The Durenda Wilson Podcast

Today I’m going to talk about how knowing God’s character can help relieve anxiety and I’m going to do that by sharing the incommunicable attributes of God which are attributes that only HE possesses. These attributes are important because what we need and what we want is a God who isn’t us. We are not sufficient and we want a God who is. We need a God who is. We need a God who is powerful and independent of us. Listen in as I go through these attributes and share some meaningful applications when it comes to motherhood. Resources mentioned in this episode: The Unhurried Homeschooler Unhurried Grace for a Mom’s Heart The Four-Hour School Day The Unhurried Homeschooler Mentoring Course (P.S. Don't forget to check out my latest book, The Four Hour School Day: How You and Your Kids Can Thrive in the Homeschool Life on Amazon, durendawilson.com, or your favorite bookseller!)

I've been sharing more simple, unhurried approaches to subjects like language arts and science because I want moms to know that homeschooling really IS doable! Today my guest, Dennis Janisse (college professor and homeschool dad) shares his thoughts on writing as well as a budget-friendly, non-intimidating approach to writing essays and research papers! The Unhurried Homeschooler Unhurried Grace for a Mom’s Heart The Four-Hour School Day Homeschooling Today Fun-Schooling (P.S. Don't forget to check out my latest book, The Four Hour School Day: How You and Your Kids Can Thrive in the Homeschool Life on Amazon, durendawilson.com, or your favorite bookseller!)

Today I have my good friend Sherri Seligson back with us!Sherri is a veteran homeschool mom who happens to love science and writes science curriculum. She will put your heart at ease as we talk about taking a more simple unhurried approach to science in the high school years. She will also share what it looks like to help our science-oriented kids prepare for college! REMEMBER YOU HAVE THE FREEDOM TO ADAPT ANY CURRICULUM TO YOUR CHILD’S NEEDS. IOW YOU DON’T HAVE TO DO EVERYTHING! Resources mentioned in this episode: The Unhurried Homeschooler Unhurried Grace for a Mom’s Heart The Four-Hour School Day Simply Unhurried Community General Science (Apologia) Our family loved these for high school! It's very well done, it's doable, the student can work almost 100% independently and it fully qualifies as a solid high school credit! Biology 101 Chemistry 101 Physics 101 General Science 101 Suggested options (include your child in the process of deciding); Online classes Live classes (Apologia) Dual enrollment Double up your subjects (example: if they are reading and writing for a science-related topic, they have covered science, writing, and reading) (P.S. Don't forget to check out my latest book, The Four Hour School Day: How You and Your Kids Can Thrive in the Homeschool Life on Amazon, durendawilson.com, or your favorite bookseller!)

I'm excited because today I have my good friend Sherri Seligson with us. Sherri is a veteran homeschool mom who happens to write science curriculum. She will put your heart at ease as we talk about taking a more simple unhurried approach to science in the elementary years! REMEMBER YOU HAVE THE FREEDOM TO ADAPT ANY CURRICULUM TO YOUR CHILD’S NEEDS. IN OTHER WORDS, YOU DON’T HAVE TO DO EVERYTHING! (The next podcast will be about taking a simple, unhurried approach to science in the high school years) Resources mentioned in this episode: The Unhurried Homeschooler Unhurried Grace for a Mom’s Heart The Four-Hour School Day Homeschooling Today The Exploring Creating Series Masterbooks Sherri’s YouTube Channel Check out field guides at the library

When we got married, my husband only wanted 2 kids. Today he joins me as we tell our story about how we ended up with eight and share some thoughts and questions about family size that you may not have considered! Resources mentioned in this episode: The Unhurried Homeschooler Unhurried Grace for a Mom’s Heart The Four-Hour School Day Simply Unhurried Community Raising a Family of 10 on One Modest Income Yes, I Had 8 C-Sections! (P.S. Don't forget to check out my latest book, The Four Hour School Day: How You and Your Kids Can Thrive in the Homeschool Life on Amazon, durendawilson.com, or your favorite bookseller!)

Language Arts includes such a broad array of topics that parents can become overwhelmed and doubtful that they are covering everything well enough. Years ago I was introduced to Learning Language Arts Through Literature. I loved how it gently covered all of the language arts pieces without being overwhelming. I didn't use it for all 8 kids, but it was one of the mainstays of our overall curriculum choices. Today, Ashley Wiggers joins me to talk about taking a simpler, unhurried approach to using LLATL and what we loved about it! Resources mentioned: The Unhurried Homeschooler Unhurried Grace for a Mom’s Heart The Four-Hour School Day Homeschooling Today Why Grade Levels Don't Really Matter That Much The Benefits of a More Natural Approach to Learning (P.S. Don't forget to check out my latest book, The Four Hour School Day: How You and Your Kids Can Thrive in the Homeschool Life on Amazon, durendawilson.com, or your favorite bookseller!)

As moms, we set the tone in our homes. Joy is a key element to learning, but even more importantly, we are called to it as believers. God gives us tools to help recapture joy when it has waned or has been lost completely. Today Jennifer Pepito, owner of The Peaceful Press and author of Mothering By the Book, joins us to talk about the power of reading aloud to recapture joy! Resources mentioned: The Unhurried Homeschooler Unhurried Grace for a Mom’s Heart The Four-Hour School Day Simply Unhurried Community Charlotte Mason Companion The Awakening of Miss Prim Dumbing Us Down by John Taylor Gatto Passion Driven Education Mere Motherhood Ways to connect with Jennifer and find her new book with a special bonus! www.motheringbythebook.com www.instagram.com/jenniferpepito www.instagram.com/thepeacefulpress www.thepeacefulpress.shop (P.S. Don't forget to check out my latest book, The Four Hour School Day: How You and Your Kids Can Thrive in the Homeschool Life on Amazon, durendawilson.com, or your favorite bookseller!)

God knows that we will face fear as humans and a particularly intense battle with fear when it comes to being a mom and He graciously gives us tools to help overcome fear. Join Jennifer Pepito (owner of The Peaceful Press and author of Mothering By the Book) and me as we have a great conversation about the power of reading aloud to help overcome fear! Resources mentioned: The Unhurried Homeschooler Unhurried Grace for a Mom’s Heart The Four-Hour School Day Homeschooling Today Ways to connect with Jennifer and find her new book with a special bonus! www.motheringbythebook.com www.instagram.com/jenniferpepito www.instagram.com/thepeacefulpress www.thepeacefulpress.shop (P.S. Don't forget to check out my latest book, The Four Hour School Day: How You and Your Kids Can Thrive in the Homeschool Life on Amazon, durendawilson.com, or your favorite bookseller!)

Many parents orient their homeschooling plans strongly around grade-level standards. But how crucial are grade levels and more importantly, where did this concept come from? Listen in for a bit of a history lesson along with some insight and encouragement toward the freedom that is ours in home educating our kids! Resources mentioned: The Unhurried Homeschooler Unhurried Grace for a Mom’s Heart The Four-Hour School Day Simply Unhurried Community Here is the first in the series on Ecclesiastes https://open.spotify.com/episode/2lpOv8MddcJqkrXz11L8i2 Homeschooling: Purpose or Performance? Let’s Talk About Testing Creating High School Transcripts Life Counts for High School Credit Part 1 Life Counts for High School Credit Part 2 Homeschooling with Confidence When Teaching a Struggling Learner Tips for Disciplining Littles (P.S. Don't forget to check out my latest book, The Four Hour School Day: How You and Your Kids Can Thrive in the Homeschool Life on Amazon, durendawilson.com, or your favorite bookseller!)

It seems as though we need more discernment than ever, especially as moms. We are raising the next generation of image bearers who will carry with them the values that we instill in them. We want those values to be solidly rooted in biblical truth and for them to not only be well-versed in them but to meaningfully apply them. But where do we start? What does discernment really mean? How do we walk out a life that practices discernment? How can wisdom change a person’s life and the lives of those around them? Listen in as Hannah Anderson gives us a deeper understanding of what it looks like to be discerning wives, moms, and women! The Unhurried Homeschooler Unhurried Grace for a Mom’s Heart The Four-Hour School Day Homeschooling Today Ways to connect with Hannah Website Facebook Instagram Twitter Hannah's Books: Made for More Humble Roots All That's Good Turning of Days Heaven and Nature Sing (P.S. Don't forget to check out my latest book, The Four Hour School Day: How You and Your Kids Can Thrive in the Homeschool Life on Amazon, durendawilson.com, or your favorite bookseller!)

The topic of humility can conjure up images of feeling restricted or in bondage to something, but as odd as it sounds this invitation to humility is incredibly freeing! It’s another one of those principles that are simple (not to be confused with easy) and surprisingly has a very direct impact on our level of anxiety and stress! This podcast is LOADED with encouragement! Listen in as Hannah Anderson answers questions like: How does humility free us from the stress of comparison, of always evaluating our performance against someone else’s? How does humility free us from stress in our work? Why is the message of humility particularly relevant in this day and age? And more!!! Resources mentioned: The Unhurried Homeschooler Unhurried Grace for a Mom’s Heart The Four-Hour School Day Homeschooling Today Ways to connect with Hannah: Website Facebook Instagram Twitter Hannah's Books: Made for More Humble Roots All That's Good Turning of Days Heaven and Nature Sing (P.S. Don't forget to check out my latest book, The Four Hour School Day: How You and Your Kids Can Thrive in the Homeschool Life on Amazon, durendawilson.com, or your favorite bookseller!)

I recently made a big mistake in terms of what online mentoring can or should look like. It’s important to understand what role our online resources CAN play and what role they can NOT play so we aren’t expecting things that we shouldn’t. I’m also including some important counsel regarding the local church because our family found ourselves struggling for several years to find a church that was biblically sound. I know some of you are struggling with that as well. BE ENCOURAGED! Resources mentioned: The Unhurried Homeschooler Unhurried Grace for a Mom’s Heart The Four-Hour School Day Simply Unhurried Community Applying Romans 13 to Here and Now Links to messages that lay out the church’s biblical role (transcripts included): Who is the Church and What is She For? Local Church Leadership Pt 1 Local Church Leadership Pt 2 (P.S. Don't forget to check out my latest book and best seller on Amazon, The Four Hour School Day: How You and Your Kids Can Thrive in the Homeschool Life on Amazon, durendawilson.com, or your favorite bookseller!)

They say it can't be done, but clearly, it can. However, I have learned so much from my experience and I'm hoping to encourage you all through my story! Resources mentioned: The Unhurried Homeschooler Unhurried Grace for a Mom’s Heart The Four-Hour School Day Homeschooling Today Podcast mentioned: Children a Blessing, NOT a Burden Story mentioned: Celebrating Silas (P.S. Don't forget to check out my latest book, The Four Hour School Day: How You and Your Kids Can Thrive in the Homeschool Life on Amazon, durendawilson.com, or your favorite bookseller!)

It's easy to feel the pressure to dive headlong into "school" once our kids reach the age of 5, but the truth is that a slow, more unhurried approach has proven to be far more beneficial. There are many reasons for that, many of which I share in my simple, mercifully short book, The Unhurried Homeschooler. Today my daughter, who has 4 kids 7 and under, joins me to talk about what a simple, unhurried, more natural, more effective, and WAY less stressful approach looks like! If you have little ones 7 and under, you won't want to miss this episode! The Unhurried Homeschooler Unhurried Grace for a Mom’s Heart The Four-Hour School Day 100 Easy Lessons to Teach Your Child to Read (P.S. Don't forget to check out my latest book, The Four Hour School Day: How You and Your Kids Can Thrive in the Homeschool Life on Amazon, durendawilson.com, or your favorite bookseller!) (Credit for image below: flandersfamily.info)

Last week I had our oldest daughter join me to talk about Tips for Life with Littles (0-6ish yrs old)reminding moms that although this season with our kids can feel repetitive and even mundane at times, there IS purpose in it! Today I wanted to share some tips on disciplining littles. I even open a can of worms that most believers aren’t willing to, not because I actually wanted to open it, but because I think it is necessary. Resources mentioned: The Unhurried Homeschooler Unhurried Grace for a Mom’s Heart The Four-Hour School Day Tomato Staking: A Relational Parenting Tool https://www.durendawilson.com/podcast/episode/c788594f/the-homeschool-life-tomato-staking-a-relationship-based-parenting-tool-podcast-163 Parenting books: Parenting by Paul Tripp Shepherding a Child’s Heart by Tedd Tripp Don’t Make Me Count to Three by Ginger Hubbard

Life with little ones is busy. Much of what we do can feel repetitive and mundane but make no mistake, there is purpose in this season! Today my oldest daughter joins me to talk about the importance of prioritizing during these years with our little ones. She currently has 4 kids 7 and under and at one point I had 6 kids 9 and under so we get it! The purpose of this episode is to encourage you and help you keep your eyes on what is important during these very special years with your kids! A great resource to understand your child's developmental stages (Use biblical discretion as these are not a Christian resource, but still very helpful!) Your 1-Year-Old Your 2-Year-Old Your 3-Year-Old ETC. Other resources mentioned: The Unhurried Homeschooler Unhurried Grace for a Mom’s Heart The Four-Hour School Day (P.S. Don't forget to check out my latest book, The Four Hour School Day: How You and Your Kids Can Thrive in the Homeschool Life on Amazon, durendawilson.com, or your favorite bookseller!)

If you've homeschooled for more than 5 seconds you know that every kid has their own learning style! It's what makes them unique! However, it can also become problematic if we are trying to teach them in a more conventional way. Dianne Craft is back today to share about right-brain teaching strategies that go around the disconnection to help give immediate success and show our kids that they really are smart! (But we already knew that, right?) Resources mentioned: The Unhurried Homeschooler Unhurried Grace for a Mom’s Heart The Four-Hour School Day diannecraft.org The Brain Integration Therapy Manual Right Brain Spelling Right Brain Math Strategies Right Brain Phonics Right Brain Sight Words Right Brain Writing (P.S. Don't forget to check out my latest book, The Four Hour School Day: How You and Your Kids Can Thrive in the Homeschool Life on Amazon, durendawilson.com, or your favorite bookseller!)

Many of us are homeschooling struggling learners. It can be easy to feel like we are not qualified, but I firmly believe that we are in fact the best facilitators of our kids' education. No one loves and cares for our kids like we do and no one is more invested in their future. I also think that we can often make things more difficult than we need to. I believe that God can give us simple, effective strategies and resources that allow us to relax and enjoy our kids as we home educate them, whether they are struggling learners or not. One of the things I love to do on the podcast is to connect moms with great resources, so I am excited about our guest today. (Resources below) The Unhurried Homeschooler Unhurried Grace for a Mom’s Heart The Four-Hour School Day Homeschooling Today Magazine Dianne Craft Resources: diannecraft.org Brain Integration Therapy Manual Dyslexia Identifying and Correcting Blocked Learning Gates Assessment Identifying and Correcting Blocked Learning Gates Checklist (P.S. Don't forget to check out my latest book, The Four Hour School Day: How You and Your Kids Can Thrive in the Homeschool Life on Amazon, durendawilson.com, or your favorite bookseller!)

Dr. Kathy and I talked about the importance of being in the word with our kids in the last episode and today we want to talk about a fun way that you can engage your kids in the word and help them learn to love it! The Unhurried Homeschooler Unhurried Grace for a Mom’s Heart The Four Hour School Day The Importance of Being in the Word with Your Kids www.PictureSmartBible.com Code is “Durenda” (Price will then be $99 for the Bible which includes one set of participant sheets. The normal price is $149.) Ways to connect with Dr. Kathy: CelebrateKids.com Celebrate Kids Podcast with Dr. Kathy (P.S. Don't forget to check out my latest book, The Four Hour School Day: How You and Your Kids Can Thrive in the Homeschool Life on Amazon, durendawilson.com, or your favorite bookseller!)

I've shared a communication tool called Drive Thru Talking in passing during several podcast episodes, but I thought I'd make it the main topic of today's episode! Listen in for a short, practical episode! The Unhurried Homeschooler Unhurried Grace for a Mom’s Heart The Four Hour School Day Homeschooling Today (P.S. Don't forget to check out my latest book, The Four Hour School Day: How You and Your Kids Can Thrive in the Homeschool Life on Amazon, durendawilson.com, or your favorite bookseller!)

Hold onto your hats! This is a good one! It’s no secret that there are many false teachers out there and the fallout from following them can be devastating to our families. Paul warns the Church repeatedly in the New Testament to stay away from false teachers. One good thing that Covid revealed was the number of teachers who are simply not adhering to biblical truths. Now that we are wiser about that, how do we avoid following false teachers? What are the types of false teachers and how can you recognize them? I invited one of the elders of our church to speak on this topic because I knew he would do this effectively and I was not disappointed! Wes has joined me for several other podcasts and it’s been a huge blessing to all of us! (These previous podcasts are listed below) If you can, please listen in with your husband and as many of your children as you can. This is a very timely and crucial message. Wes did forget to cover the last thing he said he would cover and that was a list of warning signs that could be present in your own church: Warning signs that could be present within your own church: -False teachers are often surrounded by young and or spiritually immature leaders because they’re less inclined to challenge a given decision, doctrinal position, or direction proposed by the pastor. -False teachers are themselves often young and spiritually immature leaders. -False teachers generally have a loose relationship with biblical exposition (The biblical text isn’t the star of the sermon, the pastor’s anecdotes, illustrations, and jokes are). -False teachers are reluctant to practice church discipline because they’re far less concerned with the holiness of God’s people than they are with amassing a sizable crowd. -False teachers often place a high emphasis on aesthetics, marketing, appearances, and production value because people having a positive experience at their church is more important to them than biblical faithfulness. The Unhurried Homeschooler Unhurried Grace for a Mom’s Heart The Four Hour School Day Homeschooling Today Previous podcasts with Wes: Applying Romans 13 to the Here and Now (A biblical response to churches shutting down during Covid) Homeschooling: The Importance of a Biblical Education A Call Home: The Biblical Importance of Family The Sovereignty of God and the Problem of Sin in Our World

What do we do when our homeschooled teens are ignoring our requests for timeliness? What is actually best for them and what does that look like? I've invited our 19 yr old daughter to tackle this topic! The Unhurried Homeschooler Unhurried Grace for a Mom’s Heart The Four Hour School Day Homeschooling Today (P.S. Don't forget to check out my latest book, The Four Hour School Day: How You and Your Kids Can Thrive in the Homeschool Life on Amazon, durendawilson.com, or your favorite bookseller!)

Today I want to talk about something that I refer to a lot in my podcasts: the sovereignty of God. This particular doctrine has been absolutely pivotal in helping me trust God both in the everyday and in times of crisis. It’s one that has been a safety net and indescribable comfort when nothing else could comfort me. Many Christians say that they believe in the sovereignty of God, but there are varying perspectives on what that actually means. A few questions that come to mind and will be answered in this podcast: Is God active or passive with regard to the world that He made? Is there any sense in which God wound up the world, set certain parameters, and then let it go? Or is He actively governing His creation and making determinations about what will and what will not happen? Click this link after listening to the intro THE SOVEREIGNTY OF GOD AND THE PROBLEM OF SIN IN THE WORLD The Unhurried Homeschooler Unhurried Grace for a Mom’s Heart The Four Hour School Day Simply Unhurried Community (P.S. Don't forget to check out my latest book, The Four Hour School Day: How You and Your Kids Can Thrive in the Homeschool Life on Amazon, durendawilson.com, or your favorite bookseller!)

I talk about simplifying and slowing down a lot, but I’ve realized that some might envision something different than what I mean when I talk about being unhurried. The unhurried approach started with our kids’ education but morphed into being a default that we fell back on frequently to help us stay intentional. It hasn’t been a goal as much as it has been a helpful tool. Listen in for some clarification on what I really mean when I encourage moms to be unhurried. The Unhurried Homeschooler Unhurried Grace for a Mom’s Heart The Four Hour School Day Homeschooling Today (P.S. Don't forget to check out my latest book, The Four Hour School Day: How You and Your Kids Can Thrive in the Homeschool Life on Amazon, durendawilson.com, or your favorite bookseller!)

We all have ideas about family: its importance, its place in this world, what it should look like, etc. But upon further examination, we may come to realize that our perspective isn’t actually biblical. Why do we have children? Why did God create families? What effect are families intended to have on the world and how do they advance the kingdom of God? Resources mentioned: The Simply Unhurried Community Related Podcasts: The Biblical Importance of Family The Importance of a Biblical Education Children a Blessing, Not a Burden Books: The Unhurried Homeschooler Unhurried Grace for a Mom’s Heart The Four Hour School Day You Who? by Rachel Janchovic Messages on how the family is to function, biblically: https://christchurchnc.org/sermons (May 30-July 11, all of these sermons are family-related) (P.S. Don't forget to check out my latest book, The Four Hour School Day: How You and Your Kids Can Thrive in the Homeschool Life on Amazon, durendawilson.com, or your favorite bookseller!)

We all know it's important to be in the word with our kids, but sometimes things get in the way, and/or we get distracted. Today my sweet friend, speaker, and author Dr. Kathy Koch is joining us today to talk about the importance of being in the word with our kids. You’ll love the simple encouragement and you’ll find inspiration to not give up!!! The Unhurried Homeschooler Unhurried Grace for a Mom’s Heart The Four Hour School Day The Simply Unhurried Community Ways to connect with Dr. Kathy: CelebrateKids.com Celebrate Kids Podcast with Dr. Kathy 8 Great Smarts: Discover and Nurture Your Child’s Intelligences by Kathy Koch 8 Great Smarts for Homeschoolers by Tina Hollenbeck www.PictureSmartBible.com Code is “Durenda” The price will then be $99 for the Bible which includes one set of participant sheets. (Normal price is $149.) (P.S. Don't forget to check out my latest book, The Four Hour School Day: How You and Your Kids Can Thrive in the Homeschool Life on Amazon, durendawilson.com, or your favorite bookseller!)

With so many distractions we can easily find ourselves oriented away from God and toward things that cannot satisfy. Jesus didn't mince words when He said that we cannot serve two masters because we will always eventually love the one and hate the other. Listen in today for some clear, concise encouragement toward remaining faithful to keep God ever before us, serving Him only. This is the only place we will find true peace and satisfaction. Matthew 6:24 Romans 6:16-18 James 4:4 James 1:5-8 Proverbs 3:5-8 Romans 12:1-2 (P.S. Don't forget to check out my latest book, The Four Hour School Day: How You and Your Kids Can Thrive in the Homeschool Life on Amazon, durendawilson.com, or your favorite bookseller!)

Many of us are thinking about the next school year and trying to get a jump on planning (unless you’re like me and wait until the last minute)! Today my friend Sara (a veteran homeschooling mom) and I are talking about “reverse planning” or “planning your homeschool with the end in mind” remember to be stubborn about our goals, but flexible about our methods! The Unhurried Homeschooler The Four Hour School Day Homeschooling Today (P.S. Don't forget to check out my latest book, The Four Hour School Day: How You and Your Kids Can Thrive in the Homeschool Life on Amazon, durendawilson.com, or your favorite bookseller!)

One of the most helpful things we did along the way was to increase our knowledge and awareness of our kids’ personalities so we could better approach both parenting and homeschooling. Simply having a bit of a picture of how our kids are wired by God and taking the time to make some tweaks in how we communicate with them can help us avoid a host of unnecessary power struggles. Today my friend Sara(another veteran homeschool mom) and I discuss this topic and provide simple resources. The Unhurried Homeschooler Unhurried Grace for a Mom’s Heart The Four Hour School Day The Simply Unhurried Community Hidden Keys To Loving Relationships(old, but free on YouTube) Relational Parenting Personality Plus for Families Love Languages for Kids Gary Smalley Online Personality Test Sara’s Summarized Word Doc Drive-Through Talking (P.S. Don't forget to check out my latest book, The Four Hour School Day: How You and Your Kids Can Thrive in the Homeschool Life on Amazon, durendawilson.com, or your favorite bookseller!)

It’s that time of year when the homeschool finish line is in sight! This can bring a multitude of emotions including panic because it may look as though we can’t finish all we set out to do. Today my friend Sara (a veteran homeschooling mom) and I are going to talk about simple ways to finish the school year well! The Unhurried Homeschooler Unhurried Grace for a Mom’s Heart The Four Hour School Day Homeschooling Today (P.S. Don't forget to check out my latest book, The Four Hour School Day: How You and Your Kids Can Thrive in the Homeschool Life on Amazon, durendawilson.com, or your favorite bookseller!)

(Don’t miss the “postscript” after the prayer at the end!) This is another episode of Simple, Unhurried Word of God. These episodes were created to give you some time to close your eyes and meditate on God’s word. I encourage you to invite your children into this practice as we disciple them in the ways of the Lord. I try to keep things very simple and unhurried throughout these podcasts so that even young children can understand much of what is shared. In fact, I will be directing this podcast toward the children, but I think it’s important for you to listen in as well because there’s some great wisdom from God’s word that can be so helpful in nurturing sibling relationships between your kids. The Unhurried Homeschooler Unhurried Grace for a Mom’s Heart The Four Hour School Day The Simply Unhurried Community Scriptures shared: 1 Thes. 5:12-17 Ephesians 4:25-32 John 15:12 Matthew 7:12 Romans 12:10 Romans 15:1-2 1 Peter 3:8-12 Philippians 2:4 Romans 12:18 1 Corinthians 13:4-8a, 13 (P.S. Don't forget to check out my latest book, The Four Hour School Day: How You and Your Kids Can Thrive in the Homeschool Life on Amazon, durendawilson.com, or your favorite bookseller!)

As I’ve encouraged you all to simplify and slow down in your family life and homeschooling, many of you have asked what our family’s routine actually looked like. I have shared this routine off and on in other episodes, but never made it the main topic, so I thought I would do that today. This routine is also listed on page 54 of The Unhurried Homeschooler, but I'm sharing a couple of extra things today that are not listed in that Sample Schedule. We used this basic routine throughout our years as a family. Of course, the high schoolers typically had to do an hour or two more of school work after lunch, but they could do it during the "quiet time" that was a normal part of our after-lunch routine. Resources mentioned: The Unhurried Homeschooler Unhurried Grace for a Mom’s Heart The Four Hour School Day Homeschooling Today The Simply Unhurried Community Managers of Their Homes (P.S. Don't forget to check out my latest book, The Four Hour School Day: How You and Your Kids Can Thrive in the Homeschool Life on Amazon, durendawilson.com, or your favorite bookseller!)

This is another episode in my series that focuses on meditating on God's word! You are invited to take a pause, close your eyes and listen as I read scripture slowly. I would encourage you to use this with your children as well! Today's focus is God, the Good Shepherd. There are many scripture passages that talk about God being our shepherd and we being the sheep of his flock and there is much to learn from this example. So listen in as I explain the beauty of this metaphor and then read several passages that will bring life and comfort to your soul! Resources mentioned: The Unhurried Homeschooler Unhurried Grace for a Mom’s Heart The Four Hour School Day The Simply Unhurried Community Scriptures in the podcast (you can use some of these for copy or memorization work as well!) Psalm 1:2,3 Psalm 23 John 10:1-18 1 Peter 2:25 Psalm 100:3 Micah 5;4 John 10:27 Isaiah 40:11 Ezekiel 34:11-16 John 21:15-17 P.S. Don't forget to check out my latest book, The Four Hour School Day: How You and Your Kids Can Thrive in the Homeschool Life on Amazon, durendawilson.com, or your favorite bookseller!

After last week’s podcast on writing, I of course thought of a couple more simple ideas I wanted to share along with some resources! Resources mentioned in the podcast: The Simply Unhurried Community Homeschooling Today homeschooliowa.org Brave Writer Books: The Unhurried Homeschooler Unhurried Grace for a Mom’s Heart The Four Hour School Day Previous related podcast: Overcoming Writing Struggles Podcast P.S. Please check out my latest book, The Four Hour School Day: How You and Your Kids Can Thrive in the Homeschool Life on Amazon, durendawilson.com, or your favorite bookseller!

Time is a gift from God and how we spend our time matters. It matters to God and since it matters to Him, it should matter to us. There are countless podcasts, books, and media on how to manage our time, but does God have any direction for us in this area? Today I'm digging into some passages of scripture that have brought so much clarity and peace to my heart. My prayer is that you are encouraged as well! Resources mentioned in this episode: The Unhurried Homeschooler Unhurried Grace for a Mom's Heart The Four Hour School Day Scriptures mentioned in this episode: Matthew 6:24 Job 36:18 Psalm 39:4-7 Psalm 62:10 Proverbs 3:9, 10:2, 13:11, 21:20, 29:3 Ecc. 4:4, 5:3, 5:7 Eph. 2:10 1 Timothy 6:6, 6:9,10, 6:11,12 James 5:3 P.S. Please check out my latest book, The Four Hour School Day: How You and Your Kids Can Thrive in the Homeschool Life on Amazon, durendawilson.com, or your favorite bookseller!

Most homeschooling parents find writing to be one of the more challenging subjects to teach their children. In our over 26 years of homeschooling, our go-to approach for writing was very simple and straightforward. I always encourage moms to listen to their God-given instincts, but I’m also hoping our story will encourage and inspire you somehow! Resources mentioned in this episode: The Unhurried Homeschooler Homeschooling Today Learning Language Arts Through Literature P.S. Please check out my latest book, The Four Hour School Day: How You and Your Kids Can Thrive in the Homeschool Life on Amazon, durendawilson.com, or your favorite bookseller!

Today I’m talking about “soul weariness”. It’s a term I recently heard being used to describe something I couldn’t describe before, but have felt to the very core of my being. Maybe you can relate. We all have things that can cause “soul weariness”…circumstances, relationships, etc, but today I want to talk about a remedy for this. It’s not a quick fix, but it is powerful. Be sure to listen to this song at the end of this episode! https://youtu.be/P1qgyLTH6Xg Resources mentioned in this episode: The Unhurried Homeschooler The Four Hour School Day The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry ( I'm listing book this because I said I would. Although the author's work on hurry can be helpful, I would not recommend this author as a solid biblical teacher who rightly handles the word of God) Simply Unhurried(Community) with Durenda Wilson A way of homeschooling. A way of life. A sneak peek into more about what this community will have to offer. https://youtu.be/UEbHr2iH-cs (Projected launch date: May 1)

Newer isn’t always better. I’ve come to appreciate a more traditional approach to worship for many reasons, but I also love using some of the more traditional methods to disciple my kids that lend themselves to the simple, unhurried lifestyle. Resources mentioned in this episode: The Unhurried Homeschooler The Four Hour School Day Huggy Hymns Catechism for Young Children http://sovgraceto.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/Catechism-for-Young-Children.pdf Children’s Scripture Catechism https://shearerpca.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/Childrens-Scripture-Catechism.pdf A short history of the catechisms and the New City catechism app https://servantsofgrace.org/short-history-catechisms-review-new-city-catechism/ Then Sings My Soul by Robert Morgan One of our elders shares our reasoning behind the way we choose to worship at our little church in the barn: “One of the reasons that we do music the way that we do at Christ Church (stripped down and understated) is because we want to ditch the spectator mentality that encourages everyone to listen to what is coming through the speakers without contributing to it. We want our voices and the voices of our children to fill the barn as an outpouring of praise that our God both richly deserves and requires. We can’t do that if we don’t know the songs! So one of our members created a playlist on Spotify that includes the songs we usually sing. Put it on in the car, play it while you’re fixing dinner, let your kids dance to it, and make up moves to match the words (mine do this constantly!)- get those melody lines and lyrics in the heads and hearts of your family so that when we come together on Sundays WE are singing to Lord, not listening to someone else do it.” Our church playlist (including many traditional hymns): https://open.spotify.com/playlist/0XPJcXLF0yndvISYL8FhP6?si=2gOIWFCuRP6O2WRh5w3DBA Related podcast episodes The Importance of Discipleship https://www.durendawilson.com/podcast/episode/d4c4c2ed/the-importance-of-discipleship-with-karen-debeus-podcast-80 Bible and Apologetics: Where Do We Start? https://www.durendawilson.com/podcast/episode/be116b53/bible-and-apologetics-where-do-we-start-podcast-226 (Please check out my latest book, The Four Hour School Day: How You and Your Kids Can Thrive in the Homeschool Life on Amazon, durendawilson.com, or your favorite bookseller!)

When in the thick of homeschooling and raising kids, it can be easy to forget to keep investing well into our marriages, but one of the best gifts we can give our kids is a strong, healthy marriage! Today I'm sharing 6 simple ways to sweeten your marriage. It's not rocket science and you are probably doing some or all of these already, even after 32 years of marriage, I know I need reminders! I hope you enjoy this simple, short podcast and that you find some inspiration and encouragement to keep investing! Homeschooling Today Magazine The Four Hour School Day The Unhurried Homeschooler (Please check out my latest book, The Four Hour School Day: How You and Your Kids Can Thrive in the Homeschool Life on Amazon, durendawilson.com, or your favorite bookseller!)

Do you have a child who is saying that they don’t want to be homeschooled? Whether you are homeschooling or considering it and this is happening at your house, find encouragement and some practical suggestions in today’s episode! Homeschool Iowa (Connect with me at this conference in June!) Homeschooling Today Magazine The Four Hour School Day The Unhurried Homeschooler (Please check out my latest book, The Four Hour School Day: How You and Your Kids Can Thrive in the Homeschool Life on Amazon, durendawilson.com, or your favorite bookseller!)

College is NOT the only path to success. In fact, I believe it's becoming more and more irrelevant. The job market is and will be very fluid and constantly changing at unprecedented rates so our kids will need to be able to change with it. That means that as homeschooling parents, we are going to have to think outside the box when it comes to preparing our kids for their future. Fortunately, many fantastic higher education options are becoming available and today I am chatting again (part 2) with Angie Murrell from Apprentice University to find out more about how their program works! She will be answering questions like: What do your classes look like? What is the normal workload for an apprentice University class? What's the average age of an apprentice University student? Can high school students attend Apprentice University? Do you have any residential options? Do you offer any off-campus classes or distance learning? Is Apprentice University accredited? How are digital badges earned and certified? When can I apply to Apprentice University? How does this application process work? What if I'm not ready to commit to Apprentice University? Can I host any events with Apprentice University? Where can I learn more? Key Dates for Apprentice University Friday, April 29 – Student Preview Day on campus Friday, May 6 -- Student Preview Day on campus All registration links can be found on our website: Apprenticeu.com We are also happy to meet with people at any time and arrange for homeschool groups to host us virtually at their convenience. Ways to connect with Angie: Email: [email protected] Site: apprenticeu.com Homeschooling Today (Please check out my latest book, The Four Hour School Day: How You and Your Kids Can Thrive in the Homeschool Life on Amazon, durendawilson.com, or your favorite bookseller!)

College is NOT the only path to success. In fact, I believe it's becoming more and more irrelevant. The job market is and will be very fluid and constantly changing at unprecedented rates so our kids will need to be able to change with it. That means that as homeschooling parents, we are going to have to think outside the box when it comes to preparing our kids for their future. Fortunately, many fantastic higher education options are becoming available and today I am chatting with Angie Murrell from Apprentice University to find out more about how their program works! She will be answering questions like: Is Apprentice University a trade school? What types of careers can I pursue with my Apprentice University education? How long does it take to graduate from The Apprentice University program? How much does it cost to attend Apprentice University? What's the difference between an apprenticeship and an internship? How many apprenticeships do students have? What kind of apprenticeships have students held? Are apprenticeships paid? Key Dates for Apprentice University Friday, April 29 – Student Preview Day on campus Friday, May 6 -- Student Preview Day on campus All registration links can be found on our website: Apprenticeu.com We are also happy to meet with people at any time and arrange for homeschool groups to host us virtually at their convenience. Ways to connect with Angie: Email: [email protected] Site: apprenticeu.com Homeschooling Today (Please check out my latest book, The Four Hour School Day: How You and Your Kids Can Thrive in the Homeschool Life on Amazon, durendawilson.com, or your favorite bookseller!)

My friend Marianne Sunderland is joining me again today (part 2) to talk about the freedom you have to give your kids with dyslexia and other language-based learning differences a meaningful education! Marianne is a 25-year veteran mom of 8 kids, 7 of whom have dyslexia. She is an incredible resource and a kindred spirit in her simple, unhurried and relational approach. Today we will address questions like: How important is an early diagnosis? Can a mom really do an adequate job teaching her dyslexic child? (You'll love the answer to this!) Is there a simple, unhurried way to homeschool kids with dyslexia? Resources mentioned in this episode: homeschoolingtoday.com The Unhurried Homeschooler The Four Hour School Day Ways to connect with Marianne and her resources: https://homeschoolingwithdyslexia.com/start-here/ My Beyond the Box Learning mentoring group: https://homeschoolingwithdyslexia.com/beyond-the-box-learning/ My books: No More School: Meeting the Educational Needs of Kids With Dyslexia and Language-Based Learning Difficulties https://amzn.to/3qx1oNC Dyslexia 101: Truths, Myths, and What Really Works https://amzn.to/36v9gZ8 What is Dyslexia? A Parent's Guide to Teaching Kids About Dyslexia https://amzn.to/36v9gZ8 (Please check out my latest book, The Four Hour School Day: How You and Your Kids Can Thrive in the Homeschool Life on Amazon, durendawilson.com, or your favorite bookseller!)

My friend Marianne Sunderland is joining me today to talk about the freedom you have to give your kids with dyslexia and other language-based learning differences a meaningful education! Marianne is a 25-year veteran mom of 8 kids, 7 of whom have dyslexia. She is an incredible resource and a kindred spirit in her simple, unhurried and relational approach. Today we will hear Marianne's story and answer questions like: When should a mom be concerned that her child might have dyslexia? What are some of the signs that a child may struggle with dyslexia? Resources mentioned in this episode: homeschoolingtoday.com The Unhurried Homeschooler The Four Hour School Day Ways to connect with Marianne and her resources: https://homeschoolingwithdyslexia.com/start-here/ My Beyond the Box Learning mentoring group: https://homeschoolingwithdyslexia.com/beyond-the-box-learning/ My books: No More School: Meeting the Educational Needs of Kids With Dyslexia and Language-Based Learning Difficulties https://amzn.to/3qx1oNC Dyslexia 101: Truths, Myths, and What Really Works https://amzn.to/36v9gZ8 What is Dyslexia? A Parent's Guide to Teaching Kids About Dyslexia https://amzn.to/36v9gZ8 (Please check out my latest book, The Four Hour School Day: How You and Your Kids Can Thrive in the Homeschool Life on Amazon, durendawilson.com, or your favorite bookseller!)

Perfectionism involves putting pressure on ourselves to meet impossibly high standards, thinking that what we do is never good enough. This is something I have dealt with my whole life and I know that other moms struggle with it as well. Many of us also have children who struggle with perfectionism, so I thought it would be a good time to tackle this topic! Listen in for biblical encouragement so you can be equipped to deal with perfectionism more effectively! Scriptures mentioned in the podcast: John 14:26 John 16:13a Genesis 3:1-6 Romans 3:23,24 Matthew 11:28-30 Colossians 3:23-24 2 Timothy 2:15 Colossians 3:17 Ecclesiastes 9:10 Titus 2:7 Colossians 3:23 Galatians 6:4 Proverbs 15:32 Proverbs 29:15 Proverbs 3:5-8 homeschoolingtoday.com (Please check out my latest book, The Four Hour School Day: How You and Your Kids Can Thrive in the Homeschool Life on Amazon, durendawilson.com, or your favorite bookseller!)

Reading is an important skill, but does every kid have to love reading? Does it matter what age a child learns to read? Today I'm sharing some of my own homeschooling experiences along with some facts about reading that you might find both helpful and interesting. Praying this episode will relieve unnecessary burdens you might be carrying when it comes to reading! (Join me for 2 upcoming episodes on dyslexia with my friend Marianne!) Resources mentioned: Better Late Than Early by Dr. Raymond Moore Learning all the Time by John Holt The Unhurried Homeschooler by Durenda Wilson Homeschooling Today (Please check out my latest book, The Four Hour School Day: How You and Your Kids Can Thrive in the Homeschool Life on Amazon, durendawilson.com, or your favorite bookseller!)

This is another episode in a series that I’ve been doing that you can use as a tool to help you and your family to meditate on God’s word. You can listen as soon as you get up, before bed, if you’re feeling anxious, during quiet time with the kids, or having a hard time sleeping, whatever works for your family! I include the verses here in the show notes for your reference and/or to use as copy work for your kids! (Don't forget to listen to the song. The link is at the bottom of the show notes!) Today we are going to be focusing on God’s lovingkindness. One of the ways lies that Satan often tries to convince us of is that God isn’t really good or loving or kind, so it’s important to meditate on the truth about who God is and that truth is found in God’s word. The Hebrew word most often translated as “lovingkindness” is checed, which literally means “covenant loyalty.” Lovingkindness is most often used to describe the character of the Lord Checed or lovingkindness, as it relates to the character of God, is most often used to describe God’s heart toward those who are His own. Exodus 15:13 “You have led in your steadfast love the people whom you have redeemed; you have guided them by your strength to your holy abode. Jeremiah 31:3 I have loved you with an everlasting love; therefore I have continued my faithfulness to you. Psalm 6:4(uses the word steadfast which means: (firmly loyal and constant, unchanging, immovable) Turn, O Lord, deliver my life; save me for the sake of your steadfast love. Psalm 33:18 Behold, the eye of the Lord is on those who fear him, on those who hope in his steadfast love, Psalm 119:149 Hear my voice according to your steadfast love; O Lord, according to your justice give me life. 119:76 Let your steadfast love comfort me according to your promise to your servant. God’s lovingkindness brings us comfort and redemption from sin Numbers 14:19 Please pardon the iniquity of this people, according to the greatness of your steadfast love, just as you have forgiven this people, from Egypt until now.” Psalm 25:7 Remember not the sins of my youth or my transgressions; according to your steadfast love remember me, for the sake of your goodness, O Lord! Psalm 51:1 Have mercy on me, O God, according to your steadfast love; according to your abundant mercy blot out my transgressions. God’s lovingkindness assures us of His promises Deuteronomy 7:9 Know therefore that the Lord your God is God, the faithful God who keeps covenant and steadfast love with those who love him and keep his commandments, to a thousand generations, Nehemiah 1:5 And I said, “O Lord God of heaven, the great and awesome God who keeps covenant and steadfast love with those who love him and keep his commandments, 2 Samuel 7:15 (Covenant with David) I will be to him a father, and he shall be to me a son. When he commits iniquity, I will discipline him with the rod of men, with the stripes of the sons of men, but my steadfast love will not depart from him, Psalm 18:50 Great salvation he brings to his king, and shows steadfast love to his anointed, to David and his offspring forever. Numbers 14:18 ‘The Lord is slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love, forgiving iniquity and transgression, but he will by no means clear the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children, to the third and the fourth generation.’ God’s steadfast lovingkindness is abundant, everlasting Psalm 33:5; He loves righteousness and justice; the earth is full of the steadfast love of the Lord. Psalm 145:8 The Lord is gracious and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love Jeremiah 33:11 “‘Give thanks to the Lord of hosts, for the Lord is good, for his steadfast love endures forever!’ Psalm 57:10 For your steadfast love is great to the heavens, your faithfulness to the clouds. Psalm 69:16 Answer me, O Lord, for Your lovingkindness is good; According to the greatness of Your compassion, turn to me, Psalm 31:21 Blessed be the Lord, For He has made marvelous His lovingkindness to me in a besieged city. Psalm 117:2 For His lovingkindness is great toward us, And the truth of the Lord is everlasting. Praise the Lord! Psalm 63:3 Because Your lovingkindness is better than life, My lips will praise You. Lamentations 3:22,23 The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q7WER-J2844 (Please check out my latest book, The Four Hour School Day: How You and Your Kids Can Thrive in the Homeschool Life on Amazon, durendawilson.com, or your favorite bookseller!)

Is your child struggling with lying, but you aren’t sure how to address it from a heart-oriented, biblical perspective? Then we’re glad you’re joining us today as Ginger Hubbard talks about why children lie, what God’s Word says about lying, and encourages parents with practical ways to train children to speak the truth. We will be tackling questions like: Why is lying such a temptation for children (or for that matter adults)? In other words, what’s at the heart of lying. What are 3 methods parents should avoid when dealing with a lying child. Why should parents avoid them? How can parents help young children understand that lying is a sin and how it hinders their relationship with God and others? AND MORE! Ginger's books for kids: Chloe and the Closet of Secrets Ginger is the bestselling author of Don’t Make Me Count to Three, Wise Words for Moms, and I Can’t Believe You Just Said That. She speaks at women’s events, parenting conferences, and homeschool conventions across the country, and co-hosts the Parenting with Ginger Hubbard podcast. Ways to connect with Ginger: www.GingerHubbard.com Podcast: Parenting with Ginger Hubbard Podcast Books: Don’t Make Me Count to Three, Wise Words for Moms, and I Can’t Believe You Just Said That! Check out Homeschooling Today Magazine: homeschoolingtoday.com (Please check out my latest book, The Four Hour School Day: How You and Your Kids Can Thrive in the Homeschool Life on Amazon, durendawilson.com, or your favorite bookseller!)

In a world that is moving at warp speed, it’s easy to forget that kids are still kids. Their needs haven’t changed: they need time to explore and experiment with the real world around them, to absorb life through all their senses, to process their thoughts at their own pace. All of these are crucial in laying a firm foundation for higher learning, but this TAKES TIME. Listen in for some encouragement to take a simple, unhurried approach when it comes to our kids' education! (This short episode is only 11 minutes, please share with a friend!) (Please check out my latest book, The Four Hour School Day: How You and Your Kids Can Thrive in the Homeschool Life on Amazon, durendawilson.com, or your favorite bookseller!)

Is your child struggling with whining, but you aren’t sure how to address it? Then we’re glad you’re joining us today as Ginger Hubbard talks about how parents can address whining from a heart-oriented, biblical perspective and teach their children to be better communicators. We will be tackling questions like: How can parents help children understand the heart-issue behind whining and teach them to be better communicators? Can you identify some of those ineffective methods and talk about why they’re not beneficial? How would you address the issue differently with older children who whine? AND MORE! Ginger is the bestselling author of Don’t Make Me Count to Three, Wise Words for Moms, and I Can’t Believe You Just Said That. She speaks at women’s events, parenting conferences, and homeschool conventions across the country, and co-hosts the Parenting with Ginger Hubbard podcast. You can check out her parenting resources and find out when she’s speaking in or near your area at GingerHubbard.com. (Please check out my latest book, The Four Hour School Day: How You and Your Kids Can Thrive in the Homeschool Life on Amazon, durendawilson.com, or your favorite bookseller!)