Melissa Michaels
About the Author

Melissa Michaels is the NY Times Bestselling author of Love The Home You Have and The Inspired Room book. Her blog, The Inspired Room, was voted Better Homes & Gardens Readers' Favorite decorating blog in 2014 and 2015. Melissa is a church planter's wife and a mom to three human kids and...

(in)side DaySpring: things we love
& you will too!
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(in)side DaySpring:
things we love
& you will too!
Find more at
DaySpring.com
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  1. Melissa,
    I’ll be honest…I’m not the best homemaker. My house is more cluttered than I would like it to be. I fix meals, but am not an extraordinary chef. I don’t like scrubbing the shower – my least favorite job. So, I need to coach myself on growing and keeping an attitude of gratitude. I am so thankful for the home that God has given me and I can, and need to, honor God by taking good care of it. I may not love cleaning, but I love the Lord and therefore I need to love and take care of the gift He’s so mercifully given me. Some days it’s a pure act of obedience, but that’s okay too. Thank you for the encouragement and coaching that I really need!
    Blessings,
    Bev

    • You are welcome Bev, thank you for your encouragement You are so right, too, some days it is a pure act of obedience to take care of what we’ve been given. The clutter piles up and the dishes are never ending and it’s easy to just get TIRED of doing it all. I’m right there with you. And when the commitment to obedience takes over even a little effort on our part can help change our perspective. God is merciful on us humans and understands that! 🙂

  2. I didn’t realize how much my own mother cultivated a love of homemaking in me until I remarried and joined a family where it was fairly non-existent. My stepdaughters (teens) were raised in a home where all the decor was done when they moved in and … then nothing changed. A house cleaning team arrived every couple of weeks and … it was done. The grass was mowed, but there was no garden.

    The contrast to my routines, bed-making, daily meals, cottage garden, etc. is striking. I’m thankful that I learned to serve at home, even when it is hard. I don’t know that either of the teen girls will adopt a heart that is in their own home one day, but I’m working to cultivate that same sense in my sweet elementary girl. She helps me fluff pillows, set the table, make her bed and enjoys hospitality so much.

    Even though I work outside the home, have a crazy calendar, I feel most content at home, puttering around our space and enjoying what the Lord has provided. I WOULD NOT complain for that house cleaning service to arrive, if the budget allowed. But for these days, with college looming, it works best for me to lead the charge in keeping our home clean.

    Thank you, Melissa, for the joy and light you shed on finding our place at home and beyond! I’m a long-time fan!

    • Thank you Missy, I’m sure you are a blessing to your family and much of what you model will impact the older girls someday more than you realize! Thank you for your encouragement!

  3. Thanks for this Melissa. As a tired homeschooling mom of 3 small children so many responsibilities call me. I have “justified” homemaking (my passion) as as an lesser priority of my time and energy. BUT this post reminded me that my homemaking is a gift from the creator and will fuel my energy in the long haul.

  4. I plan to scrub shower scum today, maybe no one will notice. But I love this homemaking thing, it is beautiful and peaceful, and allows me to stay in close contact with Jesus throughout the day.

  5. A wonderful post and a good reminder for those of us ‘homemakers’ that it is a very important job. I do not have young kids at home any more, but am blessed to be able to stay home instead of needing to work outside the home. I have been criticized by some for not working outside the home and have struggled with finding my identity if you will while staying home.

    Thank you for the reminder this morning!

    • Amy, What a blessing to be able to be able to stay home and as Melissa put it love through this beautiful act of home making. Bask in the beauty of this opportunity God has given you to share your gift with others.

  6. Melissa, What a beautiful post …thank you for sharing so beautifully that home making is an act of love however we do it. Whether we are good decorators, cooks or clean well , it’s all about the love that is put into what we do while taking care of the blessings God has bestowed on us. I am so grateful for all the women that share their love through the beautiful act of home making.

  7. Missy,in regards to stepdaughters , please know that they see what you do for them and the family. Even if they never have hearts for homemaking YOU are an example to them.God is using you!

  8. So very thankful for your outlook on homemaking. I really needed to hear this. And my husband will benefit from it too. Never quite looked at it this way . . .

  9. Those sentiments could not have been expressed any better! Our nest is empty now but I still love our home, being home, fixing home, tidying home – you get the picture! Our home is not only our safe place, but a safe and welcoming place for any and all who find their way to our door. Beautiful post.

  10. Thank you for this. Need to work on this more. My heart has not been here. Had a daughter who had brain surgery who lives out of state. We were there for 5 weeks helping out through here healing period. Praise God she is doing so much better. Here at home now and feeling that my home has been neglected for a while. I had a small garden that has weeds grown over. I needed this thank you, I am encouraged to go forward. Oh my daughters home was not neglected I cooked and cleaned and took care of the children did laundry. Now its time for my heart to be here and show my home some love.

  11. Nope! But I’m praying that I would. I know what a gift it is to my husband to have a space that isn’t cluttered and messy but I haven’t figured out how to do that with a toddler in the house with me every day 🙂 Trying to take small steps that build new habits and a healthy example for my 2 daughters and future homemakers.

  12. Beautiful article. I’ve never been so inspired to clean my toilets. Seriously. I do enjoy home making so much more when I look at it through the eyes of serving my family and not as just another to do in life. Thank you for writing this article!

  13. I love homemaking, but I admit that many days I fail to find the holy in it. I love this reminder that we are SERVING the next generation of church, of showing Christ to our children in even the menial tasks. Thank for this post!

  14. For quite a few years I’ve trained myself to complete the daily tasks of making my bed & wiping out the sink. I’m thankful for those humble rituals that provide a touch of sanity in the midst of whatever’s happening in the rest of the house. I LOVE how you liken it to an art and an act of service.
    It’s time for some new rituals seen in a new light. Thank you! Love it.

  15. I’ve enjoyed creating a home with my husband. We’ve only been married a year so I’ve had to remind myself it takes time. I love cooking dinner together. It’s the simple things that make a house a home!

  16. This is an area I desperately need help with. I hate how I manage my home. I have never really settled into routines for upkeep. I have stuff in boxes from moving months ago. (When I’ve moved in the past, things stayed in boxes until I was ready to move again)

    I’m about to be married and I really really hope/pray/STRIVE to be better. I plan to develop systems as soon as my hubby-to-be and I move into our new place together, and to be intentional about developing habits. I know it won’t be as easy as that, but I want to have a heart for homemaking as well.

  17. Oh how I LOVE this post. We have like hearts. I dearly enjoy creating home for my family and anyone else who night wander in. It is most definitely a joyful act of service and one of the ways I love my family well. You’re also right in saying that it’s a beautiful way to serve God. Thanks for this ode to homemaking!!

  18. I love this post! Being “present” in your home is so important. When I am extremely busy and can’t be present to what is happening in my home – everything feels off kilter. Thanks for the reminder that the home is a blessing to be nurtured and cherished.

  19. I also work full time and I LOVE homemaking. It’s funny that so many people think it’s negative and here I’ve always been sad that the term homemaker is often used in a way that excludes working moms. In my opinion, we can ALL be homemakers regardless of marital status, children/no children, work inside/work outside the home, etc. It’s a joy to create a home and have our very own haven in this busy, bustling world.

  20. I love this! I don’t know if it’s because I grew up in an Air Force family…moving every year or so to a new place…but I crave HOME and try to provide it for my family. I, too, see that as an act of service and love. My house is not a museum and it’s not spotless. It is a place where we nurture and support each other…a place where we welcome others…and a place where we can all feel safe to share what’s on our hearts.

    Thank you for these words. Beautiful post!

  21. As a single woman with an empty nest, “homemaking” has changed for me over the years. However, I find that doing the “necessaries” gives me a sense of peace. I need the structure and I need to know my home is a welcoming place to others. My door hanger reads “Home is the Heart’s Resting Place.” My home is not always in so-called perfect shape, but people say it’s ‘cozy.’ I agree and love to do the things that keep it that way.

  22. Melissa–I was watching a TV show and they commented that Housekeeping is a blessing to make lives better! It is not to be put down–but looked upon as a gift to be given to family & God!

    I praise all the homemakers who work hard to make their homes pretty and enjoyable for company! You women do a remarkable job for your families!!

    Blessings 🙂