Nourish Both Body and Soul
You as mother and wife bear a huge responsibility in making your home into a haven for the benefit of your family and for the glory of God. We have been looking at some ways that you can do that in our current series (if you haven’t been with us, you may want to start here ).
So far we’ve looked at nourishing your own walk with God , honoring and respecting your husband and serving your children .
Today we’re going to look at nourishing your family’s bodies and souls.
Let’s face it…who generally plans and prepares the meals, stocks the medicine cabinet, cleans the wounds and kisses the boo-boos? You do! God has given you, as wife and mother, a natural desire and drive to oversee the physical well-being of your family. Let’s look at a few things to consider as you seek to grow in this role.
Physical nourishment often helps spiritual nourishment
I don’t know about you, but when my belly is empty, or my sleep is lacking, I find that there is a direct link to my level of sanctification (I’m being honest, here) – and it seems to drop very fast! And let me assure you - your husband and children are probably the same way. When you take care of your family physically, you are ultimately aiding them spiritually.
Ways that you can nourish your family physically
Provide healthy meals
Umm…fried chicken, biscuits and gravy don’t count. I’ll be the first to admit, I am sorely lacking in my knowledge of good, quality nutrition. This is something that I’m slowly trying to learn more about and implement in my home as I learn. We’re taking small steps toward eating more fresh fruits and veggies, less preservatives, fried foods and sugar, and drinking more water.
Try to do some research on general nutrition, organic foods, gardening, filtering your water, etc. and start taking baby steps to better nutrition. Write down some goals and work on them.
Make sure everyone gets adequate amount of rest
This means getting to bed early and taking naps (if you can!). God designed our bodies to need sleep for a reason (namely, to refuel), so don’t skimp on this.
Provide plenty of outside activity for fresh air, exercise and sunshine
Try to get outside at least once a day with your kids. Plan some weekend trips to the beach or mountains for a hike or a day in the sun. Go to the park and throw a baseball, kick a ball around or play volleyball together.
Make sure your home is safe
This is especially important when you have little ones around. Make sure chemicals are out of reach, outlets are safe, sharp objects are out of reach and so on. Also invest in good locks and possibly an alarm system or dogs.
Cut down on chemicals as much as possible
Try using homemade cleaners instead of the harsh chemical cleaners on the market. Open your windows during the day (I’ve read that the air in your home is more polluted than the air outside - yikes!). Keep plants in your home to maintain air purity. Invest in a good water filter. Make sure that baby toys, bottles and feeding bowls and utensils are BPA-free and non-toxic.These are just a few ideas to cut down on chemical exposure.
Give your family multivitamins
Multivitamins are a good way to supplement nutrition.
Ways that you can nourish your family spiritually
Your husband will most likely provide the main spiritual leadership in your home, but you also have the responsibility to provide spiritual nourishment to your family.
- Nourish your own walk with God
- Honor and respect your husband
- Serve your children
- Memorize Scripture together
- Sing and memorize hymns
- Read Christian biographies together
- Read Classic Christian works together
- Memorize the Westminster Catechism
- Pray together
- Minister as a family
- Minister to missionaries
- Talk to your children often and openly about spiritual things
- Point out answers to prayer to your children
- Use every day objects and situations to talk about God and tell your children about what He is like
I hope that these ideas provide some ideas for your family. Keep putting this before the Lord and asking for His help as you seek to make your home a haven for His glory and honor.
Next week, we’ll take a look at keeping a clean and orderly home. See you then!
