! I am indeed saved, for Jesus' blood washed my sins away!
I am a 2013 Homeschool Graduate, but I'm not quite done my grade 12 yet, and I have chosen not to go to university. Not only is university not for me, and gives students a lot of
Student Loan debt, I also want to keep myself pure and stay away from all the bad influences and trouble I could get myself into.
Being that I want to be a Godly, Virtuous Woman like in Proverbs, I believe that university isn't going to teach me what I need to know. I have chosen to stay home to learn and train myself, with God's help, to be that Godly, Virtuous Woman. It's also my heart's desire to be a wife and a mom someday, a homeschooling mom to be exact! So after I'm done my grade 12, I plan on staying home and my life is indeed busy. For this year, I'm going to cook, bake, clean, study, etc. I'm going to start a Computer Course on October 22 to November 21. I just got a high tech camera and accessories, so I'm going to take a Photography Course at home. I'm also going to join the Moosomin 4-H Multiple Club to take a photography project. And I'm also in the Fairmede 4-H Beef Club for my sixth and final year.
So I am busy this year, also not to mention my once a week job of being the caretaker and a assistant Sunday School teacher for the Maryfield Associated Gospel Church. With all I'm doing this year and the following years, I have no time whatsoever for university.
So that is basically just a sliver or two of my life's past years, some of my homeschooling years along with some of my Christian Testimony.
Now that's how Jesus Christ and homeschooling can change a person. That's just my life though, everyone else's is different. And how my homeschooling past helped influence God's call to me about what to do in the future. I also believe with all my heart that God is indeed calling me to stay away from university and to stay home to train to be a Godly, Biblical Woman. That's my Homeschooling and Christian Journey.
K. J. Hepburn
