Making My Home A Haven is important to me. Sharing homemaking skills. Recipes and food. Bible Studies. This is a treasure chest of goodies. So take a seat. Have a glass of tea and enjoy. You will learn all about who I am.
Tag: Courtney From Women Living Well /Good Morning Girls
“God created taste buds, the sense of smell and the eye that is drawn to beautiful things. He created the crunchy green pepper, the hairy peach, juicy watermelon, sour lemons and sweet potatoes!”
“Edith Schaeffer says in The Hidden Art of Homemaking, “Cooking should not be thought of as a drudgery, but as an art. Just as it is good to get one’s fingers into the soil and plant seeds, so it is good to get one’s fingers and fists into bread dough to knead and punch it. There is something very positive in being involved in the creativity which is so basic to life itself. Home-made bread, home-made cakes and pies, home-made vegetable soup from home-grown vegetables or from vegetable market purchases, home-made jams and jellies, home-made relishes and pickles – these are almost lost arts in many homes.”
From Sarah : I was fortunate to be around when Courtney first started her Making Your Home A Haven Fall Challenge. I wasn’t blogging as yet, I shared everything on Facebook . I wish we had a week 5 instead of just the 4 weeks this year. But, then I actually started this challenge in October. This post has Week 5. This year Courtney only did 4 weeks. This was from when she had a 5th week. I missed it this time around.
“Week #5 Challenge: Focus on the kitchen, the heart of the home. Cook things with pleasant aromas. Pick a meal the family can cook together – include everyone in a task and take pictures so everyone can remember moments in the kitchen together – test tasting, being creative, laughing and loving. Remove discontentment with your home or family and give thanks to God.
First – let’s focus on the spiritual side. Give thanks! In Luke 11:3, Jesus says to pray like this “Give us each day our daily bread.” Do we pray and ask God for our daily bread? In America – we are so blessed we rarely have to ask. We should be abundantly thankful for the food we have! Give thanks! Give thanks for your food and give thanks for your family you share it with.”
Welcome to the 10th Annual Making Your Home a Haven Bible Study! 10 years ago, we began this series and never could I have imagined how much it would resonate with so many women around the world!
Our souls desperately need a deeper connection with God.
So many times we try to mask our struggles, pain, confusion or emptiness by keeping busy and distracted, eating food, going on vacations, seeking success or elevating certain relationships. While many of these are blessings from God, they are not good substitutes FOR God.
This Bible Study is going to help you slow down.
It is going to force you to pause every day and enter into the presence of our Almighty God through the 4 Spiritual Disciplines of gratitude, meditation, prayer and fasting.
God’s pace is much slower than this world’s pace.
We must slow down to catch up with God.
We must create calm moments in our day because it’s in the unhurried moments, that we can clearly see and hear the voice of God.
Intro Video and Resources for the Making Your Home a Haven Bible Study
Slow down, focus, reflect, and think about God’s Word every day this week.
Keep your candle going and add to it soft music everyday in your home. Choose worship, classical or another form of peaceful music that helps you focus on the Lord.
This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success. (Joshua 1:8)
(Click here to see the video and resources for week 2)
Week 3: Prayer – November 18th
Take time to have deeper and more meaningful times of prayer this week.
Keep your candle burning, the music playing and purchase a small bouquet of flowers for yourself. Let that bouquet be a daily reminder of God’s love and presence with you.
The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working. (James 5:16)
Week 4: Fasting – November 25th
You can choose to do a 24 hour fast or fast one meal a day for 7 days in a row or fast for a period of time from something like social media, screen time, shopping or whatever you choose.
Seek out a place of solitude to pray. Get alone with God outside or in your home. Be still with God and fervently pray.
16 “And when you fast, do not look gloomy like the hypocrites, for they disfigure their faces that their fasting may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. 17 But when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face,18 that your fasting may not be seen by others but by your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you. (Matthew 6:16-18)
Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever. (Psalm 136:1)
{Cue the Confetti!!!}
It’s time to begin the 10th Annual Making Your Home a Haven Bible Study! This week’s spiritual discipline is gratitude! Join me for Week 1’s video as we discuss Living a Life of Gratitude —then pull our your journals and begin!
Week 1 – Gratitude
Jesus died on the cross and rose again for the forgiveness of our sins. Through our faith in Jesus, we have a personal relationship with Him. Our God is personal. Never forget that! He is our creator and He loves us. He knows exactly what is best for us. So, He tells us in His Word to –give thanks.
Giving thanks is an important spiritual discipline that helps open our eyes to the good gifts that God has generously given to us each day.
Interestingly, it is also scientifically proven that listing the things we are grateful for improves our relationships, our mood, our sleep, our hopefulness, our resiliency and our physical and psychological health.
Week 1 – Challenge
Start a daily gratitude list!
Go buy an extra large candle and light a candle everyday in your home. Each time the glimmer of the candle catches your eye, let it remind you to say a prayer of thanksgiving and a prayer for peace in your home.
I will be starting mine in the morning but you can start yours at dinner time or whenever is convenient for you. I will be placing mine in the kitchen – the main hub of my home. Let’s make our homes feel like a warm hug and a sweet haven all month long!
You see when we do not take the time to tend to our own souls – we have nothing left to give to others. So many times I have found myself busy and running on empty and then I snap – in a moment of frustration and weariness I say or do things that I would never do if I was more rested and connected with the Lord.
And so this month – let’s be intentional! Genesis tells us, God created the heavens and the earth in six days and on the seventh day, He rested.
God stopped!
We are made in God’s image and we need to stop too. Stop and simply light your candle and say a prayer of thanksgiving.
Life has many twists and turns each day. It is very easy to become frazzled and frustrated. In our own strength, we cannot be peaceful and thankful. This is where Christ changes everything! While many things will happen in your home this week that feel out of your control, —there is one constant…
God.
God is with you.
And the flicker of your candle on the counter morning, noon and night will remind you – there is a God who loves you, that you can turn to over and over and over with your stress, struggles, worries and fears.
So let’s begin our gratitude lists now.
Pull out a pen and paper and begin. As you set your pen to the paper – wait on the Lord. Seek God and ask him to show you all the ways he has shown himself to you lately.
Give thanks to God for both the big and small blessings in your life.
This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success. (Joshua 1:8) Welcome back to Week 2 of the Making Your Home a Haven Bible Study! This week’s spiritual discipline is meditation! Join me for Week 2’s video as we discuss How to Meditate —then pull out your journals and begin! Week 1 – Meditation Sometimes I find myself distracted while reading my […]READ MORE
The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working. (James 5:16) Welcome back to Week 3 of the Making Your Home a Haven Bible Study! This week’s spiritual discipline is prayer! Join me for Week 3’s video as we discuss Living a Prayer Filled Life —I’m sharing the many ways that we can pray including a peek inside my prayer life and my prayer journals. After listening to the video – I encourage you to pull out your journals and begin! Week 3 – Prayer Finding time to pray is not easy! In the past, I have […]READ MORE
16 “And when you fast, do not look gloomy like the hypocrites, for they disfigure their faces that their fasting may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. 17 But when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, 18 that your fasting may not be seen by others but by your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you. (Matthew 6:16-18) Welcome back to Week 4 of the Making Your Home a Haven Bible Study! If you are wondering, what’s next? I will announce the next Good Morning Girls Bible Study in […]READ MORE
The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working. (James 5:16) Welcome back to Week 3 of the Making Your Home a Haven Bible Study! This week’s spiritual discipline is prayer! Join me for Week 3’s video as we discuss Living a Prayer Filled Life —I’m sharing the many ways that we can pray including a peek inside my prayer life and my prayer journals. After listening to the video – I encourage you to pull out your journals and begin! Week 3 – Prayer Finding time to pray is not easy! In the past, I have […]READ MORE
Week 3’s Bible Study
From Sarah : Courtney has a new video on her blog and on YouTube. Please Check it out. Have a Wonderful Monday. Love And Hugs, Sarah
From Sarah : I have wanted/ Needed a Roaster Oven for years. So why or why didn’t I just add it to my grocery cart the last time we were at Walmart? I actually had the money for it.
“Good Morning Girls!!! Keep your candle, soft music and prayers going. Share with us, what is one thing you are thankful for?
Today we are reading Psalm 119:1-16.” From Courtney Good Morning Girls @GoodMorningGirlsWLW Facebook
David Guzik :: Study Guide for Psalm 119
THE GREATNESS AND GLORY OF GOD’S WORD
“I will meditate … and contemplate … I will delight … I will not forget Your word: The greatness of God’s word has led the Psalmist to great resolution of life. His life will be filled with God’s word, in his mind (meditate … contemplate), in his heart (delight), and in his habits (not forget).
i. “Meditation is recalling what we have committed to memory and then turning it over and over in our minds to see the fullest implications and applications of the truth.” (Boice)”
” Christians try to live by the precepts of the Ten Commandments. The definition of a precept is a guiding principle or rule that is used to control, influence or regulate conduct. An example of a precept is a commandment found in the Ten Commandments. “
From Sarah: I went deep in my studies today. I looked up several commentaries as I usually do when I do my Bible studies. I went farther today. Writing down different points of view. Researching All Of Psalms 116. Thoroughly. Have a great rest of the day. Praying your weekend is full of joy and happiness. Love And Hugs, Sarah
Making Your Home a Haven Annual Challenge : Revisiting Past Challenges Including Rest And Release
From Sarah: Whenever I do this series I always go deep. I search past posts and videos. I search other bloggers for similar posts.
Check out the past posts for this series here. There are many to choose from.
Revisiting past Making Your Home Challenges.
In 2010 I began a fall challenge that encouraged women all over the world to bless their homes as a start to the fall season.
I didn’t know it at the time but the Making Your Home a Haven Challenge would become a hallmark Women Living Well challenge that women look forward to every year.
And since then, 2017 is the only year I didn’t offer the Making Your Home a Haven challenge. Instead I offered Rest and Release.
The Making Your Home a Haven Challenge is a 4-week challenge.
Each week I give you a homework assignment paired with a blog post, encouraging you to make your home a beautiful and peaceful haven for your family.
Depending on what month you start, There are either 4 weeks or 5.
The Making Your Home a Haven Challenge looks like this:
Week 1 –Go buy an extra large candle and light a candle everyday in your home. Each time the candle catches your eye, say a prayer for peace in your home.
Week 2 – Play soft music everyday in your home. Choose worship, classical or another form of peaceful music that the family enjoys. Focus on using peaceful words and maintaining peaceful relationships. Remind your family to avoid seething anger, tattling, criticism or back talk. As the wife/mother, work on gentleness this week.
Week 3 – List a few of the spots in your home that make you visually stressed because of all the clutter. Now go buy something for that spot – like a basket to put it all in! Work on cleaning up clutter – throw things away and encourage the children and your hubby to do the same in their bedrooms or offices or work areas this week. While you’re at it – clean up some clutter in your spiritual life. What gets in the way of your peace spiritually?
Week 4 –Keep the candle going, the music playing, and add some tender moments with your family. Have a pillow party in the family room and get out every blanket and pillow in the house and be cozy with the kids or your hubby! Even if you live alone you can do this. Enjoy a cozy evening of hot cider and caramel corn. Give a 5 minute back rub to every single person in your house…and for a double challenge- try to give one every day to each family member! During your tender moment with the family, ask them how they feel about this challenge. Are they enjoying it? Is it helpful? Is there anything they would change. Give your family listening ears. I think you will be blessed by the positive feedback you will receive!
Week 5 – Focus on the kitchen, the heart of the home. Cook things with pleasant aromas. Pick a meal the family can cook together – include everyone in a task and take pictures so everyone can remember moments in the kitchen together – test tasting, being creative, laughing and loving. Remove discontentment with your home or family and give thanks to God for the home God has given you to in which to create a haven for your family.
2016 Making Your Home a Haven Challenge Blog Posts
The Making Your Home a Haven Bible Study begins on Monday, November 4th! If you’d like to learn more about this Bible Study and peek inside the journal – then check out this video below. All the resources are free for this study but there is an optional Making Your Home a Haven Journal available for purchase exclusively on Amazon. This Journal includes the weekly challenges along with space for your daily gratitude list and daily prayer requests. It also has the Bible Reading Plan and SOAK pages for each day of the week, plus a place to take video notes.
From Sarah
Please check out the rest of the posts. There are many bloggers who will be sharing their weeks with us as well.
My candle is lit.
Love And Hugs, Sarah
