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In conclusion to our series on being workers at home, I wanted to share some resources and final thoughts on this all important topic.  I wish to thank all the ladies who have shared their thoughts on our panel and amidst the discussion over the past week.

As we have seen, being a worker at home, as described in Titus 2:4-5, means that we are called to be first and foremost homeward oriented, whatever season we are in (whether single, married, children grown, etc). We must never loss sight of this orientation even when different seasons may open up various outside opportunities. We are guardians, protectors, managers of this domain. We are to passionately seek the well-being of our husbands/father’s, children and home, prior to any other pursuit. Home building is ministry. It is our mission field. As Mark Driscoll challenges, home building is full-time ministry, why look elsewhere? This is the beautiful domain that God has placed women since creation. Nurturing and building our homes is a high and holy calling!

I personally can testify to the joys of being a worker at home. It may require sacrifice in material things, but what does that matter in eternity? Seek first the Kingdom of God, the Word commands, and all our essential needs will be supplied (Matt. 6:33). Giving up future security in retirement in order to invest in eternal souls of those of your children and others around you is worth the sacrifice. There is eternal treasures stored up for those who are willing to give up extra comforts in the present, in order to store up future treasures in heaven (Matt. 6:19-21).

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I invited Michele @ Frugal Granola to share further ideas and encouragement on how she has creatively sought to live well on one income. You can read more about her story and journey through her husband’s unemployment here. Thank you Michele! This is part of our Titus 2 Talk on the topic of being workers at home.

One of the biggest steps toward staying home, was realizing how little we really need.  We didn’t need the two cars, large home, or new purchases.  God’s blessings abound when we learn to be content with what we have.

One example as a way we have saved money on living expenses, is by renting a one-bedroom apartment.  We use a futon for sleeping in the living room (the bedroom has always been for our daughter.)  I have a friend with a couple children, who has a similar living arrangement.

In order to live well on a one-income budget, we strive to eliminate unnecessary costs and activities, in order to promote a better quality of life.

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Welcome back for part 4 in our panel discussion on being workers at home. Make sure to read part 1, part 2 & part 3, if you haven’t already.

4. Do you have any encouragement or advice for stay at home moms who have husbands that have lost their jobs? What are your thoughts on how we can still serve as mothers and wives in a Christ honoring way in this position?

Michele: Dear sister, I want to encourage you!  God’s provision is abundant.  Do not waver from the tasks He has set before you.  Focus only on what He has given you to do, and notice all that He has blessed you with.  Don’t compare yourself to others, or to what they have received.  God is faithful, and He will be with you during this challenging season.

If I try to “do my husband’s job for him,” by providing for our family, I am robbing him of the blessings he would receive in fulfilling his role as the head of our family. As I fervently seek to learn how to do my roles as wife and mother, he too, is learning how to be a husband and father. God is faithful to provide wisdom, when we seek after His will.

Instead of rushing to “fill a need,” by applying for jobs myself during my husband’s unemployment, I sought to pray fervently for my husband, and to increase my efforts at home.  I didn’t try to “swap roles” with him.

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As we continue on in our series on being Workers at Home, I would like to pause and share a testimony from a godly mother of nine children, Rosie, who chose to stay at home and invest in the lives of her children. This is part of our Titus 2 Talk on the topic of being workers at home.

My Experience as a Worker at Home

(by a mother of nine, ages two to nineteen)

Deuteronomy 6 tells how the Israelites were to pass down the faith to the next generation.  I believe that in order to do what that verse says, your children have to be with you.  How can you teach them when you “walk by the way” (Deut. 6:7) unless they are with you!  Daron and I came to that conclusion, early on, that I should stay home. The Lord has, since we had our first baby, thus far provided financially through my husband Daron.

But since I never liked baby-sitting, I used to think that being a stay home mom would be boring, uncreative, and I wouldn’t use my gifts and abilities. And, in a sense, I felt I gave up all my “ambition”, (“selfish ambition”?).  I had planned a college “career” such as a school teacher, nutritionist, reporter or magazine writer.

When I had one baby, Smarty*, I toted him with me to writer’s meetings, and had a great time free-lance writing, fulfilling my ambition to write.  After Angel* came along, however, I felt I couldn’t’ keep up with that and properly care for my family.

So I turned my creativity toward my family and children. Surprise!  I found my new job to be the most “creative”, and mentally challenging job I could ever imagine, especially since we home school!  (I understand, it isn’t all about “ME” being “fulfilled”, but God is gracious.  I believe that putting my life into being a wife and mother has been “fulfilling” because it is what I was created to do!)

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Welcome to part 3 of our Titus 2 Talk on being workers at home….For part 1, visit here and part 2, visit here.

As we have seen, God has called women to be “workers at home”, caregivers, stewards, guardians of the home. Is there any exceptions to this? Is there freedom to work outside the home or earn income from your home? As Carolyn Mahaney continues in her book, Feminine Appeal, “Since God orders our lives in seasons, there will be periods of time when pursuits outside the home will not compromise the quality of our work in the home (children are grown, before having children, etc), but whenever we contemplate these opportunities, we must first prayerfully consider the consequences they might have on our family. We must always evaluate our motives.”

Use these questions, provided by Carolyn, as you evaluate these opportunities. I would use these not just when considering outside work but as you evaluate opportunities to earn income from your home as well:

1. What are my reasons for considering this opportunity? Are they selfish or God-honoring?
2. Will pursuing this venture glorify God and honor the gospel?
3. Is this an undertaking that will help my husband?
4. Will it enhance and enrich the lives of my family?
5. Does this endeavor hinder my role as caretaker of my home?

Asking these questions will help us all make wise and discerning decisions. Always prayerfully discuss these questions with your husband.

There are definitely exceptions where a wife will need to work outside the home (i.e. husband is debilitated in some way, single mom, etc), but when you see Michelle F. (one of our panel) whose husband is a simple mailman raising eight children and staying at home, or my dear aunt Molly who has been a single mother for the last 10 years and has just been creative in small home business ideas so that she could stay at home with her five children, I believe it is truly possible! If you feel God is calling you to be at home to raise and nurture your children, God will provide! It is important to be in full agreement with your husband in these matters. If he is not on the same page, pray that God might soften his heart. Whatever the outcome, if your husband desires for you to work or not, God will honor your decision as you submit to your own husband (1 Peter 3:5-6).

This brings us to question #3…

3. What are your thoughts on earn­ing income from home and do you have any cre­ative ideas for doing so?

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Welcome to part 2 of our panel discussion on the topic of being workers at home as described in Titus 2:4-5. If you missed part 1, read it here.

“Homemaking – being a full-time wife and mother – is not a destructive drought of uselessness but an overflowing oasis of opportunity; it is not a dreary cell to contain one’s talents and skills but a brilliant catalyst to channel creativity and energies into meaningful work.”

- Dororthy Patterson, Where’s Mom?

2. Why do you believe it is impor­tant to be a worker at home and what benefits/rewards has it pro­vided for you?

Scarlett: I want to be here and available to nurture, feed, rock my babies, read to my children, guide them, train them, discipline them, provide healthy meals for my family, provide a comfortable, relaxed atmosphere for my husband, manage my home, take care of repairs, bills, organize, clean, prepare gifts for others, read the Bible, school them, be knowledgeable about natural methods for healthcare, study what interests me, knit/crochet/embroider, make cards, sew, to name a few. Learning to simplify life, learning to give more generously of myself and my time. All this takes time and energy. I find that staying home allows me to pursue these skills that will benefit my family and others, it also saves us money by not going all over town, driving and shopping.

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Welcome to our first post in our mini series on the topic of being workers at home as God has beautifully created for the woman’s primary domain. I am so thankful for the array of ladies that have graciously stepped forward to share their thoughts and wisdom on this topic, and I pray you would glean much from their wisdom and insight. I have basically given each of the ladies five questions of which we will address one by one over the next few days. We also have further testimonies from women who have chosen to stay at home to raise their families and how the Lord provided through the thick in thin, which we will share at the end.

Titus 2:4-5 states, “These older women must train the younger women to love their husbands and their children, to live wisely and be pure, to work in their homes, to do good, and to be submissive to their husbands. Then they will not bring shame on the word of God.”

1. So what does God’s Word have to say to wives and mother about working at home?

I would like to begin by sharing a few thoughts from Carolyn Mahaney’s book, Feminine Appeal:

“First, the obvious conclusion we can draw from the Titus 2 command – to be “working at home” – is that the principle place of work for wives and mothers is at home. Also in 1 Timothy Paul counseled the younger widows to marry, bear children, and manage their households (1 Tim. 5:14). Then we have the noble woman in Proverbs 31: Home was her sphere of work. Scripture is clear that men are responsible to be providers for the home (1 Tim. 5:8), while women are responsible to be the caretakers of the home. Now the Bible does not say that wives and mothers are never allowed to work outside the four walls of their houses; nor does it preclude them from receiving wages for work. Scripture provides examples of godly women who worked in other settings and earned extra income, but never to the neglect of their families and homes…Working at home must always remain a contain and ongoing priority in our lives.”

Here are a few thoughts from our panel:

Marliss (mother of 4, working a part time job from her home): The NKJV of the Bible translates that particular phrase as “homemakers.”  However, I prefer “workers at home” because it seems to incorporate a greater meaning than just making a home.  Working at home not is not only making a pleasant place for the family to live, but also finding better ways to do things, from nutrition to finances.  In this day and age, it can also mean helping our husbands provide for the family, if necessary.

Michele (mother of 1 with another on the way, writing on the side at Frugal Granola): Titus 2 encourages me to provide a nourishing, uplifting atmosphere for my family. I know from experience, that if I am rushing to a job or filling my time with frivolous activities, my family is often neglected.

Scarlett (homeschooling mother of seven children): I believe the meaning behind workers at home as described in Titus 2 is for women to be happy working in our homes.

Michelle F (homeschooling mother of eight children): I have not given this a lot of study time but my opinion is this is literal. We are to be busy in the home. We are to do everything  we can to build up and guard our homes making it a place of safety, a refuge for our husbands and children, and a lighthouse to everyone else. Proverbs 14:1 “a wise woman builds her house”. Proverbs 24:3-4 “By wisdom a house is built”. It is important that we build our homes on the Lord Jesus Christ and His wisdom. It is wisdom we want for ourselves and wisdom we want to impart to our children. We should want to “keep our homes” as a spiritual empire so that the wisdom and aroma of Christ can radiate throughout our homes and penetrate all who enter the home. We must remember sound doctrine is so important. It is the foundation upon which everything in our lives is built. Right thinking (Godly thinking) without right living (Godly living) leads to weak homes with weak believers.

The Greek word for keeper means “stayer at home.” This is a word with a militant meaning like guards keeping watch over a city. We are to do everything we can do to guard our homes especially spiritually. I believe because of the fall our hearts are easily drawn away from the home. Even good things can be to blame for this. Things like church, bible studies, meeting practical needs of others, outside the home. These are all good but if they continually pull you away from home leaving it open, unguarded, they are unprofitable and possibly part of the tearing down. God has given women very clear instructions that their strategic and primary position of influence and assistance is to their husbands and children. Remember “there is a season for every activity under the heavens”. The love of God must be her guide.

Stay tuned for part 2…

Upcoming questions for this series include: Why do you believe it is important to be a worker at home and what benefits/rewards has it provided for you? What are your thoughts on earning income from home and do you have any creative ideas for doing so? Do you have any advice for women whose husband’s have lost their jobs? Do you have any resource recommendations on this topic or that might be helpful in providing ideas on earning income from home?

“Remember as you’re cleaning—as you’re ironing, as you’re sewing, as you’re picking up, as you’re painting, as you’re beautifying your home, as you’re doing things to make your home attractive, remember that you’re painting a picture for your children—a picture of God.

You’re demonstrating to your children in ways that penetrate deep into their hearts, the heart of God, the ways of God, and you’re increasing the likelihood that your children will grow up to love that God and to want to be like Him.

You’re demonstrating parables of spiritual life to your children as you work with your hands, as you serve in your home. When you prepare food for your family, you’re demonstrating to them that God is a faithful provider.

When you’re being quality conscious in the things that you purchase, you’re showing your children the excellence of the character of God.

As you are orderly, you are teaching your children that God is a God of order.

When you clean things up in your home, when you keep a clean home, you’re showing your children the importance of purity, holiness of heart, of being clean and washed before God.

When you’re disciplined in your life and habits and schedule and the time you get up and the time you go to bed according to the way that God has directed your family, you’re teaching your children that the Christian life requires discipline. You are teaching them that you can’t just stay in bed and become spiritual. It requires effort and cooperation with God’s Spirit to develop godly habits, patterns, and sanctification in our lives.

When you reach out your hands…to the poor and the needy and you’re ministering to the needs of others, you’re showing your children the heart of God for those who are poor and needy and oppressed.

There is indeed no mundane task! Every task assigned to you is spiritual and paints a picture of God!”

From No Mundane Tasks by Nancy Leigh Demoss as part of the 31 day Makeover Challenge.