Homemaking and hospitality are two ministries that really go hand in hand. Personally, I consider them to be one very important ministry.
Over the years, I have developed a real love for the ministry of homemaking and hospitality. Striving to be a better homemaker has allowed God to refine me in so many ways. While learning to practice true hospitality and homemaking, I have been eased out of my comfort zone, and blessed in new ways almost every day.
Biblical hospitality and homemaking really are beautiful works of art that have God’s blessing written all over them. They encourage us to be creative, think about other people, and perform everyday tasks with a heart of servanthood. With every stroke of the paint brush within our home and community, we have the ability to reflect God’s image to the world.
Why I love Homemaking and Hospitality
There are so many reasons why this lifestyle has captured my heart, it’s hard to narrow them down! Here are a few of the top reasons why I love the art of homemaking and hospitality, and how God uses my efforts to bless others.
1. Creative Expression
Creativity has always been a large part of who I am. I believe that we are ALL creative, just in different ways. The Word of God says we are made in His image, and who is more creative than God? He has given all of us the ability to create, and as Christian homemakers, we have the gift of creating a warm, welcoming space for others.
When you really start to embrace the ministry of homemaking and hospitality, creativity sort of becomes a way of life! I’m not referring to painting pretty pictures, although that is a lovely skill. I’m referring to the art of creativity within your homemaking tasks. Here are a few examples:
- Creating a cleaning schedule to help you stay on top of things, and reduce stress.
- Decorating your home in a way that suits the lifestyle of your family, as well as creating a place of hospitality.
- Being creative with your cooking and meal planning to try new things, or to stretch the grocery store budget.
- Creating an atmosphere of coziness by engaging all the senses – think candles, soft pillows, a vase of flowers, etc.
2. Welcoming Others
As Christian women, we are called to be the caregivers of our home. This can be done whether we are working outside of the home, or are full time homemakers. Either way, nurturing our home and showing true Christian hospitality, are two roles that the Bible speaks very highly of.
>>Read The Biblical Perspective Of Homemaking
Welcoming others into our home, whether family members, friends, or neighbours, is an act of obedience to the Lord. However, it also blesses us greatly in the process!
The art of welcoming others into our home, is in fact, an art. I used to find this to be very stressful, because I always felt that my home wasn’t “perfect” enough for welcoming people into it. I felt such pressure to clean my house top to bottom, and make it look almost like we didn’t even live there!
It has only been with God’s grace and refinement that He has shown me the real value in welcoming others into my home. It’s not about trying to impress them – that’s neither a healthy, nor sustainable motivation. It’s about inviting people in with open hearts, and creating a warm, safe space for people to gather together.
The ability to show hospitality without feeling the need to appear perfect, humbles us and allows the Glory of God to shine through. The ministry of homemaking and hospitality is a way in which we can show the love of Christ to other people.
For more inspiration, check out this post all about Christian hospitality ideas.
3. Combining Homemaking And Hospitality
One way to combine your homemaking and hospitality ministry, is by considering the needs of others while going about your daily homemaking tasks. A simple way to do this is by anticipating the items you may need to have on hand, and making sure to add them to your weekly grocery list, or errands.
An example of this in our home, is coffee cream! Neither my husband, nor myself, put anything in our coffee – we are black coffee people! However, I know that isn’t the case for some of the people that may show up at our door. Therefore, I do my best to always have some fresh coffee cream and milk in the refrigerator, so that our guests can enjoy a cup of hot coffee the way they like it.
Another simple way you could anticipate the needs of others would be to clear off your coat hooks or coat rack, when you know you’re having a crowd over. This provides them a place to hang their coat; an action that creates a sense of belonging for people.
One more example could be, if you are having some young women with babies or toddlers over, take a few minutes before they arrive to walk around your living room, and move any items that could be dangerous for little hands. This simple 5 minute task will allow those mothers to relax, and feel more at home in your space.
Of course, these are just examples, and you will have your own way of accomplishing this. This just shows how these small, simple efforts that you can so easily incorporate into your daily homemaking, are actually ways in which you can bless other people.
4. The Blessings That Pour Out
The beautiful thing about all of this, is that when we are intentional about blessing others, God blesses us in return. He is a loving God, and He ENJOYS pouring His blessing and favour upon us!
These blessings aren’t necessarily physical items, although God always knows what we need. In my experience, they often show up in the form of a comment someone makes to me while spending time in our home. Or perhaps, the friendships He so faithfully sends our way when we show obedience to Him.
By serving others, we are serving the Lord – and only good will pour out of that!
The Spiritual Gift Of Hospitality
The Bible speaks about various different spiritual gifts, and there is a bit of debate on whether or not hospitality is in fact, a spiritual gift. I believe that the gift of hospitality is something that some people possess more than others, simply meaning that for some, it comes more naturally. However, everyone can learn to show hospitality, and it only gets easier with time.
Whether you view it as a spiritual gift or not, God does speak of serving, encouraging, giving, and showing mercy – which are all part of true Christian hospitality. The Bible also speaks of hospitality as a command, not only a gift.
Here are a few scripture verses regarding spiritual gifts and hospitality:
- Romans 12: 6–8 – “Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, let us prophesy in proportion to our faith; or ministry, let us use it in our ministering; he who teaches, in teaching; he who exhorts, in exhortation; he who gives, with liberality; he who leads, with diligence; he who shows mercy, with cheerfulness.”
- 1 Peter 4:9–10 – “Be hospitable to one another without grumbling. As each one has received a gift, minister it to one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.”
- Romans 12:13 – “Contribute to the needs of the saints and seek to show hospitality”
- Hebrews 13:2 – “Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers”
Learning The Art Of Homemaking And Hospitality
Learning to balance the art of homemaking and hospitality is a skill that takes time and experience. I have learned a lot in my own years of practicing this ministry, but I still have a lot more to learn, and gain confidence in.
>>Read 18 Simple Tips For Finding Joy In Homemaking Tasks.
If you are just beginning your homemaking journey, and the idea of hospitality is overwhelming to you, that’s ok! Don’t start out by having large groups of people over every night, or attempt to turn your home into the neighbourhood coffee shop! Hospitality isn’t about the number of people walking through your door, it’s about the willingness in your heart to welcome whoever does.
As Christian homemakers, we can start by serving our own husbands and family. As you go about your daily homemaking, think about their needs, and do something preemptively that you know will brighten their day. This will strengthen your creative muscles and over time, will help to develop the art of making your home with a hospitable mindset.
Also, whatever stage of your own homemaking and hospitality ministry you are in, you can never go wrong by seeking advice from older women. Whether this is something you can do in person, or perhaps online – older women who have lived a life dedicated to this ministry will have so much experience you can glean from. These amazing women can teach you the art of having an open home, with practical tips and Godly wisdom.
The Biggest Challenges
There are always going to be struggles we face when it comes to our homemaking and hospitality. Some of the biggest challenges that most women face when it comes to this are:
- Feeling overwhelmed by all there is to do
- Trying to maintain their home while raising young children
- Not having enough energy to accomplish their goals
- Feeling like their home isn’t “good enough”
- Worrying about what other people think of them
- Doubting their skills and abilities
- Getting caught up in comparisons
I could go on, but you get the picture!
Avoid Perfection
With the world of social media at our fingertips, there are a lot of outside pressures and influences that can affect us. While it can be a good idea to have pinterest boards full of inspiring ideas that help channel our creativity, we can too easily get sucked into the illusion of “perfection” that social media can portray. This can quickly start making us feel that our own lives are inadequate, that we aren’t the kind of person that can do this job well, or that we don’t have “enough” of what we need.
Don’t allow those thoughts to take up space in your heart and mind. Nobody is perfect, and there is no such thing as a perfect home. Ask God to help you be content with where you are in your journey, and ask Him to use you to bless others along the way.
Contentment is something I believe we are losing in our world right now, as everyone is constantly in search of the next best thing. It’s a fast paced world, and we can easily get lost in the pursuit of something bigger and better. Let God help you to rest in where you are, accept the season of life you’re in, and find joy and contentment in what you’ve already been blessed with.
A Home Built On Love
As homemakers, we are the builders of our home environment, and we set the tone and atmosphere of our home. I don’t know about you, but I want my home to be built on love – love for God’s Word, and genuine love for each other.
Sometimes, our energy is spent on finding the most efficient way of doing something, or finally getting the laundry folded while the baby naps. Those things are good and necessary when it comes to making our homes run smoothly day to day. But let’s not forget what our real purpose is in our ministry of homemaking and hospitality – to nurture our families and show love to others.
It’s not always easy after a long day of homemaking, when your mind and feet are tired, to see the point in what we’re doing. It can feel repetitive, mundane, and even boring at times.
But in those moments of weariness, sink into the knowledge that you are fearfully and wonderfully made by God. He has a purpose for you and the work that you are doing in your home. He wants to use you, even in your weakness, to show His love and glory to those that He brings into your life. In doing so, He will equip you and bless you abundantly!
The ministry of homemaking and hospitality is truly a work of art; you are the paintbrush, and God is the artist. If you let Him, He will take you and use you to create His ultimate design for your home and family. The result, will be a home built on love – and like I said before, only blessings will pour out of that!
Blessings!
~Maryann
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