For Stay at Home Wives:

So, I am recognizing a little flea pestering me, and I need to take a bath! I need to be washed in the waters of Christ!

As wives we are called to manage our homes, to be our husband's helper. And for me right now, I am a stay at home wife, with not a lot of responsibilities. We have no kids; we live with David's parents, and there are some things I just can't do at his parents house. And, some things tire me working in their house. So, my life consists of working out, doing the dishes, doing laundry, cooking, getting ready and reading. That is not a lot when I look at a friend on facebook who has basically been superwoman today and cleaned her whole house, managed kids, and done 6 loads of laundry! What a woman.

I have been facing a, shall I say, superfluous lie that creeps in on a regular basis. A lie that says I have to work to get favor, to earn grace! If I spend my whole day and just do the dishes and read, I fear a loss of favor from God and from my husband, and people around, I might add. If I miss a week of working out, condemnation sets in, and I feel ruined.

So, I am merely just opening up the computer and preaching to myself as I journal my thoughts. I read yesterday in Psalms 19 that the law of the Lord is perfect and it is in this law my soul is revived! So my prayer is that as I lay hold of God's promises, my soul might be refreshed and grace by faith will be ever poured anew, and that you might be encouraged as well!

God says:
"It is the gift of God not by works, so that no man shall boast."
"But now, He has reconciled you, by Christ's physical body, through death, to present you holy in His sight, without blemish and free from accusation."
"so that IN HIM we may become that righteousness of God."
"For this is the way the holy women of the past who put their Hope in God made themselves beautiful."
"So we fix our eyes, not on what is seen, but what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal."
"he saved us, not because of the righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy."

It is simply this.. The Gospel... Christ died for sins... I so often start living apart from this
measure. Even when I have had a great day, my husband will come home and I will tell him all the things I have done right, as to earn favor with him. But what he tells me then is that regardless of my deeds, whether accomplished or unaccomplished, favor with God and therefore favor with my him is still ever-present and ever-complete.

So, it is my hope that as you and I both consider the wondrous work of the cross and the joy that God's favor is not earned, but so graciously given in spite of our inabilities or disabilities, that we, dear friend would walk in freedom. Not to become lazy and satisfied, but let us eagerly expect this hope to spark a deep love for growing our capacity of helping our husbands, in whatever season, and even when we can't do all of the things we want, that God would remind us of his grace!

Side Note: Helping our husbands doesn't just mean doing things (laundry, dishes etc...). I strongly believe that my role as a helper is to help my husband fight the good fight! Part of that is making our house a place where our husbands can be refreshed, but, more than that, if my soul is not being revived, I can not help David. But if it is, then and only then can I help him. If being refreshed means to go away for an entire day, or to read a book for three hours, (and always spending time with God) then I think that is ok! Today for example, I have not done much around the house, but I am clinging to the cross, the grace that Christ my Savior will not lose favor with me! I am being challenged today to believe that I have not done enough and need to get through a list, but God is also penetrating my heart and giving me courage to go forward with my daily chores, not as if I need to see checks on my list, but as one walking in her calling, as a helper, and also to know Christ more! Bask in that!!!