Changed By Love

Changed By Love

Following the Lamb wherever he goes… Revelation 14:4

Welcome to This Journey of Love

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  • Welcome to my world!
    I hope you’ll stay.
    Since Father’s love changed me
    I have something to say.
  • The One who loves me,
    See, He also loves you
    The things He’s done for me
    He will do for you, too.
  • So come with me
    As I follow the Lamb
    Wherever He goes.
    My life’s in His hand.
  • I trust Him and follow Him
    No matter the cost.
    Without His great love for me
    I would be lost.
  • The words that you find here
    I hope will breathe life.
    In each day and moment
    You’ll find His delight.
  • For surely His love for you
    Is greater than you know.
    Come with me now
    To His presence we’ll go.
    P.M.D.

Changed By Love and Still Changing

York, Pennsylvania 2011

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Katy, Texas 2012

Mary Jo Peckham Park

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Katy, TX 2013 Mary Jo Peckham Park

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Katy, TX Honey Farm, 2014

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Katy, TX Honey Farm, 2015

Katy, TX – MKT Railroad Park Caboose and Depot, 2017

Katy, TX – Heritage Park, 2020

Hi, I’m Penney Douglas. I have been married to my precious husband for 36 years. We have been exceedingly and abundantly blessed with 10 children. They all belong to me and my husband. And to think that I was afraid I would never get married! I got a late start (married at 25 and first child at 27), but I guess late bloomers can blossom profusely once they get started.
I blog for several reasons. I like to keep a record of what we’re doing in our homeschooling and share ideas for other homeschoolers or moms who like to work and play with their kids. I try to encourage families to keep Christ first in their homes so they can be all that they were made to be. I want to help others to draw closer to God. I hope to glorify God and give Him praise for all that He does for us.
I am constantly learning, changing and growing. Sometimes I feel like a beginner even though I’ve been a Christian since I was 4 years old and I’ve been homeschooling for about 27 years. And I’ve been living for __ years (long enough!).
But the Lord has been faithful to keep me and my family on an upward climb drawing nearer to Him in spite of our weaknesses and mistakes.
He has led us on a crooked path across the United States and back and then some. (From Ohio to Kansas City to Arizona to Colorado, back to Kansas City to Illinois to Pennsylvania and now to Texas!) We are still looking for that place to call home. We hope to find it before the oldest chicks are ready to fly from the nest! But our desire is that they land somewhere near us even when that time comes.
We are believing God for miracles of provision. We have already seen many. We suffered the loss of our home 19 years ago. Now we live in a different state, and my husband is making more money than ever before. But the money is beside the point. What God did in each of our hearts, convincing us of His reality and His love for us, is worth more than all of the houses or money in the world. But now He has enabled us to help others in need, and we are grateful for the opportunity to bless others.
Our children are truly gifts from God. They learn from us and teach us so much. I would never have known even a fraction of how much God loves me if I had never had the opportunity to be a mother to my precious children. They are teaching me even more as they grow in wisdom and understanding and we share together what the Lord is teaching us.
Family was God’s idea. Marriage was His idea. God has good ideas. His ideas work.
He wants our families to be training grounds for children (and adults) to learn His ways and right ways of relating to God and to people. We learn how to die to ourselves when others are dependent on us, and when we have to learn to get along with the people around us in order to experience peace and harmony. The rough edges are rubbed off as we care enough to be honest with each other and humble ourselves to receive correction even from those younger than ourselves.
God created us because He wanted a family. That’s more than a trite saying. He created us in His image so that He could have sons and daughters that would look like Him, act like Him and love Him. He wanted to be a father.
He created you so He could love you. Receive His love for you. Let Him be your Daddy.

Why I Chose to Homeschool – 30 Years Ago

Why I Chose to Homeschool – 30 Years Ago

 

When my oldest son, Shawn, was just a year old, I had no idea the path God would gently lead me down.

I first heard about homeschooling while listening to Focus on the Family. Dr. James Dobson was interviewing Dr. Raymond Moore, and something about their conversation stirred my heart. It sounded intriguing – peaceful, even purposeful – but if I’m being honest, I didn’t think I could do it. I didn’t know a single person who homeschooled. It felt like something “other people” did… not me.

But God had a way of bringing what felt distant right into my everyday life.

Not long after, we began attending a new church, and to my surprise, it was filled with homeschooling families. Suddenly, what once felt unfamiliar became visible and real. These weren’t just ideas on a radio program – these were real families, living it out day by day.

Before becoming a mom, I had been a first-grade teacher. So as I listened to the ideas shared on that broadcast, something inside me quietly agreed. I had seen the classroom from the inside. I knew the challenges. I had watched children spend most of their day with other children, often picking up immature behaviors instead of being guided by maturity. I had seen how classrooms sometimes had to move at the pace of the lowest common denominator, leaving little room for children to truly soar.

And I understood the subtle shift that can happen – how children can begin to look more to their peers and teachers for direction than to their own parents.

So when I saw families who were choosing something different, something more intentional, I was drawn to it.

What truly captured my heart, though, was the beauty of the families themselves.

This church didn’t just have a few homeschoolers—they had a support group led by the pastor and his wife. There was community, encouragement, and shared purpose. I saw children who were respectful and joyful. I saw families who were close – truly enjoying one another.

And deep down, I knew… this is what I want.

I wanted to be with my children. I wanted to pour into them—not just in the margins of the day, but in the everyday moments that shape their hearts and lives. I loved teaching, and I didn’t want to give that up—but I also didn’t want to give up being present in my children’s lives.

Homeschooling felt like the best of both worlds.

As time went on, I began doing homeschool assessments for families in our group. That gave me a front-row seat to what homeschooling really looked like. I became familiar with different curricula, teaching styles, and approaches. And the more I saw, the more I loved it.

It wasn’t just about academics.

It was about relationships.
It was about character.
It was about a lifestyle that nurtured both learning and family.

And somewhere along the way, what once felt uncertain became completely settled in my heart:

Homeschooling wasn’t just something I could do…
It was something I wanted to do—wholeheartedly.

In fact, I knew it was the only way I wanted my children to be educated.

When You Feel Like You’re Falling Behind as a Mom (But You’re Not)

When You Feel Like You’re Falling Behind as a Mom (But You’re Not)


Have you ever ended the day feeling like you didn’t quite measure up?

Like somehow… other moms are doing this better than you?

More organized. More patient. More present. More something.

And meanwhile, you’re just trying to keep up.

If that’s you, I want you to know—you’re not alone. And you’re not failing.

Constant Comparison to Other Moms

Comparison has a quiet way of sneaking in.

Sometimes it looks like scrolling through social media and seeing beautifully organized homeschool rooms, peaceful morning baskets, and children who seem perfectly attentive.

Other times, it’s more subtle—watching another mom in your circle and thinking:

She’s so much better at this than I am.

You start to measure yourself:

  • Your homeschool vs. hers
  • Your home vs. hers
  • Your patience vs. hers
  • Your spiritual leadership vs. hers

And without even realizing it, you begin to feel like you’re falling short.

But here’s what we often forget:

You’re comparing your real, everyday life to someone else’s highlight reel—or even just a small glimpse of their story.

You don’t see their hard days.
Their doubts.
Their struggles.

Comparison doesn’t tell the truth—it distorts it.

Overwhelm from Daily Responsibilities

Motherhood is not just one job—it’s many.

You’re:

  • making meals
  • managing schedules
  • teaching (especially in homeschool life)
  • caring for emotional needs
  • cleaning, organizing, planning

And the list never really ends.

By the time the day is over, you’re exhausted… but somehow still feel like there’s more you should have done.

There’s little space left to:

  • sit quietly
  • think clearly
  • spend time being spiritually filled

And that constant pouring out without being poured into?

It leads to deep overwhelm.

Not just physical—but emotional and spiritual.

Guilt That You’re Not Doing “Enough” or Doing It “Right”

This is the quiet pressure so many moms carry.

You second-guess your choices:

  • Should I be using a different curriculum?
  • Am I spending enough time with each child?
  • Was I too impatient today?
  • Am I doing this the “right” way?

It feels like there’s always a better method, a better system, a better version of you that you just haven’t reached yet.

So you carry this low, constant guilt.

Like you’re always a step behind where you should be.

Always needing to be:

  • more organized
  • more intentional
  • more patient
  • more everything

But here’s the truth that often gets lost:

There is no perfect formula for motherhood.

Why These Feelings Run So Deep

These struggles—comparison, overwhelm, guilt—they don’t come from nowhere.

They’re often rooted in something deeper:

A belief that your worth is tied to your performance.

A belief that if you could just do more or be better, you would finally feel peace.

But that kind of peace never lasts.

Because it’s built on pressure… not truth.

What If You’re Not Falling Behind at All?

What if the problem isn’t that you’re failing…

What if it’s that you’re measuring yourself by the wrong standard?

God never asked you to:

  • be like every other mom
  • run your home like someone else
  • carry everything perfectly

He simply asked you to be faithful with what He’s given you.

Your children.
Your home.
Your season.

Not hers.

Yours.

God’s View of You Changes Everything

When you begin to see yourself the way God sees you, something shifts.

You’re not:

  • behind
  • failing
  • “not enough”

You are:

  • chosen for your children
  • equipped for your role
  • seen in every hidden moment

Even the ones no one else notices.

Even the ones that feel small.

You Don’t Have to Carry This Alone

If you’ve been stuck in comparison…
If you feel overwhelmed and stretched thin…
If guilt has been quietly weighing you down…

I created something just for you.

✨ “You Are Not ‘Just a Mom’: 5 Truths God Says About Your Role”

This gentle, Scripture-rooted mini devotional will help you:

  • release comparison
  • quiet the pressure to “do more”
  • reconnect with your identity in Christ
  • find peace in the role God has given you

It’s like a deep breath for your heart in the middle of a full life.

👉 Download your free devotional here

A Final Word for Today

You are not behind.

You are not failing.

And you are not alone in feeling this way.

You are a mom doing meaningful, eternal work—even on the messy, overwhelming, imperfect days.

And that?

That matters more than you know.

You Are Not “Just a Mom”: When Motherhood Feels Invisible, Heavy, and Small

 

You Are Not “Just a Mom”: When Motherhood Feels Invisible, Heavy, and Small

There are moments in motherhood that feel quiet… unseen… even forgotten.

Not the big milestone moments – the ones we take pictures of and share – but the ordinary, everyday pouring out of ourselves that no one seems to notice.

If you’ve ever wondered, “Does what I’m doing even matter?”- this is for you.

Feeling Invisible and Unappreciated

There was a season when I felt this deeply.

Gary was gone all day at work, and I was home with little ones – sweet, precious, but not exactly great conversationalists. Most days, I didn’t talk to another adult at all.

And no one was saying, “You’re doing a good job.”

Even when Gary came home, he couldn’t fully see what my day had been like or how I was feeling. Not because he didn’t care – but because it’s hard to understand something you’re not in the middle of.

So I carried that quiet weight:
Unseen. Unnoticed. Unappreciated.

I felt like I had almost disappeared from the outside world… like I had stepped out of society for a while.

Looking back, I realize something I didn’t understand then:
I needed connection. I needed a friend or two to do life with.

But more than that – I needed to remember that just because my work was unseen, it was not insignificant.

Believing the Lie That You Are “Just a Mom”

I used to say it without even thinking:

“I’m just a mom.”

Maybe you’ve said that too.

I think, for me, it came from comparison. I had been a teacher before. That role felt measurable, visible, and valued.

Motherhood? It felt… ordinary.

Unimpressive.

Like I should be doing something more – something that required a special skill or brought in an income or earned recognition.

But here’s the truth I didn’t see then:

The world measures worth one way.
God measures it another.

And motherhood? It is not small work.

It is shaping hearts.
It is building lives.
It is eternal.

Losing Your Identity in Motherhood

For a long time, I didn’t just feel like a mom… I was a mom.

That was my identity.

A homeschool mom, specifically.

And somewhere along the way, I even placed that role above being a wife. I had to come back to the foundation of it all – my marriage, my relationship with my husband.

But even deeper than that, I had to wrestle with this question:

Who am I, really?

Because when everything revolves around meeting everyone else’s needs, it’s easy to lose sight of yourself.

I would sometimes look at other women and feel… less than.

They seemed more polished.
More accomplished.
More put together.

And yet, deep in my heart?

I loved being a mom.

That was never the problem.

The problem was that I had forgotten where my true identity came from.

The Root of It All: A Misplaced Identity

When we feel invisible…
When we believe we’re “just a mom”…
When we lose ourselves in the daily giving…

It often traces back to one thing:

We’ve forgotten who God says we are.

We start defining ourselves by:

  • what we accomplish
  • what others notice
  • how we compare

Instead of anchoring ourselves in truth.

What God Says About Your Role (This Changes Everything)

What if your role as a mother wasn’t random?

What if it wasn’t lesser?

What if it was… chosen?

Chosen children.
Chosen mother.
Chosen assignment.

Not accidental. Not insignificant.

Intentional.

When you begin to see your motherhood through that lens, everything shifts:

  • The unseen moments matter
  • The ordinary becomes meaningful
  • The quiet sacrifices feel purposeful

You Were Never “Just” a Mom

There is no “just” about what you do.

You are:

  • nurturing hearts
  • shaping character
  • creating a home
  • pointing your children toward truth

That is sacred work.

Even on the days when no one thanks you.
Even on the days when it feels small.

If You’ve Been Feeling This Way… I Want to Help You

If you’re tired of feeling unseen…
If you’ve believed the lie that you’re “just a mom”…
If you’re longing to reconnect with who you are in Christ…

I created something just for you.

✨ “You Are Not ‘Just a Mom’: 5 Truths God Says About Your Role”

It’s a gentle, Scripture-rooted mini devotional designed to help you:

  • feel seen and known
  • reconnect with your identity in Christ
  • release comparison and pressure
  • remember that your work truly matters

This is the encouragement I wish I had in those early years.

👉 Download your free copy here

Final Encouragement

You may feel invisible right now…

But you are not unseen.

Not by God.

And not in the story He is writing through your life and your children.

What you are doing matters—more than you know.

Letting Go of the Public School Mindset (Again) – Safe Haven News December

Here we are in December! This year is going so fast!

❄️ Letting Go of the Public School Mindset (Again)

Dear Homeschool Mama,

It’s December—the season of glittering lights, cozy moments, and… unrealistic expectations. While the world slows down to sip cocoa and sing carols, many homeschool moms are wrestling with guilt:

  • “We didn’t finish the unit study.”
  • “We’re behind in math.”
  • “Other kids are taking tests and getting grades… are mine learning enough?”

If that’s you, take a deep breath with me. Let’s talk honestly about something many of us thought we had already dealt with:

🏫 The Public School Mindset… It Sneaks Back In

Even if you’ve been homeschooling for years, that old mindset can creep in. You know the one:

  • Every subject must be taught separately.
  • Learning must happen on a strict timeline.
  • Kids must stay “on grade level.”
  • A productive day looks like completed worksheets and tests.

Here’s the truth: we are not running mini public schools in our homes.
We’re nurturing souls, building relationships, and cultivating a love of learning that lasts a lifetime. That doesn’t always look like a classroom—and it shouldn’t.

“Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.”
—Romans 12:2 (NIV)

🕯️ December Is the Perfect Time to Release

December is a holy month—a time when everything in the world slows down… except our own expectations. This is the perfect time to:

  • Lay down pressure and pick up peace.
  • Replace rigid schedules with meaningful moments.
  • Let go of “shoulds” and embrace “enough”.

You don’t have to prove your homeschool is working with a perfect December.
You don’t have to turn your home into a Pinterest-worthy classroom.
You don’t have to meet anyone else’s expectations.

You get to create a lifestyle of learning that fits your family. That’s the gift of homeschooling.

🎁 A Homeschool Mama’s December Reset:

Here are 5 simple ways to renew your mindset this month:

  1. Take a “school break” and call it connection. Bake, decorate, read, rest—and count it all as learning.
  2. Write a homeschool mission statement—and read it when doubt creeps in.
  3. Celebrate what you’ve accomplished—not what’s undone. Make a list. You’ve done more than you think.
  4. Let your kids’ curiosity lead. One spark of interest is worth more than a month of forced lessons.
  5. Remind yourself daily: “I’m not behind—I’m on a different path.” Say it out loud if you have to.

Mama, your homeschool doesn’t need to look like anyone else’s.
Especially not a school system you chose to walk away from.
Let this December be the time you reclaim freedom—and rest in the knowledge that God is guiding your steps.

“The Lord will guide you always; he will satisfy your needs… You will be like a well-watered garden.”
—Isaiah 58:11 (NIV)

🌟Here are some wonderful ways to add sparkle and creativity to your homeschool during December!

🌟And for that ever elusive copywork that we’re always searching for, here’s a workbook that is chock-full of copywork for Christmas!

Help your students get in the Christmas spirit while they’re learning more about the holiday and practicing their writing skills! There are so many benefits of copywork, so take advantage of the joy and excitement of Christmas to make learning more fun as they encounter what others have said about Christmas through the years.

In this Copywork Workbook they will find quotes that are heartwarming, funny, poignant, and inspiring. They will find stories that reveal the true meaning of Christmas. They will read about the events that happened at the first Christmas. And as they copy these words, they will take the meaning into their own hearts and find a new appreciation of what Christmas is really all about. They may get a whole new perspective of giving and the importance of family.

🌟12 Days of Christmas Books ~ Christmas Picture Book Activities for All Ages

Go on a Christmas adventure with us based on 12 classic Christmas picture books!

During this online unit, we will go on rabbit trails of discovery about everything Christmas. We will find ways to learn by experiencing parts of the book through arts and crafts.

The Picture It: A Christmas Picture Book Study course is 12 days of picture book study and includes:

  • Literature
  • Language Arts
  • Science
  • Nature Study
  • Art
  • Music, and
  • Christmas fun!

With over 12 days of lessons, this is the perfect curriculum for those crazy days between the holidays of Thanksgiving and Christmas.

And, the best part? It’s for all ages! So, give all your students a fun curriculum for the holidays!

https://www.hidethechocolate.com/christmas-picture-book-activities-for-all-ages/?affcode=168584_0kacbufo

I also have a coupon code for 20% off that you can use on any product from Literary Adventures for Kids. For anything you order, use the coupon code SAFEHAVEN.

Freebie Corner

🐑👼🏼✨ Here’s a freebie that I created to help you keep Christ at the center of Christmas without adding anything to your already full plate. The Simple and Sacred Christmas Countdown: Keep Jesus First in Five Minutes a Day.

Christmas doesn’t have to feel rushed, overwhelming, or packed with pressure. This 12-day countdown gives your family simple, meaningful moments that gently point your hearts back to Christ—without crafts, chaos, or complicated prep.

This kid-friendly countdown helps your family keep Jesus at the center of Christmas with one short scripture, one simple action, and one gentle conversation prompt each day. Even babies and toddlers can join in with easy, age-appropriate engagement ideas. Create a calm, Christ-focused holiday—right from your living room, in just 5 minutes a day.

This freebie is included in a bundle. 

Ready for a calmer, Christ-centered Christmas? 🎨💛
I’m partnering in the Creative Christ-Centered Christmas Celebration, a 5-day event full of Scripture-based creative projects + devotionals… all happening inside a friendly community!

You can get my Christmas Copywork Workbook and tons of other Christmas freebies in this bundle.

Inside, you’ll find things like:
✨ Short video devotionals
✨ Bible journaling lessons
✨ Scripture art + printables
✨ Peace-filled Advent practices
✨ Procreate tutorials and tools
✨ Creative faith projects
…and so much more!

I’ll send you full details soon, but here’s what you need to know now:
👉 You’ll get FREE access through a 7-day trial
👉 That trial is best activated on Nov. 29 or 30
👉 The Celebration runs Dec. 1–5 only

Join the group HERE for free to get access to the bundle.

More Freebies

✨🎁🥰 If your homeschool days feel like fights instead of fun, get this free checklist of ways to make learning more fun for the whole family.

🎄🎁🌟 This is a great idea for Christmas presents with educational value. Board games that are educational and FUN!

And here’s a list of Science gifts for 5-year-olds

Here are some Christmas Sensory Bin ideas

This is a list of freebies from  Literary Adventures for Kids

Read this post to find out about a  Christmas Book Advent Countdown on the cheap

Raising Young Entrepreneurs in Your Homeschool by Safe Haven Homeschooling

It’s fun to have Christmas traditions in your family. This is one of ours:
Chef Mickey’s Breakfast Pizza

My family has made this for many of our Christmas breakfasts. We all really like it!

I hope your family likes it too.

🥞 Chef Mickey’s Breakfast Pizza (Disney Parks Copycat)

Servings: About 6–8 slices
Prep time: ~5 min • Cook time: 10–12 min

Ingredients

  • 1 12″ precooked pizza crust (e.g. Boboli)
  • ½ cup mozzarella, coarsely shredded
  • ½ cup provolone, coarsely shredded
  • 1 cup cheddar, coarsely shredded
  • 2 large eggs
  • ¼ cup heavy cream (or half‑and‑half)
  • Salt & pepper, to taste
  • Optional: ~½ cup chopped, cooked bacon (or swap with sausage/ham)

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 375 °F (190 °C)
  2. Place pizza crust on a baking sheet or pizza pan.
  3. Combine cheeses: In a medium bowl, mix mozzarella, provolone, and cheddar.
  4. Mix eggs & cream: In another bowl, whisk eggs with cream (or half‑and‑half), plus salt and pepper.
  5. (Optional) Stir in cooked bacon bits.
  6. Assemble: Quickly combine egg mixture with cheese so it doesn’t clump, then pour/spread evenly over crust
  7. Bake 10–12 minutes, until set, bubbly, and golden brown on top
  8. Slice and enjoy while hot!

🔧 Tips & Variations

  • For extra eggy texture, scramble the eggs first, chill briefly, then stir into cream before combining with cheese
  • Try a multigrain crust or go gluten‑free/keto with cauliflower crust
  • Customize the toppings—add sausage, ham, peppers, or mushrooms for extra flavor

Boost Immunity with Elderberry & Vitamin D

Winter months often bring more time indoors and less sun exposure, which can lower your vitamin D levels—weakening your immune system. To naturally support your health:

  • Take a daily vitamin D3 supplement (especially if you’re in a northern climate).
  • Use elderberry syrup or gummies to help fight off colds and flu—elderberries are rich in antioxidants and have antiviral properties.
  • Add garlic, ginger, and raw honey to your diet for extra immune support.

Also, make warm herbal teas with echinacea, cinnamon, or lemon balm for comfort and wellness all season long.

If there’s anything I can help you with, just reach out to me.

If you would like to homeschool your kids with more freedom and less public school thinking, I would be glad to talk with you about it.

To book a 15 minute call with me just go to:
https://calendly.com/safehavenhomeschool

 If you have a friend who would like to read this newsletter, please pass it on!

Please come back next month when we’ll be talking about why many homeschool families have lots of children.

With peace and purpose,
Penney Douglas
Safe Haven Homeschooling

https://www.safehavenhomeschool.com/safe-haven-homeschooling-2/ – Resources from Safe Haven Homeschooling

My books on Amazon

Curriculum I’ve created with a Charlotte Mason twist plus other conventional types of curriculum

E-course I created – The Basics of Learning and Homeschooling

Coaching Course I created – Also called The Basics of Learning and Homeschooling – I take you through the course and do a coaching call with you each month

My shop for homeschool merch, t-shirts, mugs, notebooks, phone covers, and much more!

linktr.ee/penneydouglas – All the places you can find me!

Changed By Love – My original Blog about Homeschooling, Family, Faith, and Alternative News

My YouTube Channel – Safe Haven Homeschooling Channel – Homeschool Encouragement for Newbies and Burnt-out veterans, Family projects, Relationship Building, and Interviews with Homeschool Experts

My Substack – Where I share posts with a rich blend of educational insight, spiritual encouragement, and practical wisdom to help families embrace homeschooling as a lifestyle—not just a school alternative.

Interview about Homeschooling with Ramona Trevino of Blossoms of My Life Radio

Interview about Refined By Fire – Our Family’s Journey with Ramona Trevino of Blossoms of My Life Radio
Copyright © 2025 Safe Haven Homeschooling, All rights reserved.

Homeschool Burnout Got You Down? – Safe Haven News November

It’s so good to see you here at Safe Haven again!

I hope your family is doing well. How is homeschooling going for you?

Are you feeling some signs of burnout setting in?

I have an encouraging message for you today.

🕯️ When the Days Get Darker: Fighting Burnout with Light and Truth

Dear Homeschool Mama,

As November rolls in and the days grow shorter, something happens in the hearts of many homeschool moms.

At first, we think we’re just tired. We tell ourselves, “I need to go to bed earlier,” or “I just need to get more organized.” But deep down, something heavier lingers. The early fall energy fades. The schoolbooks lose their shine. The to-do lists get longer while our joy feels smaller.

This, dear friend, is what we often call burnout—and you’re not alone if you’re feeling it.

“Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.”
—Matthew 11:28 (ESV)

🌒 The Signs of Burnout

Sometimes burnout creeps in quietly:

  • You dread starting the homeschool day.
  • You feel resentful of your responsibilities.
  • You question your ability to keep going.
  • You’re constantly exhausted—even when you’ve had sleep.
  • You feel like you’re failing, even though you’re doing your best.

But here’s the truth: burnout is not failure. It’s a signal. A holy whisper saying, “Slow down. Come back to Me. Let there be light again.”

🕯️ Light in the Darkness

When your homeschool days feel dark, remember: you were not meant to be the light. You were meant to walk in the light—guided by the One who never grows weary.

Here are a few ways to bring light back into your homeschool heart:

1. Start your day with the Word, not the worry.

Even five minutes in Scripture can reset your soul.

2. Simplify wherever you can.

What can you pause, drop, or adjust? This is your homeschool—you have permission to pivot.

3. Invite beauty back in.

Play worship music. Light a candle. Read poetry. Take a nature walk. These small things restore weary hearts.

4. Talk to someone who gets it.

Another homeschool mom, a mentor, or your spouse—don’t carry the heaviness alone.

5. Let grace lead.

God doesn’t measure your homeschool by output. He sees the love you pour in.

“The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.”
—John 1:5 (NIV)

💡 Light-Filled Encouragements for This Month:

  • Write down one thing that’s going well each day.
  • Choose one verse to meditate on this week.
  • Ask God, “Where do I need more light?”—and listen.
  • Remind yourself: burnout is not the end; it’s an invitation to rest and realign.

You don’t have to do everything. You only need to walk with the One who carries everything.
Let this November be a time of returning to the Light—and watching the darkness lose its grip.

Here is a free printable of Scriptures for Weary Homeschool Moms.

Another thing you can do to bring back the light is to make homeschool FUN!!! And I have some exciting ways you can do that right HERE as you’re homeschooling through November and celebrating Thanksgiving.

This Thanksgiving season, you might want to get this Gratitude Journal for your older students. This is a Gratitude and Listening Prayer Journal.

Keeping a gratitude journal is a good way to reduce stress. Counting your blessings and writing them down increases positivity. Keeping a journal is a very personal activity and allows you to be present with your own achievements. Showing gratitude has been proven to reduce social comparisons, and by expressing what you are thankful for, you are less likely to be resentful towards others. This packet also includes pages for writing your thoughts while you are doing listening prayer. There is an explanation of how to do this if you are unfamiliar with it. This is a great way to get students writing for a purpose while producing good mental health effects for them.

Something you may not know about autism

I read an article about autism by the dad of a young autistic man named Jamie. Here’s an excerpt from the article:

What Jamie Taught Me

Through spelling on a letterboard, my profoundly autistic, non-speaking son revealed the truth that destroys the neurodiversity movement’s narrative.

Jamie is intellectually intact. He’s been aware of everything his entire life but trapped inside a body that won’t obey him. His hand-flapping, his repetitive behaviors, his inability to make eye contact—none of that is his choice. His motor system is damaged.

Jamie doesn’t want his autism celebrated. He describes it as torture—being locked in a prison he can’t escape. He wants to be treated, not accepted. He remembers developing normally as a toddler before autism took over. He knows he was injured.

The neurodiversity movement serves a specific purpose for the pharmaceutical industry: it reframes vaccine injury as genetic variation. If autism is natural human diversity that’s always existed, it can’t be an epidemic and can’t be caused by vaccines. But kids like Jamie who regressed after vaccination prove autism is acquired injury, not innate identity.

Jamie didn’t write about being “blessed” with autism. He wrote: “I want to be free of this prison.”  ~

You can read the rest of this article on Substack HERE.

The dad, J.B. Handley, also helped make a movie called Spellers: The Movie. This movie explains how nonverbal autistic people can communicate through letterboards and the shockingly profound things they say when they get the chance to make their voices heard. Make sure you have your tissues handy as you watch it!
Read his Substack article about how spelling-to-communicate changed his son’s life and the whole family’s life.

Freebie Corner!

🦃 A list of my Favorite Books about Gratitude (with age ranges)

🦃 Teaching Children to Be Thankful – All ages

🐿️ Discussion for parents and teens – Raising a Thankful Leader

🐿️ 30 Days of Fall Activities

🦃 Fall Scattergories Printable Game

🦃 Free when you subscribe to her site – Fall Handprint and Thumbprint Art printable pack

🐿️ Free when you subscribe – Puritans and First Thanksgiving Mini-unit and lapbook

🐿️ This is not free but it’s only $2.95 – “I Remember” Thanksgiving cards – Use these to get Thanksgiving memories flowing!

Here’s something that will cheer everyone up!

Turkey Cookies!All you need to make them is:

Fudge Stripe Cookies

Bon Bons

Chocolate chips

Candy Corn

How to put them together:

1. We melt the chocolate chips to use as glue. We glue the bon bons (the body of the turkey) to the Fudge Stripe cookies with the stripes going up and down so they look like feathers.

2. Then we glue the candy corn to the front of the bon bon to look like the head of the turkey.

3. Then we use toothpicks to dot eyes on the top of the candy corn with the melted chocolate chips.

4. Then we set them up together to make it look like we have a whole flock of turkeys!

Very easy to make and they taste delicious. No baking necessary!

If there’s anything I can help you with, just reach out to me. If you’re fighting burnout or depression, I’m here for you. I can pray with you and help you to overcome whatever is trying to steal your joy and energy.

To book a 15 minute call with me just go to:
https://calendly.com/safehavenhomeschool

 If you have a friend who would like to read this newsletter, please pass it on!

Please come back next month when we’ll be talking about Letting Go of the Public School Mindset (Again).

With light and love,
Penney Douglas
Safe Haven Homeschooling

My books on Amazon

Curriculum I’ve created with a Charlotte Mason twist plus other conventional types of curriculum

E-course I created – The Basics of Learning and Homeschooling

Coaching Course I created – Also called The Basics of Learning and Homeschooling – I take you through the course and do a coaching call with you each month

My shop for homeschool merch, t-shirts, mugs, notebooks, phone covers, and much more!

linktr.ee/penneydouglas – All the places you can find me!

Changed By Love – My original Blog about Homeschooling, Family, Faith, and Alternative News

My YouTube Channel – Safe Haven Homeschooling Channel – Homeschool Encouragement for Newbies and Burnt-out veterans, Family projects, Relationship Building, and Interviews with Homeschool Experts

My Substack – Where I share posts with a rich blend of educational insight, spiritual encouragement, and practical wisdom to help families embrace homeschooling as a lifestyle—not just a school alternative.

Interview about Homeschooling with Ramona Trevino of Blossoms of My Life Radio

Interview about my book Refined by Fire with Ramona Trevino of Blossoms of My Life Radio
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