Learning Contentment with a Simple Life at Home
Written by Jessica Perez
“Why do people have such a problem with a simple life? I don’t mean simple in the way of going off grid, living off the land, being a minimalist, etc. I mean, why does everyone feel like they need to raise their children to be world changers and overachievers?
“What is wrong with just wanting to live a quiet life, serving those whom God has put in our immediate care and circle? I am content to be home; focusing on my husband, children, and my home, and quietly serving and giving to those whom God has put in my path. My husband filters the news for me so that I am aware of what I need to know but sheltered from it and the stresses it could cause me.
“I don’t believe that I need to personally travel across the world to right all the wrongs and make my name known to everyone. I guess some would say I am living in a bubble. I am not trying to live in isolation. My children may never make it into history books or write books or have thousands of followers. I don’t raise them to think that this is the goal they should strive for in life.
“I know what God’s Word says about a woman’s role and life is so much more peaceful doing it His way. I guess I just look around at all of the families striving and pushing and being so busy in so many things that don’t matter that much, and it just seems so exhausting! These families could have so much more peace and rest in their lives if they followed God’s design.
“I understand that there are those who God calls to go out to do those things mentioned. I am just talking about the general attitude that EVERYONE is so ‘special’ that we must all be doing those ‘big’ things or we are not really doing our Christian duty. I am sure that Susannah Wesley, when she was raising her family, wasn’t doing what she did for the purpose of someday having books written about her and her children’s lives. I believe she was simply a mother who wanted to live for God and raise her family to do the same.”
God calls us to live quiet and simple lives focused upon Him, working hard with our hands, and loving others. This is what He calls us to do and so many put extra burdens upon their shoulders that they were never meant to carry. Let’s enjoy being wives, mothers, and keepers at home. I receive so many letters from women who tell me how they have learned contentment at home and how happy this has made them. God’s ways are perfect!
And that ye study to be quiet, and to do your own business, and to work with your own hands, as we commanded you.
1 Thessalonians 4:11
29 thoughts on “Learning Contentment with a Simple Life at Home”
Amen! I cannot agree more. I feel like I have finally found my calling (child of God, wife, motherhood). These scriptures came to mind when reading this:
“But godliness with contentment is great gain.”
1 Timothy 6:6 KJV
And
“Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.”
Hebrews 13:5 KJV
I am so grateful for the good life God gave me. I love spending the majority of my waking hours with my sweet children and being in charge of not only their education but their world. I love submitting to one man, not to a man and a boss. (After all the Bible says no one can serve two masters as they will hate one and love the other). It’s a very good and sweet life.
Lori,
My daughter told me that she does not ever want children, she chooses to travel the world and is working on her second degree. She said she will never, ever ‘submit’ to her husband, will never ‘obey’ him and will always be very strong-willed. She said she knows the Lord loves her and made her with a strong will. What do I do?
She needs truth spoken to her, Isha. Then lots of prayer.
Society is obsessed with materialism and prestige and sadly devalues the important role of family life. Especially for women!
Lauren and M…YES!!
I used to live the rat race over- achiever life style. When I made the serious decision to be a follower of Christ, I burned my plough, left it all behind and joined a church.
Sadly, one of the first things I found in church, was really just the same thing. People, men AND women, seeking notoriety, but in the church setting. Lots of grandiose talk and activity around establishing ministries, world missions, conferences etc. I didn’t meet, and still haven’t, (8 years later), ANYONE in church promoting family and stay at home wives and mothers. In fact we have been in 3 churches now where the women run the show. Even if they didn’t when we first started attending, it eventually evolved into this via women’s “Bible studies”, ie, self-help-women-are-victims-empowerment-indoctrination programs.
Oh how I long for a REAL church!
In the meantime, though, I’m encouraged by many women on this blog. And I speak this truth to those in my life, as
PRAYING for our men to stand against the assault on them, and rise up as Christ-like leaders in our churches and families! I know the world is against them! I see it every day! But I pray they dont give up!
Needed this today!!!
Dana,
Don’t lose hope. Godly churches are out there. My wife and I attend a church where many mothers stay home with their children and SAHMs are held in high esteem.
Very encouraging post today! It’s what we gently need to be reminded of; the good life is when we embrace God’s role as wife, mother, and keeper- at home. I love the scriptures cited in this posting as well. A simple life at home is wonderful!?
My life is so much more peaceful since I had my son and never returned to work from maternity leave! I am able to care for my child and our home while my husband, who is self employed, works very hard to provide for us and manages all of the bills and finances. I don’t understand why all of my friends seem to be career driven instead of family driven. One good friend has two sons and cannot come home due to all of the time and money she spent on her doctorate- her husband cannot see wasting all of that to be home. Her sons are instead placed in daycare. Meanwhile, I have found so much purpose being home- I finally feel complete and where I am meant to be!
I enjoy watching the duggar family on tv. A recent episode had the married children discussing marriage and how their expectations differed from reality the first year. One of the wives, Kendra, explained that she felt lacking in her role as a wife because pregnancy left her too sick to do much of what she had planned- cooking all of their meals and keeping a very clean and inviting home while caring for her husband. The reactions I have seen to her response are heartbreaking! So many people feel that her life is a waste because she doesn’t want anything more. I feel the opposite- her life is an example of how we should try to live- focusing on making our marriages and homes testimonies to God instead of making names or careers for ourselves!
Another overachiever here… It’s so natural for us to want to do great things, for others and for the Lord! But the “smallest” things are often the greatest. God knows what will have the biggest eternal impact.
I love Counting On! I would have loved having a show available for me to watch when I was a young mother. Such a blessing that family is to our culture.
It’s her life, not yours. Let her do what she wants. What if your daughter told you shouldn’t live the life you have? What if your mother disapproved of how you live? Just let her be, if you pry all it will do is strain your relationship.
I can so relate to the woman in this post and to several who have commented. I LOVE being keeper of our home! I’m happy and content with my simple life. I still shake my head because I almost bought into the lie to be more. Thank God I didn’t go that route. I would have missed out on so much peace that I now enjoy because I’m doing what He called me to do 🙂
I hate this weird ambition culture and obsession that society has with having it all. Women who are satisfied with being keepers of the home are shamed and people act as if they’re just too stupid to realize they could have a career and need feminism to “save them”.
I used to follow politics, watch the news and listen to several talk-radio programs every day. I found was making me angry, anxious and overly worried about things totally out of my control. I turned my anxieties over to God and through His Word He reminded me that He is in control and that God is my King, not any man. I have turned off the news almost completely. Without those unnecessary worries I am free to focus more fully on my husband, home and children. My life feels simpler and much quieter.
Thank you so much Lori for all the beautiful work you do! This post was exactly what I needed in my life today and the LORD has truly inspired you to write it! I got married quite young to a much older man (I was 16, he was a 47 year old widower). Even though our parents and our church pastor gave their blessings from the start, I’ve had to spend our wonderful marriage fighting off ignorant feminists who claim that I wasn’t old enough to make my own decisions, that I should have gone to college and started a career instead of pursuing my Biblical duties as a loving mother and housewife. Today, we have three beautiful children and I don’t for one moment regret staying at home to take care of them as God commands.
I highly agree with this. If she is a self sustaining independent adult, you nor her father can really do anything about it. Adults in general don’t like nagging and repeating what YOU consider to be shortcomings will only driver her away from you.
Let her grow weary of the world. She will get tired of it sooner or later. She will get hungry for something else. Traveling the world might sound glamorous, but it isn’t. Airports, suitcases and empty hotel rooms get old pretty fast. No amount of trying to change her mind now will have the impact of feeling that emptiness. Keep praying and being a living example for her to follow. It might take a while, but she will return to you. Blessings to you, Isha.
The only thing you can do is pray and model to her what a Godly woman is. It is her life so she must make her own choices. But always be there for her and be open to listen, not judgmental. Eventually she will seek out your advice if she knows she can trust you. I know this from experience. God will work things out in his time! But always pray!
Hi,
not sure who they are, ive hear of them, but no pregnant woman should feel bad and lacking about not being able to cook & clean as well when pregnant. My hubby wouldn’t even let me do stuff when I was pregnant, I barely got dinner cooked. He said to rest all day if need be. He said the health of me & baby is more important than the house & him, he can take care of himself. I wasn’t sick, but I had other issues. So shes the only child I get to have. He took care of the baby while in the hospital & the one week that his job let him have off, he took care of her.
She should just rest, pray , read Bible & ignore mean & ignorant people.
Lori,
I admit that I could never and would never be satisfied with a life that is just about sitting at home and taking care of kids all day. Sorry, that’s just not me.
That being said, I think it’s good that women know that there is absolutely nothing wrong with not wanting a career and to be a stay at home mom. And you ARE contributing to society by having beautiful children and raising them yourself.
That being said, I think it’s very important that women who choose this path need to make sure that they are picking husbands who are on the same page and who can provide financially. It does nobody good to forge ahead this way with a man who is lazy, can’t or won’t keep a job, or spends money recklessly.
I myself do not want children, because the idea of sitting at home with kids all day sounds like pure torture to me. And I don’t want to have kids if I am just going to pass them off on somebody else to raise…what would be the point of having kids if I did that?
Women who are homemakers, raising beautiful children: you ARE contributing to society. I grew up in a house with many babies that I had to help with-it was HARD work even for me! You deserve praise.
Lovely post – thank you.
Oh Lori, your posts are such a blessing! It truly feels like the Lord is using you for great things. When I was a little girl, I was such a busy bee! I used to be so obsessed with grades and sports. It was fun at first, but then it quickly got tiring for me to keep up as I got older. Luckily, when I was 14, my parents introduced me to a family friend, who was about 43 and recently widowed. Little did I know, that he would come my future husband a year later! My parents and church proudly approved, but sadly, as we were living in a liberal city, angry feminists were on our backs almost everyday. Thanks to family and friends, we soon learned to simply not be bothered by them, and moved to the country when we were ready. Now, I have 7 girls, ranging from 0 to 15, who are just darling daughters in the name of God! We are teaching them how to be housewives and mothers, and we are so happy about their progress! I don’t regret my choice one single moment of my life!
Amen Lori! I am absolutely blessed to have the life I do. I finished my homeschooling education at 15 and got married soon after (with my father’s blessing). I am now 20 and have two children with my husband, who is 35. I find that having an older, godlier husband has kept me from possibly straying from God’s Word. I love tending to my two little ones and being a helpmeet for my husband! God has truly blessed me with His provision.
My sister was the same. From 19 to 26 years old, she traveled a lot, but she wasn’t so happy after all and ended up wanting a husband and children very badly. She finally married, had children, and she is now happy indeed! I agree that the best is praying for your daughter and be happy with your own life! She will seek that same happiness one day :)!
Let her live her life. It’s her life. Not yours.
Wow Laura, your sister sounds amazing! Wonderful how she had the amazing opportunity to travel and do what she wanted as a young adult woman!
So happy for you. My step-brother’s daughter is 12 and he is vigerouly looking for a husband for her. It is hard in a small town, is there a network that can help finding a suitable Christian husband. He is in fear she will become too old if he waits much longer.