A Visit with Marilyn Boyer

We would like to thank Marilyn Boyer for taking the time to share with us from her heart. We invite you join us as we get to know one of our 2009 Family Discipleship Conference speaker.

Can you please tell us when you first began to have a heart to share what you have learned with other parents? How did you first begin?

We began home schooling back in 1980 when our oldest child was in kindergarten. That first year he went through kindergarten and first grade a conviction began to grow that we should continue to home educate. The following year another family we knew wanted to begin also and we helped them get started. The next year two families wanted to know how to do it. From then on it doubled and mushroomed as new families called us wanting our help to get started. We shared with them what we knew, but pretty soon it grew so significantly that we forgot with whom we had shared and what info we had shared with them. The Lord led us to begin writing books so we could have more concise information to share with others. Soon we found ourselves being asked to speak at home schooling conventions all over the country. As our children grew and people saw that they had a heart for the Lord, family, and country, we were asked to share on parenting as well as home schooling.

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What has been the biggest blessing in your parenting?

By far, my greatest joy has been to observe the close relationships built in our family. Our kids are each other's best friends and remain so as some have grown into adults. They love each other, enjoy each other's company, and join to assist each in their different endeavors in life. We ALL get together for family night every Friday night and every birthday. Our kids enjoy being with each other and from that stability reach out to others to include them in events. Our kids have hearts of service and look for ways to meet the needs of others. They are not on earth to entertain themselves, but to be profitable servants of God.

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What has been the biggest struggle in your parenting?

Probably the biggest struggle was in raising the children who were very opposite in temperament than myself. I had to learn to view struggles as God's direction for my attention and learn to make projects out of problems rather than ignoring them or pretending they didn't exist.

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What is your favorite Bible verse/passage/book that strengthens and encourages you?

First of all, I would have to say the book of Proverbs has provided the specific guidelines of how to not only train my children but live my life. I read it every day. Since there are 31 days in most months, I read the Proverb corresponding to the day of the month. From this book, I continue to learn and have developed many practical materials to teach my children God's wisdom.
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As for a particular passage of Scripture, having been a pioneer in home schooling, having a large family, having a few children born at home ,etc. God has led me to be in positions that drew a lot of criticism from others. Early on God gave me the following passage of Scripture from which I have drawn much encouragement and vision through the years. I was helped by I Peter 4:14-19 when being insulted and needing to let God be in charge of our things, especially our family size. My natural response was to feel ashamed or embarrassed, but there are four godly responses in those verses that really ministered to me:
1-“do not be ashamed
2-praise God that you bear His name
3-commit yourself anew to your Creator
4-continue to do what you know is right.”

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Those responses are followed by a promise: “the Spirit of the glory of God will rest upon you and give you that extra grace which is the desire and power to do God’s will.” I have found that to be so true in my own life. If I will just do what’s right, even when everyone around me thinks I’m wrong, God blesses me abundantly!! So when people misunderstand you, if you respond correctly, God pours out an extra measure of His grace upon you!!
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What is your favorite workshop to teach and why?

Normally, I think Home Educating with Babies and Toddlers and Loving It is my favorite or Holding Their Hearts, both for the same reason. I am compelled to share the message that God has given us the awesome privilege of raising lives to serve Him and our time is short. I love to inspire parents to develop heart relationships with their children and to say no to things of lesser importance in this season of their life. I love speaking and then having people say, "You make me want to go home and hug my kids!"

This year, however, in addition, I have just written a new book, For You They Signed, Character Lessons from the Lives of the Signers of the Declaration of Independence. I love sharing with moms and dads and their children how these men were just regular people who understood duty and through them God changed the world.

What do you hope to impart to the families attending CHEO's Family Discipleship Seminar?

My goal is to inspire home schooled children to catch the vision that God has raised them up for such a time as this, to help our country return to it's God given roots. I believe God has chosen the home schooled kids of this generation to be a catalyst for the revival of our nation.
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More about the Boyer's ministry can be found at The Learning Parent.