Managing Your Home Part 1: Yes, Even Homemaking While in the Ministry

**Includes a FREE printable**

Managing Your Home: Yes, Even Homemaking While in the Ministry

Whether you are in the ministry or not, you probably are like every other homemaking wife and take pride in your clean environment. As a wife, mother and homeschool teacher the laundry list of tasks can appear endless to the weary soul. Although seasons in our life can be more tiresome than others, I love looking at the biblical side of homemaking. Especially, since it is often my motivation. Let me be clear though, not of fear, but of joy midst the endless tasks of laundry, dishes, cleaning and just life.

1 Timothy 5:14 states, “I will therefore that the younger women marry, bear children, guide the house, give none occasion to the adversary to speak reproachfully.”

Managing Your Home: Yes, Even Homemaking While in the Ministry

Although you can testify, even the cleanest and most organized homes get dirty. So how do we manage our home in effectively each day to maintain a beautiful testimony before the Lord, especially in the heavy workload seasons? I have an answer, but before I lose you, give me a chance to explain. **Whispers** Scheduling!

As a mother, you want your home productive. Your heart desires to be a joyful mother, not burdened, worn, faint or tired. And the key to having victory over your home, is scheduling. You are more than capable of being a wife and help meet, raising all your children, taking care of the home, and walking happily with the Lord. God knew you were capable, that is why I am not in your home and you are not in mine. You were beautifully designed for this! Now before the worldly “buts” or “its not…” come, hear me out for a minute. You may work, you may be successful at a lot of things, that is great. I am here to say you can be successful AND joyful in this! (And yes, if you are wondering, I believe at all.)

Managing Your Home: Yes, Even Homemaking While in the Ministry

Scheduling is your tool for being successful AND joyful. But, please remember behind that tool is a driving force for success. That force and strength is stronger than you and I. God. Pray about your schedule. Ask and seek upon your face all the Lord has you to move into first priorities, then second and so on. As you fervently pray to better serve your family, trust that He will not only guide, but teach within.

“Some trust in chariots, and some in horses: but we will remember the name of the Lord our God” Psalm 20:7

You must trust that the Lord will lead you as you serve your family and loved ones. As He teaches us to be flexible, have a heart for the needs of our loved ones and works within ourselves; He draws us closer as well. You must realize, your home may not be the same after. It may be more peaceful than it has ever been before. As you walk closer with Him each day, your home grows more peaceful, the day ticks away productively, time frees up for more meaningful conversations and activities and you are more joyful than ever before (even while cleaning); you will not be happy going back.

So on with it, how do you schedule your home? If you saw my time management post earlier, you will see how this all fits beautifully together in everything. But now, let us examine all the things that steal your time and the things that you have to juggle around to fit into what is left.

1. Get a sheet of paper for each person in your household.
2. Jot down your commitments. By that I mean on each persons paper. If it is just two individuals, only write it on their sheet of paper. Next to it, write up how many hours it will consume. (This is for the requirements for you to be in a specific place and/or time, write those down first. Ex. work, piano lessons, church,
3. Next, write each individuals commitments that are regular, but may not be “absolutes” (Ex. youth groups, even a specific nursing schedule.) Again write how many hours it consumes.
4. Then, write an allotted sleep amount for each person on their sheet. (For example my little ones sleep about 14, with naps while my older sleep about 10 and another 8 and so on.)
5. Last but not least, add the total hours for each individual and subtract it from 24.

You will now have your insight with motivation. The number you have left is the time remaining to “get it all done”. Nobody said you have to do it yourself, but this is the time you have together to start initiating a schedule to properly manage your home.

You are more than capable. Start with you. Looking at your time, can you give yourself a window now for each of the things you have to do? Calculate your time for spending time with the Lord, prepare meals and cook, clean, shop, run errands. Make a plan to effectively manage your home by starting with you. Before I sign off for today in Part 1 of Managing the Home, here is a daily plan FREE download to get you started with your schedule.(we will be back to continue Managing the Home in part 2)

Remember if you have a lot of commitments, you may want to break it down to 15 minute blocks. After all, 15 minutes a day is 5,475 minutes or 91+ hours a year. Your time is precious! Direct your time towards the things that matter most and watch God bless!

Happy Homemaking!