Dear Friend,
The Christmas season is such a precious time of year with traditions and baking and homemade gifts! I loved our Advent readings and the giggles as plans were being made behind closed doors. Since the wise men each brought a gift to the Christ child, we followed the pattern and limited our gifts to the children at three apiece. One was always a stack of books in their area of interest. The second was something practical that was needed, like a piece of clothing. For the third we tried to provide something that their heart desired. I always found it interesting through the years that my children spent the rest of Christmas day curled up on the couch reading from their precious book stack. The gift of knowledge was the best one of all.
Merry Christmas!
Jeannette
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Feature Article: Called to Influence
 As a young parent, I felt a sense of urgency to train my children. I had come from a family of state leaders and community builders and it was important for me to pass that legacy on. My son, Austin, contends that I brought him home from the hospital after birth, settled into the rocking chair, and whispered in his ear, "Welcome to Boot Camp!"
I honestly don't think it was quite that intense, but I always had thoughts running through my subconscious about the responsibility to train these children that God had placed in my care for such a short time.
In those early years I never had plans to homeschool, but eventually God led us in that direction and it became even more apparent as I read and learned from some of the leaders in the movement that we were doing something very special, that perhaps we were called out to raise up a generation to positively impact our country. The years marched on and our freedoms slowly began to erode. I stepped up the training and then God revealed to me that my kids were headed to top-tier schools because He wanted Christians to once more have an impact on academia. Eventually our family realized that our life work was to help others that God had "called to influence."
Just in time for Christmas, our new e-book is now available on our website. Called to Influence: A New Approach to Life, Education and College Admissions tells the story of our journey from the perspective of both mother and son. It shares honestly about the early years of uncertainty right up through the amazing things God did as we followed in obedience (most of the time wondering where in the world we were headed). I think you will find it helpful as you contemplate raising children that will have an influence for good. It's a great gift for your favorite homeschool parent and we are offering it at a special introductory price. Get your copy today!
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About Jeannette
Jeannette Webb is the founder of Aiming Higher Consultants, a firm dedicated to helping Christian students gain admission to great colleges. She has a heart for assisting parents as they train their children for excellence. Jeannette works to empower families to make thoughtful choices for their younger children, to confidently navigate the difficult high school years, and then ace the college admissions process.
If you liked today's issue, you'll love her personalized consulting services that help you map out a holistic plan for your student.
While Jeannette is best known for her clear-sighted counseling, her clients feel that her biggest gift to their family was permission to be themselves.
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