Workers at Home – Day One: Where do We Find the Answers?

by Deb Weakly

“Be assured, if you walk with Him and look to Him, and expect help from Him, He will never fail you.”- George Mueller

 

Before I launch into this wonderfully important topic, I want to encourage you from my heart and say that God does not expect performance from His daughters. He sees us, loves us, and accepts us for who we are. His Spirit living inside of us changes us from the inside out, and we begin to desire what God desires and are able to live to please Him in all of our ways.

When you  think about the work that you do at home, I would like to invite you to silence the voices of perfectionism, comparison, and condemnation. Take those thoughts captive to Jesus, and live in the place of grace knowing that you have the mind of Christ. (1 Corinthians 2:16) His desire is for you to listen to His voice each day (John 10:27) and be the woman, wife, and mother that He created you to be. Peace be with you!

1. Call your prayer partner for your 10-minute prayer call. Keep trying to connect until you get to pray together. This tiny habit of praying with a friend regularly will truly change your life! Done:______

2. It’s time to meet with your Jesus! He is the One who longs to hold you close and teach you all you need to know. Rejoice today, knowing that because of who you are in Christ, you can be confident that the good work God has begun in you will be perfected! (Philippians 1:6) He will never give up on you and will keep working in your life, making you like Jesus until the day you get to see Him face-to-face! Rejoice in this wonderful truth that you truly are “a work of God in progress!”

3. Read Ecclesiastes 3: 1-8. Read the whole chapter if you have time.  Write verse 1 in your journal.

 

Where do we Find the Answers?

Do you ever notice that there is a seeming lack of instruction in Scripture about the details of being a worker at home?  For instance, God doesn’t tell us how clean our houses should be, how long our children should nap, or when to start potty-training.

Even though the Bible may not answer the specific questions, I believe the Bible as a whole is where we are to go with every question, and especially Mom/Worker at Home questions. Spending time with God regularly helps us to learn to hear His voice and to make wise decisions in our homes.

God cares about every area of your life.You can be assured that He will even help you with potty training. Now, you might be asking, “How on earth is the Bible going to help me to potty train?”

I’m glad you asked!

Let’s say you decide to potty train your little one, but he simply isn’t getting it. You spend hours trying to get him to go into the little potty, but he is afraid and cries every time you even try to put him on it. You are so stressed out and frustrated, and feel that all of your time is being sucked away and it doesn’t seem to be worth it.

You decide to pray and ask God for help and for wisdom. A moment later you call your husband and tell him about your situation. He suggests waiting until your son is older. What do you do?

There are so many voices in your head right now as you’re trying to make this decision. There is a strong voice that tells you that you are a failure, and all of your friends have trained their boys by now, so just be strong! What will your friends think when you tell them that you have decided to wait?

But then you hear a quiet voice in your head saying to listen to your husband and to give it a rest for a while.

The next day, during your quiet time, you pray again for wisdom and read in Ecclesiastes 3:1, “There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens.” You also read “Love is patient, love is kind…” 1 Corinthians 13:4.

You sense that quiet voice again, it is still saying the same thing, “Listen to your husband and wait.” I can tell you with complete confidence that this is the voice of God giving you the answer to your request for wisdom.

It’s sad to say, but there is peer pressure even among moms. You may feel pressure to do what everyone else is doing, but God knows what’s best for your family. He knows how He wants you to spend your time right now. He may have other plans for your days during this season. This may be what’s best for your son, and for you.

The big idea here is that God wants you to come to Him for everything. He also wants you to seek your husband’s advice and to trust him. Also, when you tell your friends your decision to wait, if they are true friends, they will support you and trust that you walk with God and know what’s best for your family.

Lastly, I remember a godly older woman telling me that she never knew a child who went to school in diapers, and to let my children go at their own pace.

( On a side note, I actually remember having bed-wetting accidents at night until I was around 10 years old, but am proud to say I’m fully potty trained now! haha.)  :)

Trust God with every area of your life! He will never fail you!

4. Questions to ponder: Write the answers to these questions in your journal.

-Pray and ask God to show you if there are any areas of your life that you are listening to the world more than Him. Are you giving in to peer pressure? Are you comparing your children to other children who you know? Do you find yourself comparing yourself as a mom to anyone else, and coming up short?

-Write these areas in your journal and also write a prayer giving these struggles to Christ, asking Him for help to overcome. Ask Him for forgiveness and to help you to listen to the voice of God more than the voice of men.

5. Choose at least two Mom Tips from the list for this week. Don’t let this overwhelm you. If you can only do one, that’s great!

You do you! :)

Click here for a quick view of this week’s Mom Tips.

6. Workers at Home Faith-Filled Idea #1:

– God’s Word has always been very important to our family. So through the years,  we have had some type of writing board at our house such as  a cheap dry-erase board, a standing one (50 percent off at Hobby Lobby), and a framed chalkboard ( I asked for as a Christmas present from my family)  to write Bible verses on. I always kept the mounted one in my kitchen, and the standing one in my entryway where my family would see it most often. Each time I would write a new verse, I  gathered the children and talked to them about why the verse was important to me.

The children loved it when we would let them pick a verse and write it out too!

We also used the board as a welcome sign to make a house guest or friend feel special, as well as writing Happy Birthday or Anniversary wishes.

But the main thing we used it for was Scripture.

***Your Faith- Filled Idea #1  is to purchase or even make some type of board to use in your home to write scripture. If you would like a cheaper option, you can make one with chalkboard paint. I do not recommend the chalk liquid pens because the writing is hard to get off, so I simply use chalk. Whatever you do, keep it simple. My first board that we used for years was a super cheap dry-erase board that worked just fine. Don’t try to make it perfect, just get something that you can use now. Allow yourself two weeks to complete this assignment.  Done:______


 

Workers at Home – Day Two: Who are You Walking With?

by Leslie Leonard

“The next best thing to being wise oneself is to live in a circle of those who are.” ~ C.S Lewis

 

1.Take time and start your day with a special quiet time of prayer, Scripture reading, and listening for the Lord to speak to your heart. Ask the Lord to speak to you specifically about what it means to be a worker at home. Also, take the time to light a candle, and get something delicious to sip during your quiet time today. :)

2. Read Proverbs 13:20 and write this in your journal. If you have more time, read the whole chapter!

 

Who are You Walking With?

When I think about being a more effective worker at home, I am always drawn back to my time in the South with my southern friends. These were the “wise friends” God gave me during this time of my life. Being a military spouse, I have the opportunity to live in some great places in our country, but the lessons I learned while in Georgia have stayed with me, mostly because of the women who walked with me during that season. Here are some great tips that I learned from my season in the South.

Southern Ladies:

  • Challenge each other spiritually. We talked about the Lord, how He was working in our lives, and what we were learning from scripture. It’s so important to have friends around you who sharpen you in your walk with God. (Proverbs 27:17)
  • Are not afraid to get dirty. They do not shy away from any kind of hard work. We all need to work hard in our homes.
  • Ask for help. They do not go through life alone. They lean on their friends during the good times and the bad. Pray and ask God to bring you a friend to do life with, and to pray with. He is faithful and will provide. (Ecclesiastes 4:9-10)
  • Believe that family is the most important aspect of life. No one is more dedicated to their family. They value time with their loved ones.
  • Have a unique ability to chat with anyone in any situation. They can make anyone feel at ease, and purpose to have a comfortable atmosphere in their homes. Don’t live in a museum. It makes people feel uncomfortable if they think that they or their children need to be perfect when they are in your house.
  • Get ready for the day. They are intentional with their dress and appearance. They believe looking put together means the world will take you more seriously. Take the time each day to apply whatever cosmetics that makes you feel lovely, but remember, the most important beauty comes from within.  (1 Peter 3:3-4)
  • They celebrate their life. Southern women are at peace with their families, their lives, and their homes. They open their home at a moment’s notice. Ask God to help you to be at peace with your home and not to beat yourself up if it’s not always as clean as you would like. Remember, anytime you are actively serving the Lord and opening up your home, the devil would love to discourage you. Proverbs 16:3 says,  “Commit your works to the Lord, and your thoughts will be established”. Let God ordain your thoughts about your home. If you are constantly worried about your home not being “good enough,” all I can say  (in my best Elsa voice) is “Let it go.” You are the best mom for your children, and the best wife for your husband. When in doubt,  pray, do your best, then let God do the rest.
  • Make rest a priority. Even God rested on the 7th day. Not only should we rest on the Sabbath, but we should make room in our lives for things we like to do. Genesis 2:2-3 tells usBy the seventh day God had finished the work he had been doing; so on the seventh day he rested from all his work. Then God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it he rested from all the work of creating that he had done.” If God places an importance on rest and renewal, so should you. Often as moms, we put ourselves and our needs last. While this is important at times, it is also just as important for you to recharge yourself. For me, I love get on the treadmill and worship. I love being able to be alone with my thoughts and my God. After I exercise, I always feel refreshed and more at peace.

Pretty great, right? It is kind of a checklist on how to be your best self. Leaning on our friends and learning from other women will only increase our confidence and abilities in our home. The power of Godly friendship is amazing. Certain women will come into your life for a season. Take the time to learn from them and apply what you learn in your home. When we are intentional with our actions, especially at home, it frees up time and energy that we can use to glorify God.

3. Questions to ponder: Write the answers in your journal.

-Who are your “wise friends?” If you presently have none, pray right now for God to bring her to you.

-How can you invest more into your friendships? What can you to to encourage them?

-What can you do to  encourage each other more in the Lord?

4. Workers at Home Faith-Filled Idea #2:

I (Leslie)  have an assignment for you this week. As we talk about our homes and the important work we all do within those four walls, it is easy to just do enough to get by. I want you to dig deeper. Let’s find some space in our lives. I am going to ask you to do two things:

-First, every day this week find 20 minutes to spend with the Lord. Meditate on His word, journal or just pray. Done:______

-Second, work on clearing some space or clutter from your home. Throughout the week, clear 12 inches of space from somewhere in your home. This can be in a closet, off a countertop or a desk. If our living space is clear, our minds are less distracted and free to focus on the Lord and our families.  Done:______


Workers at Home – Day Three: You’ve Got That Joy, Joy, Joy, Joy Down in Your Heart!

by Mari Jo Mast

“We ought not to be weary of doing little things for the love of God, who regards not the greatness of the work, but the love with which it is performed.”- Brother Lawrence

1. Let the Holy Spirit minister to you today. He longs to tell that you are completely loved by God. He sees your deepest need and will answer the cries of your heart. Remember, you are an overcomer through Him!
2. Grab your Bible, journal, and a pen, and go to your favorite place where you meet with Jesus. Take along something delicious to drink. Read Romans 8:1-17
3. Write Romans 8:11 onto 3 sticky notes. Put one on the mirror in your bathroom, one in your car, and one by your kitchen sink.

You’ve got that Joy, Joy, Joy, Joy Down in Your Heart!

Do you ever wake up in the morning just wanting to stay in your warm, comfy bed because you feel you have nothing but an endless amount of work to look forward to and your life is unimportant? Are you overwhelmed, and no longer have joy in your heart as you go about your day? Do you want to change your feelings about your life but feel inadequate and powerless to do so?

I confess that my bed, blanket, and pillow often feel more welcoming than my true life reality. I have seven wonderful children, five still at home, and lots of work to do every day- day in and day out. It can be very overwhelming at times. Even the simplest of duties, like fixing my bed, or washing the dishes & laundry can inundate me. I can get down and discouraged. Sometimes I find myself wanting to give in to these carnal feelings and thoughts of self-pity and depression.

How do we receive joy from God? Galatians 5:22 says that joy (among others) is a Fruit of the Spirit. So if the Holy Spirit lives in our hearts (Romans 8:11), joy already dwells in us, it is already present! That means even when we are not feeling it, we have the ability to “turn in on”.

But how do we do that?

The next couple of verses in Galatians 5:24-25, Paul talk about crucifying our flesh (our old affections & lusts) and living and walking in the Spirit. Our feelings are just that. Feelings. Our feelings or emotions that have not surrendered to the lordship of the Holy Spirit cannot be trusted. They are fleshly and carnal. Deep down inside of us, where the Holy Spirit dwells, we have the power to say no to any emotions that aren’t of God.

Joy is a choice. Just like we pick out what clothes to put on every day, we can pick joy. This is how we walk in the Spirit! We have the ability to choose what kind of an attitude we have every day because we have access to all of His Fruit, all the time! So no matter how depressed or discouraged we may feel, we have the power to turn those feelings around and be encouraged. Isn’t God good to give us the power to do that?!

Choosing joy is what gets me up in the morning. When those overwhelming feelings hit me, I hit the Holy Spirit reset button. Knowing that I have the power, gives me hope and joy for the new day ahead. It is a surrendering of my own will and flesh and being obedient to His Spirit. It is not always easy, but God is always faithful. Never once has He let me down when I draw from Him, but it is my choice to choose Him.

My dear sisters, let’s put into practice this ability to live and walk in the Spirit. Next time we wake up feeling depressed, a child is being difficult, or the duties of life overwhelm us, let’s choose God’s way. Let’s choose joy. Whatever we do, we can bring God into it, and when we do, we are an overcomer. Romans 8:14 says that if we are led by the Spirit, we are His children. How beautiful!

Love, Mari Jo

4. Questions to ponder: Prayerfully answer these questions and write them in your journal:

Nehemiah 8:10 says, “…for the joy of the LORD is your strength.” Do you feel like you have lost your joy in the Lord in any area of your life?

-What steals your joy? What areas of your life are you lacking joy? If so, what are the causes? Are you overwhelmed, burdened, fearful, anxious, prideful, angry, or harboring any unforgiveness towards anyone?

– Write a prayer asking for forgiveness and help to overcome these areas of your life where you have lost your joy.

(Note:  Your feelings of depression, discouragement, and weariness could  simply be due to your particular season in life. When we have small children in our homes, it’s so easy to become discouraged and sour. These are the wonderful times in our lives where we get to rely on the Lord moment by moment. Remember, God wants us to depend on Him for everything, so when you are overcome with the difficulties in your particular season, and having to depend on God for help, you are exactly where He wants you to be. The Lord is with you!)

5. Workers at Home Faith-Filled Idea #3:

– This week, I (Deb)  want you to practice waking up FOR your children instead of waking up TO your children. There is a difference.

When we wake up TO the children, they are an intrusion. All we can think about is staying in bed, or having a moment of quiet while they are so excited to greet us and start their days. Our days start to become all about simply making it through the day until we can finally put the children to bed.

When we wake up FOR our children, we get up a few minutes before the children to have some time with the Lord- to focus on Him, pray for His help and energy to be the best mom we can be for our children in the power of the Holy Spirit, and to savor the day with our little ones.  When the children arise, we are happy to see them and have our hearts ready, and look forward to the day with our children.

Do you see the difference?

6. How are your Mom Tips for the week coming?