In This Little Home

Outside: 

The world seems like it is falling apart. 

Division is literally everywhere. 

Groceries are sky high. 

Money protects criminals. 

Sin is glorified. 

Inside: 

We are Fed. 

The lights are on. 

Our home is warm. 

Laughter fills the rooms. 

& dirty dishes fill the sink. 

It is so easy to get caught up in the world around us and it is so easy to bring the world around us home. National politics, global war, the persecution of Christians, the attacks of Islam… it all feels so heavy, and it is all so relevant every time you step out the door, turn on your radio, watch the news, or pick up your phone to scroll. And it feels like it matters so much because, as Christians, we are called to protect the widower, the orphan, the one who has not. 

Jeremiah 22:3 says, “This is what the LORD says: Do what is just and right. Rescue from the hand of the oppressor the one who has been robbed. Do no wrong or violence to the foreigner, the fatherless or the widow, and do not shed innocent blood in this place.”’

As a Christian, I have these big outside call, and I am also called to pursue the traits of the Proverbs 31 woman inside. 

How do I manage these calls that often can conflict? 

Right now, letting the outside in is causing me to fail at both calls. The weight of the world affects my mood and my peace. I found myself worrying about things far out of my control. I found myself angry about things that I cannot change. I found myself carrying the world in my flesh, instead of carrying the world to the cross. 

For example, I feel obligated to stand with true feminism and defend these women in the Middle East, who were losing rights faster than I’m losing baby weight. On the other hand, I feel obligated to defend my home and keep this safe, happy loving space for my family and that’s a full time job. 

Doing both is quite the challenge… 

Doing both is impossible without help… 

This year, I have found that I can’t have my hands on everything I want to and that sometimes delegating is okay. What that looks like in times like this is a lot of research. And research often doesn’t feel fun. But what I have found is that having an organization I align with be the hands and feet of Jesus outside is allowing me to continue to be the hands and feet of Jesus inside. 

I reflect on Biblical times, and I think of the reach that they had to have had. They likely had a wordly view of a few nations and cities that were within travel distance, but not the issues of the whole world flooding their mind every day. And because of that, I don’t genuinely think that we are meant to take in everything from all around the world. And I’m not saying that it’s bad to have a global perspective. I think it’s amazing. But I don’t think it’s the burden we are meant to carry every day. For me, it’s something that has a time and a place, but not every morning before I manage my home.  

What I mean by that is I’m a mom of two who is running a business, so I can’t go in big missions trips, I can’t fight on the front lines, and I certainly can’t miss a bedtime routine. So I’ve been having to find the balance in this world as a Christian between my home life and what’s happening outside those doors.

For me, it looks like giving to a few global organizations that I feel passionate about. It looks like helping locally once a week for a couple hours at a charity I love. It looks like praying over my home and shielding my boys from the bad outside the doors as long as I can.

It’s the realization that the small battles here inside my home create leaders who can then win their their battles outside in the world.

Honestly, I didn’t realize how much going to the bathroom and scrolling my phone, laying down at night and scrolling my phone, or sitting on the couch while the boys played and scrolling my phone was impacting my spirit until I stopped. I was letting so much worry, fear, and anger seep in with every swipe. Those emotions were weighing me down, changing my mood, and affecting my presence. 

I had to establish balance.

Inside this little Home I am in charge. This is my domain. This is what I can control. This past month I’ve had to turn over, what I can’t control to God and ask him how I can better steward what is here in front of me. 

That has included several big changes. Our doors and our rooms have been prayed over and anointed. This little Home is holy. This little Home is protected. I’ve stopped taking my phone with me to the bathroom. I’m going back to reading the back of a shampoo bottle and claiming time lost. In this little home, I will be an efficient steward of my time. I have stopped scrolling on the couch or letting myself get distracted while the boys are occupied. In this little home, I will be present. I’ve stopped scrolling first thing or before bed. I’ve made more time for intentional reading and selected the media I’m introducing. In this little home, I will make more time for the Lord. I will be intentional with my time because in this little home there might not be much, but it is my call for my boys to see how we have filled it with a lot. 

I cannot save the world tomorrow. 

I cannot carry everyone’s burdens on my shoulders. 

And I cannot afford to miss the beautiful life I have been blessed with because of the destruction and distractions of the enemy.

I can pray. I am a warrior in prayer. I can volunteer locally. I can donate to causes that now align with my faith. But most importantly, I can give this little home to God. Here I can create order, teach lessons of love, and raise leaders rooted in faith for the next generation. Here I can keep bellies fed and hearts full. I can fight off monsters in the closet and ward away bad dreams. I can love like Christ loved and I am blessed to be loved by a man who loves me like Christ loved the church. Here, in these tiny walls I can stake a claim for the kingdom. I can preach His word and be the hands and feet I am called to be. 

And I can comfortably know that is enough. 

I am enough. 

Motherhood is kingdom work. 

In this little home, we will have peace and love. In this little home, we will pray for the world around us, the leaders governing us, and those without voices. In this little home, we will slam the door on the enemy’s destruction and distractions. Because, what I’ve learned this past month is - yes my call is to care about the outside, but my greater call is to steward the inside for his glory. 

I challenge you to leave the weight of the world at your door and His altar. I challenge you to create a home that is a safe retreat from the destruction and distractions of the enemy. I challenge you to build with me a home that is a place of intentional stewardship cultivating the Fruits of the Spirit.

“But the fruit of the Spirit  is love,  joy,  peace, patience,  kindness,  goodness, faithfulness, 23gentleness,  and self-control…” Galatians 5:22-23

I am so blessed to be in this little home. 

God’s Love & Mine, 

Christina