Post 6 of the 7-day blog series
A Home that reflects Christ: Encouragement for the journey
Blog Series: Faith in the Everyday – Growing a Christ-Centered Home
If you’ve journeyed through this series from the beginning, you’ve probably realized something important already:
Faith is not built in grand moments — it’s grown in the quiet, consistent, ordinary ones. Does that provide a feeling of freedom for you? It does for me!
The truth is, none of us parent perfectly. None of us create the “ideal” home. Laundry piles up. Schedules get busy. Tempers sometimes run short. Dinner ends in spilled drinks. Bedtimes take too long. Hearts get stretched and so do we.
And yet — God is here.
In the middle of the mess.
In the questions.
In the laughter.
In the hard moments.
In the small victories.
In the do-overs.
Our homes don’t have to look perfect for God to be present. There is much freedom in that for me.
Christ Is Present in the Ordinary
In the last year or so I have gotten into house plants. I don’t have a green thumb in the slightest, but I’ve developed a love for plants and after keeping a few alive my confidence and collection has grown. So much so that when we have company I usually have to “declutter” my kitchen windowsill of all my attempts at propagating new plants. I wouldn’t want visitors to think I live with all that clutter up there.
Anyway, last spring I was buying some new landscape plants when the lady working told my 3 year old she could take home a tiny baby spider plant clipping that had fallen on the ground. It looked half dead, but I figured we’d give it a shot — it was free, after all. To my surprise this little thing that started out about two inches big has grown. Slowly. But it has grown. I now have it potted on the table next to where I have my quiet time in the mornings, and every time I look at it I can’t help but smile at the resemblance between my own spiritual growth and this little plant that’s now about 12 inches tall.
The seeds my parents and people from my childhood church planted, they finally took root years later. And God continues to grow me daily, whether I can see the growth daily or not. It’s a great reminder as parents: What we’re doing matters.
So often we expect spiritual growth to feel big — but Jesus taught us again and again that the Kingdom grows like:
a seed (Mark 4:26-27)
yeast in dough (Luke 13:20-21)
Faith takes root in small, unseen moments:
A whispered prayer.
A softened tone.
An apology.
A conversation at bedtime.
A quiet act of service.
A family rhythm that feels simple, but sacred.
These are not insignificant.
These are the building blocks of lifelong faith.
Your Presence Matters More Than Your Plan
Sometimes we strive so hard to “do it right” that we forget what our children actually need most:
You.
Not a perfect devotional strategy.
Not perfectly behaved days.
Not spiritual eloquence.
Just:
Your presence.
Your attention.
Your being intentional.
Your gentleness.
Your willingness to try again.
Your child learns about the love of God through the love they experience from you.
When You Fall Short (Because You Will. We All Do.)
There will be days when:
You snap.
You rush.
You forget.
You worry.
You feel empty.
You wish you could start over.
You can.
Aside from the Gospel, the most powerful words your child will ever hear may be:
“I’m sorry. Will you forgive me? Let’s try again together.”
Repentance is discipleship.
Grace is discipleship.
Repair is discipleship.
Your child will learn the gospel best when they see it lived — not flawlessly, but humbly.
You Are Not Doing This Alone
The Holy Spirit is forming your children — and He is forming you, too.
He is:
The One who softens hearts.
The One who draws us back.
The One who strengthens us.
The One who grows seeds we cannot see.
A Blessing for Your Home
May your home be filled with:
Grace that meets mistakes with gentleness.
Conversations that lead to wonder and curiosity.
Forgiveness that restores what has been broken.
Rest that settles hearts to peace.
Love that reflects the heart of Jesus.
And may you remember:
You are doing holy work.
Even when it feels small.
Even when it feels ordinary.
Even when it feels unseen.
You are building something eternal —
one ordinary day at a time. 💛
Lord, thank You that You work in small seeds and slow growth.
Teach us to trust the beauty of small habits, done with love.
Give us patience where the fruit feels slow,
and joy where we see Your hand at work.
Help us remember that faith is formed one grace-filled moment at a time.
Keep our hearts steady and hopeful.
Amen.
Next: Living Out What We Believe — One Small Step At A Time
