Finding Joy in Your Home

Anyone else feeling super stressed and overwhelmed with everything going on? I've seen countless posts this week about how heavy everything feels and all of the stress of this world. But how do we, as Christians, face this present age, and the future to come? Join me in this two part series on a Theology of Hope. Listen to the Podcast: You can find all the links and notes for this episode below! And don't forget to subscribe to the podcast in iTunes Right click here and save-as to download this episode to your computer. The Problem of Being Hyper Aware Social media has become a plague to these current generations. We see and know all (or least we think so). And instead of taking comfort in God's sovereign plan, we stress and fret and fear. In the episode, we take a little jump into picturing what it would have looked like to live in the first half of the 1900s with smart phones. And compare that to how it feels now. Studying a Christian Response to: Black Plague Early Greco-Roman Plagues Emperor Nero Our Takeaways: Don't be ignorant of what's happening in the world, but largely stay in your circle Develop a robust prayer life You don't have to know all the answers TRUST In the next episode, we are going to get into the next part: The Theology of Hope for the Future Age Links & Resources: Songfinch is offering an additional $20 dollars off ALL personalized songs at SongFinch.com with code: HOME Go to GreenChef.com/homemaking100 and use code: homemaking100 to get $100 off including free shipping!

When I began looking into hospitality about 12 years ago, I felt totally overwhelmed. It felt like such a big thing to be, because I just didn't know what it looked like or how to practice it. So in today's last episode of our hospitality mini series, we are going to chat about how we can get practical with practicing hospitality. Listen to the Podcast: You can find all the links and notes for this episode below! And don't forget to subscribe to the podcast in iTunes Right click here and save-as to download this episode to your computer. Getting Practical 1) Make a list of 4-5 wonderful hospitality recipes to make Don't try and reinvent the wheel each time. Create a few go-to staples you make and do those each time. The more you practice, the easier and more second nature it will become. Make sure to come up with at least one great gluten free meal and one great dairy free meal in the rotation. 2) Start inviting Seriously, just do it. The first time you blurt out, "Would you like to come to our house for dinner?" might feel awkward! But keep doing it. It becomes easier. 3) If you don't have kids Please invite the families over with kids. Go to the thrift store and have one small box of toys that you can pull out when kids come over. And don't be offended if the family with kids instead invite you over to their house. 4) Plan Ahead I know the first few times we extended hospitality to people we didn't know very well, it felt like it took a week to get ready. Things I don't normally notice (such as cobwebs and dirty mirrors) were suddenly obvious to me! I felt overwhelmed and I was exhausted after the first few people came over. But as time went on, I became more comfortable with the routine. We started practicing hospitality so often that I was always planning ahead to the next get together. This way the house never got too out of hand. After one night of hospitality I knew I had better stay on top of the house and cleaning because a new family would be in our dining room the following week! 5) Think outside the box with hospitality, it doesn't have to cost a ton Practicing hospitality doesn't have to cost a lot of money! Many people feel that they don't have room in their budget to have families over. But don't stretch yourself. Start with a commitment of having a family over once a month and serve pizza! Everyone loves pizza; your meal doesn't have to be complex or fancy. Many families will offer to bring something to dinner. LET THEM! If they ask, let them bring a dessert or side dish. Try out freezer cooking and make all your meals ahead, it can save a lot of money! 6) Learn from others As you start extending hospitality, just wait and you will get invited over to other's houses as well. Learn from what they do. When you get invited to other's houses, make a mental note of what they do from the moment you walk in the house. Do they have music playing? What kinds of questions did they ask? Did they get a card game out or offer coffee after dinner? This is the best way to learn new tips and tricks. Offering coffee at the end of a meal is a great comfort to offer, but if you never drink coffee past 10am then you might not think about it. Glean from other's experiences and wisdom. 7) And ASK When practicing hospitality, ask, ask, ask. Many people that we have invited over to our house, we felt nervous about asking…will they want to come over? We barely know them…do they even know who we are? But everyone loves to be invited over. So just ask! Ask about food allergies or preferences. You don't want to make a big meaty lasagna only to find out that one kid is allergic to tomatoes and Mom is a vegetarian! Ask other women for their hospitality tips. Many women like to share what they do to make their home welcoming, so ask those around you how they do it! Remember, it's not about your home, it's about your heart At the end of the day your candles don't matter.

We are doing a little mini series right now on hospitality. In the last episode, we took a look at hospitality in the Old Testament and why it was important to them. We have to start first with the Old Testament because their view of hostility greatly influenced those in the New Testament and the early church. In the next episode, we will dive into practical ideas for hospitality but first, let's do a little deep dive into the New Testament! Listen in: Listen to the Podcast: You can find all the links and notes for this episode below! And don't forget to subscribe to the podcast in iTunes Right click here and save-as to download this episode to your computer. Any discussion of Biblical hospitality, must first naturally start with the Bible. Yesterday we dove into the Old Testament to find out what it has to say on hospitality and now today we will find out how the early Church in the New Testament practiced and modeled hospitality. While Biblical hospitality is not a high priority for most modern western churches, it was vital to the growth, stability, and daily life of the early Church! "Hospitality is becoming an almost forgotten Christian virtue in our style of life today, particularly in big cities with their rampant crime on the streets, their locked-in apartments and all their affluent, urban and bourgeois devices which attempt to create privacy in our homes and our lives. In the New Testament, however, hospitality was a distinctive mark of Christians and Christian communities." ~ Hospitality Commands, pg 6 Hospitality in the New Testament The Greek word for hospitality that is used in the New Testament is philoxenia which literally means "Love for Strangers". Each time we are commanded to practice hospitality, God is literally commanding us to have and show love for others! Love is a central theme of the Bible. We are to love God {Deuteronomy 10:12}, love our neighbors {Luke 10:27}, and kove strangers {Philippians 2:3-4}. And at the root of hospitality is love. By practicing hospitality we are showing love for those in God's Church, love for strangers, neighbors, and unbelievers, and most of all, love for God by obeying his commands. "The Christian practice of hospitality was not viewed simply as a means of overcoming a practical problem. Theological statements by different authors in the New Testament show that it was frequently viewed as the concrete expression of Christian love." ~ Hospitality Commands, pg 16 Serving those in the Church We have a clear call from Paul to serve those within our Church and practice hospitality. "Contribute to the needs of the saints and seek to show hospitality." ~ Romans 12:13 Practically, this serving and contributing to the needs of the saints can take on many different forms. It can mean bringing a meal to a family who just had a baby. It can mean inviting new people at Church to your home for dinner. It can mean donating money and time to the Church's emergency fund. Later in this series we will get into practical ways we can serve through hospitality. Serving Unbelievers & Strangers While one component of hospitality is serving those in the Church, another aspect is serving unbelievers and strangers! As Abraham found out, you should never neglect to show hospitality because you never know who you are serving! Here is a clear command to practice hospitality to strangers "Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for thereby some have entertained angels unawares." ~ Hebrews 13:2 Serve Without Complaining God surly knows our hearts! He wants us to serve Him with joy and humility. He is not merely concerned with our external actions but also the state of our hearts. He knows that we can tend to act selfishly or serve while complaining. So he issued this command: "Show hospitality to one another without grumbling." ~ 1 Peter 4:9 We must be careful to not complain when extending hospitality when you think about the cost of food and extendi...

In the last episode we discussed ways in which we can serve within our homes. Today we are going to kick off a little mini series on hospitality. When looking at practicing Biblical hospitality, lets begin at the beginning, in the Old Testament. Listen to the Podcast: You can find all the links and notes for this episode below! And don't forget to subscribe to the podcast in iTunes Right click here and save-as to download this episode to your computer. Hospitality in the Old Testament The Old Testament culture is very different from ours. As people traveled through the land {and often through very dry desert areas} there were no McDonald's or Starbucks' to stop at when they got tired or thirsty. When their feet were caked with mud and dried dust, they had nowhere to turn expect to houses they passed. Travelers often relied on the kindness of strangers for survival and they took the call of serving strangers seriously! "When a stranger sojourns with you in your land, you shall not do him wrong. The stranger who sojourns with you shall be to you as the native among you, and you shall love him as yourself; for you were strangers in the land of Egypt: I am the Lord your God." ~ Leviticus 19:33–34 In no uncertain terms, God commanded the Israelites to care for and love the strangers and travelers among them! Maybe they didn't understand why God would issue this strong calling but all they knew was that God commanded it…and they should obey! "For the people of God in the Old Testament the duty of hospitality came right from the center of who God was. I am the Lord your God who made a home for you and brought you there with all my might and all my soul. Therefore, you shall love the stranger as yourself. You shall be holy as I am holy (Leviticus 19:1). Your values shall mirror my values." ~ Strategic Hospitality fromDesiring God Blog Learning From the Father of Our Faith Abraham, the man called righteous because of his faith {James 2:23}, was a great example of hospitality that we can follow! Often the focus of this scene from Genesis 18:1-16 is that of Sarah who is promised to bear a son. While that is a profitable teaching from this passage, something else is illustrated as well: Abraham's willing and eager heart to extend hospitality to these three men {who turn out to be angels & the Lord}. *Note: I recently heard a fantastic sermon on this scene that really describes Abraham's willingness to serve. I highly recommend you listen to it as Pastor Phil Layton can describe it much more effectively than I can. You can hear the message HERE {and in fact, he is currently going through a fantastic series on Genesis right now}.* A few things to notice from this passage: Abraham Ran "When he saw them, he ran from the tent door to meet them and bowed himself to the earth" ~ Genesis 18:2b This was an unusual thing for a middle eastern man of that time. He "girded his loins" and RAN to greet these strangers approaching their homestead. Abraham and Sarah were old by this point and in fact Sarah was past menopause. It's would have been very unusual to see an old grey haired man pull up his robe and literally run to greet strangers on the road – but that is exactly what Abraham did! He was eager to share hospitality with these strangers! Abraham Called Them Lord Calling someone Lord was a sign of respect. Abraham was a wealthy man and yet he called himself a servant to these strangers and ran to wash their feet – a humbling act of service! To wash someone's feet was to make yourself lower in status to that person {which is one reason it was so shocking that Jesus would wash the apostles feet {John 13:1-17}. "O Lord, if I have found favor in your sight, do not pass by your servant. Let a little water be brought, and wash your feet, and rest yourselves under the tree" ~ Genesis 18:3-4 Photo by paukrus Abraham's Hospitality Was Generous "And Abraham went quickly into the tent to Sarah and said, "Quick!

We spent the first 10 episodes of our 25 Foundational Episode series chatting about routines, habits, and how we can find joy in our homes all for God's Glory. The last part of what we want to focus on in our homes, is serving! Today we are going to talk about what it looks like to serve within our homes and then we will jump into a 2 part mini series on hospitality. After that, we will kick off a series on PLANNING out all of these habits and routines in our homes. Let's jump in: Listen to the Podcast: You can find all the links and notes for this episode below! And don't forget to subscribe to the podcast in iTunes Right click here and save-as to download this episode to your computer. I did a deep dive into this topic in my new book, She Laughs Without Fear. So as I was planning out the notes for this episode, I started pulling stuff from that chapter but realized I basically just wanted to give you everything from that episode. So instead of reinventing the wheel, today's episode is just going to be the audiobook Chapter 7 of my new book! If you are loving this topic, you can hop over to FindingJoyShop.com to purchase the full eBook or Audiobook on the Proverbs 31 woman! "She opens her hands to the poor and reaches out her hands to the needy." - Proverbs 31:20 Often in seasons where we are home a lot (like being a stay at home mom and/or having lots of little kids), it can feel like our ability to serve within our homes isn't much. But in this episode, I hope to show that while God has us all in unique seasons, we are still called to serve. In fact, we can use our homes as a powerful form of ministry...it might just look different from season to season. Some ways we can serve that we discuss in this episode: Through hospitality Tithes & offerings And other forms of ministry Ministry to our own families So I will leave you here on that note. What season does God have you in right now? What are some ways you can serve in the season you are in? Empty nesters, you might find yourself with more time on your hands and the ability to serve outside the home more, but lack the energy to do so. Pray that God would direct where you should serve and use the restrictions and freedom that God has given you in this season. Likewise, young moms, you might feel so squeezed for time, yet you are home a lot. Use what God has given you in this season to serve! Don't discount the small ways you can serve the Lord right now. Take this lesson from the wise woman and plan and prepare for ways you can serve the Lord while serving your family. Links & Resources: Get my full book, She Laughs Without Fear here Get TWO full weeks of meal plans and learn how to prep ahead with PrepDish.com/Homemaking Join our new community to discuss this epiosde and so much more! --> FindingJoyCommunity.com

We've been really working on routines around here. It's been one of those seasons where I need to tighten up our routines and habits for the whole family. In episode 9, we discussed a solid morning routine which will make your day go so much smoother. But the KEY to a solid morning routine is a very practical evening routine. That's what we are going to discuss today, let's dive in: Listen to the Podcast: You can find all the links and notes for this episode below! And don't forget to subscribe to the podcast in iTunes Right click here and save-as to download this episode to your computer. A practical evening routine for my house: Helps me to close out today and prepare well for tomorrow. If I can successfully do my evening routine, it's so much more likely that tomorrow will start without a hitch. It's kind of like a vicious circle in my household. When I stay up too late and am not intentional, my morning is rocky which throws off my whole day. Then we get to bedtime and I stay up too late again trying to either capture a little productivity or finally sneak in some rest time. Which of course, means TOMORROW is rocky or messed up. Thus the circle. But in a positive way, if you can get on a rhythm of good routines: closing out your day well, getting a good nights sleep and getting up and getting productive: a very good circle can start. That's our aim with a practical evening routine. A Practical Evening Routine for Me Includes: Shut down the house and my day: Create a routine that you step into each evening Set the coffee make to start Make sure kitchen is clear & I know what's for breakfast Review my dinner plan for tomorrow: does anything need to go in the crockpot or pull out of freezer Review my plans for tomorrow: school plans, doctors appointments, etc. The most important part: Get to bed on time I have a brain that likes to never stop. I have the tendency to get into bed exhausted but my brain is wide awake. So in some stressful seasons, it's very important for me to intentionally wind down before bed. If I try to go straight from working on a work project, watching tv with Jason, or scrolling IG on my phone to sleep, it just doesn't work. So I like to: Take a detox bath: Epsom salt + essential oil Take Mary Ruth's nighttime multi mineral (magnesium) Read a book before bed to relax Links & Resources: Our Sponsor: MoinkBox.com/HOME for a FREE year of bacon!! Our Sponsor: HookedOnPhonics.comHOME, and receive your first month for just one dollar Join our amazing free online community app (you can access it from anywhere): FindingJoyCommunity.com Sign up for the Finding Joy in Your Kitchen Collective. Our first month we will be breaking down BREAKFAST! Come join us Titus 2 Minute Podcast Season 2 is LAUNCHING TODAY!! Go listen.

I have become very passionate about establishing a solid morning routine in my day because it makes such a huge difference in the work I can get done in a day but also attitudes! Tune into this episode to hear about my morning routine and how I use it to really set the tone for my day. Listen in: Listen to the Podcast: You can find all the links and notes for this episode below! And don't forget to subscribe to the podcast in iTunes Right click here and save-as to download this episode to your computer. We've been talking a lot about priorities and a solid morning routine helps to make sure your 1-2 top priorities for each day happens. A good morning routine to me: Start off with: Bible reading & prayer Then: Get Ready This helps with: Making sure my own attitude is prepared for the day Make sure to: Review dinner Also: Review days plans This all: Kicks off our work and school day well In the next episode we are going to dive into a solid evening routine and how this is actually the key to a good morning routine and that is when things really start clicking! Links & Resources: Our Sponsor: For 50% off your first Care/of order, go to TakeCareOf.com and enter code home50

In the past episode, we discussed redeeming our time for God's Glory. Next we are going to dive into developing good morning and evening routines. But before we do, I want to pause and take a little look at the Proverbs 31 woman and something she can teach us about using our time well. And don't worry, I'm not going to leave you with a massive to do list that includes learning how to make your own clothes or grow a giant vineyard. Listen to the Podcast: You can find all the links and notes for this episode below! And don't forget to subscribe to the podcast in iTunes Right click here and save-as to download this episode to your computer. We are celebrating this month because my brand new book: She Laughs Without Fear: Wise & Joyful Living with the Proverbs 31 Woman launches this week. Preorders for the physical copy of the book already closed, but keep an eye out for future bookstore openings when we may offer it for print again. In the mean time, you can get the eBook and Audiobook version in our digital store. You'll get access to both versions! eBook launches Wednesday and audiobook is coming Friday! Order here. "What we are going to see throughout this book is a woman who is filled with joy. A woman who laughs, works hard unto the Lord, and personifies wisdom. All of this leads to a rich, full, and joyful life. And the heart of all of this is not how much she does, or what she accomplishes. It's not about her worth, or her output, or her social media account where people can follow how beautiful and perfect her home is. The heart of it all is her relationship with God. We will see things we do want to emulate from the Proverbs 31 woman. We might be convicted and see places we can work harder. We might even start a little to do list of things to work on after reading this book. But all of it will be under the umbrella of knowing God more and serving Him with joy." - Introduction from my new book There are two parts of Proverbs 31 that are very relevant to our discussion today. The question is, how do we use our time well? The heading to the Proverbs 31 passage is titled "The Woman Who Fears the Lord" and then the chapter is concluded with these final 2 verses: "Charm is deceitful and beauty is vain, but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised." We also see up in verses 25, "Strength and dignity are her clothing, and she laughs at the time to come." So how do we learn from this wise woman? In my book, we go into the concept of wisdom, what it is and how we can attain it. And then verse by verse we go through the final chapter of the book of Proverbs to see what the real lessons are there in it. But today I want to just look at these few verses. We are on a journey with these 25 foundational episodes to discover how to use our time well in the pursuit of finding joy in our home. And so many of us are plagued by stress and anxiety in our homes. Not a lot of extra room for joy or peace when you are plagued by anxiety. But we see that the wise woman of Proverbs laughs without fear of the future. How could this possible be? How can she be so secure in the Lord that she takes delight in what is to come? This speaks of a woman who has found joy and purpose in her day. Well we see the entire reason for it in verse 30, "but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised." What does that fear of the Lord possible mean? The point of the book of Proverbs is to help us understand what God considers wise and righteous living. It helps us take the Law and apply it to daily life. Through the book of Proverbs, we see some powerful glimpses into the heart of God, and it helps us to learn His character more. One such powerful lesson is earlier in the book: "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is insight." - Proverbs 9:10 he book of Proverbs is all about this concept - the wise person versus the fool.

As we kick off our next mini series on productivity and routines, we first need to start with the concept of our time. How do we use our time to serve the Lord? How can we redeem our time all for His glory and in finding joy in our homes? Let's dive into this episode to find out! Listen to the Podcast: You can find all the links and notes for this episode below! And don't forget to subscribe to the podcast in iTunes. Right click here and save-as to download this episode to your computer. Redeeming our time for God's Glory We can view the time we have as a gift - or we can grumble and complain that we don't have enough of it. Do we thank God for the time we have? Or do we constantly grumble and complain about what seemingly little time I have? God gave us 24 hours in a day and of those hours, we are not meant to be productive 24 hours a day. In fact, we "waste" roughly 1/3 of those hours every single day in sleep! God has given you the right amount of hours to accomplish all that he has for you. You won't get to the end of your life and God is like whoops! So with that in mind, are we scheduling in the big priorities that God has given me? Am I making sure that HIS priorities are #1 and that I'm not filling my time with my priorities. We glorify busy and productive. And often, God's big priorities are not often the ones that we feel good sharing on social media or checking off a list. Our big priorities in our life: God Marriage Kids Business Other important things: homeschool, eating healthy, my own health, reading, etc. What do you need to say not to right now in order to use your time well? I think for many of us, it's getting more wise with our technology use. Tim Challies shares "They are questions I receive often: "Do you ever sleep? Do you work all the time? Do you ever stop?" There seems to be this impression among certain people that either I am an unrepentant workaholic or that I am remorselessly neglectful toward life's other responsibilities. The truth is far less sordid: I have invested a lot of effort over many years in learning how to simplify life and how to maximize productivity. I love to make the best use of my time and energy, and I am constantly fine-tuning the systems that allow me to remain that way." His very helpful article: https://www.challies.com/articles/how-to-get-things-done/ Links & Resources: Our sponsor: Get free shipping on the kid play sets at Lovevery.com/homemaking Our sponsor: Get 12 free meals and free shipping with HelloFresh.com/homemaking12 and coupon: homemaking12