I was a young mother of 21. After a long and difficult pregnancy, our second son was born being welcomed into the world by his older brother who was a few weeks away from turning two. Life was busy and it should have been a very happy time in my life. I had dreamed of marriage and children all my life and here it was all coming to pass.

As I was conversing with Israel (our second son) last night, he was asking questions about when he was a baby. And my mind flashed back to what life was really like.

It was anything but roses.

I was suffering from adrenal gland fatigue-something most people around me had never even heard of. I simply had the tired mother look, but nothing to make people aware of the fact that inside I was crumbling. The fatigue was so overwhelming, there were days I didn’t know how I could make it until my husband arrived home. Almost every night I would be in bed around 8:00 nursing Israel to sleep so I could go to bed, while my husband put our oldest son to bed.

Life did not look pretty. My memories of Israel as a baby are blurred. I honestly remember more of the exhaustion, the depressed feelings that came from being so tired, and wondering if life would ever be normal again. Israel spit up pretty bad as a baby, and there was spit up that sat dried and crusted on our dresser for over a year, because I was too exhausted to clean it up. The bare essentials were done and nothing more around our house.

Six years later I now have more energy as a mother of almost five than I did as a mother of two. Life does not look nearly so dreary and exhausting-though I still have my days of feeling overwhelmed as I think every mother does! Occasionally, some symptoms of adrenal problems will creep up, as it takes a lot to be totally healed of low adrenals. There are still certain chores I put off doing, such as getting on my hands and knees and scrubbing my floors as it wears me out. But overall I am content with the energy I do have-as I know what life could be like if I had never improved. 

Mothering through dreary days, whether it is physical health or traumatic family problems is taxing. Trying to keep a smile on your face when all you want is a nap and a good cry is one of the most difficult things I have ever done. I learned that the Lord gives grace, and He truly never does give us more trials than what we can handle.

If you are a mother who can relate to this post – you are exhausted inside whether physically or emotionally, I encourage you to just keep going. Get through today only and try not to think about tomorrow. The Lord will give you the strength to endure and many times the situation you are in will get better. Be determined to press on through your trial, looking to our Lord for the perseverance you need. My deep convictions and hopes in being a godly mother and wife helped get me through when I felt I couldn’t go on. I knew I didn’t have a choice. We only have two paths before us-we can endure or give up. No one wants to give up, and if you are holding a baby in your arms the results of giving up are unthinkable. 


“I waited patiently for the Lord; and he inclined unto me, and heard my cry. He brought me up also out of a horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my doings. And he hath put a new song in my mouth, even praise unto our God; many shall see it, and fear, and shall trust in the Lord.” Psalm 40:1-3

Mothers all have them – days where we wished we were working a 9-5 job instead of being on call 24/7. Days where we want to hang a “Mother goes off duty at 5pm” poster in every room of the house. Days where we’d like to use the bathroom all by ourselves, have a 2-hour nap, and an adult conversation at a classy restaurant over a dinner we didn’t make ourselves, sans kids.

Sometimes our capacity to love unconditionally is dissipated by the desire to exercise our “rights.” Everyone else fights for theirs: “women’s rights,” ”gay rights,” “children’s rights;” it seems only fair for us to stand up and assert our need for a little me time every now and then.

Society would applaud us if we did. They’re constantly bombarding us with messages stating the need to “assert yourself,” “liberate yourself,” “fulfill yourself.” Alas, our society is one that has yet to identify with Jesus’ call to die to yourself. How contrary to our cultural norm and natural inclinations is the challenge of Christ’s command to love as He loves!

To take each opportunity motherhood gives us to die to self and serve others seems less than romantic. But how much more beneficial to ourselves and our children would it be if we found the courage to be imitators of God (Ephesians 5:1-2), instead of trying to warrant our selfishness? Could it be that by choosing the way of our Savior, we would not only develop a greater love for those moments and people we often desire a break from, but also preach a  gospel of irresistible grace by our very lives to those we love most?

We are pleased to announce that the NEW eBook–The Heart of Simplicity: Foundations for Christian Homemaking has been released today! Here are some of the wonderful contributing authors along with Courtney Dunkin of Simply Nurtured (the dream began with her) in the center.

Starting from the top: Stephanie Langford, Kelly Crawford, Natalie Klewja, Ann Dunagan, me, Courtney Dunkin, Jennifer Ross, Heidi St. John, Jenny Ervin, Stacy Karen, Richelle McFarlin, Laura Coppinger and Marci Ferrell.

Inspiring chapters include:

Chapter 1: The Foundation: Surrendering our Homes to the Creator 
Chapter 2: Marriage: Nurturing a Love that Lasts a Lifetime
Chapter 3: Motherhood: Delighting in our Children 
Chapter 4: Missions: A Home-Based Vision for God’s Great Commission
Chapter 5: Family Economy: Embracing the Simple Power and Peace of Contentment
Chapter 6: Education: Growing Hearts and Minds for God’s Glory
Chapter 7: Health: Bringing God Glory by Caring for our Bodies 
Chapter 8: Cleaning: Tending the Gardens of Our Homes to the Glory of God
Chapter 9: Organizing: Reflecting our Orderly God by Keeping an Orderly Home 
Chapter 10: Time Management: Managing our Hearts to Use Time Wisely
Chapter 11: Hospitality: Welcoming Others into our Homes
Chapter 12: Giving: Showing the Love of Christ through Simple, Intentional Generosity
Chapter 13: A Mother’s Legacy: Storing Up Treasures in Heaven

 What the readers are saying:

“I don’t think I’ve ever cried while editing until I edited this book. Encouraging, inspiring, convicting…a must-read for every wife and mother! I was so, so blessed while editing. It’s like the Lord put it in my lap because He knew I needed the message. ”

-Erin Odom, editor and blogger, The Humbled Homemaker

 “The Heart of Simplicity is an inspirational and encouraging book that will help moms to get their focus right. Each of the writers brings a wealth of words of wisdom that caused me to do serious contemplation and to top it off they added study questions! It would be good to read with a group of moms. Applying all the knowledge and wisdom in this book will change your family’s life.”

 –Kim Brenneman, mother of 9 and author of Large Family Logistics

Suddenly my husband was getting sick all the time, catching any and every thing that went around.  Migraines came too and then swollen aching joints.  His blood levels were slightly off but nothing alarming.  In between bouts of sickness, my formally strong husband who ran laps around me, lay exhausted on the sofa, run down, face puffy, allergies insanely out of control.  In time, we learned he was severly allergic to gluten, but still, a year after being off all  gluten he was not much better except for his stomach issues.  There were doctors appointments and test after test with no definitive answers. Emotionally, my husband described feeling like everything had gone wrong in his day, even though he knew it had not and his full confidence was in the goodness of God.   He was tested for just about everything under the sun: cancers, hepititis, MS…on and on. His doctor didn’t know what to do, what else to test for.

Meanwhile, on the home front, things, as you can imagine, changed.  In many aspects, I worked as a single parent for a few years, running our large household while Sean tried to rest and gain strength.

A few things come to mind when I share about making room for a chronic illness in homemaking.  First, I purposed in my heart to trust the Lord in all things, even illness without a diagnosis.  I haven’t always done well in following through what I’ve purposed to do, but the standard is there for me to aim towards.  I learned to adjust the way we showed hospitality too.  Instead of big dinners with lots of people, we had neighbors over for coffee and friends over for dessert.   I learned some things would have to slide.  Clean laundry would have to be left in a piles days on end in order for the kitchen to be clean.  Nursing a new baby and re-cuperating from anemia took precident over a lot of things I wanted to get done. All of our children are involved in the keeping of our home and work alongside me each day, which was always a great help.  As much as I hated to, I learned to rest for a little while in the afternoon, knowing that dinnertime and evenings are the busiest in our home and being rested would be the best way for me to tackle the coming hours.  As flexible and spur of the moment as I thought I was, I’ve learned to be even more flexible, which has not always been a gentle process.  Many times, I fell into bed absolutely exhausted, crying out to God for some relief.

I wish I could say I’ve handled the last few years with sainthood – but I have not.  I’ve apologized and repented and worked out grumbling on my hands and knees scrubbing floors many times. (I scrub when I’m stressed, do you?) In all, I’ve learned that while the “in sickness and in health” portion of a family may change, God’s goodness does not change.

This morning our oldest daughter made breakfast, the boys are outside playing and the youngest is toddling around emptying out whatever she can find to empty.  A few months ago my husband was diagnosed with Lyme disease, a bacterial illness carried by ticks, which can be difficult to diagnose and can easily mask itself as other illnesses.  While hesitant to believe we actually have a diagnosis after all this time, his symptoms have been improving after medication and continued taking of a long list of suppliments.  I am fingers-crossed, prayerfully, hopeful.

If you are dealing with a chronic illness in your own body, or in one of your family members, my heart goes out to you.  I know this is not easy.  Let me encourage you to feed your spirit each day.  Time spent reading the Bible over coffee or listening to a Bible podcast while cleaning will go far to strengthen your spirit and encourage your heart.  It is okay to let other things slide.  Put God and your family first.  Cuddle with those kids before worrying about a crunchy kitchen floor.  If you don’t research health issues online and through books – begin to do this.  We found the gluten allergy when I read a few elimination diet books and read online forums from people who had gone gluten free.  Reading about immune system behaviour and disorders and what causes them lead us to Lyme Disease testing and a new doctor.  God gives us an ability to read and research and learn for the purpose of benefitting our family and bringing glory to Him.  If you’ve dealt with chronic illness, what homemaking advice would you share?

Today we remember those who fought the battle for us….

Summertime. Three months of bliss! Not that the other nine months aren’t equally captivating in their own way, but when the regular academics are over for the year and the pressure of meetings, regular events, and school commitments has come to a close, the freedom that summer offers (along with the great weather) is a bit intoxicating to say the least! If you’re like me, the “wanna do” list is often more than time allows.

It’s easy just to write out a list of things YOU want to accomplish, but what’s on your list for the future homemakers in your family? While I believe in training daughters on a daily basis by having them work along side of me on just about everything I do, there is a time and place for learning a specific life skill that goes beyond the fundamentals or essentials and captures their passion for learning.

Certainly, I want them to know all the basics of homemaking. This does not change from daughter to daughter. Before they are grown, every child should know how to do laundry, cook a meal, clean a home, etc. But there are areas of specialization that they may find especially compelling and stimulating to their mind and soul.

A World of Discovery Awaits!

Of my three girls, the first (who is 19) likes cooking, gardening, and has always had a strange fascination for insects (a bit unusual for most girls). So to expand on those interests, I’ve helped her cultivate these two areas by having her work along side me in the garden and beekeeping. Occasionally, I’ve assigned her books to read on one of these subjects, or an educational movie to view. Two summers ago, she worked in a South American style restaurant along side the chefs, learning all the recipes on the menu, catering, and other food preparations skills. Last summer, she went on an extended mission trip with a friend to work in a third world country on an organic farm for three months. And currently, she is apprenticing under a lady friend of mine at her organic farm.

Learning to Farm Abroad

The second daughter (13 years old), has always been drawn to pets, but especially dogs. For several years now, I’ve had her as my right hand assistant with all the farm animals: dogs, cats, chickens, and goats. We found that 4H was helpful for mentoring under other moms with more experience and knowledge. When she was 11, I gave her a dog training book and DVD along with a new puppy and she taught herself how to teach the puppy. It’s important that she knows how to teach herself when she wants to find out something new. And as she gets older, she’ll will begin to learn from others outside our immediate circle. Her goal is to learn to train dogs for those handicapped in some way or to take animals to visit those in nursing homes. (Is this surprising that she’s the child with  a pet care business?)

Learning to Milk Goats

Finally, my youngest daughter (currently 10) has shown an interest in medicinal herbs and flowers. She also enjoys gardening and will spend time with me in the vegetable patch on her own accord.  This is the child that is forever coming to me with concoctions and potions she has made up with herbs and wildflowers. (Obviously, this has prompted a conversation on safe edibles verses poisonous plants and will become a springboard for further studies in time.) Because this area is of interest to her, I’ve started learning what I can about natural remedies so that I might be able to direct and encourage her as she gets older.

Learning to Make Lacto-Fermented Pickles with Herbs, Spices, & Oak Leaves

I’m sharing all this as an example of what you can do during the summer to encourage children to continue learning some type of study that is of interest and profitable for their future as homemakers. Obviously, some summers we squeeze in more than others, but the cumulative effect over time is amazing! And just to clarify, all the girls participate in each of these activities in some form or another (for example, they all know the basics of animal care in case they need to take over while a sister is gone), but the intensive learning and assisting is assigned to the one who shows the most interest.

In time, the beekeeping daughter might want to learn about goats. Or the medicinal remedy girl, may try her hand at beekeeping (after her fear is gone!). But for now, learning a subject thoroughly and proficiently, in such a way that they know how to teach themselves in the future… that’s a worthy investment of long summer days!

Tips for Summer Intensive Learning

• If you’re planning an extended road trip, why not bring along some materials for the kids to study that appeal to their God given interests. For the youngest, try reading the book together.

• Make the most of the afternoon heat! Take a rest inside after lunch and watch an educational DVD.

• Take a field trip to observe someone who has mastered the skill your child is interested in learning.

• Find a mentor who will spend a set amount of time with your daughter, sharing some basics. In time, if the relationship is a good fit, the learning time together might expand.

• Sign up for an on-line course together. With today’s advanced technology, there’s a lot that’s available for self-paced learning.

This is the third installment of my nine-month series on The Fruit of the Spirit and its cultivation in our lives. With each post I’ll be including a free embroidery pattern download featuring the month’s topic.

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.” – Galatians 5:22-23

This month we will look at Peace.

What comes to your mind when you think of peace? Do you think of an idyllic setting of mountains with a stream running nearby, a calm summer night with the frogs chirping in the distance, the waves of the ocean breaking softly on the beach?

Or maybe you are thinking of times when your children are playing sweetly together or when the baby is sleeping and has melted in your arms. Moments like that bring a sense of peace and calm and are a blessing from the Lord.

What about when things are not so peaceful? Much of life is messy, noisy, busy, scary, and not so beautiful. We can get ourselves all worked up over our situations and “imagined” situations and not even remember what peace is.

True peace comes only from God. We can have peace in the midst of our messy lives. God’s word tells us how us how to know true peace through Jesus Christ. If you have never experienced true peace through Jesus Christ, I encourage you to seek Him, this link explains the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

What if you do have a relationship with Jesus Christ, but life seems to just be out of control, too messy to think straight, maybe your fears and anxieties control your thoughts?

God’s word gives us a beautiful answer to that question. It is found in Philippians 4:4-7:

“Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice.
Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand;
do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication
with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.
And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your
hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”

Rejoice: There are many passages in God’s word that speak about rejoicing in the Lord and in His salvation. Rejoicing in the Lord’s salvation can change your perspective on things very quickly!

Let your reasonableness be known to everyone: Reasonableness is keeping a calmness and a steadfastness. Don’t let yourself be emotionally driven or you will find yourself going up and down like a roller coaster all day long. It will make you and everyone around you exhausted and nauseated. Remember the saying “keep an even keel”? The keel is the bottom of a boat that extends down into the water. It is weighted — it keeps the boat level and steady in the water.

The Lord is at hand: Remember the Lord is ever present with us.

Do not be anxious about anything: Let us put our trust in the Lord and lean not on our own understanding.

Bring everything to prayer with thanksgiving: It may seem hard or impossible to bring everything to the Lord with thanksgiving, but we can do all things through Him.

As we put all these commands in practice, God’s word tell us that the peace of God — which surpasses all understanding — will guard your heart and your minds in Christ Jesus!

Free “PEACE” Embroidery Pattern

As an extra way to remember to cultivate the fruit of the Spirit, we’ve created a free embroidery pattern from Clementine Patterns – just for you! This pattern makes for a great mother-daughter project. Plus, each month we’ll be offering a free pattern that directly ties in with the fruit of the Spirit for that month.

This month’s pattern features several graphics for Peace. Download the pattern for free by clicking here and embroider your own version of “Peace” for your home and family! (For personal use only. This PDF pattern is available for free download for two weeks – now through June 9th.)

May your days be filled with peace!

Previous post(s) in this series:
• LOVE
• JOY

There are so many beautiful things about homemaking . . . and right here is the perfect place for us to encourage one another in this beautiful calling! Below you can share the link to a post or article on your blog about homemaking, whether it be about cleaning, character, cooking, etc.

To share a link to your post about homemaking, you can use the Linky below . . . just share your link (make sure the link goes directly to your post), title, and image (it’s easy)!

Please link back here so others can join!

‎“Blessings taken for granted are often forgotten.” ~Elisabeth Elliot

{photo credit}

Although it is becoming something of a rarity in our technological society, there is still something special about receiving a hand-written, hand-addressed note in the mailbox! And, maybe this is especially true when it comes to expressing appreciation for gifts, hospitality, or other kind gestures.

As a child, my mother taught me to write thank you notes. She made sure that I had note cards, pens, my own address book (made up mostly of relatives), and stamps at my disposal. And, she (wisely) monitored my progress to make sure that they were sent out in a timely manner.

This wasn’t always my favorite activity…and I am sorry to say that I didn’t always have the best attitude about doing it. But, today, I am so thankful for her training in this area!

I had a baby 3 months ago, and, before he was born, our church family blessed us with a lovely baby shower – giving us everything we needed (and wanted) for our little one! Following his birth, several ladies in our church provided delicious meals for us. And, in the weeks and months since he arrived, sweet gifts have continued to appear in our mailbox and on our doorstep.

So, as I’m sure you can imagine, I have been busy writing lots of thank you notes recently. I have even run out of note cards more than once! (I suppose that is a good problem!)

I have come to see the value of expressing thanks to those who have blessed me, or my family, in some way. And, I want to teach my children the importance of not only expressing gratitude to others, but doing so in a lovely, genuine, and articulate way.

Here are just a few ideas:

• Don’t procrastinate. Writing notes immediately helps prevent the task from becoming overwhelming. Etiquette dictates that a note be sent within one week of attending an event or receiving a gift. (I often fail on this one. But, remember, it is never too late to say thank you!)
• Invest in a stationary set (that includes sheets of paper as well as note cards) and quality pens. Keep it in a convenient place, with an (updated!) address list, and stamps. That way, everything you need is available when you need it!
• Try to find stationary that fits your (or your daughter’s) personal style…floral, geometric, bright, muted, classic, trendy…there are so many options out there!
• For (very) young children who may be just learning to spell, read, and write, a fill-in-the-blank style card can be a helpful and simple tool to get them started.
• An idea for older kids – Print out a sheet of paper with lines on only one side. Have them write a note on the lined side, and use the blank side to draw a picture of the gift(s) or event. (This is what I typically do with my 7-year-old. She loves to draw and color, so she especially likes that part! We homeschool, so near birthdays and Christmas, thank you notes often replace our “formal” handwriting and spelling lessons…and this helps to practically apply those subjects to “real life.”)
• Keep it simple, and sincere. In addition to your greeting and closing, 3 to 5 lines is usually sufficient to communicate your message. Here is a simple 5-step “formula” to keep in mind:

Step 1: Greeting
Step 2: State what you are thankful for (a gift, a special event, or a kind gesture).
Step 3: Write two or three sentences about why it was special, or how it blessed or encouraged you.
Step 4: Repeat your thanks.
Step 5: Closing

Expressing genuine and sincere gratitude to those who have shown us kindness or generosity is so much more than just “good manners.” It is also an opportunity to encourage and minister to those who have blessed us!

Raising Homemakers is happy to announce that we are adding three NEW contributors to our team!

First, please welcome Mary Clendinin of The Encouraging Home. She will be writing for our Raising Sons Corner.

Mary is a farm girl and homeschooling mom to 2 sons. She has been married to her husband for almost 14 years. She is passionate about her faith and strives to find balance in home life, farm life, homeschooling, and healthy living. She blogs at The Encouraging Home. She tries to encourage others to stay focused on the Lord and the things that truly matter, even through stress, chaos, and trials. She also loves to help people live healthy the natural way through essential oils, living clay, and other ways.

Secondly, there is Jacinda of Growing Home

Jacinda Vandenberg is a wife, mother, homemaker, and second-generation homeschooler. She blogs at Growing Home, a site dedicated to preserving the homemaking arts and encouraging fellow keepers-of-the-home to embrace their noble calling. When she’s not gardening, cooking, or crafting with her sweet babes, you’ll probably find her writing about her passions with one hand and holding a large mug of coffee in the other.

And finally, Bambi Moore of In the Nursery of the Nation!

Bambi has been the helpmeet to her pastor-husband for 17 years now, and is the blessed mother of eight children. She loves making home a haven and center for ministry for her family and others, as well as homeschooling her large brood and blogging about the joy and nobility of motherhood. Bambi and her family live in the beautiful Texas countryside where they raise dairy goats, love the outdoors and find lots of laughter in the crazy moments of life with many littles.

We are excited about our newest additions and pray you will be blessed by them. Please feel free to leave a comment to welcome them!