Don’t Ring the Bell!
So we must not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up. — Galatians 6:9 ESV
Don’t ring the bell!
What do I mean by “Don’t ring the bell?” What am I talking about? You’ve probably heard of the Navy SEALS They are an elite group of military warriors. The best of the best. Less than two percent of graduates from the U.S. Naval Academy get invited to basic underwater demolition sea, air, and land training. It’s a program designed to break you down physically, mentally, and emotionally. Of the few invited to begin, only ten percent pass the test and make it through the program.
When they’ve had enough, when they’re done, when they are ready to throw in the towel, give up, and call it quits, all they have to do is ring the bell. This bell is with them all the time— teasing them, reminding them, tempting them. Just ring that bell and take a relaxing shower, drink a calming cup of coffee, maybe eat a donut, and get a good night’s sleep. Let someone else do all the hard work.
Does any of this make you think of homeschooling? Like the Navy SEALS, you’re part of a minority. What you’re doing is hard work, and you may often think about quitting— maybe you want to ring the bell right now.
But don’t do it. Don’t ring the bell. When you persevere, your students and your graduates will earn the most valuable high school diploma on the planet. They will be a homeschool graduate— the best of the best. Do you want your kids to do the most important thing they can possibly do— love God with all their heart, soul, mind, and strength and the second most important thing they can do— love their neighbor as themselves? Do you want them to love reading, be a lifelong learner, and have everything they need for life and godliness (2 Peter 1:3)? Then don’t ring the bell! Yes. It’s a long journey—a marathon. It literally took us 26.2 years.
And it starts with a first step. If you’re like most families that start this journey, then roughly 20% of you will quit after the first year. Statistically speaking, another 20% throw in the towel after the second year, and 10% percent will walk away after the third year. In year four, only 5% percent ring the bell, and the curve starts leveling off. Like many things, it takes three or four years to work out the bugs, figure things out, feel the freedom, and shift your paradigm.
If you need more convincing, here are five promises I hope will inspire you to persevere.
Promise #1: The longer you homeschool, the more you will love each other.
Some parents are worried about butting heads with their strong-willed kids, especially if they are about to spend so much time together. A surprising irony is that the more time you spend together, the more you learn about each other. The more you will figure out what makes your child tick, how they are wired, their learning styles, and their personality traits. Ultimately, your heart will turn to them, and their hearts will turn to you (Malachi 4:6).
Promise #2: The longer you homeschool, the more books you will read and enjoy.
Yes, it’s true. One of the best things you can do with young kids is simply take a deep breath, exhale, relax, snuggle up on the couch, and read books. Read lots of good books. Read them over and over again. This is also one of the best ways for kids to learn how to read. And remember that your kids will read when they are good and ready. The average age at which this magical moment happens is eight, plus or minus three years. So yes, some children read when they are five years old while some wait until eleven. Neither situation is better or worse than the other. The key is to instill a love of reading.
Promise #3: The longer you homeschool, the more your family’s faith will grow.
The point here is that homeschooling is a walk of faith. You are taking on more responsibility than most parents are willing to accept, and yet, it is one of the most exciting things you will ever do as a parent. But you will need to depend on God along the way, especially when you feel like ringing the bell and calling it quits. Stay in the game if for no reason other than the fact that your faith will grow.
Promise #4: The longer you homeschool, the less your kids will be negatively influenced by others.
Many families start their homeschooling journey because of negative social issues like social media, cyberbullying, physical bullying, sexual deviancy, rampant drug use, and other temptations. Keep your children out of the devil’s workshop and protect them in the safest place on planet Earth: their home with family. After all, you love them and care for their well-being more than anyone else ever will.
Promise #5: The longer you homeschool, the more you will realize that God intervenes in the affairs of men.
I have a story for every single one of my seven graduates. These are stories of God providing a way when I didn’t have solutions. Many of these stories center on the direction God took them after graduating from our family homeschool. God provided opportunities for college, gap-year programs, internships, scholarships, and jobs to make things possible. Most of the results were not part of a master plan on my part. However, they were part of The Master of the Universe’s plan—the one who intervenes in the affairs of His loved ones.
I remember when we graduated our first child in 2009. We organized an intimate graduation ceremony with three other homeschool families. I have a picture from that event, and it shows my youngest, who was five years old at the time, wearing his older brother’s graduation cap. At that moment — thirteen years into this adventure—I realized we were only halfway there. I made a mental adjustment to keep going and not give up or get lazy in the second half of our journey.
In 2015, my family and I attended my father-in-law’s retirement party in Texas. He served as a pastor, preacher, and missionary for fifty years in places as diverse as India, South Africa, Illinois, and South Carolina. We were honored to be present as he delivered his final sermon to the flock he served for the past twenty-two years. We were delighted to see the church body express its gratitude and well wishes to this humble and faithful servant. Stories were shared, laughter filled the room, hugs were heartfelt, and tears flowed freely. Let’s face it: the retirement of a longtime pastor can be scary for all parties involved. Yet God always seems to have another leader ready to step up and take on the mission He wants accomplished. In Deuteronomy 34 and Joshua 1, we read of the transfer of leadership from Moses to Joshua. Moses had led the children of Israel for forty years, but now it was time for him to go home and rest in the presence of God. Joshua was promoted from key player to playmaker, to take Moses’ place and lead the Israelites into the Promised Land. As this transition took place, God reminded Joshua of some important fundamentals to help him succeed.
What changes are you currently facing in your homeschool? Are you tackling your first year—in the trenches with your little ones? Are you at the halfway point? Or have you been through the battles, and your youngest child is about to graduate? Whether you are facing a new territory, an opportunity, a challenge, or a “retirement,” you can confidently meet it by sticking to the fundamentals God shared with Joshua.
Fundamental #1: Be Assured that God Is Present (Joshua 1:9)
In Joshua 1:5, God declares that He will never leave nor forsake the new leader of Israel. In verse nine, God reinforces this message, saying that He will be with Joshua wherever he goes. This had to be reassuring. If you are just beginning your homeschooling journey, you will do well to remember that God is with you and will never leave you or forsake you. Even though millions of families are homeschooling these days, there will be times when you feel like you’re all alone. Even if you have wisely surrounded yourself with a good support system, you will still need to lean on your heavenly Father for strength, guidance, wisdom, and courage to face each day. You may not want to hear this, but you can’t do this on your own. You heard me right: You cannot do this. But you can do this with the help of God (Philippians 4:13). Stay close to Him, for He will be your best counselor for whatever you are facing.
Fundamental #2: Be Strong and Courageous (Joshua 1:7)
Joshua had to wrestle through some extremely difficult challenges. The people of Israel weren’t the most faithful of followers. They doubted God frequently, often made foolish decisions, and whined like little children. Does this sound like your homeschool student body? When Rachael and I were in the trenches with young kids, it sometimes seemed that every day was nothing but dirty laundry, crying babies, sibling rivalry, and hungry tummies. When was she supposed to find time to do anything resembling education? In these moments, we had to remind ourselves that what we were doing was important. We had to be courageous and stand strong in our conviction that we were building relationships and doing life in a way that would make an eternal difference. Two decades later, I can say with absolute assurance that every tear was worth it. I’m so thankful we didn’t give in to self-doubt. Our kids love us, they love each other, and most importantly, each one loves God with all their heart. You aren’t the first person who trusted God and faced a scary challenge. Consider the courage David had to muster as he approached Goliath or Moses as he went before Pharaoh. Can you imagine what it was like for Elijah to call out the prophets of Baal? Please don’t give up. Be strong and courageous.
Fundamental #3: Obey God’s Word (Joshua 1:7)
God reminds Joshua to obey His commandments, which Moses had handed down to him. The Lord’s instructions were to remain in his heart and on his lips. If Joshua walked according to His word, God promised that Joshua would prosper and succeed in whatever he did. Proverbs 19:10 tells us that God’s words and ordinances are more desirable than gold and sweeter than honey. We will be rewarded for keeping the Lord’s commandments. They are good for our souls. His commandments are true, and by them, we are sanctified (John 17:17). If we seek God and His kingdom first, His divine power will give us everything we need for life and godliness (2 Peter 1:3). Reading, memorizing, and meditating on Scripture is a great way to remember His Word. So don’t forget God or His Word. He certainly won’t forget about you.
Fundamental #4: Don’t Ring the Bell
When a soldier trains to be a Navy SEAL, he must endure those many weeks of basic underwater demolition sea, air, and land training. It’s a grueling process meant to break you down physically, mentally, and emotionally. The best of the best face the harshest conditions designed to thin out the weak. The key to surviving this week and moving on to the next training phase is desire and purpose. Those who make it are those who want most to be a part of this elite military unit and realize the difficulties will be worth it in the end. For the others, there is a bell on site. Every candidate knows that when the going gets tough, and they want to quit, all they have to do is ring the bell. Ring the bell, and you can go home to a delicious meal, a comfortable bed, a refreshing drink, a good night’s sleep, perhaps a desk job, and considerably less stress.
Here is my message to you: Don’t ring the bell! Persevere. Hang in there. Never, ever give up. Your kids will thank you—maybe not today or tomorrow—you might have to wait for a phone call long after they leave home, but the day will come. Don’t miss out on the future blessings and fruitful harvest. Don’t grow tired of doing this good work. You will reap a harvest in time if you don’t give up (Galatians 6:9).
Don’t ring the bell!
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