A Homemaker’s Manifesto

Content note: Grim topics are covered but no graphic details are shared. If you’re not yet aware of the Clancy case, I wouldn’t advise looking into it for the sake of this episode!

Hey friends,

I’m coming to you with another back porch voice note, where I yet again address the case I was so determined not to.

The thing is, I reached a point where the response became its own creature that compelled me to simply examine the merits of the case, which unsettled me deeply and opened my eyes to what was happening in the national conversation.

It’s not pretty.

There are so many dangerous things at the center of this horrific and awful crime as well as the polarizing way it has been discussed across social media.

Also, I share a bit about how I stay emotionally grounded as someone who tends to be very sensitive, as well as the terrifying implications for the mental health and safety of women and children if the case ultimately receives a “not guilty” verdict.

This is a conversation about how our culture views motherhood, what it means when moral responsibility has become subjective, how we are manipulated by extreme narratives, and remaining rooted in objective truth — and in the goodness of God — when public discourse becomes so chaotic.

Please listen with discernment if this subject is particularly distressing to you.

Links mentioned

* Paid subscriber ebook library: Browse the library

* Unburden Yourself: This ebook currently appears inside the paid subscriber library alongside your other long-form and downloadable resources.

* Created Female: Visit Created Female

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* Voice Notes Podcast archive: Listen to previous voice notes (most episodes for paid subscribers only, upgrade for access)

* A Homemaker’s Manifesto: Visit the main publication

Also:

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Recently, I have gotten so many messages from women sharing their desire to homestead, some even asking if I’ve created a guide for aspiring homesteaders! This sounds so fun, and it’s definitely something I’d love to expand on in the future, but so far I’ve never really done much more than this longer essay I shared for paid subscribers a few weeks ago:

Truthfully though, my homesteading journey is so intertwined with my content here even if it’s not always named out loud, because it has taught me so much about men and women in relationship and society and what it means to live in a way that honors our divine design.

So, I created this free episode of The Voice Notes Podcast, sharing what I’d tell you about how to go about becoming a homesteader if we were sitting together on my back porch.

This is the kind of stuff I love to use Voice Notes for, so please let me know if you have specific questions about homemaking, homesteading, family life, or anything else! I’d love to address them in future episodes, since this is where I chat about the more intimate and personal side of A Homemaker’s Manifesto.

Most of the time, this podcast is behind the paywall, but please enjoy this coupon for 40% off for life to get started. This special promotion will be gone at the end of the summer so take advantage if you’ve been thinking about upgrading. For less than the price of a new book, you’ll get access to:

* Summer Book Club (we’re reading Something Wicked: Why Feminism Can’t Be Fused With Christianity)

* The full subscriber chat where you can start threads and ask questions at any time

* The Voice Notes Podcast — every episode, not just occasional free ones

* The growing library of downloadable ebooks on homemaking, personal study, + spiritual practices (new resources uploading soon!)

The podcast shares everything I’d do to prepare for homesteading before you have land, because I believe it’s more essential to work on these skills first than be handed land right away!

I meant to mention in the podcast as well that this post would be a great companion piece, as I believe firmly that cultivating these skills of personal stewardship and sensible self-care are also essential skills for homesteaders, homemakers, or any other working woman:

I hope you enjoy the podcast and look forward to talking to you all more about homesteading, stewardship, and how these intersect with our discussions on culture and traditional values.

Happy listening! 🤍

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I have been so delighted to see the flood of videos on social media of Europeans and Asians experiencing the United States for the first time during the World Cup. It's so touching to me as someone who grew up in an immigrant city in the U.S., now lives in rural America, and has been shaped so much by the myriad of cultures I've experienced and had a part of my own very, very American culture of origin.

Just another little back porch musing for y'all, but I ended up really getting to the heart of my writing and passion for traditional family values at the end, so I hope you listen to the whole thing. I'd love to hear your thoughts!

In light of the dumpster fire election we’re all being subject to, some thoughts on authority, obedience to God in the face of tyranny, and other sundry musings.

Please let me know what topics you’d like me to cover next, either in essay or podcast format.

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The point of our faith is not to argue it well, but to sincerely and genuinely believe what is unchangeable about God’s design and plan.

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RECOMMENDED READING:

(Thank you for using my affiliate links should you so desire)

The God Who Is There by Francis Schaeffer

Mama Bear Apologetics by Hillary Morgan Ferrer, et al

The Rise and Triumph of the Modern Self by Carl Truman

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This week, we are discussing classical Christ-centered femininity, the focus of my little “manifesto” here, and why it all centers around homemaking.

This is the podcast version of the post, Classical Christian femininity in a post-truth world where you can read more at length about my seven points of classical Christian femininity.

Also, I shared a bit about scripture meditation and how this can help with our first point: surrender.

Check out The James Method for the scripture memorization journal I mentioned that would be a wonderful way to start a regular habit of scripture meditation. Save 10% with my code: “Isa10.”  

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit isaryan.substack.com/subscribe

A quick chat this morning about a woman’s feminine value as it is defined by God, not the world or our own misconceptions.

Join Liberated Surrender for just $10 a month:

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit isaryan.substack.com/subscribe

Hello friends! Welcome to my new weekly newsletter and podcast. Each week, we’ll be chatting about all things femininity, marriage, motherhood, and/or homemaking as well as answering anonymous reader questions and chatting about one of my very favorite topics — books!

A few notes before we get started:

ICYMI, premium subscribers can access our book club discussion on Live Not By Lies and Ephesians here (or you can upgrade to join, we’d love to have you).

Also, I want to mention that my intimate mentorship community for women, Liberated Surrender, is now just $10 a month. The group is designed to give support, guidance, and feedback to devout Christian women exploring and growing in their femininity as God designed it. (Tap here to learn more.)

Finally, my very favorite company for Bible study resources, The James Method, has just restocked their bestselling verse-mapping journal, which I’ve shared with you all several times! Use my code “ISA10” to save 10% and help support two Christian-mama-owned companies in one!

OK, enough housekeeping, let’s dive in:

The women at the well: femininity in redemption

This morning, I was so blessed by a reading from a Bible study on femininity I just started from my friend Brittany of A Catholic Convert. No, I’m not Catholic, and yes, this study is absolutely worth doing regardless of your denomination (also there is a third Christian-mama owned business you can support if you purchase her study through her Etsy shop — I have no formal affiliation, just a happy customer).

The reading was from Genesis 24, when Abraham’s servant is sent to find a wife for Isaac and ultimately encounters Rebekah, after praying for the right woman for his master’s son to give him water and then offer to water his camels, as well.

It struck me that the incident really beautifully parallels Jesus’ encounter with the Samaritan woman at the well in John 4, when He tells her He is well aware of her less-than-chaste past and nonetheless reveals Him to her as the Messiah of God.

In Rebekah’s encounter with the servant, she runs home to her family to tell her his news.

The Samaritan woman, after her conversation with the Lord Jesus, runs back to her village to tell the men she thinks he might be the Christ.

While Rebekah was a virgin who had known no man, the Samaritan woman has had several husbands and is living with a man she’s not married to.

The parallels to the children of Israel and the redeemed Bride of Christ are so deep and so powerful; it never ceases to amaze me how these themes are woven throughout scripture so intricately and all trace back to the beauty and drama of the creation account and the establishment of humanity — and its ultimate fall from grace — upon the finishing touch of Eve’s creation from Adam and for Adam.

Writer though I am, it’s almost difficult to put into words, but I know this much: sisters, we are redeemed.

No matter our past, when we come to Christ fully bared, He covers us with His love and Salvation. It was this message on the Samaritan woman that saved me 13 years ago, and it is the perfect picture of feminine grace and chastity in Rebekah that I know Christ’s Lordship in my life produces.

You are a daughter of God and a sister, bride, lover to Christ your Lord. Never forget this.

Dear Helpmeet

Each week, I’ll be answering anonymous reader questions for my new “column,” Dear Helpmeet. Upgrade to ask your questions or, if you’re already a premium subscriber, visit this page to access the private submission form.  

Q: I’ve been praying for more discipline and consistency with my routines. No matter what I do, I always seem to drop something. If I have a win in one area, I fail at something else.

I could not possibly relate to this more. This was where I was at for years, and it was really exhausting and discouraging. The absolute first thing I would recommend is to prioritize God and your relationships. Not necessarily the perfect Bible study and prayer routine, but a rich spiritual life in whatever way makes sense for you. You also can’t see prioritizing your relationships as doing certain things for or with your family members, because when these routines get disrupted, you can easily feel frustrated. Prioritize the people and cultivate a warm, patient heart towards them, through all the disrupted routines and plan changes.

Next, cull everything in your life you possibly can. It’s far worse to try the same tasks over and over and always fail than to simply give up. This can take a lot of humility; we often want to hold on to the dream that we can stick to our perfect routine or finally complete all those projects, but we are causing so much detriment to our mental peace by clinging on to these dreams.

Let go, aim far, far, lower, and you’ll start to get an accurate gauge of what you can get done each day. Then, one step at a time, it’s much easier to work in the tasks you’d like to get to and refine your routine to an effective, productive, rewarding one.

The Book Stack

As per usual this week, I am listening to yet another Agatha Christie novel, The Pale Horse. I find all her novels so incredibly deep and profound, so much more than the cozy whodunnit she’s generally associated with. The dialogue between the characters and the displays of human nature just make me think so much, especially with the backdrop of the quickly changing post-WWII world that her novels are often set before.

Meanwhile, the latest installment of my apparent obsession with books on masculine and feminine polarity is the book His Brain, Her Brain by Barb Larimore and Walt Larimore M.D. This books combine brain science and scriptural wisdom to explain not only how different we are, but how God designed us perfectly to be different!

Finally, I stumbled across a cozy vintage English countryside romance author recently, D.E. Stevenson. It centers around four sisters living in a village during WWII, and it’s very sweet and light without being too frivolous or cheesy.

What are you reading, friend? I’d love to hear in the comments!

Thanks so much for joining me today. If you are enjoying A Homemaker’s Manifesto, tell a friend, I’d be so grateful! Have a beautiful week.

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit isaryan.substack.com/subscribe

Welcome to my new weekly podcast where we will be discussing faith, virtue, and womanhood, answering anonymous reader/listener questions for my Dear Helpmeet advice “column,” and chatting books, current events, culture, and more.

Please subscribe to A Homemaker’s Manifesto on Substack for more, and make sure to upgrade to a premium subscription for access to the Dear Helpmeet submission form, book club discussions, and more exclusive content.

Doing so helps support my page and keeps it free from Big Tech influence or censorship!

For great Bible study tools and resources including the verse mapping journal I mentioned on this podcast, check out The James Method and save 10% by using my link.

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit isaryan.substack.com/subscribe

It was such a joy to chat with my dear friend Alison about her personal testimony out of the new age and how the Christian faith is where she has found, by far, the most fulfilling expression of femininity.

(Apologies for the poor sound quality in the first few minutes! It improves as the podcast goes on, I promise!)

Alison and I recently joined forces to create a unique mentorship group for Christian women who are seeking to grow in their femininity through faith.

Request more information on how to join: Liberated Surrender

Follow Alison on Instagram or visit her website here.

Also, please subscribe to A Homemaker’s Manifesto blog and podcast to support my work and receive free updates in your inbox and the Substack app.

Are you interested in marriage but you’re sick of hookup culture on mainstream dating apps? Join The Courtship Network to find like-minded singles who share your values and convictions.

Other resources I love:

Araza Beauty creates nourishing, good-for-you makeup that looks amazing and supports a good cause: part of every purchase is donated to support survivors of sex trafficking and abuse.

The James Method is one of my favorite Bible study tools for digging deep into the Scripture and branding God’s Word on your heart through verse mapping, memorization, and meditation.

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit isaryan.substack.com/subscribe