Thoughts of a passionate housewife

What you do in your house is worth as much as if you did it up in heaven for our Lord God. We should accustom ourselves to think of our position and work as sacred and well pleasing to God, not on account of the position and work, but on account of the word and faith from which the obedience and work flow. ~ Martin Luther *

Lately I have been studying and pondering about being a keeper at home. I have searched the Bible and read many books. Some were good and some, well; I really wouldn’t spend my time on if I knew what it was all about. I just wanted to share what I have been learning and struggling with lately. There are so many books out on how to be the “perfect” homemaker. Unfortunately, I have read some of them and was sad and discouraged to find that all these books are about “me”, finding “me time”. Every single chapter of one book I read there was something about “finding time for yourself”. Another book taught how to save time and be organized (these are good things) in order to have more time to spend on yourself! I read yet another one that said that in order to be a godly woman you need to have your devotions before you do anything else in the day. (I finally did find a wonderful book that teaches totally opposite of the other ones I mentioned above) Boy, did I ever feel guilty and un-godly! I usually get up at 5:30 to fix breakfast for my husband and have our family devotions, or worship time before he leaves for work at 6:15 and there really is no way that I can have my “hour” long devotions before he leaves for work unless I get up mega early. I thought to myself, “Wow, this woman is some spiritual giant!” She has just got it all together! Now, please don’t get me wrong, I do realize that it is extremely important to have a devotional life, but sometimes we tend to be too spiritual for our own good!* My sister Jenifer and I were just talking about this subject just this week. Many of the books we have read teach women to have their own quiet “me time”, where they read their Bibles, pray and sing songs. Because I am not a mother yet, I do have more time on my hands that I know many busy mothers out there don’t have, but I do realize that someday when God blesses me with children, all of this will change! The more I thought, and asked God for wisdom to understand what my job as real homemaker is, I have come to realize that God did not call us women to be “spiritual giants”, he called us to be help meets and keepers at home. (Genesis 2:18) Now again, I am not saying that we don’t need to read God’s word, I am just saying that family worship time, taking care of my home, cooking, cleaning, being a blessing to my husband are not less important than having my devotional time all alone! Martin Luther says it all in this:

“Christian faith opens its eyes, looks upon all these insignificant, distasteful, and despised duties in the Spirit, and is aware that they are all adorned with divine approval as with the costliest gold and jewels. A wife…should regard her duties in the same light, as she suckles the child, rocks and bathes it, and cares for it in other ways; and as she busies herself with other duties and renders help and obedience to her husband. These are truly golden and noble works.”


I have been learning so much and realize I still have a long ways to go! I am so glad that God is patient with me and that He is still working on me. I have so many flaws, but I do desire to be a better wife to my husband. I am more convicted than ever that home is the place for a woman. Lately I have had many chances of getting a job outside of my home, but God convicted me of my calling as a keeper at home, and not as a career woman. I know I am small and frail, but I want to make a difference in my home, in my church, in my country...and in the generations to come. I want to be able to pass this legacy on to my daughter and granddaughters some day (if God chooses to bless us so). What a great privilege we have! I encourage you to read “Passionate Housewives Desperate for God” by Jennie Chancey and Stacy McDonald. This book has opened my eyes to many wonderful truths. It has challenged me to passionately embrace being a keeper at home knowing that this is what God created me to do! I just wanted to share a little of what is on my heart. My prayer is that God will rise up more women that are passionate about being homemakers!


~Overflowing with gratefulness & joy,
A passionate Housewife…
~ Mrs. Jessica Lima ~

(*taken from Passionate Housewives Desperate for God by Jennie Chancey and Stacy McDonald – The Vision Forum, Inc. www.visionforum.com)