Your Ministry of Home: Why Your Calling as a Homemaker Matters More Than You Think

There’s a season for long, frequent date nights and traveling the world. For reading an entire chapter at a time and lazy Saturdays. There’s a season for completely from scratch and DIY everything. But this is not that season. For now, I am in my motherhood era. This is my season for long, frequent trips to the park and traveling to play dates. For reading the same story 1000 times and mercy meals. And if you’re also right there with me… in your motherhood era – let’s be all-in, because before you know it, the season will inevitably change and you’ll be wondering where the time went.

And, I don’t know who needs to hear this, but…

Your Ministry of Home Is Enough

If you’re a homemaker who feels completely tapped out after serving your home and family…

You’re doing enough. This is your ministry of home

It’s exactly what the Lord called you to & it’s a big calling.

We are discipling our children who will go on to disciple their children and on and on it will go.

We are building disciples for Christ and this work is multigenerational. 

Your ministry is your home. It’s in your homemaking, discipling your children, loving on your husband, and opening your home to those the Lord puts in your life.

This is your calling and it’s enough.

Don’t feel like you need to chase after “bigger dreams” – this dream is enough.

Faithfulness in the Middle of the Chaos

And when you really believe that your home is your ministry, it starts changing the way you measure the day. The goal cannot be a home that looks untouched by human life. The goal has to be faithfulness in the middle of the life God has actually given you.

This ministry actually thrives most when the house is loud, dinner is burnt, and the day has gone sideways – not when everything is perfect. 

So, let’s embrace the chaos in all its glory

Even the burnt dinner, the messy house. The spilled milk, the unfinished chores, thrown off schedules, all of it. Let’s laugh about it all because that’s so much better than crying.

So, do excuse me, but I happen to be completely convinced that the perfection lives within the chaos.

Learning to Love the Part of the Day You Used to Dread

And I think one of the reasons we miss the beauty of the chaos is because we are rushing through it. We rush the breakfast, rush the children, rush the errands, rush the bedtime routine, and then wonder why we feel like our bodies are living in a state of constant alarm.

And sometimes slowing down means learning to love the exact part of the day you used to dread most by taking the time to find the beauty in it. 

For me, it used to be afternoon time around 4 pm. It was a long time before my husband got home from work, the children were usually cranky, and dinner was a true feat. This is when my overwhelm would feel insurmountable, and my spiraling thoughts about how overworked I was would spin out of control.

And so, I taught myself to love it by creating little traditions. And it turns out, before long, I was delighting in that time of day – and I mean really looking forward to it. 

I would light the afternoon candle… plan something simple for dinner and have it in the oven before 4 pm so I could just let the children play happily while I sneak in a few pages before my handsome husband got home.

Is it always this smooth? Of course not. But I don’t dread it anymore and I can confirm, that makes all the difference in the world. 

And that’s when I started to realize that homemaking didn’t become lighter because my circumstances became easier. It became lighter because I started looking for where God was asking me to be faithful inside the circumstances I already had.

Control What You Can and Give God the Rest

And once I started paying attention to what I could actually influence, the whole atmosphere of my home began to change. I could not control every interruption, every sickness, every regression, every hard moment. But I could control the kind of woman I was becoming in the middle of it.

You can’t control illness in the home but you can control the nurturing you provide.

You can’t control being needed in every direction but you can control the tone you use with those who need you.

You most certainly cannot control Sleep regressions but you can control the environment you create in your home.

And your home will get sweeter by the day when you decide to control what you can and give God the rest.

Living From Peace Instead of Survival

But, I remember a time when this would have felt impossible. Just listening to this would have made me mad because I would have thought that there was no way I could control those things. I was overstimulated, hypersensitive, chronically fatigued, and just miserable in motherhood. 

So, what changed for me? 

A few things.

For one thing, I had to learn how to live this calling from a place of peace instead of survival. I was in a chronic state of stress and didn’t even know it. Once the Lord began healing that, I felt like a fog lifted and I was able to see my life for what it was again – a blessing.

I also changed my mindset. I started focusing on the blessings in my life. Turns out you don’t have much time to dwell on being overwhelmed when you are focusing on the sweet and simple joys of your day.

And lastly, I grew closer to Christ. Doing things 1 & 2 helped with this.

The Tiny Things That Mean So Much

I’m fully convinced that Our ministry as mothers is made up of a bunch of really tiny things that actually mean very, very much. So here’s an example. 

One of the sweet and simple joys I used to miss was something my son asked me all the time.

My son used to ask me “Mama, can you sit here and watch me eat?”

And there was a time when that would have annoyed me so much.

“No” I would say sharply… “why do you need me to watch you eat – mama is busy.”

Now I choose to see this as a dream come true. Basically bliss. My son wanting to be close to me and craving my undivided attention.

Can confirm, you’ll never regret sitting down and watching him eat.

Choose Playfulness Instead of Frustration

And because your home is your ministry, your tone matters and can dictate the entire atmosphere of your home. Sometimes the most spiritual thing you can do in a tense moment is be playful instead of snap.

I know that sounds almost offensively simple… but let me give you a couple examples because your family will respond SO much better to you if you can just be playful. 

Let’s say your Husband is zoning out when you’re trying to talk to him.

It’s Very tempting to bicker and say something like “ugh, you never listen when I talk.”

Instead, try this:

Walk up to your husband, take his face in your hands …“hey… can’t you see I’m talkin’” 

Works every time. 

Let’s say your Children aren’t listening.

This can become infuriating if you let it. Or, you can use that frustration as a reminder to be playful. 

Say something like:  Ok children! Seems like we have a listening problem today – time to practice!

Let’s do 5 jumping jacks.

Great!

Now let’s see how fast you can run a lap around the house.

Woo hoo!

Now let’s see how fast we can clean up these blocks!

You get the idea.

Sure there are times where a serious conversation is needed. But I find that most of the time, if we can be playful, we can eliminate the need for bickering. 

Three Simple Ways to Turn Your Day Around

And when the day has already gone sideways,..Sometimes it means humbling yourself and beginning again.

Because there are the days when all of this feels harder to reach. Days that just feel heavy. So here are 3 mercifully simple steps to turning your day around:

Get in the Word. Even if you just look at one verse on a notecard and repeat it. 

Never underestimate the power of a shower, a nap, or some fresh air. Surely you have time for at least one of those.

Model repentance to those you love – apologize, ask for forgiveness and pray together.

Remember What You Are Building

And I think this is why future vision matters so much. Because the day in front of us can feel endless when we are only staring at the mess, but when we remember what we are building, the whole thing becomes clearer.

Picture this… it’s 25 years from now & you’re camping with your now grown children and their families. You have several grandchildren and they’re all playing with each other. You have deep conversations with your adult children by the campfire & tell stories of the memories you’re making literally right now.

This Is Your Plan A

Maybe your ministry of home is not about escaping the season you’re in. Maybe it is about being awake to the one God actually gave you.

The sticky hands, the store-bought shortcuts, the children asking you to watch them eat, the afternoon candle, the dinner in the oven, the ordinary faithfulness of home.

Remember, this isn’t your plan B – this is the sweetest, most rewarding plan A there could ever be.

And if you want help learning how to actually live from that place of peace instead of survival …I created a free workshop to help you begin coming back to peace, order, and healing. You can watch it for free below.

It’s always such a joy to have you here and I’ll see you in the next video.