Mothering From The Heart - October 2, 2013

I am a young wife and mother and I strongly believe that my role is caring for and serving my husband and children within the home.  With another baby on the way, I feel a lot of pressure to enroll my young daughter in preschool.  I come from a family of public educators and I am constantly hearing that the best thing for my daughter is to be around other kids to help her grow socially and developmentally.  My husband and I are planning to homeschool because we feel that the best place for our children is under our teaching and care in order to raise them how we feel God has designed.  I have already heard how "weird" homeschool kids are and the idea of us homeschooling is not well taken or supported.  Could you please provide some encouragement and insight in how I need to address my family's strong opposition?  I know deep down that I'm making the right call by not putting my one year old in preschool, but I do tend to doubt my choices when society and even my Christian friends tend to disagree.   

Audrey, I am a homeschool mom with little ones 8-3 years old. I find many opportunities to use God's word in our daily interactions (our struggles with sin and temptation) but have found difficulty in having more 'serious study' of the bible with them. Sometimes I find all of the academics to be a taskmaster and push aside diligent study of the scriptures. I desire to see our family feast on God's word especially during these early years but that takes time. Could you share what you did when you were homeschooling your children to achieve a balance between 'academics' and teaching God's word? So grateful for you and your ministry to women!

I am vexed concerning an opportunity, to peruse a Marriage and Family Therapist degree plan with Liberty University. My question is this, biblically are women counselors acceptable? I have consulted my husband, who gives me the thumbs up, and I'm continuing to fast and pray over the subject. I value your insight.