Evening of Encouragement for HE mothers – June 2026
We had a blessed time on Saturday 6th June looking at different curriculum, reading the bible and praying together. Here is a summary of the event:
First, we looked at various curriculum and home-schooling resources together. Below is a list of some of the resources that we discussed along with their website, so you can find out more information about them. A particular highlight for several people were the resources that focus on reading stories aloud, for example Five in a Row, The Read Aloud Revival and Tim Trelease’s Read Aloud Handbook.
Curriculum/resources
General
ACE
https://www.christian.education/ace
CPG books
Five in a Row
£2 Tuition Hub
https://the2poundtuitionhub.com/
The Good and the Beautiful
https://www.goodandbeautiful.com
English
Read Aloud Revival (premium subscription)
https://readaloudrevival.com/join-rar-premium
IEW – Grammar Fix It and Structure and Style
How to Teach Shakespeare
https://www.kenludwig.com/howtoteachyourchildrenshakespeare
Science
Crest Awards
Apologea Science
https://www.apologia.com/homeschool-science-curriculum/
For the Love of Homeschooling
https://www.fortheloveofhomeschooling.com
History
History of the World
https://welltrainedmind.com/c/series/history-of-the-world
Mystery of History
https://themysteryofhistory.com
Bible Study
After sharing some tea and cake together, we then spent time considering God’s word. Below is the passage of the Bible that we looked at together, along with a few thoughts that I shared with the group.
Here is the part of the Bible that we read together:
Exodus 4:18-31 ESV
Moses went back to Jethro his father-in-law and said to him, “Please let me go back to my brothers in Egypt to see whether they are still alive.” And Jethro said to Moses, “Go in peace.” And the Lord said to Moses in Midian, “Go back to Egypt, for all the men who were seeking your life are dead.” So Moses took his wife and his sons and had them ride on a donkey, and went back to the land of Egypt. And Moses took the staff of God in his hand.
And the Lord said to Moses, “When you go back to Egypt, see that you do before Pharaoh all the miracles that I have put in your power. But I will harden his heart, so that he will not let the people go. Then you shall say to Pharaoh, ‘Thus says the Lord, Israel is my firstborn son, and I say to you, “Let my son go that he may serve me.” If you refuse to let him go, behold, I will kill your firstborn son.’”
At a lodging place on the way the Lord met him and sought to put him to death. Then Zipporah took a flint and cut off her son’s foreskin and touched Moses’ feet with it and said, “Surely you are a bridegroom of blood to me!” So he let him alone. It was then that she said, “A bridegroom of blood,” because of the circumcision.
The Lord said to Aaron, “Go into the wilderness to meet Moses.” So he went and met him at the mountain of God and kissed him. And Moses told Aaron all the words of the Lord with which he had sent him to speak, and all the signs that he had commanded him to do. Then Moses and Aaron went and gathered together all the elders of the people of Israel. Aaron spoke all the words that the Lord had spoken to Moses and did the signs in the sight of the people. And the people believed; and when they heard that the Lord had visited the people of Israel and that he had seen their affliction, they bowed their heads and worshiped.
These are the thoughts that I shared on the above passage:
These events occur just after God has met with Moses in the burning bush and given him his instruction; to tell Pharaoh to set the Israelites free.
Moses is starting his journey back to Egypt. It is a preparatory stage where various things are put in place, getting him ready to fulfil his commission. In that way, it is quite relevant to us. Our role as parents and home educators is to prepare our children for their adult lives and the calling God has for them.
Perhaps even more relevant is that this period all seems to centre around relationships and interactions between people. Most of our home-educating doesn’t take place on a platform but around a table in conversations, corrections, prayers, tears and ordinary faithfulness. As this period in Moses’ life is carefully recorded in the Bible, it shows us that it matters to God. For Moses, it is so important that, without it, he probably would have died before he had the chance to return to Egypt and face Pharaoh.
I’d like to look at the four interactions Moses has with different people and point out just two things about each that hopefully, we can learn from.
Jethro
Jethro is Moses’ father-in-law, who Moses lived with and worked for.
First, even though Moses has been given this great task from God he is still respectful of his father-in-law’s position and shows him honour by asking his permission to go. In our home ed interactions we will come across many people in places of authority, or people we are called to show honour and courtesy to, who might have an interest in our children’s education. Parents, in-laws, home-education officers and people in the local authority, maybe even head teachers and teachers, if you’ve removed children from school. Even if we don’t agree with these people, we can still speak to them with respect and gentleness. Proverbs 16:7 says, ‘When a man’s ways please the Lord, he makes even his enemies to be at peace with him.’ Peaceful relationships are promised when our ways are pleasing to the Lord, and it pleases the Lord when we speak with gentleness, kindness and self-control.
When I look back at some of my own fractious interactions, I can see places where I’ve spoken harshly and exasperated a situation and, in some cases, caused real damage in the relationship. If this has happened recently to you, the good news is there is still hope. Jesus specialises in reconciliation. If we ask him to help, he can help restore peace to our relationships.
Second, it’s interesting to note that Moses doesn’t share everything with Jethro, in fact he shares very little. Telling him everything may have made Jethro feel confused and anxious about his daughter and grandchildren. Moses may also have refrained from sharing everything because his own faith was so fragile. Jethro was a very practically minded man and might have tried to talk him out of it.
We too ought to be wise about what we share, and with whom we share it. It reminds me of Mary, Jesus’ mother, when scripture tells us she ‘treasured these things and pondered them in her heart’ (Luke 2:19). Some things God shares with us, and we should share them right away. Other things we need to keep for ourselves, until the right time.
Zippora
Zippora is Moses wife who set out on the journey back to Egypt with Moses and his sons.
This is a very unusual encounter with many confusing aspects, but I will try and approach it as simply as possible. Whilst Moses is obeying God in one area, i.e. going to Egypt, he is disobeying him in another big area of his life. Circumcision was the sign that the Israelites were in a special covenantal relationship with God. At this point in Israel’s history, it was the only sign! Not circumcising his sons and aligning his family with Israel was very serious.
What is interesting is that Moses doesn’t fix the situation himself. It is his wife Zippora who acts on his behalf and saves him.
So, first, it is so important that we surround ourselves with people who will help us obey God. When we spend time with non-believers, we need to be careful about the direction of influence. Am I helping show them how to obey God or are they tempting me to disobey him?
Second, the way Zippora helps moses to obey is through her actions, not her words. She doesn’t give him a lecture or nag him. She acts in obedience herself. Living obedient lives to God is so much more powerful a witness to others than telling them what to do. Sometimes, in the midst of endless arguments between our children, I find myself shouting at them ‘SPEAK KINDLY TO EACH OTHER’ and unsurprisingly, it never works. On the other hand, I recently watched a friend gently disciplining her children. I was both deeply convicted and inspired by her, without ever being told by anyone how I need to change.
Aaron
Aaron is Moses’ brother, who he hasn’t seen since he left Egypt 40 years earlier.
First then, when Moses embraces his brother in this short but beautiful scene of reunion, it is a direct answer to Moses’ prayer. At the end of his conversation with God in the burning bush, he asked God to send someone else. God became angry with him at this point, yet in his great mercy, he answered his prayer and said he would send Aaron to speak for him. In fact, God said he’d already sent Aaron on his journey to meet Moses. Home-education can be really isolating at times. You may be going through a period of isolation right now. It may come upon you later. If it ever does, ask God for like-minded companions. People who will help you to obey God’s calling. I have been there, I have prayed, and I have seen incredible answers to those prayers.
Second, God prepared Aaron with a gift in speaking years before Moses met him on that mountain. He gave him the skills he needed to be a support and companion to Moses in Egypt and the wilderness. The people God puts in our lives are never there by accident. Every chance meeting was preordained. God has given each one of us gifts and skills to support each other. Our needs may take us by surprise, but they never take God by surprise, before you even know your need, he has planned a way to meet it.
Elders
Moses and Aaron gather the elders of Israel to share the good news that God had seen their suffering and was going to rescue them.
In his conversation with God, Moses was so anxious and afraid that the elders would not believe him. It’s remarkable how little text is given to the discussion. It simply says ‘Aaron spoke all the words that the Lord had spoken to Moses and did the signs in the sight of the people. And the people believed’.
So, first, Moses never needed to fear the elders would not believe. We too, often have a way of fretting over difficult conversations we need to have and situations we might have to navigate. However, when we follow God in our words and deeds, we generally find that we had nothing to fear.
Second, when Moses and Aaron obeyed all God said, it led the elders to bow down and worship the Lord. When our lives are lived in obedience to God people will see God’s goodness and worship him too.
God
I said we would see four interactions in the passage, but there is one more that runs all the way through. That is with God. We see Him putting Moses’ mind at ease, letting him know the people who sought him are dead. We see Him sharing more about his plan and what will happen in Egypt. God guides Moses into living a more obedient life, he keeps his promises, he answers prayers.
God doesn’t give us a task and leave us to it, telling us to report back to him at the end. He is there every step of the way, just as he was for Moses. And how much more of his presence do we have now that Jesus has come and sent his Holy Spirit to dwell within us? It is my prayer, in your lives and especially in your home-ed journey, that you will know the Lord with you and guiding you every step of the way.
Discussion and prayer
After the Bible study we went into a time of discussion and prayer. It was such an encouragement to find so many of our struggles as home educators are shared burdens, and to see how God has provided for and guided the different women that were present.
We discussed the way our ministry changes at different stages in parenting and as we meet different people in the home-education community. We also thought about the importance not just of ministering to our children and the people we meet, but also to our husbands. It is easy to forget to prioritise them amongst all the demands of motherhood. However, just as Zippora ministered to her husband, we too have a great responsibility to ours.
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If you have read this far, thank you for your time and may you be blessed as you seek God’s help for the new academic year.
‘Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us.’
Hebrews 11:1 ESV