Rediscovering Joyful Homemaking Through Faith, Rest, and Routine

Today I am sharing some practical guidance on achieving joyful homemaking!

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Hello friends! I am so passionate about encouraging women who are homemakers on their homemaking journeys, as I believe it is the most important and beautiful role God has called us to! Homemaking and motherhood can be a controversial topic, as there are so many cultural lies and worldly ideas about what being a homemaker entails. It’s no surprise that it is hard to find joy in homemaking with all the judgment mothers and homemakers experience. That is why I want to share some practical ways to create joyful homemaking in your home.

Let me start by saying this – I am in no way trying to belittle mothers who work outside of the home! In fact, my own two sisters and sister-in-law have all worked outside of the home at some point, and I even used to substitute teach on a regular basis. Please know I am in no way condemning anyone who works outside of the home, and I would never want to make a mother feel bad for doing what she feels God has called her to do or what she has to do to help her family financially.

I know in our current culture, I am extremely blessed to be able to stay at home full time, and that there are many women who wish they could stay at home as well, but financially can’t afford to do so. I also don’t want to make any homemakers without children feel isolated; your role as a homemaker is important whether you are a mom or not!

My goal in this blog is to simply encourage homemakers who are struggling to find joy in whatever season of life you find yourself in. Perhaps you have no children or perhaps your children have grown and left. Perhaps you work part time or full time outside of the home and just feel burnt out at the end of the day. I hope you can find some true joy in the following methods I have found to help me live the beautiful life on my own homemaking journey!

Joyful Homemaking: Fill Up, Pour Out

So joyful homemaking sounds great and all, but where do we start? How do we do it? When laundry is coming out of our ears and the kitchen is destroyed immediately after we’ve cleaned it, how can we really share Jesus?

By starting each and every day with Him. 

We need Jesus. We can’t do this without Him. And we have to be women who prioritize time spent with Him. We have to be disciplined in this area, because if we aren’t, we will be quickly overwhelmed, disappointed, frustrated, irritated and quickly tempted to travel down the path of “poor me.”

Keep the mission in mind. Live the beautiful life. Live in a way so that others don’t see you, they see Christ. And we can’t be like Christ without spending time with Him.

In John Mark Comer’s book, The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry, he argues that the greatest enemy of Christianity is not sin or evil. It’s hurry. Our kids wake us up, which isn’t a great start to the day. Or worse, they’ve been up hours before us and have dumped half the milk all over the kitchen floor and cereal is spread all over the living room. 

We start our day angry, frustrated, yelling at the kids. We try to sit down and read our bible, but the distractions keep coming. Someone needs to be wiped. Someone else starts crying. Your phone keeps buzzing from emails and texts. You start thinking about all the things you have to do that day. 

Can you see where this is going? 

It never ends well. Believe me, I know from experience. 

And if you’re an older mama with kids that are out of the house or in their teen years, there are still plenty of distractions. Emotional needs, teenage drama, the list goes on. We must carve out time every day to be in the Word and communication with Him.

We see over and over again in scripture that Jesus got up early, and went to a quiet place to spend time with His father. 

If Jesus did that, how much more should we?

Quiet Time and Prayer

So what does this look like for me? 

When my alarm goes off, some mornings I wake my husband up. Sometimes he gets up before me. He usually goes and gets our coffee (we always make it the night before). Then he brings it to me in bed. I have to sip my coffee when I pray, first of all because it keeps me awake. I also really like to read through a hand written list of prayers – thanks and praises, requests and desires. 

Reading them – or mouthing them very quietly – keeps me focused. I start by asking God to show me my heart. Reveal to me any sin, any pride. Areas where I messed up and need forgiveness. I try to praise Him and thank Him for Who He is, and all that He’s done for me. I have names written down – my husband, my boys, family members and church family that I like to pray for. 

If I don’t read through them, I tend to get distracted. I start to think about all that I have to do that day, I pull out my phone and start making lists. Oh Andrea.

Praying out loud helps me focus. 

And I always, always ask Him to fill me with His spirit. I can’t pour out in love and surrender if I’m not filled with Him. I will fail every single time. But I know His yoke is easy, and His burden is light. (Matthew 11:30) 

He wants to carry the load with me. He wants me to walk hand in hand with Him, and joyful homemaking is possible when I cast all my cares upon Him because he cares for me (1 Peter 5:7)! 

Bible Reading

Currently, I am trying to read through the Bible in a year.

Try to keep a journal – write down what you are going through, what God has done and is doing in your life. Write down a verse that God used to speak to you that day. Doing this forces me to slow down, pause, really think and dwell on what it is that God is saying rather than rushing through. 

Devotionals are great too. A favorite in the past – My Utmost for His Highest. 

When I prioritize Christ, it’s amazing how much different my day is. Sometimes I look back and wonder how in the world I was able to accomplish what I did. He walks with me and talks with me and His spirit leads me. 

Dwell on His word all day long. Put up Bible verses and memorize scripture and you will find that joyful homemaking begins with putting Jesus first. 

Getting Ready for the Day

I’m not trying to say every homemaker needs to put makeup on, wear a dress and vacuum in heals like the Donna Reed show. But there is something to be said for how it makes a woman feel. 

How seriously do we take the job of homemaking when we are still in our pajamas at 3 pm? 

I’m all for cozy, comfortable clothing. I just know that I feel so much better when I take the time to get out of my pjs, put on something different, even if it’s sweatpants and a hoodie (trying to be better about this), throw on a little makeup and brush through my hair. 

Like any other job, our outer appearance sort of reflects the attitude we have towards our homes. We wouldn’t expect an executive or administrator to be disheveled, wearing pjs to the office and looking like they haven’t showered in days. 

Why do homemakers and especially stay at home Moms have that reputation? 

I get it, I know it’s hard. But I have had so many women reach out and tell me how much better they feel about approaching their day when they are showered, clean, teeth brushed, hair styled. Try it, you might really like the feeling! Proverbs 31 women in verse 22 – “her clothing is fine linen and purple.” She took care of herself. 

If you are looking for some budget friendly clothing inspiration, you can check out my YouTube video where I share my thrifty springtime clothing haul. It is possible to dress comfortable and cute on a budget! Getting put together for your day will help you to feel better about yourself and tackling your responsibilities for the day, getting you one step closer to joyful homemaking.

Prioritize Your Health 

Proverbs 31:17 says that “she dresses herself with strength and makes her arms strong.” I have never been good at working out. I hate it. Despise it. But recently I decided to start walking, (I’m not super consistent with it) and I love it so much. It’ so good to have time alone, to breath deep, and get the heart rate up. 

Maybe working out is too difficult for you. At least be mindful of what you’re eating. Cut sugar as much as possible. It’s only going to make you crash and feel exhausted in the afternoons, and then you’ll crave more. Switch to natural sweeteners like raw honey and pure maple syrup. Try to eat whole foods. Cut as many processed foods as you can. Fill up on nutrients and especially protein. 

We cannot run on fumes. We have to prioritize our health. Taking care of yourself physically will result in feeling better mentally, so prioritize your health to achieve joyful homemaking.

Mindful Consumption

Be very mindful of what you are consuming as a homemaker. Social media – avoid it, get off of it, run away. Delete the apps. Do whatever you have to do to stay away. There are some good things, yes. But for the most part, it will only make you feel insecure, and comparison will rob us of joy. 

We have the horrible opportunity to know what kind of house our neighbors have, our friends, our loved ones. We start comparing and pretty soon we are consumed with more wants, addicts to Facebook marketplace.

If you constantly feel like you are not enough – try staying off of social media for a while. When you are tempted to reach for your phone, reach for a book instead. 

Afternoon Reset

Take time to do something that allows rest – whatever that looks like for you. Right now, my youngest naps for a few hours in the afternoon. I take this opportunity to have a quiet time in the house. My older boys either go play outside if the weather is nice, or do a quiet activity like reading. I enjoy making a cup of decaf or herbal tea, sitting and reading during this time until my tea is gone. 

Maybe that doesn’t work with your schedule, but try to find some time in the day for a quick, quiet reset. Have your kids turn off the TV and sit them down with a book or some crayons to color while you enjoy a little time to yourself. Hit the reset button.

Friends, I hope this post was an encouragement for you to implement some practical habits that will change your perspective as a Christian homemaker. Joyful homemaking begins with letting God’s word transform our daily lives through the help of the Holy Spirit. Don’t skip prayer and Bible reading in your morning routine. Don’t let the daily tasks, housework and to-do list distract you from starting your day with Him.

Get ready for the day and take care of your health. Don’t let social media and comparison distract you from the most important work of homemaking. Take a moment to rest and reset each day. The ordinary moments of family life, the routines, and sometimes even the chaos are all precious gifts from God. What a privilege, what a beautiful thing to do this holy work of homemaking.

If you are looking for more practical guidance and encouragement for your homemaking journey, I encourage you to sign up for my free mini homemaking course that covers joyful homemaking and so much more!

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