Quote from Forum Archives on June 20, 2003, 2:13 pm

Posted by: homenews <homenews@...>

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THE HOPE CHEST HOME SCHOOL NEWS:
Issue #57, part 1: Power for Home Schooling
June 20, 2003
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WELCOME TO THE HOPE CHEST!

The Hope Chest Home School News is a free e-mail newsletter with
encouragement and practical teaching tips. The editor is Virginia
Knowles, wife of Thad, mother of nine children, and author of Common
Sense Excellence: Faith-Filled Home Education for Preschool to 5th Grade,
The Real Life Home School Mom, and The Learner’s Journal lesson planner
and record keeping log. (Ordering information is at the end of the
newsletter.)

During the summer, I am publishing four mini-issues instead of two longer
issues. So far, they haven’t turned out to be all that mini!

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TABLE OF CONTENTS
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Part 1

• Hope Chest Contact Information
• Health & Prayer Update
• From My Heart to Yours: The Spirit
• The Trinity and the Holy Spirit by Julie York

Part 2

• Review of First Language Lessons by Jessie Wise
• Review of Wisdom’s Way of Learning by Marilyn Howshall
• In the Kitchen: TVP
• What’s New at the Knowles House?
• Resource Ordering Information

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HOPE CHEST CONTACT INFORMATION
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Web site: www.hopechest.homestead.com/welcome.html
Resources: www.hopechest.homestead.com/resourceorders.html
Personal e-mail: [email protected]
Subscription address: [email protected]
Unsub address: [email protected]

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HEALTH & PRAYER UPDATE
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My mother-in-law, Ann Knowles, remains in Intensive Care with
complications from lung cancer, including pneumonia. She had 1.5 liters
of fluid drained from around her lungs. Two of Thad’s sisters are already
in town, and the other two are flying in tonight and tomorrow.

Meanwhile, five of the children and I are recovering from strep throat. 

I'll spare you the details, but I can tell you I'm thankful for my older girls

(ages 8-16) who have driven me to the doctor, cooked meals, kept the little

ones quiet, folded laundry, cleaned up countless apple juice spills, and much

much more. A little bit of practical home training has paid huge dividends.

Another minor affliction is that I have been hobbling around on a broken
toe for over a week. It doesn’t keep me from getting around, just makes
it pretty uncomfortable.

Please continue to uplift our family in prayer. We have been through SO
much this year, but I still testify that GOD IS GOOD, ALL THE TIME!

 

And now... I am going back to bed!

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FROM MY HEART TO YOURS:
The Spirit
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I promised to share in the summer mini-issues a series about different
areas of recent growth and learning in my own life: sovereignty, the
Spirit, salvation, and Scripture.

In the area of the Holy Spirit, it is hard for me to know quite what to
say, so I pray that the Holy Spirit himself will give me the words to bless

and challenge you. 

Last July, at my husband’s request, our family started attending Metro
Life Church, which is part of Sovereign Grace Ministries
(www.sovereigngraceministries.org). We appreciate the soundness of
doctrine and practice there, in stark contrast to much that
is done in the name of being "anointed of God." Thanks be to God, I find
myself with a renewed openness to the fresh filling and workings of the
Holy Spirit. Since Scripture commands believers to be filled with the
Spirit, I ask him to remove whatever hindrances may block the full flow.
I don’t want to be content with a just trickle of God when he offers a
bubbling fountain. If anyone needs more of God’s power, it is a home
schooling mama like me who wants to raise mighty servants of the Lord.

Here are a few helpful book quotes:

"Have ye received the Holy Spirit since ye believed? Let every reader
submit himself to this heart-searching question. To be filled with the
Holy Spirit of God, to have the full enjoyment of the Pentecostal
blessing, is the will of God concerning us. Let us judge our life and our
work before the Lord in light of this question, and return the answer to
God. O do not be afraid, my brother, to confess before your Lord what is
still lacking in you. Do not keep back, although you do not as yet fully
understand what the blessing is or how it comes. The early disciples did
not know that, yet they called upon their Lord and waited for it with
prayer and supplications." [from The Full Blessing of Pentecost by 19th
century South African pastor Andrew Murray]

 

"Is it possible to nurture a gentle spirit, show constant compassion, and
be productive in home making, teaching, and the rest of our
responsibilities? Not in our own strength! As I seek God's character, I
become aware that a pure and holy life is impossible to accomplish with
my own feeble abilities. It is humbling to say, "OK God, I can't do it by
myself. Whatever progress I make has to come from you." As Galatians 3:3
asks, "After beginning with the Spirit, are you now trying to attain your
goal by human effort?" I must continually depend on the fresh filling of
the Holy Spirit, not so that I can use his power, but so that he can use
me. What will be the result? Godly character! "The fruit of the Spirit is
love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness
and self-control" (Galatians 5:22). [This is the opening paragraph from
the chapter "Abide in Christ" from my own book The Real Life Home School
Mom.]

"Thank you, Father, for the wonderful gift of the Holy Spirit. I
acknowledge my need to receive this gift in greater measure, and to fully
enter into Spirit-filled living. Lord, help me to lay aside my prejudices
and preconceived ideas about the work of the Holy Spirit, and to open my
heart to all you desire to accomplish in me. I fully yield my will to you
to receive your work of grace in my life, in Jesus’ name, Amen." [from A
Woman’s Guide to Spirit-Filled Living by Quin Sherrer and Ruthanne
Garlock, published by Vine Books.]

Scripture references for further study:

• Psalm 51:10-12
• Matthew 3:11; 28:19
• Mark 13:11
• Luke 3:21-22; 10:21; 11:13
• John 14:26; 15:26; 16:7-15
• Acts 1:1-8; 2:1-47; 4:31; 6:3-5; 8:14-17; 10:44-48; 16:6-7; 19:1-7
• Romans 5:5; 15:13
• Ephesians 5:18
• Hebrews 2:4
• Jude 1:20

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The Trinity and the Holy Spirit
by Julie York
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[Virginia’s note: I asked Hope Chest reader Julie York to share her
thoughts on the Holy Spirit with us. I think you’ll be blessed! Julie and
her husband Michael have home schooled for 7 years.]

I have always believed in the Trinity of our Lord, but it isn’t always
easy to explain to a 6 year old. My son was never satisfied with my
description of The Father, The Son, and The Holy Spirit. A dear friend
was at our house one day, and I mentioned that I was having a hard time
getting Jacob to understand this concept. Her eyes shined bright and she
said she had his answer. I have to admit I was a bit doubtful, but
decided to call Jacob in the house for her to share this deep revelation
with him. Knowing Jacob’s love of chickens and our farm, she told him to
get an egg. This delighted the little fellow because he is our egg
collector. She said, "Jacob, how many eggs do you see? Well, God is like
this egg. He is One person with three parts. Just like the egg has a
shell, a yolk, and a white, but it is still just one egg". Jacob eyes got
about as big as hers and the look on his face told me that he understood.
Now please don’t be offended that I have compared Our Lord with an egg.
It is just a word picture for a little boy to understand the deeper
things of God. I shared this story with you to help remind us that God is
3 persons, but ONE God. Sometimes the Holy Spirit gets a bit overlooked,
but Jesus Himself tells us in John 16:7 "Nevertheless I tell you the
truth. It is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away;
the Helper will not come to you; but if I depart, I will send Him to
you". Now I can just imagine the disciples thinking we don’t want
anything else…we just want you, Jesus! But it was in the Heart of the
Father to send the Holy Spirit. There are many different names that refer
to the Holy Spirit. In the above passage, He is called The Helper. In
other passages, He is referred to as the Comforter.

The Holy Spirit is such a vital part of my daily life. Often times I rush
around blowing and going, and in this state I forget to ask for help from
the Holy Spirit. I didn’t set out to go it alone on purpose, but somehow
in the business of the day I forgot the source of my strength. I am
training myself to listen to the voice of the Holy Spirit. You know that
still small voice that guides you through the paths of life. Proverbs
16:3 says, "Commit your works to the Lord, and your thoughts will be
established." This is the scripture that has held me up every since we
began home schooling. I believe it radically, and I believe that the Holy
Spirit has guided me all along the way. There have been times that I have
wanted to give up, but the Holy Spirit has been there reminding me of the
Scriptures. There have been times that I wanted to spend an enormous
amount of money on that particular curriculum that would teach my
children every thing they ever needed to know. Well, I have learned to
listen to the voice of the Holy Spirit. By being obedient, I have saved
much money. I have also struck out on my own, and have learned the hard
way by wasting money because I didn’t stop to pray for direction. The
Holy Spirit guides us in every day life issues. I am learning to listen
to His voice daily. He is my helper on this journey of life. I pray that
you ENJOY the journey with your God!! Grace and Peace, Julie