3 Tips for Creating a Life-Giving Home as a Christian Wife
Blog Introduction: As Christian wives, we are called to build a life-giving home for our families (Proverbs 14:1). I recently have found myself feeling convicted to slow down and be more intentional about the decisions we make. From the food that goes into our bodies to the items we bring into our homes, it’s important that we give careful consideration to both the physical and spiritual effects of these things. In this blog post, let’s explore how we can create that life-giving home.
The wise woman builds her house,
Proverbs 14:1
but with her own hands the foolish one tears hers down.
Making Fast Food Slow Again
Homesteading is all about making fast food slow again. Instead of relying on pre-packaged meals or eating out frequently, homesteading encourages us to grow and cook simple ingredients from scratch. This is not only healthier for us physically but also spiritually since it takes away some of the busyness in our lives that can prevent us from connecting with God and our families. By taking control of what goes into our bodies, we can be more conscious of what fuels us throughout the day while also setting an example for future generations in our family.
My family is obsessed with my potato soup. Normally, I buy milk and heavy cream from the store and I have plenty of vegetable stock that I’ve made and I felt good about it. However, recently my local Mennonite farmer friends have set up a weekly milk delivery and I personally love raw milk. This last week they had cream available too and it just so happened to be available on the day I was making this soup.
Just what a huge difference. I also had made fresh stock that day so everything was fresh. We all agreed that the soup was much better than when I normally buy pre-packaged ingredients from the store. Pretty certain my husband ate four bowls!
The moral of the story is that fresh ingredients can make a world of difference. Homesteading and being intentional about the food we consume can bring us back to having meals that are nourishing both physically and spiritually.
I also picked up the book, The Maker’s Diet. It’s an excellent resource for learning how to incorporate religious beliefs and biblical principles into one’s diet. The book includes tips on how to select quality ingredients, food preparation techniques, and recipes. Learning about how God intended for our body to function has been so incredible. It has given me a deeper appreciation for the careful consideration God has for each of us.
By slowing down and being intentional about the food we consume, not only will our physical health improve but also our spiritual well-being. Creating a life-giving home starts with being intentional and understanding the decisions that we make. By slowing down and incorporating spiritual practices into our kitchen, we can create an atmosphere of worship and praise for God to be welcomed in. We can also show our families how to properly take care of their physical and spiritual needs by making fast food slow again.
Bringing God Into Our Home
The kitchen is truly a sacred space where nourishment for both body and spirit comes alive. As Christian wives, it’s important to bring God into our home so our families can be spiritually fed. My husband and I have been intentional about creating a kitchen that not only serves up delicious meals but also provides an atmosphere of worship and praise to the Lord. We’ve placed scripture art that is centered around this week’s bible lesson by the kitchen table, music that praises God is always playing, and we pray before each meal.
We also make sure we have daily devotion and bible study time for our family. We’ve noticed that by making this a priority in our home, it has created a loving environment where each member of our family can be spiritually fed while also feeling connected to God.
Cultivating Gratitude and Appreciation
Finally, slowing down offers us a unique opportunity to cultivate gratitude and appreciation in our homes—for both God’s blessings and hard work done by ourselves or others who have gone before us.
Just the other day, Wyatt was able to harvest some of the peppers that he grew and the joy he felt! He was so proud! He came into the house, showing everyone and talking about how he was able to grow them himself. It made me so happy to hear him talk with such enthusiasm and joy.
While I was canning the new stock, Oliver helped me do the canning. He was so proud of his work and it made me smile to see him take pride in something he had helped with.
We are able to cultivate an attitude of appreciation by taking the time to slow down and enjoy life’s simple pleasures. Whether it’s our own hard work or God’s provision, we can be intentional about gratefulness and appreciation, which will in turn create a more joyful and peaceful home.
It’s moments like these that remind me of why I want to foster a lifestyle of slowing down in our home. Slowing down enables us to appreciate the little things in life and be thankful for what we have.
By creating a slower-paced lifestyle, filled with intentional actions that bring God into our home and cultivate gratitude, we can create an atmosphere of love and peace that will nurture our family’s spiritual and physical health. We can make the home your family’s favorite place to be.
Creating a life-giving home as a Christian wife doesn’t have to be complicated! By incorporating homesteading principles into everyday life—from making fast food slow again, bringing nature inside your home, and cultivating gratitude—we can better care for ourselves spiritually as well as physically while providing an example for future generations in our family on how best to honor God through stewardship of His creation. With His strength and grace guiding you every step of the way, you can create a life-giving home that brings glory and honor unto Him!
