At the Well - A Heart's Journey Home

Has your heart found it's way home? The ministry of At the Well centers around the verses found in Titus 2: 4, & 5: "... that they admonish the young women to love their husbands, to love their children, to be discreet, chaste, homemakers, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be blasphemed." It is biblical for women to love their husbands, their children and to keep their attention, interests, efforts and abilities focused on the home. It is God's design for a woman to care for and love her home. To do that, the heart must be in it. Matthew 6:21 tells us" For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also."

There is a fulfillment and joy and contentment in following this biblical mandate. In my life this fulfilment came about through a journey and a much needed transformation. For many years, I was a stay at home mom. What that really meant was that I did not work an outside job, because I was rarely at home. Most of my days were spent dragging my babies to my mother's house, watching soap operas and going shopping then out to lunch. My chores were halfway completed, dinner was prepared and the needs of the home were met - barely, but my heart was not at home. Once my children were old enough to begin school, I got a full time job, thinking that I wasn't needed so much at home. It didn't take long with me being away from home so much for things to go downhill. Thankfully our families helped out immensely. They picked the children up, did homework with them and many times fed them supper. When I got home, I was exhausted and it was baths then bedtime so we could begin all over again. Weekends were jammed with errands and needed chores. I was irritable and grouchy and certainly not nurturing my family. My family was getting the short end of the stick, not my best, but what was left over.

One day on the way home from work, I heard a preacher on the radio speaking of the importance of a spiritual vision. My life was so chaotic and my thoughts only went as far as from hour to hour, I certainly had no vision, but asked the Lord to show me His vision for my life. A few days later I heard Him speak clearly into my heart, "Your family is your career, your God given assignment." It hit me that the ones most important to me, given directly to me from God were suffering. They were getting my worst and yet they deserved my best. I realized how blessed I was when I was a stay at home mom. My prayer was that if the Lord found a way for me to go back home again, I would do it right this time.

At this time my sons were age 10 and 7. We had wanted more children, but had suffered three miscarriages. We decided it was too painful to try anymore and had resolved that there would be no more added to our family. Would you believe that a few weeks later, I found out that I was pregnant? Truly God had answered.

It was determined early in our marriage that when we had young children, I would stay at home, so there was complete agreement to my coming back home. This time I let the Lord change my heart. He filled it with a love for my family and a love for my home. A realization of the power and blessing a godly wife and mother is to the home. He transformed my selfish desires into a desire to make the home a peaceful refuge for my family. Mundane tasks can be done with a thankful and prayerful heart, knowing a contentment and fulfillment of following God's desire for me. Caring for my family, looking out for their best interests and training them in the nurture and admonition of the Lord, fill my heart with joy and help me find purpose through God's vision for me.

Now that my youngest is in school I have gone back to work part time. My work hours revolve around school hours and I am home when the boys are home. Routine and organization help keep things somewhat balanced, but the heart of the matter is keeping my home and family top priority and keeping my heart at home.