Throughout this site I have asked you to rethink your beliefs about education. Now I'm asking asking you to consider another paradigm shift—to rethink scheduling.

We have asked "What would Jesus do?" And, "How would Jesus teach?" Now let us ask "How would Jesus schedule?" Jesus had obvious long-term goals but He practiced daily as a responder. He prayed daily and allowed the needs of the people around Him to set His agenda. He saw people's needs as opportunities to minister. We need to ask God to help us learn to schedule by faith.

The Heart of Wisdom curriculum plan includes a framework and objectives that requires both structure and flexibility. The four-year plan is a framework you can use as a guide as you schedule your curriculum and time by faith. The basic structure derived from the suggested number of unit studies you'll complete in a year. The unit studies are structured with lessons comprising four distinct, progressive steps. The flexibility is built into the amount of time you will spend in the units and lessons as you follow your child's delight. Heart of Wisdom unit studies include an ample number of lessons to allow you to explore until you discover your child's delight. (If you create your own lessons, you'll be choosing the subject matter of your lessons based on your child's delight.)

Teach us to number our days aright, that we may gain a heart of wisdom. —Psalm 90:12

Keep in mind that the name of our teaching approach came from Psalm 90:12. Teach us to number our days is a plea for God to help us recognize how brief our time on earth is so that we might discern the true meaning of life and use our time wisely. The most important part of your planning is giving your schedule to God. Day and night belong to God (Psalm 74:16). When you submit your ways to God, He promises to direct your paths. He will lead you. This is a wonderful opportunity for spiritual growth for your entire family. As you lean on Him, I promise that you will see obvious events in your schedule that you will know came directly from God. Marvelous things happen when you wait on Him!
Earlier I stated that reaching the Promised Land is not the end, but a new beginning. Reaching the Promised Land in our homeschool analogy is arriving at a place where you depend on God for all your schooling concerns, including your scheduling.

We turn now to the book of Joshua for insight and encouragement about how to let God give you directions to plan your schedule.
The book of Joshua is the story of how God led the Israelites in the conquest of Canaan. The lessons in Joshua explain how choosing obedience brings victory and blessing, and how disobedience brings defeat.

Joshua was commanded to rid the land of the Canaanites. After the battle of Jericho, the Israelites defeated Ai. The news of Joshua's victories reached the Gibeonites. In their fear, the Gibeonites came up with a plan. They pretended that they came from a far away place (outside of Canaan) and wanted to make peace with the children of Israel. Joshua and his men believed them because of the way they looked (walking by sight/in the flesh), and because they did not ask for God's advice—two big mistakes.

Joshua made a treaty with the Gibeonites and then had to keep his promise to not kill the Gibeonites (once an oath was taken, it could not be revoked). However, he made them slaves. Adonizedec, a Canaan king, heard that the Gibeonites had made peace with Joshua; so he sent word to the other kings and asked for help to kill the Gibeonites. The Gibeonites appealed to Joshua to deliver them from Adonizecec (Joshua 10:6–10). God reassured Joshua that He was with him and the Israelites would win (Joshua 10:7–8). When the battle began, God sent hail stones to fall on their enemies. He granted Joshua's request, and the sun stood still until they had defeated their enemies!

Joshua’s Plan for Success

Three elements combined to give Joshua success in this battle in Joshua 10. These are the same three elements you will use in scheduling your school day:

1. Believing God's promise (v. 8),
2. Using sound strategy (v. 9),
3. Calling on the Lord in prayer (vv. 10–15).

1. Believing God's Promise

The Israelites didn't have to be afraid because God had already promised them  victory—and you don't have to fear either, because God has promised to direct your paths. Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths (Proverbs 3:5–6). When we live by faith in God and in His promises, we can expect to receive God's help.

2. Using Sound Strategy

I'm not suggesting that you run your homeschool on a whim, but to create your plan with prayer and submission to God. Leaning on God does not negate self-discipline or forming good habits. God has always been working in your life. From before the time you were first formed in your mother's womb. He has been preparing you, just as Joshua was prepared many years for what would belong to him. You will need to plan, but allow time for a variety of unplanned activities; keep some flexible time in your schedule to meet your children's needs and delights; in other words, schedule by faith.

3. Calling on the Lord in Prayer

D. L. Moody said, "Every great movement of God can be traced to a kneeling figure."  Prayer is your first step in planning, and the first step in daily Bible study. Use Colossians 1:9–12 as a guide. Ask God:

• To fill you with the knowledge of His will through all spiritual wisdom and understanding;
• That you would live a life worthy of the Lord and may please Him in every way;
• That you would bear fruit in every good work;
• That you would grow in the knowledge of God;
• That you would be strengthened with all power according to His glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience; and
• That you would joyfully give thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in the kingdom of light.

Worried about having enough faith? Don’t worry—the building of your faith is incorporated into the Heart of Wisdom teaching approach because it teaches you to make God's Word is your first priority each day, all day. Learning to lean on God will be part of your daily schedule. Your faith will grow daily because you will be in His Word daily. God will reward your desires when you trust Him and live obediently.
In his book, Learning to Walk by Faith, Charles Stanley said, "Faith is not a goal that we must work to achieve. It comes as the overflow of a personal relationship with God. It is as natural as taking a breath of air. Faith is the breath and life of our relationship with God and His Son. A life of faith is one that is dominated by Jesus Christ—not selfish desires. There are three levels of faith—little faith that says, 'God can.' Great faith that says, 'God will.' Perfect faith that says, 'God has done it.'"

Faith Grows

Recently, one of my married daughters and I had a discussion about waiting on God. She commented on the strength of my faith and expressed to me her anxieties about how desperately she wanted faith enough to count on God to lead her in her homeschooling. I explained to her that our faith grows as we consistently walk with the Lord. Faith is a living thing that grows as we see the Lord at work in our lives, and become continually aware of His presence. This year I will turn fifty, and I have gratefully watched God supply my needs and answer my prayers over and over and over for many years. I know I can count on Him because He never changes. This does not mean I am satisfied with the level of faith I now have. I fall very short of the faith God expects from me, as we all do. But I am satisfied with Jesus my Savior, and know that He is doing His work in me.

I wait quietly before God, for my hope is in him. He alone is my rock and my salvation, my fortress where I will not be shaken. My salvation and my honor come from God alone. He is my refuge, a rock where no enemy can reach me. O my people, trust in him at all times. Pour out your heart to him, for God is our refuge. —Psalm 62: 5–8

Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. —Philippians 4:6–7

Fear and faith cannot operate at the same time—they are mutually exclusive. You cannot wait on God to direct your path and then sit around and worry that He won't. Fear comes from trusting in your own ability—faith focuses and depends on God's promises and ability. Because I delight myself in Him, God has promised to direct my paths—and I know He will because He has promised to and because He has done so in the past. My husband pays our bills once a month. I never have to ask him and he never forgets. I know he has promised to take care of it and I don't give it a thought because he has proved himself to be trustworthy—and he is only a man. God guarantees His Word and fulfills His promises. It is when remind ourselves of all He has done, and recognize all He is doing in our lives, that our faith grows.

Faith begets more faith. Developing faith is much like developing muscles; our muscles grow stronger as we use them, and become weaker when we don't use them. Faith comes from prayer and learning about God's ways through studying and obeying His Word; it is through these exercises that we receive the confidence and peace that God gives when we trust Him. Faith is something we must practice continuously. It is a continuing cycle. The more you turn to God, the more your faith is strengthened.

Allowing God to Chart Your Course

Clarence Cranford delightfully illustrates prayer and faith as wind in a sail:

A sailor was telling a small boy about the sea. He mentioned the wind. "What's wind?" asked the little boy. "I don't know what wind is," replied the sailor, "but I know what it does when I raise a sail." We now know a lot about how to chart the wind's course, but we still can't see it; we can only see what it does. So it is with God's Spirit. We can't see it; we can only see what it does in the lives of those who put their trust in God. The winds of God's grace are always blowing, but we must raise the sail of faith if we want them to propel us toward deeper peace and joy. Prayer is lifting our sails to the winds of God's wisdom and power. We do not tell the wind which way to blow. We learn how to adjust our sail to the wind so it can propel us in the right direction. In prayer we do not tell God how to act. Instead, we lift our praise and concerns so God can fill us with a deeper sense of God's presence and help us steer toward the answer God has in store for us.1
Many homeschool mothers want their curriculum plan so laid out that they know what to do every minute of the day. It would be easy to know the charted course before hand and depend on a wind that never changes that would effortlessly take you to your destination! But God doesn’t work that way. He wants you to depend on Him moment by moment.

A sailboat without a sail is only driftwood. It is completely dependent upon the wind for its direction and progress. Every morning, before you open your eyes or get out of bed, go to God in prayer. Boldly raise your sail of faith to catch God's sweet Holy Spirit. Ask God to direct your navigation in uncharted waters—come to Him thankfully, willingly, humbly, and absolutely convinced that He is going to propel you in the right direction. The wind is strong—you need only to rightly position your sail for strength and speed. Throughout the day continue to ask Him to direct you. Leave your sails up, and let the Holy Spirit guide your boat. Whenever you feel weary, remember Christ's invitation, "Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest." (Matthew 11:28). God will guide your boat and help you weather all storms. Bring to Him any concerns you have, and leave them with Him as you sail toward the destination God has charted for you.

If you do not raise your sail, you have two other choices: aimlessly drift, or row your boat without a rudder or compass to give direction; and the results will be disappointing if not disastrous. Drifting will take you wherever the current of the world goes. Rowing—that is, trying to make progress by your flesh—is just as perilous, because you don't know what the destination is or how to get there, so any rowing effort will be in vain. If you don't let God chart your course you can end up rowing in circles or into dangerous waters. Jonah tried to go his own way instead of following God's direction. He ran from God's will and caused a storm that almost sank the ship he was on, then was thrown into the sea and swallowed by a giant fish. But even after his disobedience, when he repented, God graciously guided Jonah and brought him back on course. Use wisdom and allow God to direct you the first time. Don't cause Him to have to use drastic measures to get you to the proper destination.

It is interesting that the word knowledge has a Hebrew root that describes skill in sailing (2 Chronicles 8:18). Your faith will grow daily as you gain knowledge of God's Word. The more Word you have in you, the easier it will be to raise and position your sail. You will be starting your homeschooling each day studying in His Word-reading stories of how faithful God is in every situation, opportunity, and decision. Read Hebrews chapter 11—each person in this faith chapter did something because they believed God.

So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. (Romans 10:17 KJV). This says that faith comes from hearing the Word of God; faith grows by hearing more of the Word, and by applying it and trusting God—watching, waiting, and honoring Him by refusing to indulge thoughts of fear (worry, anxiety, dread, apprehension, etc.).
Charles Stanley said, “When we meditate on God and remember the promises He has given us in His Word, our faith grows, and our fears dissolve. David understood that. Many times, in the caves hiding from Saul and with from six thousand to twenty thousand men searching for him, David quietly shifted his attention to God. Under the stars or in the darkness of the caves, David focused his attention on [the] God who had equipped him to slay Goliath, who had given him swiftness of body and keenness of mind. He remembered God who had allowed him to avoid Saul's javelin. As he fixed [the eyes of] his inner man on God, his fears and frustrations were soothed by the presence of God. We [will] have our own cave and javelin experiences, and we need to remember His wonderful promises in them.”2

And my God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus. —Philippians 4:19

God has a design in mind for your homeschool—for you and every member of your family. There are no accidents. He is working in ways unknown to us to bring goodness and hope out of every situation. We must choose to believe that God keeps His promises. Hebrews 11:6 tells us that without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him. Anything that is not of faith is sin, because if faith is not our motivation, then by default the fear and pride of the flesh are our motivation, and that's sin.

Remember that God has a special plan for your family, and that it will be different from other families. Don't dwell on the hours you put in and how that compares to others' schedules. This carnal thought pattern can produce either pride or resentment. Focus instead on the wonderful and unique way God is preparing your family. Each night as you pray, ask yourself what your motivation was for the day. Was it to obey God and serve Him by using the gifts and talents He has given you? Or did you try to fulfill objectives outlined by the world, or another person, or a school district? It's so easy to do the latter—I know from experience.
God is in control of your life, ruling over all. He knows your abilities and your weaknesses. He knows your children and their needs. Turn your focus to Christ and place your trust in His might and love. He will never let you down. When we rely on Him we will have chosen that good part, which will not be taken away" (Luke 10:42). Absolutely nothing—neither problems, nor circumstances—can take away the wonderful peace and assurance that result from trusting God. Lift your sails to the winds of God's wisdom and power and watch the great and powerful things He will provide.

We ought always to thank God for you, brothers, and rightly so, because your faith is growing more and more, and the love every one of you has for each other is increasing.—2 Thessalonians 1:3

Time Management

One of the greatest problems that homeschooling moms face is that there never seems to be enough time in the day. Fortunately, with a few simple tips and a reassessment of priorities, it is possible to get needed things done and ensure that your children receive the best homeschool education possible. Ephesians chapter 5 has a good message for those whose schedules seem to be filled to the breaking point: See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be unwise, but understand what the will of the Lord is. —Ephesians 5:15–17

Several key phrases in this passage speak to homeschool parents: “walk circumspectly,” “redeeming the time,” “do not be unwise,” and “understand what the will of the Lord is.” Ultimately, it will come down to a matter of priorities. Everyone has been given twenty-four hours every day—no more and no less—and we must use this time to do the things that God would have us do. To “walk circumspectly” and “not be unwise” means to refocus your priorities and understand what God’s will is for your at this time of your life.

Has God called you to have the most well-kept house in the neighborhood? Has He called you to have your laundry caught up, the windows washed, and every room of your house dust-free? Or has He called you to raise your children according to His Word? One of the first steps to effective time management in any situation, including a homeschool environment, is to reevaluate and then rearrange your priorities, cutting yourself some slack in the areas that don't hold as much importance.

When you feel apprehensive, reread the first section of this book and this chapter. Spend some time in prayer and give your time to God. Trust Him to lead you. This is a special time of opportunity to learn to lean on Him. Following this approach you’ll be in the Word daily so your faith will be growing (see Romans 10:17).

Planning Notebook

Create a planning notebook specifically for goals, schedules, and lists. It is much easier to change a working plan than it is to "fly by the seat of your pants." A written plan will help you feel more in control of your time. This notebook is your recipe to create balance and harmony in each of these vital areas: spiritual, family, physical, financial, educational, social, and professional. You can purchase a planner such as The Ultimate Homeschool Planner or make a customized planner using a durable three-ring binder and organizational forms from the Internet. The following are possible notebook categories. If you homeschool section is too large you can use another notebook.

• Spiritual (Bible reading checklists, prayer lists, journal entries, etc.)
• Home (annual, monthly, and weekly, and daily chore lists)
• Meals (menu planner, recipes, and master shopping lists.)
• Homeschool (books read lists, books to read lists, annual, monthly and weekly, and daily schedules, library return list, wish lists, unit study planner, etc.)
• To Do (daily and weekly to do lists)
• Honey Do (on going lists of things you need your sweetheart to do)
• Exercise (goals and log)
Make your notebook work for your family by trying different forms and divisions. You’ll come up with a system that works for you. See http://organizedhome.com or http://www.donnayoung.org for downloadable forms.

At the beginning of each school year, note your priorities and your goals for the next twelve months. Determine your long-term goals first. Set short-term goals based on your long-term goals. Keeping your purpose in mind, break your one year goals in to monthly and weekly goals. Set reasonable goals. You don't want to set yourself up for failure right off the bat by attempting to do too much. Be realistic so you will feel a sense of accomplishment when you reach each of your goals.

Scheduling Units and Lessons

Heart of Wisdom gives you a four-year plan. To plan the units you want to complete each year begin with a calendar. Use our chart as a guide and colored highlighter to mark off the amount of time you will spend in each unit. Once you get a general idea of how many weeks you will spend in a unit, you will need to decide which lessons you want to complete. You can do them all or choose to skip some—YES you can skip lessons. School teachers do it all the time and rarely finish a book in a school year. You can skip a full lesson, but please don't skip any of the four steps. Be flexible. All the Holy Spirit to lead. You may plan on spending four week on a unit and find out it turns in to an eight week unit. You may discover reading through the Bible in one year is too fast and feel better changing to a two year through the Bible reading plan. Continually pray and give your schedule to God.

Psalm 39 gives a proper perspective of time. In David's protest to God, he said, You have made my days as handbreadths, and my age is as nothing before You (v. 5). He meant that, to an eternal God, our time on earth is brief. And He doesn't want us to waste it. When we do, we throw away one of the most precious possessions He gives us. Each minute is an irretrievable gift—an unredeemable slice of eternity.

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1. Cranford, Clarence W. Cups of Light : And Other Illustrations. Willow Grove, PA: Woodlawn Publishing, 1988.
2. Stanley, Charles F. The Glorious Journey. Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1997, c1996.

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