Discover the profound role of homemaking as a ministry for Christian women and how to embrace it!
There is a duty I am called to by the Lord and it is the greatest work I will ever do. It is to be a keeper of the home. He beautifully designed this role just for women to fulfill. Married, single, children or no children, we are all called to homemaking. When the world feels chaotic our home can be a refuge. Which is why no matter what is to come, I will never stop doing my ministry.
Fellow homemaker, I hope you find encouragement in this post.
“There needs to be a homemaker exercising some measure of skill, imagination, creativity, desire to fulfill needs and give pleasure to others in the family. How precious a thing is the human family. Is it not worth some sacrifice in time, energy, safety, discomfort, work? Does anything come forth without work?” ~Edith Schaeffer
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The Ministry Of Homemaking
The Greatest Work I Will Ever Do: Homemaking
Every morning I have the greatest privilege to choose to build my home up for the Lord.
So I will joyfully…
Love and serve my husband,
Nourish bellies with food from scratch,
Change every diaper,
Sing His praises and dance to fun music,
Scrub and tidy our home,
Speak truth and light into hearts,
Share delight in beauty outside while we walk,
Read aloud in silly voices,
Wipe every tear and comfort with snuggles,
Kiss her sweet forehead every moment,
…Because this is the greatest work.
Biblical Examples of The Ministry of Homemaking
God has a beautiful design for women. When it comes to our duty of being homemakers, there are two places I like to turn in the bible for encouragement. They both give a great illustration of homemaking.
1. Titus 2:3-5
The first example of homemaking is in Titus 2:3-5. This text is prescriptive, which means it is what we are called to be doing. This is very different than the Proverbs 31 women, that I will be mentioning in a minute, that is descriptive. Which means it is describing a women and an example. It is not saying we have to do all the things that she did.
In Titus 2:3-5 however, we are told what we are to do: Older women likewise are to be reverent in behaviour, not slanderers or slaves to much wine. They are to teach what is good, and so train the young women to love their husbands and children, to be self-controlled, pure, working at home, kind, and submissive to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be reviled.
What I love about this passage of scripture is it gives direction. It shows what we are to aspire to be right now and to hopefully one day mentor women who are younger than us, in the ways we walked this verse out.
Note:
There are seasons like during this time in 2021, where it may be hard to find someone to mentor you. So I would like to leave you with an encouraging advice: mentors do not need to be people you know personally. They can be found in books, podcasts, youtube, and more! Personally my best mentors are the ones I read from and listen to on podcasts. I’ll share below some of my favourite books that have mentored me.
2. Proverbs 31
The Proverbs 31 women is one of the most beautiful depiction in the bible of a woman fulfilling the duty of homemaking. She rises early, runs her home like a well oiled machine, loves her husband and her children, and honours God. Although we are not called to do everything this amazing women does, we can look at her and be encouraged. She is a women who is praised for her commitment to her duty.
An excellent wife who can find?
She is far more precious than jewels.
The heart of her husband trusts in her,
and he will have no lack of gain.
She does him good, and not harm,
all the days of her life.
She seeks wool and flax,
and works with willing hands.
She is like the ships of the merchant;
she brings her food from afar.
She rises while it is yet night
and provides food for her household
and portions for her maidens.
She considers a field and buys it;
with the fruit of her hands she plants a vineyard.
She dresses herself with strength
and makes her arms strong.
She perceives that her merchandise is profitable.
Her lamp does not go out at night.
She puts her hands to the distaff,
and her hands hold the spindle.
She opens her hand to the poor
and reaches out her hands to the needy.
She is not afraid of snow for her household,
for all her household are clothed in scarlet.
She makes bed coverings for herself;
her clothing is fine linen and purple.
Her husband is known in the gates
when he sits among the elders of the land.
She makes linen garments and sells them;
she delivers sashes to the merchant.
Strength and dignity are her clothing,
and she laughs at the time to come.
She opens her mouth with wisdom,
and the teaching of kindness is on her tongue.
She looks well to the ways of her household
and does not eat the bread of idleness.
Her children rise up and call her blessed;
her husband also, and he praises her:
“Many women have done excellently,
but you surpass them all.”
Charm is deceitful, and beauty is vain,
but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised.
Give her of the fruit of her hands,
and let her works praise her in the gates.~Proverbs 31:10-31
How To Make Homemaking Your Ministry
Make Your Home A Home That Honours God
Honour Him with Your Attitude
As Christians we are called to do all things with an attitude that honours the Lord and this even includes our homemaking. The Lord tells us in 1 Corinthians 10:31 “So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.”
It is so easy to get swept up in the mundane tasks of homemaking where we can begin to allow our minds to drift through the very tasks that make this work a blessing.
Honour Him With Your Hospitality
In a world that is getting more and more divisive and people are getting pitted against one another, as christian women we want to say to others: you are always welcome in my home. We may not agree on many beliefs, but we must always open our doors and serve others with love, a warm meal, and a cup of tea.
“For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. For the whole law is fulfilled in one word: “You shall love your neighbour as yourself.” But if you bite and devour one another, watch out that you are not consumed by one another.”
~Galatians 5:13-15
Honour Him With Your Celebrations
Women Are The Tradition Keepers. We know this innately as we weave the good, true, and beautiful into our days.
Generations ago when the modern world came knocking at our door we abandoned our traditions. We traded in our Church calendar for our cultures consumeristic calendar. Where we mark time with the next sale and secular holiday.
W. David O. Taylor says “If the church doesn’t tell us what time it is, the surrounding culture surely will, and we usually end up all the worse for it”
The more I have been immersed in the richness of the church the year the more empty our cultures calendar becomes.
My hope with this blog is to not only share the goodness of homemaking and the importance of beauty, but to also introduce you to the richness of liturgical homemaking.
3 Ways To Reclaiming Our Role As Tradition Keepers…
1)Learning church history and sharing it with their loved ones
2)Creating a family culture rooted in Christ
3)Embracing the liturgical year in their homes
Dear Homemaker Remember
“The wisest women builds her house, but folly with her own hands tears it down.” ~ Proverbs 14:1
“No Matter what’s happening in the world, have your tea, make your list, plan your food preparation, read to your children, wash the clothes, do something creative for everyone, and be a light for your home”~Lydia Sherman
Encouraging Books For the Homemaker
- The Hidden Art of Homemaking By Edith Shaeffer
- What Is A Family? By Edith Shaeffer
- The Lifegiving Home By Sally and Sarah Clarkson
- The Lifegiving Table By Sally Clarkson
- The Mission of Motherhood By Sally Clarkson
- Let Me Be A Women By Elisabeth Elliot
- The Memory Making Mom By Jessica Smartt
- 15 Prayers for Your Husband By Elizabeth George
- Beautiful in God’s Eyes By Elizabeth George
Steps To Start Viewing Homemaking As An Important Duty of Christian Women
Step 1: Turn To The Word To Viewing Your Homemaking As A Ministry
Turn to the word! Look up the verses in this post and begin to study them.
Step 2: Pray For The Ministry of Homemaking
Pray! Pray that God will help you see your homemaking as a ministry and ask your husband to pray for you.
Step 3: Read More About Homemaking
Above I have included many my favourite homemaking books! Whenever I feel discouraged I pick up one of these books for instant inspiration! I Have also linked below more of my blogs on homemaking!
Read these Posts For More Homemaking Encouragement:
Homemaker Quotes: 25 Quotes For the homemaker that needs encouraging
15 Homemaking Tasks That Take 15 minutes or less
Tips For Becoming a Homemaker | Homemaking 101
Vintage Homemaking Skills to Learn Today
Hospitality as a Christian Virtue: How to Make Your Home a Haven for Guests
2 Ways A Homemaker Sets The Tone In Her Home
Literary Homemaking no. 1 Stepping Heavenward
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What are your favourite ways to build up your home up?
