Transitions...Total Trust Test!

Trust in the Lord with all your heart

and lean not on your own understanding;

in all your ways submit to Him,

and He will make your paths straight. 

Proverbs 3:5-6 (NIV)

Where did the days go? We're already halfway through 2016 and to me, it feels like we just began the year. It has been a period of transitions to our family since we made the decision to take some steps of faith starting school year 2015-2016.  We embarked on a new boat of faith-challenging decision to go to unknown and unfamiliar places.  I want to particularly talk about our family's journey of transitions from homeschooling to public schooling.  It was a tough move and through it all God showed so many faith-strengthening adventures and favors that, as always, prove His amazing grace and dependable faithfulness.

Having my son homeschooled from first grade to sixth grade was a great blessing.  In hindsight, I see that that season of my life was really more of God homeschooling me.  God taught me and showed me the condition of my heart, revealing both the good and the bad in the core of my being. As I went through the daily lessons He was teaching me, He molded my heart in such a way that I became more aware of myself as a mother.  There were days that were so full of joy and fun and adventures with my son.  On the other hand, there were draining days of doubts and difficulties that pulled me down. But in whatever side of the pole I was, the Lord Jesus had faithfully carried me through to carry out the task He has entrusted me for that specific time of my life.  I will forever treasure all the memories of moments my son and I shared and savored together.

The decision to put Gideon to traditional school set up was a struggle. My husband and I prayed and searched for the right school.  I wanted to put him in a Christian school but after checking out different schools, the tuition rates are not within our budget.  Also, my son has a special need that the Chistian schools we went to had no program for it.  It was an eye opener for me and my husband. We, then, had to go to public school as the alternative. I was hesitant but God reminded me of Moses who grew up in Pharaoh's palace getting a secular education and still grew up knowing the One true God through the sovereign favor of having his mother as his babysitter.  I had to totally trust God's sovereign hand to hold my son's heart and hand in this circumstance.

It was a late registration for my son.  School started two weeks already. It was another challenge when I told them that he was homeschooled from first to sixth grade. I was referred back and forth by the middle school and the elementary school whether he should go back to sixth grade or enroll at seventh grade. It was finally decided to put him to seventh grade and provided the Individualized Educational Plan. With all the challenges of adjustments, Gideon made it to the Honor roll and at the end of the school year, received the President's Education Awards Program in recognition of Outstanding Academic Achievement.

School year 2015-2016 was a "total trust test" year for me, letting go and letting God take full control of every detail of the day.  The very first day my son stepped up the school bus by himself, I had to be strong and fight the separation anxiety with the trust mindset, taking refuge in the truth of God's Word that He is the One watching and caring for my son. It was a huge adjustment for all of us. I missed the days of being with my son the whole day and doing things together. But there is a season for everything. This season of transition was designed by God. All I needed to do was to trust that He is sovereign and  what a comfort to know that He makes all things work together for good to them that love God and are called according to His purpose (Romans 8:28).

In the midst of the struggles and doubts whether it was the right choice that we made, God showed His unfailing love and kindness. He will always glorify His Name in all circumstances and transitions in our journey. This life has endless transitions ahead of us. Constant changes. But for all of us who believe and has accepted the Lord Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior, our unchanging God, we can rest assured that as we move along the path we go through, He is always there with us. That was His promise. We just have to trust!

REFLECT:

• What transition are you going through right now?
• What is God telling you?
• Where is He leading you?