For tonight’s Back-to-School inspiration, I’m going to start with an old Sunday school favorite.
            Play a few seconds of “The Wise Man Built His House upon the Rock”.

You all know how it goes. About a month ago, after a lot of praying to God and asking for what Scripture He wanted me to share with you tonight, He pointed me back to this well-known parable that Jesus shared at the end of the Sermon on the Mount. As the events of the last few weeks have unfolded in Houston and Florida with the hurricanes, I know see why God had me meditating on the passage about the Wise Man and the Foolish Man. We have an amazing and dramatic object lesson happening right in our midst.

The beginning of the passage is up on the screen. “Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock.” Matthew 7:24

We know that it then goes on to talk about the foolish man who builds his house on the sand and what happens to each when the storms come. What I hope to do tonight is apply this parable in some very practical ways to your homeschools. I want you to have a really successful school year. As Christian homeschoolers, we know that our jobs are so much more than just being educators. We are our children’s disciplers. The health of our homeschools is directly related to the health of our homes. There is no “right” curriculum that is going to do nearly as much to help your child grow and flourish as a healthy home.
 
If I were to ask you to describe your house to me, you would most likely tell me about the location, the color, the design, the square footage, the size of the lot, and the number of bedrooms. But you probably wouldn’t tell me about the foundation. You might not even know much about your foundation. Yet, as we have seen from the hurricanes, the foundation of your house makes all the difference. This is true not only of your house; it is also true of your life.

Rock
So what does it mean to build your house on solid rock?

1. “Everyone who hears these words of mine” is the beginning - In order to hear God’s words, we must expose ourselves to Scripture, right. We do this by reading the Bible, by reading Christian books, by attending worship services, by getting involved in classes and small groups, and by meeting with Christian friends who can teach us. This may sound like a big long guilt list to add to your life, but this is what you do in every other area of your life. If you want to learn a skill or profession, you seek out the necessary information. Before you take a trip to France, you might take some Conversational French class. If you want your children to play soccer, you make sure they go to practice regularly and you teach them to listen to their coaches. So, how much more important is it for us to spend time seeking God’s teachings for our lives?
2. Secondly - Jesus says we must not only hear His words but we must act on them. If you are going to build on a solid foundation you must actually DO what Jesus wants you to do. James 1:22 calls us to “be doers of the word and not hearers only.” We are building our lives on His words ONLY as we obey them.

There are many practical examples of this - I know that vegetables are good for me. I believe this is true. I’ve read all about the health benefits of different ones and even taken Nutrition classes, but until I actually eat them, I am not going to experience any health benefits. I taught my kids for years about the benefits of flossing their teeth. I took them to dentists who taught them the same thing. But until they actually started to obey that instruction, their gums were unhealthy and they got cavities.

In the same way, we can hear all of Jesus’ words and even have it memorized, but if we don’t do what He says, we aren’t building the right foundation. We can know that it is wrong to lie, but if we take our 13 year old to the movies and have them say they are 12 to get the child’s discount, we are not obeying God’s word and very likely, our child lies to us regularly about things like getting their schoolwork done. We can know that the Lord calls us to self-control and to use our speech to edify and build up others, but when our child disobeys for the 10th time and we lose our patience and lash out in anger, we are not obeying God’s word and very likely our child is being disrespectful back to us as well. When we’ve been the victim of gossip or slander and we react with the same thing trying to take revenge instead of being forgiving, we are not obeying God’s Word and we see our children starting to treat people the same way. However, obeying God’s Word will strengthen your foundation.

Storms
This is so critical because the parable goes on to say in verse 25,“And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock.” It’s important to note that Jesus does not say “if the rain falls” or “if the floods come” or “if the winds blow.” He tells us straight-up that storms will come and we will not be spared! A strong foundation based on obedience to God’s word, however, will give us the strength to withstand the storms.

As I look out tonight at you all, I know there are all kinds of storms going on in your lives -  there are financial pressures, newly discovered learning challenges, lost jobs, health problems, ailing grandparents, wayward adult children, wayward teens, marital conflict, anxiety/depression.

When personal storms come, often lives are destroyed and left in shambles. But if we construct our lives according to Christ’s building codes, we will not be destroyed. While obedience to Jesus’ words is not a protection from the troubles; it is a protection in the troubles. I want to encourage you: All the time that you have invested in laying your biblical foundation will pay off. It will keep you from spiraling down into depression or anxiety and help keep you strong in your faith and trust in God as being sovereign. Storms will come and go. We are all either in a trial, coming out of a trial, or entering into a trial. Nevertheless, if you’ve built your life on the foundation of Christ, you have nothing to fear.

Sand
However Jesus knows that we are not all going to do that, so he goes on in his parable to talk about the foolish man. In verse 26 He says, “And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand.” The foolish builder also heard Jesus’ words but didn’t act upon them. So, why does the foolish man build his house on the sand? He doesn’t figure any storms are coming. He thinks the sand is a good location. It’s adequate. It’s a lot easier than digging down deep if you don’t have to. It takes more work to build on the rock. It takes more time and energy. And it costs more.

The same is true when it comes to the foundation of your life. To have a foundation built on sandy soil is to take the easy route, to compromise with the world - in your entertainment choices, in your priorities. It is easier to go with the crowd. As a homeschool parent, this might mean skipping your bible course work and focusing more on your math scores so you can brag to acquaintances about how great your child is doing or possibly manipulating your child’s behavior with bribes to get them to obey you instead of taking the time to biblically train their hearts.

But in verse 27, Jesus closes His parable with “The rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and slammed against that house; and it fell—and great was its fall.” Jesus concludes His parable and the entire Sermon on the Mount with an illustration of warning rather than of encouragement. I thrive on encouragement. I like to encourage others and be encouraged myself. Yet, as much as I appreciate encouragement, there is something very powerful about a word of warning that snaps us to attention. If our home is built on sandy soil and the storms hit, our homeschools completely fall apart as we, as the leader spiral down without hope and faith.

Lots of Christians try to change foundations when the rain starts. When the sky gets dark, the winds pick up, and the rain begins to pour they pick up the telephone, call the most spiritual people they know, and say, “Help me build a new foundation under my house. It’s falling apart.” But it’s pretty hard to change a foundations when you’re in the midst of a storm. People in Florida right now, can’t go out and dig under their homes and pour a new concrete foundation. The foundation has to be poured on sunny days.

So I want to encourage you tonight to do a little building inspection. Is your home on solid rock? Is there peace in your home? Is there respect in your home? Are your lives reflecting the fruit of the spirit? Or do you feel like you’re hanging a bit by a thread and the next problem you encounter is going to send you in a downward spiral? If so, as you start out this new school year and you are busy getting new patterns set, be conscious and intentional about adding things into your life that are going to help turn your sandy foundation into a firm slab of rock!
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God bless you and I pray that you have a wonderful year of discipling your children.

​By this time in your homeschool year, you may be feeling discouraged and overwhelmed. The excitement of new text books has worn off; it’s been difficult to get everyone excited again after the slow down over Christmas vacation; you may have gotten behind when everyone caught a winter cold; now you’re just longing for the weather to be warm again and the year to be wrapping up.
Well, I am reminded of God’s words- “Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.” (Galatians 6:9)
 
There are some very specific things we can do to help us not grow weary and turn the corner to joy and excitement once again.

1. Hold onto God’s promise that “being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.” (Phil 1:6)

 

1. Remind yourself of what your primary goal should be in your homeschooling journey. You are preparing your kids for heaven not Harvard. Don’t neglect the spiritual training in your home in an effort to finish those textbooks! Your relationship with your children should be a happy and loving one where there is time and space to discuss matters of the heart and soul. God will be faithful to honor your efforts to cover those academics when your priorities are in line with Scripture.

 
3.    Remember that our source of strength is not in ourselves but in our heavenly father. Do not look for worldly solutions to your weariness – taking naps to escape, lightening the work load just to make it easier on your kids, snapping at them hoping that tougher discipline will make them tow the line, making your home a war zone where everyone is stressed out… Remember that God knows all and has far superior solutions to your struggles. Go to Him for direction and energy and excitement. Spend time with Him and listen to the solutions He gives you. “Cast your cares on the LORD and he will sustain you; he will never let the righteous fall.” (Psalm 55:22)
 
Be at peace, my dear Coastal families! You are in my prayers.
“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.” (John 14:27)
In His service,
Susan Truman

A New Year is upon us and our minds are naturally going to goals for the New Year. We think of bad habits we want to get rid of, new habits we want to develop, weight we want to lose, improved organization for our homes, financial objectives we hope to achieve, and dreams we want to bring to life. May I suggest that at the root of all of our new year’s plans should be a desire to cultivate holy desires?

All of our grand goals are empty if they are not based on what God wants for our lives. If the motivation for these things is self-focused and not God-focused then we are bound to fail. As believers, we are new creations and our lives should look different from our non-believing friends and neighbors. Not only are we called to turn from sinful behaviors, but we are called to seek after godly ones.
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As parents and our children’s educators, we have a very serious responsibility to point our children towards lives consumed by a desire for holiness and not worldliness. Instead of falling into the easy trap of focusing on suppressing disobedience and selfishness in our children, let’s dedicate 2013 to elevating and encouraging our kids to seek after holy desires in their lives. Let’s keep at the forefront of our homes, the goal set forth in Colossians 3:12 & 14-

• Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience... And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.

And we should do this by first believing that we are new creatures in Christ, knowing that the Holy Spirit has the power to transform us, and most importantly looking away from ourselves and looking toward Christ!

• Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. (Colossians 3:1-3)

Let’s encourage our kids, through both teaching and more importantly our example, to not focus on self-absorbed activities that are motivated by pride, vanity, greed, and laziness but instead on the fruits of the spirit. If they are focused on what God wants to do with their lives, they are less likely to be consumed with questions about how close they can get to the edge of sin without crossing over.  

• Now flee from youthful lusts and pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace, with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart. (Timothy 2:22)

As we focus on God and not the world, I think we’ll all be surprised at how the sinful desires will decrease in their hold on us.

Let’s start the New Year and each new day by looking in our closet and putting on the holy desires of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control! (Gal 5:22&23)
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Blessings in the new year!
Susan Truman

As I pause to prepare my heart for this Advent season, God keeps giving me a vision of a small wooden manger with the word “HOPE” rising out of it.

I am surrounded by things that are fighting to spoil my Christmas joy this year - the recent death of a friend of mine in her 40’s, a suicide of another friend’s brother, a relative wrestling with drug addiction, another relative coping with job loss and a very ill wife with no health insurance, an aging parent in a deep depression, and a friend’s marriage which is crumbling.

How thankful I am for that precious baby boy born in that manger who can fill my heart with hope and keep me from focusing on the sadness of these situations. I can have hope because I know my Savior loves me and is in control. As Scripture says, “The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit. The righteous person may have many troubles, but the Lord delivers him from them all.” (Psalm 34:18-19)
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I imagine you all are dealing with a variety of difficult situations too. I hope that during this Christmas season my little vision of a manger filled with hope helps to bring you peace and joy in the midst of whatever struggles you may be going through. I pray your homes will overflow with joy that can only come from the greatest gift of all-the assurance of eternal salvation through faith in our newborn Savior!
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Merry Christmas!
Susan Truman

​As I sit down to write this column looking for inspiration, my eyes keep going to the cast on my right arm that I got when I broke my arm on vacation last month and my mind wanders again to the question, “Why Lord? What lesson are you trying to teach me with this new challenge?” Since returning home from our trip, my energies have been consumed with trying to get my daughter caught up in all the schoolwork she missed while we were gone. Now, I guess it’s time for me to sit down and think and reflect a bit.  Maybe it’s as simple as that-maybe God is just reminding me that I need to constantly be sitting as His feet as a student, seeking the lessons He wants to teach me.

As a homeschool parent, our thoughts are so consumed with what lessons we want to be teaching our children and whether they are learning them properly or not that it is easy to forget that we are students too. If you’ve been homeschooling very long at all, inevitably you’ve found that you learn all sorts of academic facts as you prepare to teach them to your children. But don’t forget about all the other lessons too-ethical, moral, spiritual… We want our children to develop a life-long love of learning; let’s remember to model that for them as we keep on in the role of student too. Don’t be too proud as to miss the opportunities to share what you’re learning in life with your children. Let them know that you’re learning too.

Let’s all try to have a teachable spirit.  Being teachable means that we say things like, "Tell me more. I want to understand your perspective,” "How do you see it?", "What could we do differently? What do you suggest?" "I might be wrong in my opinion. What do you think about it?" In other words, we are fellow explorers of truth & life, and not just debaters of positions.  Being teachable also means that we ask ourselves “What can each person I come into contact with teach me? What can I learn from this person?”  The bottom line is that being teachable means that I truly believe that God isn’t finished with me yet.  Therefore I should offer myself to God in each and every circumstance and ask to be taught and shaped more into the image of Christ.
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My prayer for you-
“I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you a Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better.” (Ephesians 1:17)
 
So maybe that’s what this broken arm is all about…
 
In His service,
Susan

There are a few lessons in life that God has to teach us over and over again. For me, the importance of being flexible is one of those.  As the youngest daughter of a whimsical mother who was widowed before I entered school, I grew up being pretty rigid, independent, and opinionated. I always felt that if I didn’t have things in order, no one else would and it was my job to hold the family together. This obviously was not conducive to giving the Lord the reins in my life.
When I got married, I had very specific ideas about how children should be raised to be guaranteed that they would turn out to be godly awesome adults. Soon after my second child was born, God started a work in my life that would crumble my rigid opinions and take me on a life changing adventure. My precious little son, Nicky, who was the easiest baby I’ve ever met (I figured it was because my husband and I were great parents and doing everything “right!”), changed my life in a deep way. By about a year and a half, it became obvious that something was wrong with him. He was not responding to any of my teaching. And thus began our journey into the world of autism. He is now a sweet 18 year old boy who is very affectionate and usually mild mannered but is completely non-verbal and very limited in his functioning.
The lessons of autism have taught me the importance of being flexible and releasing control to my heavenly Father. I have learned to let go of having my house in perfect order as Nick has a very curious concept of how things should be arranged (and rearranged!) I have learned to let go of treasuring any possessions as Nicky frequently breaks things. I have learned to let go of my perfectly planned schedule as Nick frequently will have a melt down and plans have to change immediately. My personal preference for peace and quiet in my home has had to give way to his need to continually tap blocks against the wall. I have learned to let go of wanting people to look at us as a “perfect family” as we constantly get stares out in public from his odd behaviors. It has been very humbling and has taught me about what is truly important - leaning completely on the Lord and loving others unconditionally and treat them as more important than myself.
I share this with you to encourage you in your precious homes and homeschools. Be flexible! Have a plan for your day, but don’t be so rigid that you can’t respond to that question your child asks which takes you totally off track for a few hours as you research the answer. Make sure there is time to cuddle that child who becomes overwhelmed at the task of learning to read and just needs to cry for a bit. If your child really doesn’t want to follow in dad’s footsteps as a baseball player and wants to take piano instead, be flexible! If your child learns his multiplication tables in the 3rd grade instead of the 2nd grade, it’s ok! There is rarely only “one right way” to do something. Be open to new suggestions from your family members. Do not insist on your own way and your homes will be full of harmony and love. With a spirit of harmony and acceptance, your children will feel safe and will flourish as you guide them on their path to explore God’s beautiful world.
Relax, breathe, be sensitive, and let God nudge you in a new direction!
Susan
“Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful.” I Cor. 13:4-5
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​I am so honored to have been selected to take over the reins at Coastal Academy and follow in watering the seeds that Grace DiPasquale planted in her tenure as our leader.  I am so excited for the families that God has brought to Coastal and I know that none of you are here by accident! It was divinely ordained.  It is my fervent prayer that all we do this year will be done to the glory of God.

“So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.”
1 Corinthians 10:31 

I challenge you to approach your homeschooling this year with a desire for excellence. Not a desire for excellence as the world sees it. Not to read more books than the other kids in the neighborhood or be able to skip a grade so you can brag to your sister-in-law who criticizes you all the time for being crazy to homeschool your kids. But I’m speaking of a desire to seek after the excellence that God desires for each of us. We are to do all things heartily as unto the Lord. (Col 3:23) Let’s not settle for “good enough.” Let’s push our kids to learn just one more spelling word, to rewrite that paragraph one more time to make it clearer, to be able to say those multiplication tables a few seconds faster each day, to take a few more minutes practicing for that piano lesson after they say they want to quit. Let’s shoot for excellence so that our kids will be prepared for anything that God brings into their lives . Let’s not limit our children by just being satisfied with what is easy to do, but let’s teach them to push themselves just a bit harder.  Let‘s help them to be prepared for the challenges that life will bring and be able to rise to meet them.

Our goal as Christian parents is to raise up our children to love the Lord and to serve Him all the days of their lives. We want them to be able to share the gospel message with everyone that comes into their lives. It is our job to help prepare them for that mission. They need to learn how to write well to explain the joy of the Lord to people.  They need to be able to speak well and clearly explain God’s goodness. They need to learn how to diligently solve problems to show the world that God is a God of order and logic. And they need to use the talents that God has given them fully as a testimony to God’s amazing creation.
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God has given us all so much! Let’s not waste it by being satisfied with the mediocre! Let’s teach our children to honor God by preparing themselves for wherever God wants to use them.  Let’s not be like the third servant in the Parable of the Talents who buried his talents and was rebuked by the Lord as being evil and lazy. Let’s use our talents fully for the glory of God!!
 
“Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.”
Philippians 4:8
 
In Him,
Susan Truman