I have met many wonderful women who are committed homemakers.  These godly women love serving their families in the home and desire to teach their daughters to do likewise.

But there’s something interesting that these women also have in common:  They were not taught how to care for a family and run a household.  They were not raised to be keepers at home.  And now these women are dedicated to giving their daughters the skills they had to learn on the job.

So , it is with great joy I’d like to announce a new website called . . .

Raising Homemakers

This website is the brain child of my sweet friend Sarah Mae who has a heart for equipping women to be all that God has called them to be.  In Sarah’s own words, Raising Homemakers “is dedicated to inspiring, teaching and blessing mothers who have an interest in raising their daughter in godliness and preparing them in the arts of homemaking to the glory of God.”

So get ready to join us as we roll up our sleeves and get busy!

I was recently discussing with some dear friends the subject of stay-at-home-daughters and time.  We talked about all the things we hope to learn and skills we want to have before entering marriage.  Beyond the basic skills of cleaning the home, caring for children, sewing, cooking wholesome meals and decorating cakes, there is a vast world of other useful skills that stay-at-home-daughters have time to learn.

As young women not yet married, we have the responsibility to become as well-rounded and useful as we can be.  Right now you probably don’t have the full care of running the home—this is an excellent opportunity to prepare yourself for the rest of your life.  The more helpful skills we acquire, the more useful, the more of a blessing we will be to our future husbands and families.

Think of these skills as an Invisible Hope Chest.

Your husband could have any kind of job: mechanic, business owner, economics professor, etc.—are you studied in many areas to be able to help him in whatever his calling may be?  Your family may someday have special diet issues—would you know enough about nutrition to accommodate those needs?  Could you start a homestead or home business from scratch and live self-sufficiently?  Do you plan to home-educate your children?  Are you collecting excellent books for them to read?  How do you plan to raise them to become God-fearing and useful men and women?

There is a host of other things to learn as well.  Systematic theology (there’s enough there to keep you constantly in awe for the rest of your life!), finances and banking, how to keep everything in the home running smoothly together, history, English, a foreign language, herbal medicine, science, home birth, and even some carpentry skills will be found quite useful.  And how are your communication skills?

How are you filling your invisible hope chest?  Perhaps you haven’t started on it yet, but what would you like to fill it with?

Last week I began my twentieth year.  (Most would say I’m nineteen, but…)

~

I think most people my age want to rush into their futures.  In some ways I do want to plunge into my plans.  But I am so enjoying the life that God has given me right now, that I want it to slow . . . way . . . down so I can thoroughly soak it up and appreciate it.

Perhaps that is why I feel old-ish.

There are those days when I get a little antsy.  Not discontent, but . . . I guess the word is eager.  Eager to see what comes next.  But there is still so much for me to learn before that time comes, and there is so much in the waiting to keep me busy!  ;)

Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil. -Ephesians 5:15-16 (ESV)

But am I redeeming the time?  And I don’t just mean that in the context of preparing for marriage, but for the entire short, fleeting vapor of my life.  Am I preparing to be a wise and teaching mother? A physician? A gardener, a nurturer of souls?

I often fail and allow frivolous things to distract me, but my Lord is always beside me, teaching me, guiding me back to where I need to be.  Helping me to notice the little things and see His fingerprints.  Showing me His Sovereignty and Providence.  And drawing me ever closer to Him.

As a daughter of the King of kings, I need to want to be as productive as God will give me strength to be.  So while I soak up this beautiful life with its little foibles and fascinations, I’ll leave the time tables up to Him and learn all I can to be prepared for whatever He has in store for me.

.:. .:. .:.

“May our sons in their youth be like plants full grown,
our daughters like corner pillars cut for the structure of a palace.”
- Psalm 144:12 (ESV)

Welcome, one and all! Today’s the day that our big mysterious project will be revealed. There have been many guesses, and a few were very close if not spot-on.

Emily Rose and I have been making. . . drum roll please!

Our very own Daughters of His Story Paper Doll Series!

Each collection includes two women from history and three changes of dress each. It also includes the stands, a storage pocket, two time line portraits, and a short biographical sketch of each lady.

We wanted to provide young girls with something they could play with and be encouraged in femininity and godliness. They are modestly dressed paper dolls that mothers can give their daughters without feeling the least bit uneasy.

We’re still working on getting the website up and running so you can buy your own copies. We’ll let you in on that soon, too!

You may be wondering about a few pictures: What does a basket, mixing bowl, and brushes have to do with paper dolls? Aside from the ladies all being hospitable homemakers, I needed a hand model for all the different dresses!

The confusion between and the “C1, C2, C3″ on Emily Rose’s blog and my “CCC” recipe was definitely an accident. Not only did we not realize we both used CCC, but we didn’t notice that Collection One, Collection Two, and Collection Three would be confused with Chocolate Chip Cookies until it was too late!

And the “invitations”. . . well, when I said, “You’ll need one of these,” I meant the scissors. :)

If I could share the number one thing I have most benefited from the blogosphere, it would be “meeting” women who have inspired me in godliness and femininity. My parents’ teaching have been echoed back to me through the writings of these women.

So today I want to share a list of some of the Titus 2 women I’ve encountered, and been emboldened by, in the blogosphere.

Mom, at Robin’s Egg Blue - My mother, my daily example who’s taught me so much! All these other blogs only add a resounding weight to what she and Daddy have already taught me.

Ann Voscamp, at Holy Experience - Every posts she writes is an artistic gem of wisdom and reflection. I always come away refreshed and inspired.

Rebecca, at Renaissance - She gives me great heart-aches for motherhood with her beautiful children and posts on being a homemaker. Just one darling lady!

Sarah Mae, at Like a Warm Cup of Coffee - This friend has a beautiful heart, so transparent and loving. Her posts are fun, thought-provoking, and convicting. Sarah writes on a whole host of topics, and you’re sure to come away uplifted.

Rhonda, at Sarah’s Daughters - “Drops of pearls” is the first description that came to mind, and that’s exactly what her posts are. Brew yourself a cup of tea and take some time to soak up her wisdom.

June, at A Wise Woman Builds Her House - Full of beautiful art work and quotes, the aesthetics alone draw me. I have only recently subscribed to her blog, but she is another a lady of wisdom I am already thankful for.

Jennie Chancey, at Ladies Against Feminism and Sense and Sensibility - The LAF site has kept me and my family updated on news related femininity and the biblical family. We have many patterns from S&S and we deeply appreciate the work that has gone into these historical and feminine patterns.

- Who are some of your favorite blogging Titus 2 Women? -

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{For photos of the Father Daughter Retreat, visit my sister’s blog here and scroll down.}

I deeply appreciated Scott Brown’s talk on “Nurturing a Daughter’s Vision of Home”. In the introduction he stated, “The father is to teach the Biblical doctrine of Family, Home, and Church, and fan these affections to a white heat.” He presented a definition, example and illustration of what the Home is to be.

Definition: The home is to be. . .

• The foundation of culture (Genesis 1:28).
• A conduit (a passage) of the Gospel, and a microcosm of the Church whereby leaders of the Church are qualified (Titus 1:5-9).
• A fountain of life (Gen. 12:1-3) and a refuge to those in need (Rom. 12:13). God has been so hospitable to us in this world - we should reflect its beauty and delight.
• It is also to have an economy for provision (Prov. 31). Entertainment has replaced industry in the home, destroying home economics.
• A school for instruction (Deut. 6 and Eph. 6:1-4). As daughters, we need to acquire wisdom and knowledge so that we may teach our children.
• A place for reaping rewards from the Lord - children! (Psalm 127-128) The devil wants to destroy the home, making it a picture of the world rather than the City of God, using means such as drawing women out of the homes into the workforce, public education, welfare, feminizing men, and a myriad of other temptations akin to our fleshly bent.

.:.

Example: The Biblical Illustration of Family Life is described in Ephesians 5-6. There is. . .

• A loving, guiding Husband (5:25-33)
• A submissive and reverent Wife (5:22-24, 33)
• Honoring Children (6:1-4)
• A productive servant (6:5-8)

.:.

Do we have dishonoring thoughts toward our fathers? Do we resist them? Or are we gracious, pure and obedient in our thoughts? Proverbs 4:23 says, “Keep your heart with all vigilance, for from it flow the springs of life.” (Keep: to adhere strictly; not to neglect or deviate from. . . to continue to advance. . . not to cease. Vigilance: watchfulness; circumspection; attention of the mind in discovering and guarding against danger, or providing for safety.) It is hard to keep our hearts and thoughts pure, so we need the help of our parents to guard them.

.:.

Illustration: Mr. Brown showed us the Jonathan Edwards family as an illustration for what ultimate devotion to Christ in a family looks like. They had their quirks and issues like every one else, but even as an earthly example, the Edwards family has left us with much to ponder and imitate. Here, in 15 points, is what Mr. Brown shared with us:

• The “uncommon union” and whole family was born out of love and admiration of God.
• Their home was full of children.
• It produced highly educated women.
• The daughters were spunky!
• Biblical womanhood was central.
• There was a unified, loving marriage - Sarah ordered her life and cleared the way for her husband’s success.
• There was happy home life - In their letters to each other, the daughters referred to their father as “my honored father”. Constant joyful fellowship existed between them all.
• The children grew up during a time of revival. Mr. Brown encouraged us to “Get all the awakening you can in your family!”
• They were industrious and rode out hard economic times.
• There were principled marriages.
• There was Beautiful Sisterhood - the sisters wrote wonderful letters to each other, and were discouraged at the lack of other young ladies who could discuss anything deep or theological.
• Mentoring and accountability was crucial to their relationships with each other.
• Love for music - Sarah said that music is, “the purest way to communicate between human beings.”
• They were disciplined - It was said that they rose early in the morning because Christ rose from the grave early.
• They were a real family with real tastes and real problems - Mr. Edwards especially liked his chocolates and fancy wigs. One time he bought for Sarah an expensive locket that the congregation thought too elaborate. She proudly wore it in public as much as she could.

.:.

Can you imagine what legacy Jonathan Edwards would have left if he had an unsupportive wife or rebellious daughters? What a beautiful picture they instead have left for us!

How can you help in your father’s house? Ask your father if there are projects he’d like you to do or books he’d like you to read. Are there more responsibilities you could help your mother with? God specifically designed us all to fit into our families. Use these young energetic years to help further your father’s vision, study the Biblical doctrine of Family, Home, and Church, and fan your love for the Lord to a white heat!

What a whirlwind adventure we’ve had traveling to and fro to conferences! So here I sit, finally landed back in my nest and out of breath, wondering how I’ll ever share with you all the wisdom I’ve been gleaning.

First of all, God has been so good in keeping us safe. With two trips down to Georgia and two to Indy, our car has run smoothly, and no one became terribly ill. We’ve met so many like-minded families, and enjoyed many hours of beautiful fellowship.

Our first trip to GA was for the Crossroads conference with the Botkins (I’ve already posted a few conference notes). Three weeks after that, Dad attended the Men’s Leadership Summit in Indy. All of the messages were excellent, and I’m so glad we have the recordings (I plan on listening to them again and taking lots of notes). Then just two weeks ago we headed back down to the Callaway Gardens in GA for the Father Daughter Retreat, and last weekend was spent at the IAHE convention!

So in the past two months we’ve heard from the whole Botkin family, Doug Phillips, Voddie Baucham, Kevin Swanson, Ken Ham, Chris Klicka, Scott Brown, Dr. Brian Ray, and a few others. The Father Daughter Retreat was the most applicable at this point in my life, so I’ll share the bits of wisdom I’ve gleaned that may encourage you as well.

“Be hardy girls and live a full life for Jesus,” Doug Phillips said. “Devote your life to the cultivation of your love for Jesus and your family. Your spiritual legacy will initially manifest itself in those relationships, especially in that of honoring and serving your father as you are training to be help-meets and raise godly children. Faithful, well-trained daughters are ornaments of glory to Christian fathers.”

Have you noticed that when God speaks of young women, they are not autonomous “girls” independent of legacy and history? They are “daughters” of fathers, families and heritage, instrumental and vital persons of great potential and worth in their families and the Kingdom of God. We are the daughters of Zion!

“No matter our age, Gods commands that we have godly relationships, not emancipation to autonomy.” Mr. Phillips listed five commitments a father needs to make to his daughter, and three points for the daughter in response to his leadership.

The Father’s commitments to his daughter: I will faithfully pray for you and your future. I will walk beside you. I will provide you with godly opportunities to encourage your success as a virtuous woman of God. I will relentlessly protect you, provide for you and prophesy before you, and I will offer my blessing to you.

The Daughter’s commitments to her father: I will give you my heart and trust you with it until you entrust it to another. I will serve you as unto the Lord, recognizing that I have a high calling to ultimately do the will of our Heavenly Father, and I will honor and reverence you as my head.

So what is honor, anyway? A good description is “a deep-seated and abiding reverence.” Also, the Webster’s 1828 Dictionary states it is, “to revere; to respect; to treat with deference and submission, and perform relative duties to. . . to manifest the highest veneration for, in words and actions; to entertain the the most exalted thoughts of. . . to adore” (emphasis mine).

As I listened to all of the talks that weekend, conviction was an understatement, as I am definitely still a work in progress. I would encourage all of you daughters to examine your hearts as well - have you found your heart irreverent or let your thoughts wander away from home? Have you avoided talking with your father and sharing your heart with him? Correcting these issues will be hard, but as we seek the Lord and our fathers’ council, we will see the furtherance of God’s Kingdom as He turns the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the children’s hearts to their fathers.