While we all know that loving God and our neighbor is the fulfillment of the two greatest commandments, it's easy to miss what that kind of love actually is, and how it should be lived out from a biblical and practical perspective. While the world will readily offer up its own skewed definitions of love, we will explore what the One who is love itself has to say about it. As we do so, we'll gain a greater understanding from Scripture on how to first cultivate this love at home with our own family, how to integrate it into all facets of our homeschooling environment, and how to demonstrate it in every other sphere of life.

Compassion doesn't come easy for the forgetful. As Christian homeschooling families who are daily surrounded by the things of God in our academic environment, it's easy to become detached from the world and the importance of proactively demonstrating the heart of God toward those who live outside the four walls of our home—especially those who don't know Christ, or who do things differently than us. Combine this with the reality that we are busy people who live in an increasingly diverse world, and we find ourselves failing to emulate the compassionate heart of our Savior toward unbelievers, and our fellow Christians. We will learn how to fight this harmful tendency, how to be at peace with families who make different educational choices, how to avoid being condescending toward those who employ different parenting styles, how to draw near with the gospel to unbelievers whose sins grieve us, and how to emulate Jesus—the One who looked out on the multitudes and was moved with compassion.

Weaknesses! Not only do all of us have them, but they are often the greatest source of our disheartenment as Christians. Whether it's in our role as husbands, wives, children, or homeschooling parents, we are all often haunted by our shortcomings and besetting sins. Enter Christ—our High Priest who sympathizes with our weaknesses, and who experienced our same temptations. In this session, we will be refreshed by the delightful truth that Jesus calls weak sinners like us to come boldly to His throne of grace, where we will find mercy and grace to help us in our time of need.

As fallen creatures living in a fallen world, we are relentlessly tempted to scratch the stubborn itch of indulgent self-centeredness—daily battling an unrequited yearning to be the focal point of everyone’s attention.? But the real Master, who is undeniably worthy to be incessantly waited on, said of Himself that He did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many.? God has given us plenty of opportunities to imitate the servant-heartedness of Jesus—the greatest servant in existence.? Discover what glad servanthood really looks like, and how we can become willing and joyful servants to our loved ones and the world as we follow in the footsteps of Christ.

Have you ever noticed the way that people respond when you speak words of encouragement into their life?? It’s almost similar to the joy that a lost traveler in a hot dessert exudes when he suddenly finds a lush oasis.? We know this because it’s exactly what each of us has experienced when others have thoughtfully taken the time to encourage us.? The trials of life can often be extremely disheartening, but this session will help us discover that the greatest source of encouragement to our own souls comes from being used by God to encourage others. Amid the current homeschooling season of life that God has placed us in, we will dive deep and uncover what the Bible has to say about how we can become ready and eager encouragers toward those in our immediate circle of influence, and beyond.?