3/10/2023
TRUST THE PROCESS-
How many times have you heard that? Likely, many.
The first time I heard it, we were two weeks into our home education journey. It was 2009. There weren’t social media-based homeschool groups. The juggle of full-time work, being a homeschool novice, and pregnancy bedrest left me feeling frazzly, even on good days.
Our chosen curriculum was a poor fit for our kiddo and bedrest meant no co-ops for our first year. I was convinced I was failing a nine yr old mancub who needed to feel a taste of success. Pausing to pray, I just wanted something that would help the blue eyes that stared at me for direction daily. I found a free curriculum through a search engine with a link to their Yahoo group for support and encouragement. I signed up for every email notification option they offered. It was clunky, had way too many daily emails; yet, without photos or video, it offered solid encouragement. You could wait until you had available time and read thought provoking, well-written encouragement from other home educators. Without a doubt, it laid a pivotal foundation for our home education journey. No bells, no whistles, no algorithmic direction, zilch aesthetic comparison trapping-just solid practical advice that worked.
And over and over again, these words: TRUST THE PROCESS. And so, I repeated the process daily. When I wasn’t sure what to do next with our daily schedule, I prayed. When I wasn’t sure if it was the curriculum or me? Prayed again.
And a shift happened.
I think we want a quick three step process with a money back guarantee because we somehow believe that can control every outcome. When given the option, human nature will urge you to grab the prettiest, easiest way. The process will fly out the window. And while I’ll admit that I all but agonize over every tiny curriculum choice, the process remains unchanged. When I let go of the process, we feel the ripples it brings and the furrows from the banks it floods.
My process starts here: Pray.
Prayer hasn’t offered a pre-planned checklist, but it calms a mama’s heart. It’s offered clarity on pacing our days(when to relax plans and when to tighten up), reminds me that we’re all a work in progress, all in need of grace. I can see what curriculum is working, what needs reworking, what curriculum just needs to be sent away.
And here’s the part of the process that can be easily forgotten: no curriculum works unless it is frequently utilized and individualized for the hands that touch it.
TRUST THE PROCESS: the more God refines you, the more you have available to share with the souls you’ve been blessed to nourish.
