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Topic: Spiritual
| Title: | The Angry Child: What Ticks Johnny Off? | | Speaker: | J. Michael Smith
| | Length: | 45–60 minutes
| Type:
| General Session
| Topic:
| Parenting, Spiritual
| Audience:
| Parents
| Description:
| Have any of your children demonstrated a tendency toward anger or a bad temper? If so, this session is absolutely essential for you. Anger is a God-given emotion and did not come about as a result of the Fall. However, the Bible says, “Be angry, and sin not.” This talk addresses anger from a biblical perspective, focusing on the positive and negative aspects of anger. Michael Smith also delineates the five steps that lead to rebellion. |
| Title: | The Father’s Role in Home Education | | Speaker: | J. Michael Smith
| | Length: | 45–60 minutes
| Type:
| Workshop
| Topic:
| Encouragement, Parenting, Spiritual
| Audience:
| Fathers, Support Group Leaders
| Description:
| Almost every father has heard that he is to lead his family spiritually, physically, and in every other way. However, many fathers will tell you that no one has ever told them how to effectively lead their children, especially in the area of spiritual development. Michael Smith presents encouraging and practical tips to fathers for becoming a helpful participant in the home education program and a leader in the home. He provides insight on the mental and emotional benefits to mothers and children fathers can provide through specific activities, and offers suggestions to men on being more effective as husbands. Mike candidly shares his many failures and a few successes. The session concludes with a list of the six things homeschooling mothers have identified as the primary ways their husbands can be more effective in the family’s homeschool program. In one father’s words, “Inspiring and convicting—thanks for the straight talk!” |
| Title: | Principles for Principals | | Speaker: | Scott Somerville
| | Length: | 50 minutes
| Type:
| Workshop
| Topic:
| Parenting, Spiritual
| Audience:
| All, Fathers, Parents
| Description:
| Fathers love to see their children thrive in the homeschool environment, but they often reap what others (their wives) have sown. Nobody knows this better than Scott Somerville, whose wife has taught their six children “forever.” Come hear Scott share the principles that have changed him from a homeschooling couch potato to a real principal. |
| Title: | What Wives Wish Their Husbands Knew about Homeschooling | | Speaker: | Scott Somerville
| | Length: | 50 minutes
| Type:
| Workshop
| Topic:
| Encouragement, Marriage, Motivational, Parenting, Spiritual
| Audience:
| Fathers, Parents
| Description:
| Scott Somerville dared to ask 100 homeschool moms for their personal “wish lists,” and was relieved to discover there is hope for homeschool husbands! These women weren’t asking the impossible, nor were they looking for a whole new man; instead, they wanted their husbands to show their love in some practical, pastoral, and personal ways. Scott combines information with motivation for life-changing results! |
| Title: | The Spiritual Power of a Mother | | Speaker: | Michael P. Farris
| | Length: | 30–60 minutes
| Type:
| General Session, Workshop
| Topic:
| Parenting, Spiritual
| Audience:
| Mothers, Parents
| Description:
| Have you ever wondered how Samuel could remember the prayer of his mother when she sent him off to be trained by Eli? Hannah is just one example of a mother who dramatically impacted the life of her child by her prayer, her protection, her instruction, and her overcoming spirit. These uplifting stories should encourage all parents—but especially mothers—as we sacrifice to homeschool our children. |
| Title: | Cross-Eyed Parenting | | Speaker: | Marcia Somerville
| | Length: | 45-minute speech, plus Q&A
| Type:
| General Session, Workshop
| Topic:
| Parenting, Spiritual
| Audience:
| Mothers, Parents
| Description:
| Though we may start homeschooling with noble goals of discipling our children and leading them onward in godliness, it is easy to quickly grow weary in welldoing. We can become too busy to feed ourselves before attempting to feed our children. We can be deceived into thinking that our successes and failures rest on our own shoulders. We can develop habits of speech and action that are harmful to our children. In short, we are as much in need of sanctification and growth as are our students! Sound familiar? Come learn the releasing truth of how a daily practice of preaching the gospel to ourselves can inform many common situations in our schools and reveal one of homeschooling’s best-kept secrets: we are as much sanctified by the process of homeschooling as are our children! |
| Title: | Which Class Is Most Important? | | Speaker: | Marcia Somerville
| | Length: | 50 minutes
| Type:
| General Session, Workshop
| Topic:
| Motivational, Spiritual
| Audience:
| Parents
| Description:
| New homeschooling mothers, what classes do you most want your child to pass? Is the truant officer your biggest boogieman? How about the college admissions officer? Are you losing sight of eternal goals because temporal tasks scream for your attention? In the spirit of Titus 2, in which older women are to teach the younger, come and learn that Life Skills 101, Peer Evangelism 202, Citizenship 306, and Apologetics 403 are the courses in which we should most desire our children to get a 4.0, as Marcia Somerville leads you through a morass of motives to which many beginning homeschool moms fall prey. Experienced moms, you may want to come and be re-inspired about why we are educating our children in the first place. You’ll be reminded of the priority of educating for heaven over educating for Harvard, as we seek the master’s degree that really counts: our Master’s approval of a life well-lived. An inspirational talk on how we can keep these greater goals in mind. |
| Title: | The Nearness of God Is My Good | | Speaker: | Marcia Somerville
| | Length: | 45-minute speech, plus Q&A
| Type:
| General Session, Workshop
| Topic:
| Encouragement, Spiritual
| Audience:
| Mothers, Parents
| Description:
| For many years, Marcia Somerville failed to enjoy a strong devotional life because she did not really believe that the nearness of God was her greatest good. She also battled with the sin of craven fear. Now, out of her experiences as a homeschool mom, Marcia shares transparently about her struggles in these areas and how God has granted grace and victory. She includes a strong exhortation on the primary importance of a strong devotional life for homeschooling moms, and lists practical steps to establish and deepen it. “Very encouraging” is the most frequent response to this talk! |
| Title: | Cravings and Conflict | | Speaker: | Marcia Somerville
| | Length: | 45-minute speech, plus Q&A
| Type:
| General Session, Workshop
| Topic:
| Encouragement, Parenting, Spiritual
| Audience:
| Mothers, Parents
| Description:
| Conflict is a part of life. Homeschooling doesn’t generally make conflicts less frequent; rather, our close proximity to our spouses and children often provides extra temptations. Add in the fact that we really have to accomplish quite a bit every day, and you can have a recipe for constant strife! Conflicts often seem painfully difficult and confusing. However, there’s a simple biblical principle at work in all conflicts. In every case, one or both of the combatants is craving his own way. Marcia speaks from James 4:1 (“What causes quarrels and what causes fights among you? Is it not this, that your passions are at war within you?”) and demonstrates that most conflicts can be managed better when those involved admit their cravings and work towards glorifying God by focusing on understanding and seeking to meet the needs of others, rather than selfishly focusing on their own desires. Marcia give practical ways that parents can use these principles with children, and spouses can use them with one another, as families seek to glorify God in the homeschool setting. |
| Title: | Meeting with God: A Toolbox Approach | | Speaker: | Marcia Somerville
| | Length: | 30-minute speech, plus Q&A
| Type:
| General Session, Workshop
| Topic:
| Parenting, Spiritual
| Audience:
| Fathers, Mothers, Parents
| Description:
| We teach every other subject; why not also equip our children to have daily, excellent quiet times with God? Marcia Somerville explores a variety of approaches to meeting with God each morning. Her own experience with her six very different children led her to adopt a “toolbox” approach. She taught her children a variety of ways to approach God each day, and then allowed them to choose the tools that worked best in various seasons of their lives: praying the Psalms, chart-based Scripture studies, praying the Lord’s prayer, Kay Arthur’s principle approach, and more. Marcia provides a list of techniques and explains most of them in this highly practical, informative session. She prays that this information will give you the tools you need to lead your children in establishing rich, daily times of meeting with God! (This session builds on, but is not dependent on, “The Nearness of God Is My Good.”) |
| Title: | How to Accomplish the Impossible | | Speaker: | J. Michael Smith
| | Length: | 45–60 minutes
| Type:
| Workshop
| Topic:
| Motivational, Spiritual
| Audience:
| Support Group Leaders
| Description:
| In this talk, Mike primarily addresses homeschool leaders, although it has application to all homeschool families. He points out that although we all seem to have too much on our plates, God is continually bringing new challenges into our lives. How do we decide whether to accept these challenges or not? Mike points out basic principles we should use in making any decision that will impact our lives. He uses the experiences of Abraham, Moses, David, and other heroes of the faith found in the book of Hebrews to support these principles. The objective of this talk is to encourage leaders to continue advancing the Kingdom of God through home education despite the almost overwhelming obstacle of limited time. |
| Title: | Precision Parenting | | Speaker: | Scott Somerville
| | Length: | 45 minutes
| Type:
| General Session, Workshop
| Topic:
| Encouragement, Spiritual
| Audience:
| Mothers, Parents
| Description:
| The Bible tells us to admonish the unruly, help the weak, encourage the fainthearted, and be patient with them all (I Thessalonians 5:14). As parents, we sometimes fall into the trap of admonishing when we should be encouraging, and then we get frustrated because it doesn’t work. It is easier to be patient when we remember which is which! In this talk, Scott Somerville turns to the Gospel of Luke to show how Jesus patiently admonished, helped, and encouraged the people He met. Every parent can benefit from this practical, biblical talk. |
| Title: | Homeschooling Demands Ever-Increasing Faith | | Speaker: | J. Michael Smith
| | Length: | 45-60 minutes
| Type:
| General Session, Workshop
| Topic:
| Encouragement, Parenting, Spiritual
| Audience:
| Parents, Support Group Leaders, Veteran Homeschoolers
| Description:
| Mike advances the supposition that effective and successful homeschooling must have ever increasing faith. He will use examples and experiences of our prisoners of war in Korea and emphasize the importance of early preparation of our children for leadership through faith and teaching. He will use the example of George Mueller’s life as a man of outstanding faith and how God responds to men and women with that kind of faith. He will address some of the keys to ever-increasing faith for leaders and then what the leaders and parents do when they start to lose their faith, using the story of Elijah, the Old Testament prophet, to glean answers from God’s Word as to how we can maintain the type of faith that pleases God and causes Him to bless the handiwork of leaders with faith. The message will be encouraging to those of us that have trouble with believing God, with special encouragement to moms and dads who may be wavering as to their leadership in their home with their children, their homeschooling, and perhaps, their support group organization as well. |
| Title: | The Miracle Behind Homeschoolers’ Victory In The Recent California Appellate Court Case | | Speaker: | J. Michael Smith
| | Length: | 45-60 minutes
| Type:
| General Session, Keynote, Workshop
| Topic:
| Encouragement, History, Parenting, Spiritual
| Audience:
| New Homeschoolers, Support Group Leaders, Veteran Homeschoolers
| Description:
| On August 8, 2008, the California Appellate Court in Los Angeles ruled that homeschoolers could operate as private schools in California. This came after an earlier decision in which the same court said that homeschoolers could not operate as private schools in California and had to be certified teachers. This is the greatest court victory in history of homeschooling in California and one of the major homeschooling cases in homeschooling history. Mike Smith shares the behind-the-scenes details that only a few are privy to, which demonstrates the sovereignty of God working many years prior to this decision to bring about the circumstances that would be used as the winning argument in the case. This talk will not only be very informative about what happened in this most important case and how it was won, but will encourage anyone who ever doubts that God is involved intimately in their homeschool program and in the homeschooling situations in California. This is a must for every homeschooler in California to hear and to understand as they will never be the same after they hear this spine-tingling story of victory. |
| Title: | It’s Time to be Wise | | Speaker: | J. Michael Smith
| | Length: | 45-60 minutes
| Type:
| General Session, Keynote, Support Group Leaders, Workshop
| Topic:
| Education, Encouragement, History, Spiritual
| Audience:
| All
| Description:
| In this address, Mike contrasts godly wisdom (which Christians should be trying to follow) and worldly wisdom (wisdom from below) as it relates to specific issues that we all deal with in the homeschool community. He explains that there are two conflicting worldviews or belief systems today, orthodoxy and progressivism. Orthodoxy is committed to an external, definable and transcendent authority for truth. This truth comes from God and is given to us primarily through His Word, the Bible. In contrast, progressivism asserts that moral authority is to be defined by the spirit of the modern age, a spirit of rationalism and subjectivism. Truth tends to be viewed as a process, as a reality and is ever unfolding depending upon the circumstances. He will explain how certain important U.S. Supreme Court decisions have been affected by this new progressive thinking. Mike will then break down how these two differing views are affecting education and specifically, the freedom to home educate. The good news is that truth sets one free. The good news is we know the truth, we simply have to live and battle for the truth. Homeschoolers have demonstrated their willingness to do so, hence our hope for the future. |
| Title: | How do We Measure Success in Homeschooling? | | Speaker: | J. Michael Smith
| | Length: | 45-60 minutes
| Type:
| General Session, Keynote, Support Group Leaders, Workshop
| Topic:
| Encouragement, Motivational, Parenting, Spiritual
| Audience:
| New Homeschoolers, Parents, Support Group Leaders, Veteran Homeschoolers
| Description:
| Why aren’t your Christian neighbors homeschooling? What is the number one reason that parents do not homeschool? Their lack of confidence to believe that they can actually do the job, or, put another way—fear of failure. Many homeschoolers in the midst of homeschooling are wondering how they will be able to determine whether they are successful or not with their children. Mike will explain in very clear and decisive terms how you can know whether or not you have been successful when you get to the end of your homeschool experience where it says “The End.” One way to answer the question is whether or not our work homeschooling with our children has been in vain. The Bible gives clear and decisive direction in this area which should be very encouraging to all of us, and hopefully give us encouragement in even the most difficult situations. |
| Title: | Juggling on a Tightrope | | Speaker: | Michael Donnelly
| | Length: | 50 minutes
| Type:
| General Session, Workshop
| Topic:
| Encouragement, Marriage, Motivational, Parenting, Spiritual
| Audience:
| Fathers, New Homeschoolers, Parents
| Description:
| Today’s father has precious few waking hours that are spent going in countless directions to address seemingly great causes—not least of which is family. Our children have only one earthly father and our wives but one husband. How can we best invest our most precious resource time? And where should we be investing it for eternal value? How can we properly lead our families and serve God in an increasingly demanding and busy world of sports, music, drama, church, school, support groups, homeschool co-ops, extended family responsibilities, and ministry programs? How do we know when to say yes, and more important, when to say no? Must we choose between competing priorities to be effective stewards? Come hear thoughts on answering these questions from Mike Donnelly as he shares insights gained from his experiences as a father of six and as an army officer, entrepreneur, company executive and attorney for the Home School Legal Defense Association. |
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