I'M DREAMING OF...

"I am NEVER going to homeschool," I (Annice) said for months. "I don't have the patience or feel led to do so." God had other ideas. Our oldest daughter was in preschool last year and went to a private school that goes up to 8th grade. I thought to myself, "This is great! We will put all 4 of our children through this school and they will get a great Godly education." God was working on my heart. 

Took her for Kindergarten orientation at the school, she "passed" and I was handed registration papers. I decided to take them home and fill them out to be mailed in later that week. There they sat for a few weeks. I even got a few emails and phone calls from the school asking me if she was going to attend in the fall. God was making me think in a new direction. 

A few "God moments" happened during the year and I began to see into the near future and felt the Lord calling me to be a homeschool mom. Oh how I questioned Him about this "calling" He had for me. "I can't homeschool my kids", "I'm not smarter than a preschooler, are You nuts!", "I have 3 other children at home, what do I do with them?", "My parents will not approve of me doing this, not like it mattered, and I'll never hear the end of it from them." 

I decided that I would homeschool but do so in co-op form. I could do that, the tutor would teach them and I would just have to go over it with them during the week and add phonics and math, no biggie! Nope, God gave me a different plan.

During the Summer of 2012, God led me to John 15:1-8, which says:

“I am the true vine, and My Father is the vine-dresser.  
Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit, He takes away; 
and every branch that bears fruit, He prunes it so that it may bear more fruit.  

You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you. 
Abide in Me, and I in you.

As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself unless it abides in the vine, 
so neither can you unless you abide in Me. 

I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me and I in him,
he bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing. 

If anyone does not abide in Me, he is thrown away as a branch and dries up; 
and they gather them, and cast them into the fire and they are burned.  

If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, 
ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. 

My Father is glorified by this, that you bear much fruit, 
and so prove to be My disciples."

Then the name of my homeschool came into my mind. Vine & Branches Schoolhouse was established in 2012. Currently there are only two students attending, but that is not what God wants. God gave me a passion to make this Schoolhouse even bigger.

Currently, I am in the process of getting a domain name, web page and want to Trademark the name Vine and Branches Schoolhouse. The vision I was given by God is:

• Get a building to hold our Schoolhouse.
• Have the one room schoolhouse feel for some subjects and break out into levels for other subjects.
• Have nursery available for Moms with babies or children not in school.
• Write some curriculum ourselves.
• Get a church, company or person to come along side us and provide some financial support.
• Grow as big as He wants us to grow. He is the vine and we are the branches!
• Serve the community that we are located.
• Be a community of believers who choose to follow hard after the Lord and to bring up our children to choose to do the same. Teach them to be sacrificial servants, courageous leaders, responsible, respectful and lovers of the Lord.   

Wow! That is a lot for this mom of 4 to take in and process. My husband and I would also love to start our own church, but not quite yet. God knows that we aren't ready for that right now.

Isaiah 64:8 say, "But now, O LORD, You are our Father, We are the clay, and You our potter; And all of us are the work of Your hand." This verse is where I am right now...allowing the Lord to mold me and make me whatever He desires. I want to live for Him and abide in Him always.

Dear Heavenly Father,

Thank you for giving me the vision of Vine and Branches Schoolhouse and for walking along side me as I take steps to grow this vision in to a reality. I am so thankful for all you have been doing in my life lately and want to use this ministry to share that with other women.  To encourage other women and let them know that despite what you go through in life, You can turn it around and make all things new. In Your Son's precious name I pray, Amen.

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