God always has a way of preparing me for what's ahead in my life. A few short months ago my sister-in-law recommended a book to me that she had read in Bible study called "Feminine Appeal: The Seven Virtues of a Godly Wife and Mother". In July I ordered the book online and began reading it. It's broken into chapters on the 7 virtues found in Titus 2: 3-5 which are: loving your husband, loving your children, being self-controlled and pure, working from home, being kind, and submissive to your husband. All these are God's design for women to point others to the gospel of Jesus Christ.
How beautifully God plans our steps. I read the chapter on loving your husband the weekend my husband, Hunter and I celebrated our 5th anniversary. It helped me focus less on my own needs and desires and more on his.
I read the chapter on loving your children as I got ready to head back to teaching this fall. It helped me remember to place my children ahead of my job and my own need to always get stuff done.
Soon after I read the chapter on working from home. I'm so thankful that God has allowed me to finally see that this is my place and my "higher-calling" that I've been looking for since I was a kid. I always wanted to do something more, something that would make a difference in the world. Being the wife and mother that God has called me to be is that something! And there's so much more to it than cleaning the house and washing dishes. There are those basic things and I need to find joy in them and let my kids see me joyfully doing the chores that are placed before me, but there's so much more. Like the Proverbs 31 woman I can work from home. I love to bake, decorate, garden, and teach other women how to have safer homes. I can strive to be the best and most creative worker from home that I can be. Making my home a haven for my family and others that come in to my home. Letting the love that pours from our home reach the neighbors and those that need to feel the love of Christ.
I'm thankful that God has provided me with a way to make an income from home teaching others how to convert their homes to safer household products. I've always had a passion for providing my family with healthy meals and healthy products and God has given me an avenue to use my passion to provide for my family from home. I'm still teaching, but I know that I'm also working towards being at home.
On another note, I'm learning to submit to my husband and his leadership in our family. In the past when Hunter had been a football coach and taking classes for his masters, I had felt somewhat abandoned at times having to take care of 2 little ones at home after having worked all day. But, those feelings were due to my own selfishness. The Lord has been gracious to teach me and prepare me for a new phase in my life that will require me to let go of this selfishness. Hunter and 2 other godly men are starting up an outdoor hunting ministry in our area. This is going to require him to be away from home most weekends during hunting season and is requiring us to spend money up front that I would prefer to save. But, having prayerfully read this book, I realize that I need to support my husband in this ministry.
I'm not there yet, but I'm thankful that God has placed me on this journey towards being a Titus 2 woman.
