A Day in the Homeschool Life

A friend recently asked me what our typical homeschool day looks like. What followed was a response that was probably more than she expected, because the writer in me just kept on going as I told her through a facebook message what our homeschool day looks like.

I thought I'd share my thoughts here too in case someone else can glean something from it. Every family works differently in their home school, and different things work for different people, so I don't expect anyone to copy exactly what we do, nor do I try to do things exactly the way someone else does. We can learn from each other, and apply what works.

Here's what we do:

When the school bus goes by, we are still in jammies, and often eating breakfast while watching a morning cartoon. I try to spend this time upstairs reading my Bible, which is a key factor in how our day goes.

I have a visual list on the fridge that helps the kids remember what things they need to get done in the morning. They need to get dressed, make their bed, brush their teeth and hair, and do one chore for the day. Sometimes all of it gets done, sometimes it doesn't. It depends on how much I hold them to it. Some days are better than others.

Our school day usually starts around 9:00; it's flexible. Each kid has a day when they decide what order we do our subjects, so every day looks different. We started doing this a few years ago because  I discovered that my oldest functions best when he has a little control over his school day.

At the beginning of the week, I fill out their binders with their assignments for the week, and this is where they go multiple times a day to choose their next subject/assignment to work on.

On Mondays, we have co-op where we have science, art, spanish and piano, so in my opinion, that's enough for one day for my first grader. My third grader does at least math after co-op. More on our co-op in another post. They are such a blessing, and sustain my homeschooling sanity!

We take Thursdays off, because my husband's days off from work are in the middle of the week. Saturday is our catch-up day in case we missed anything during the week.

We used to school in the basement, where we have a cute school corner, and a great closet where all sorts of homeschooling supplies are stored, but as the year went on, we'd end up at the kitchen table. So this year we started at the kitchen table, which works so much better for me because I can multitask throughout the day. While the kids are working independently, I can be making meals, doing laundry, or any other task I have to do and still be available to answer questions.

This is right by the kitchen table so all their books are easily accessible.
Eventually, I want a book shelf here, but for now, we are making do with an end table from the basement. 

After the subject is chosen, each child gets the book for that subject (if they all have assignments in that for the day) and sits around the table.....or sometimes not at the table.

This one likes to sit on the heat vent when the furnace is running.

Rule-follower child usually chooses the table.

And this child likes to make her own "desk" if I let her.

I like to say that we are "flexibly structured" in our day. We usually do a couple of subjects, then take a break. Do another subject, have a snack around 10:30, play, and do another subject until lunch. Eat, play, and then back at it. Our breaks are sometimes short, sometimes long. There are times when the kids get playing something, and they are so engaged in their imaginary play that I don't want to stop that. I am a firm believer that pretend play is important for learning and brain development.

Forts, forts and more forts! 

Some "phys ed" going on!

Some of the kids' curricula are things they can do on their own with a little help from me along the way. Some of it is reading chapters in a textbook, which at this stage in schooling is read outloud by me. While I read, the kids often sit at the table and color a sheet that pertains to the lesson I'm reading. For instance, when we were learning astronomy at the beginning of the year, I printed free coloring sheets of the planet they were learning about (the internet is a homeschooling mom's best friend, but it can also be our worst time-sucking, overwhelming enemy because there's just so much out there!). I find that this helps keep them more engaged in what I'm reading. I can stop and ask questions along the way and find out that they've been listening. Even the four year old chimes in every once in a while and I know that even though I don't require him to sit, he's still listening!

Sometimes, there are sweet moments like this where an older sibling helps a younger one. This is part of homeschooling that I love.

If I'm really on top of my game for the week, I'll plan something special. By "plan," I mean that I'll take the plan out of the curriculum, and actually do the activity it suggests. Like the time we made a Thanksgiving feast with recipes that the pilgrims might have used to make the first Thanksgiving dinner. The meal was decent, but we won't be using any of those recipes on a regular basis (or ever again)!

Stealing Spanish doubloons off the opponent's ship!

As I type this, we've got 2 more subjects to go for the day, lunch is over, 2 kids are playing Legos, 1 is playing on the iPad and one is playing in her fort. I'll let them keep going until a fights break out, or I'm done with what I want to accomplish - whichever comes first. ;) We are usually done by 3:00, just in time for afternoon snack!

In case you are wondering, mingled in the midst of all of these smiling homeschooling faces is a bit of frustration, crying, firm reminders to get back to work, and fights over who stole whose pencil. It's not all fun and games.

I've learned that homeschooling is a huge commitment, but I am so glad we've chosen this for our family!

Love is Enough

There's this saying surrounding adoption that says, "Love is not enough." Those who promote this are trying to communicate that it takes a lot more than love to raise a child whom you adopt.

But, love is more than hugs, kisses, and warm fuzzy feelings.

  *Love is providing for their needs.

  *Love is getting up in the middle of the night.

  *Love is staying up while your child has night terrors.

  *Love is cleaning vomit up after your child projectile vomited off the balcony and onto your kitchen counter (not that this happened at my house. ;) ).

  *Love is discipline when needed.

  *Love is reading to them.

  *Love is setting boundaries.

  *Love is sitting with a tantruming child, reassuring them you are there.

  *Love is figuring out healthy ways to help them calm down.

  *Love is teaching not to hurt others when they're angry.

  *Love is asking for forgiveness when you know you've not handled a situation well.

  *Love is doing what's best for the child even when it means having your heart break.

  *Love is doctor's appointments.

  *Love is standing up for your child when they are treated with injustice.

  *Love is embracing new foods, and a different culture from your own.

  *Love is paperwork.

  *Love is a physically safe environment.

  *Love is giving your child nutritious food.

  *Love is celebrating milestones.

  *Love is serving, even when you get nothing in return.

  *Love is putting your heart on the line, because they might not love you back.

  *Love is figuring out what makes your child smile.

  *Love is recognizing trauma triggers.

  *Love is helping them process their trauma.

  *Love is providing a safe place for them to come.

  *Love is being the safe person to turn to.

  *Love is cleaning up accidents.

  *Love is holding them accountable for their mistakes, helping them correct them, and learn from them.

  *Love is helping them maintain a relationship with their birth family when possible, and recognizing when it's not healthy to.

  *Love is therapy sessions.

  *Love is praying with them, and for them.

  *Love is addressing your own issues that surface as you parent a child from a hard place.

  *Love is making them a part of your family.

  *Love is getting to know them for who they are, not who you hoped they would be.

All these children need is love.

PSA: A Good Remedy for Pet Messes

This dog. I can't even tell you how long we've had him, but he almost saw his last day here the other day. It's a good thing he's sweet, and cute, and patient with the kids, because it very well could have been the last straw. 

We've been struggling this whole time with incontinence, hoping that he'd eventually get it. We put him in diapers to help the messes (which really does help, normally). We take him out every 2 hours when we're home. I bought a bell to put by the door so he can tell us when he has to go. We thought maybe he had a bladder infection, so we took him to the vet. As it turns out, his bladder's not broken; he just has some serious separation anxiety, and an unhealthy attachment to me. Ha! A bladder infection would have been a lot easier to fix!

The other day, we were gone for several hours, and for the second time, he busted out of his crate, and pooped and peed (through his diaper) in several places around the house as he searched for me, his favorite person. 

Needless to say, I was NOT happy. When I found that he had wet on the backs of the couches, he was on my list of least favorite pets! I ran to the store to get some spray that specifically gets rid of pet smells. All it really did was make the couch smell like the spray mixed with urine. GROSS!

Last night, I found this remedy (click here to view) that I should have tried in the first place. So, if you run into this same problem (or your toddlers have potty accidents, since we all know that happens too), this seems to work. 

Now I kind of want to go and use this remedy on all my carpets, just because!

And in case you are wondering, we have now put an extra latch on his crate so he can't get out. For some reason, he can open a crate from the inside, but he can't grasp out how to ring a bell to go outside. Go figure.

Why I've Given Up on Parenting Books and Wrinkle Cream

At this point in my life, I'm working on my growth in the Lord for two specific reasons. As Christians we are being sanctified throughout our entire lives until we are in glory, and I pray that I never stop having the desire to grow and change to become more like Christ. But, in this season there are two things that have caused me to desire growth.

Reason #1:
So I can be a better mom.

Ever since I was a teenager, I've loved reading and listening about parenting and family life. In those years I formed many opinions about how to raise kids (and putting them to practice is much different than when they are theory. I like to say that I was a perfect parent before I had kids).

In more recent years, since realizing that this parenting thing is really hard, I will read snippets here and a book there about how to discipline best, how to not emotionally damage my children, how to (fill in the blank). You name it, it's out there. A lot of people have opinions and theories on the best way to raise kids, and it is all so accessible.

A few weeks ago, I realized how damaging those things have actually been to my parenting. Okay, that's maybe an exaggeration, but I noticed it after I read an article about parenting (I don't even remember what it was about now). I started questioning myself as I interacted with my kids. Thinking, "oh no, maybe I shouldn't have done that because now they are going to have a complex." There's so much pressure to be perfect; to have it all together.

So I decided to quit learning how to be a better parent. Instead, I want God to sanctify me so that out of the overflow of my heart, I can parent my children well. When I am following close to God, I can only think that good things will follow in my children's lives as well. They will see that I am less self-centered. They will see that I get angry less often. They will see that I help them get to the heart of their issue instead of only addressing the surface issues. They will see that I treat my husband with respect. They will see that I am in the Word more. They will see joy instead of bitterness.

Reason #2:

So my inner beauty shines as I get older.

There are a few more gray hairs on my head lately; more than I care to pull out of my head. The skin around my eyes is a little loose, with some laugh lines at the corners, and my forehead wears the wrinkles of many raised eyebrows. 

I could search for the latest wrinkle cream, or run out and buy a box of hair dye (I will probably do that eventually, just not quite yet.) But I know that no matter what I do, I am going to get older, and my body will show the signs. Instead of focusing on the outward evidence of age, I want to be an older, wiser woman of God who speaks truth, gives grace, and shows love to those around her. And if I want to be that woman in years to come, it only stands to reason that I need to allow God to work out my salvation through sanctifying me now, so that when I am older and fully gray, I will be wise; not perfect, but wise.

"Gray hair is a crown of glory; it is gained in a righteous life." Proverbs 16:31

I was listening to a podcast yesterday with Nancy DeMoss Wolgemuth, and she put words to these thoughts that I've been having. These are her words: "When you’re young, there are some character defects—whether bitterness or selfishness or pride—that can be covered up or glossed over with youthful energy, good looks, natural ability, or natural personality. But as you get older and those physical, outward things fade away, if those character defects have not been sanctified, they’re going to become more pronounced and more visible." If you want to listen to this in it's entirety, you can go to God's Beautiful Design for Women.

Often I've wished that I could have the wisdom of a grandma right now in these days of parenting young children, but then I realize that part of what made those older women wise was going through these years. So I'll wait, and while I wait I'll learn and ask God to help me grow and give me wisdom.

I've voiced this to a couple of people in the last couple of weeks, and I wonder if it has come out as more self-focused than I intend it to be. Our culture is so ME focused. Serve yourself first. But, that is not biblical and that is not what I am getting at.

"Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others 

more significant than yourselves." Philippians 2:3

What I desire is for Christ to be so evident in my life, that it effects every area of my life. To God be the glory for what is has done, is doing, and will do in me and through me!

The Night God Told Me I Am Forgiven

A few weeks ago, I got angry. If you ask my kids if I ever yell, they smile and nod. It's not something I'm proud of. I confess that this is a weakness, and this particular day probably wouldn't stand out to my kids, but it stands out to me still.

God, in His infinite grace, is working on me tremendously in this area of my life. I have to tell you what happened the night after this particular day.

When my husband got home that afternoon, and we had a moment alone together, I was telling him how the day went, and how ashamed I was with the way that I lashed out in my anger at one of our kids. He listened kindly, with no judgement, just support.

Then that night, I woke up in the middle of the night. 3 a.m. and I was wide awake. I began to pray, "Lord, is there something you want me to talk to you about? I am so sorry for the way I handled that situation, and how I got angry. Please Lord, help me. Forgive me." I pleaded with God for his forgiveness.

Often, when I can't sleep, I'll begin to pray and I'll go to sleep without much trouble. I used to feel guilty about this, like I was horrible for falling asleep in the middle of a conversation with God, until someone said to me that it's like a child falling asleep in her father's arms. No good father is disappointed with that.

This night was different though. I didn't fall asleep as I prayed. I continued to lay there, awake, prompted to get up and read my Bible. I made a bunch of excuses. "Oh, then I'll have to turn the light on, and I'll wake up even more." "That means I have to get out of bed." (My priority at the time was my sleep.) "I'm reading in Zechariah. There's not going to be anything pertinent to my current situation in Zechariah." God nudged me long enough that I eventually got up, went to the bathroom where we keep a Bible for some light reading.

I opened to Zechariah chapter 3 and started reading. Here's what I read:

"Now Joshua was standing before the angel, clothed with filthy garments. And the angel said to those who were standing before him, 'Remove the fithy garments from him.' And to him he said, 'Behold, I have taken your iniquity away from you, and I will cloth you with pure vestments.'"

In that moment, God spoke loud and clear, "You are forgiven."

I went back to bed, and guess what? Sleep came.

The next morning, I went to my Bible on the counter that I typically read from, and the pages of Zechariah 3 were still stuck together like in a brand new Bible, which told me that I had not been reading there. Instead, I had been reading in Zephaniah. I am a firm believer in the sovereignty of God, and believe that even though some might say it was sleep deprived delerium that caused me to forget where I was in my Bible, that God Himself whispered, "Zechariah 3" in my ear so I would turn to the exact page He wanted me to read.

I know that God's word is the way He speaks to us, and I know that it is living and active, but to have a clear conversation with God in this way blew me away.

Praise God that He is REAL, and He SPEAKS to us!

Friends, let me encourage you with this. If you ever doubt that God is there, and listening, He IS. And secondly, if you are in Christ, you are FORGIVEN. Your filthy rags have been removed and replaced with pure, clean clothes.

Life According to The Gilmore Girls

I know I'm late to the party, but I am nearly finished watching the Gilmore Girls for the first time. Lorelai and Rory have helped me through washing many dishes, and folding a lot of clothes, and I am forever grateful for their assistance in some of my most loathed household chores.

I often like to watch popular shows like this one with this question in mind: "How has this show had an impact on the views of our culture?" The Gilmore Girls have given me a lot of material to ponder, but it also begs the question of the chicken or the egg? Did shows like this one shape and mold popular thinking, or did popular thinking shape the content of these shows?

Here are some observations of life according to the Gilmore Girls:

1. The mother/child relationship can be a friendship. While I believe that eventually, a mother daughter relationship can develop into a friendship, I do not agree that being your child's friend their entire life will help raise a responsible, respectful adult. Mothers are there for teaching and loving, but if they are seen as their child's equal, the child will not learn to respect authority. Sometimes being disliked for your decision is the loving thing to do. Thankfully, in Rory's case, she turned out to be a responsible adult, but this is scripted life; real life doesn't usually work the way it does on TV.

2. Flitting from man to man is perfectly normal and doesn't hurt as long as that next person makes you happier than the one before. I mean, I can't even keep track of all the men Lorelai has been with since the start of the show, let alone being engaged to two of them (three if you count the plan she had with Christopher until he found out his girlfriend was pregnant). It portrays sex as casual, and relationships and people as disposable. Lorelai did show some wisdom when she wanted to move slowly in her current relationship to make sure Chris was going to stay around this time. That only lasted about 2 hours though, and by the time he dropped her off at home, and kissed her passionately on the front porch, her resolve quickly melted away and she gave in to the emotions, inviting him in to spend the night (among other implied activities). Relationships are made to make us holy and more like Christ. Whether it is a romantic relationship, or a friendship, our happiness is not God's main purpose; holiness is.

3. Intimacy = sex. In an episode that I recently watched, Rory is talking to Lane about her boyfriend who has recently left for London on a year long work assignment. She's saying how much she misses him, and how much she's realized that sex, and the physical stuff is so important in a relationship. It sounds all nice and fluffy, but I want to tell Rory (and any other person who thinks like she does), "Honey, if your relationship is lacking without sex, then your relationship is empty." True intimacy is depth of relationship. It's that person knowing who you are more than any other person (apart from God of course). It is spiritual depth; praying together, sharing with one another what God is doing in your life, reading God's word together. It's sharing in difficulties, supporting each other, and rejoicing in happy times. And in marriage, when there is true intimacy, sexual intimacy is even better. Don't be fooled into thinking that a relationship isn't meaningful if sex isn't involved.

4. Babies suck. When Lane and her new husband found out they were expecting a baby right after they came home from their honeymoon, they had a heart-to-heart that ended in their agreeing that "this baby sucks!" Yes, unplanned pregnancies are surprising, shocking, and often unsettling, but that does not mean that the baby sucks. No matter how or when a baby is conceived, in our timing, or not, they are always a miracle and never suck. I fear that this is a pervasive attitude in our culture. If a baby interferes with our plans and expectations, then it must be bad. However, contrary to popular believe, life is not about us. Now, I'm curious to find out how this plays out througout the season, because this is just a new development (please don't spoil it for me), but I'm really hoping that once they see and hold that baby, their attitudes will be completely different.

And on a lighter note:

5. Pedestrians can walk at any speed in the middle of the road any time they want. Okay, that probably hasn't had an impact on culture, but it always strikes me as funny when the residents of Stars Hollow just meander through the streets as though they are just an extension of the sidewalk.

6. A person can consume crazy amounts of food, not exercise and remain an "acceptable" size two. Seriously, if a normal person ate the way Lorelai and Rory do, they would probably be morbidly obese.

Pictures Lie

Many years ago, before the internet was in everyone's homes (and purses or pockets), my aunt and uncle bought a house. They lived in South Dakota, and they bought a house in Florida sight unseen, except for the pictures that were shown to them by the realtor. It looked like a nice house, so they recruited some family, packed up their cars and trucks and caravanned down to Florida.

My parents went along to help them move into their new house. When they arrived, they discovered that the pictures were not totally accurate. They didn't show the bugs jumping from the carpet, or the dirt so thick on the floors that when clean, they discovered a completely different color underneath.

From this trip, my family adopted a saying that has been quoted over and over again.

"Pictures lie." 

The same is true today. Only now, we sell more than just houses. We are selling ourselves. Just like the pictures of the house in Florida, we try to only portray the good in our lives while creatively hiding the ugly side. It's all over social media. People and their "perfect" lives. Or so it seems.

Am I saying I think we should go around airing our dirty laundry all over the internet? Of course not, but we do need to think before we post.

Here are a few examples of how pictures lie:

A couple years ago at Easter time I made this fun project with the kids where you grow grass on a hill with a tomb in the side of the hill. On Good Friday, we talked about Jesus dying on the cross, and being buried and then when they woke up on Easter morning, the tomb was empty! We had used Legos for Jesus and the soldiers guarding the entrance. So, naturally I took a picture of the kids as they got their first glimpse of it that morning. Looks great, right? Truth is, if my memory serves me right, my patience was thin this Easter morning. I snapped at my kids more than necessary. And, if you could see the picture that was taken before this one, you would know that one of my children wasn't wearing pants.

We had a short warm-up here in Minnesota a couple of weeks ago that warranted some time outside and even a walk down the street. I love this picture, because I love this boy. He's so much fun, but truth is he didn't hold my hand for long. In fact, it is sometimes a struggle to get him to hold my hand at all while we walk through the parking lot, or to cross the street. I will ask him, "Do you want to hold my hand, or have mommy carry you?" If chooses neither, I usually end up carrying a screaming child who just wants independence that he's not quite ready to have.

 Anja and I were having a special day together. We had dropped off the other three kids at a friend's house, and we went to get her five year old pictures taken. Someone might assume that we get time together like this all the time, but truth is one on one time is rare with several children. We get it on occasion, and when it happens it really is special.

This picture reminds me of a great summer that we had as a family. And isn't this just the quaintest (is that a word) picture of a Minnesota cabin day? A dad fishing with his kids. A perfect picture to put on Facebook. Truth is, I'm sure this moment when they were all sitting still in their chairs lasted about as long as it took me to snap the picture. Then Anja was probably up and digging through the worms, or getting too close to the edge of the dock to which the oldest child would nervously yell for her to back up or she might fall in.

This picture was taken from the top of the hill near our camping cabin in Custer State Park. We hiked up to take in the view. The sights in this park truly were magnificent, but truth is, this was the last leg of a fun, but difficult week in Denver. My husband had been gone for three weeks at training, and then came home for a week only to need to travel to Denver for another week of training, so we decided to tag along. Packed in a hotel room with a child who has night terrors when life is out of the ordinary, and one who misses home after two days away, with daddy gone all day long, and no naps except short ones in the car. Let's just say that by the time this picture was taken, we were all ready to go home. In fact, we had planned on staying for four nights, and we cut it short and only stayed one.

So many times, a simple picture can communicate more than we even realize. The person seeing it on whatever social media site you use often sees more than just what the picture shows. Some of it might be true, and some of it, I'm guessing, is completely off base.

Unfortunately I think people take advantage of this. We use social media to make ourselves look good; to show off our picture perfect lives, when in reality none of our lives are picture perfect. We all struggle with real things. And social media often feeds so much discontent. We don't think other people have the same struggles we have. Afterall, look at all of their pictures on Facebook!

I am not saying that we are responsible for how others read meaning into posts we put out there, but we are responsible for the motive behind our posts.

Here are some questions that might be helpful to think about before posting a picture:
Will this post bring glory to God, or glory to Me?
Why am I putting this on (fill in the blank)?
Is it to build myself up?
Is this going to encourage someone, or breed discontentment?
Am I trying to get attention from a certain person/people? If so, why?

If we took an honest look at why we post what we post, we may realize that it is more self-focused than God-honoring. So, before you post a picture, ask these questions, because sometimes pictures lie.

The Problem with Minimalism

My husband and I are in the middle of watching "Minimalism" on Netflix (it takes us several nights to watch anything over an hour long....life with kids I guess). I like the idea. You have only what you need, and it clears your space, and your life of clutter. Because you have less stuff to maintain, then you naturally have more time to do what you enjoy, and spend time with people you love. Sounds great!

The part that intrigues me the most is minimizing the stress and chaos that too many possessions creates. I am a person who feels chaotic and crabby when my surroundings are cluttered and messy. I am much more calm when things are neat (don't get me wrong here....if you've read my recent posts about my home, you know that it is not neat most of the time).

But there is one critical thing that I long to tell the minimalists in the documentary.

Nothing will fulfill you like Christ will.

Throughout the documentary, many of the people say how they had this gaping hole inside of them, and they tried to fill it with stuff, stuff and more stuff. That, they argue, is an American problem. I have no doubt that it is. To solve this problem in their lives, they got rid of most of their possessions in order to free themselves to do what they want to do. This sounds great, and maybe it works for a time.

But, aren't they really just replacing one god (stuff) for another god (minimalism)? Sure, they are "happy" now, but won't that happiness wear off eventually too, and then they need to search for the next strategy to bring them happiness once again?

Jesus said these words in John 15:9-11, "As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love. If you keep my commandments , you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father's commandments and abide in his love. These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full."

Perhaps you've watched this documentary too, and have implemented some of the habits that it promotes. Great! I may try to eliminate some of the things that clutter my home, but with the mindset that this minimalism thing is not what is going to fulfill me.

Only Christ can do that.

Faith and Feelings

I've been following a Facebook discussion this past week that has been entertaining at best, but mostly unsettling. It has to do with a pastor who creates amazing and (literally) unbelievable experiences for his church. This online conversation has been heated, and intense at times as everyone involved is very passionate about the "side" that they are on.

This church is drawing many people, and the argument is that if his methods are working, then why question it? If he is bringing people to Jesus, then what's wrong? Why the controversy?

One of the big issues I see with this particular pastor's methods is that is plays on the emotions of the people. It gives them such an incredible experience, that surely it must be God doing these things. I'm sure that for those there, who believe in the charades, it is an amazing experience.

But the problem is that faith is not about feelings. It is not based on experience.

"Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen." Hebrews 11:1

We do not need extravegant experiences in order for faith to be real. This method of drawing people to faith is dangerous, because is bases faith on emotions. What happens if the feelings fade, and the experiences don't happen very frequently? (On a side note, these same questions can be asked of our marriages. We see often in our culture what happens to couples who don't "feel" anything for each other anymore.)

I'll tell you what can happen. It can cause a person to question their faith, and even the existance of God. But the truth is, God still exists, and is still as active as ever even when we don't "feel" his presence, or experience magnificent emotional highs.

This is particularly dangerous with today's emerging adults and teenagers, because they base so much of their reality on experience. If these worship experiences are being presented as reality, and that's what they base their faith on, then their faith is bound to falter at one point or another.

I had a conversation recently with a young woman who said that she was questioning her faith because she had never really felt God in her life. This is precisely the danger that I'm talking about.

We cannot base our faith on our feelings, because "The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it?" Jeremiah 17:9

Will we have great experiences with God? Of course. He is God, and He is awesome by nature, so we will experience great things with Him, but we will also experience difficulties, and periods in life when we "feel" distant from God. If we ground our faith in the scripture, and who God says He is, and not on our human emotions, then during these times of hardship our faith will not falter.

God is always God. No matter what.