Making Your Home a Haven ~ Fall Challenge Is Back!

Join me in making your home a haven for your families. Together we'll make our homes a haven of peace, joy, and tranquility for all who enter. #WomenLivingWell #homemaking #friendship #makingyourhomeahaven

Last year we did this challenge, and an overwhelming number of you have been requesting it again!  So it’s back and I’m excited to get started!  Each week I will give you one practical tip and one spiritual tip that you can do to create a haven in your home.

Is your calendar full? Do you feel a tense, rushed and even panicked at times? Do you feel like the rest of the family is feeling the same way?

I believe we can create a physical environment, as well as a spiritual environment, that can bring peace, harmony and a sense of calmness to our homes if we are willing to be intentional.

So let me introduce you to the “Making Your Home a Haven” Annual Fall Challenge.
 This challenge will begin next Monday, October 3rd and run through the month of October. Check out the video and topics below. If you would like to join me and you are a blogger – I invite you to place the wreathe button on your blog and be sure to link up your “Making Your Home a Haven” post on our Women Living Well Wednesday Link-Up this Wednesday! If you are not a blogger, leave a comment in the comment section to let me know that you would like to join the challenge.  Here’s a few more details included in last year’s video:

Here’s the topic schedule for those who want to link up each week:

October 3 –
Go buy an extra large candle and light a candle everyday in your home. I will be starting mine in the morning! But you can start yours at dinner time. Do what makes sense for your family. I will be placing mine in the kitchen – the main hub of my home. Each time the candle catches your eye, say a prayer for peace in your home.
October 10Play soft music everyday in your home. Choose worship, classical or another form of peaceful music that the family enjoys. Focus on using peaceful words and maintaining peaceful relationships. Remind your family to avoid seething anger, tattling, criticism or back talk. As the wife/mother, work on gentleness this week.

October 17 – List a few of the spots in your home that make you visually stressed because of all the clutter.Now go buy something for that spot – like a basket to put it all in! Work on cleaning up clutter – throw things away and encourage the children and your hubby to do the same in their bedrooms or offices or work areas this week. While you’re at it – clean up some clutter in your spiritual life. What gets in the way of your peace spiritually?

October 24 -Keep the candle going, the music playing, and add some tender moments with your family. Have a pillow party in the family room and get out every blanket and pillow in the house and be cozy with the kids or your hubby! Even if you live alone you can do this. Enjoy a cozy evening of hot cider and caramel corn. Give a 5 minute back rub to every single person in your house…and for a double challenge- try to give one every day to each family member! During your tender moment with the family, ask them how they feel about this challenge. Are they enjoying it? Is it helpful? Is there anything they would change. Give your family listening ears. I think you will be blessed by the positive feedback you will receive!

October 31 – Focus on the kitchen, the heart of the home.  Cook things with pleasant aromas. Pick a meal the family can cook together – include everyone in a task and take pictures so everyone can remember moments in the kitchen together – test tasting, being creative, laughing and loving. Remove discontentment with your home or family and give thanks to God for the home God has given you to in which to create a haven for your family.

Jesus said in John 14:27 “Peace I leave with you, my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled.”

I have been lighting my candle all winter, spring and summer long.  It’s my daily habit to light my kitchen candle and then say a prayer for peace in our home.  Join me today – light a candle in your kitchen and say a prayer for your family.

Walk with the King!

 

 

 

 

 

 

(I apologize I don’t have a code for this button – someday I’ll learn how to do that lol!!!  But until then, just “right click” on the pic, then choose “save as” and save it.  Then upload it onto your blog and link it back to https://womenlivingwell.org/category/homemaking/making-your-home-a-haven-challenge/  or not 🙂  This is just for fun!)

198 Comments

  1. Sign me up! 🙂

    Thanks so much for putting this together for all of us. I was just talking with a friend about how looking at beautiful homes online is fun, but it’s also leading us both to be dissatisfied with the beautiful homes that we have already been blessed with! That lack of contentment surely spills over to our children, so I am looking forward to taking this challenge and turning all of our hearts around! Thanks for the reminder that moms have so much influence in this area. Looking forward to getting started!

  2. Last year I had a newborn, so I wasn’t able to follow through with a lot of your tips, but this year I’m making sure to light my candle during our morning prayers! You are a great example for the younger wives/mothers out here!

    1. She is a great example to ALL wives/mothers out there, not just the young ones. I would be considered an “older” mom/wife at 39 and I love reading this blog.

  3. Hello, I am interested in being apart of your fall challenge.. i have a blog, but don’t get a chance to get on it too much so woudn’t really be able to blog about it but would love to do your challenge.. will this challenge fit well with a single mom? sometimes the needs of a single mom are different then that of a married one.. more of the responsibility falls on us in the home.. i would love to declutter my home/life and spiritual life as well.. i am looking forward to the challenge..

    1. Oh yes- the challenge is for everyone ~ with or without children, single or married, working or not! I pray that God brings your home and your heart peace during this month!
      Lots of Love,
      Courtney

  4. I totally loved that challenge and I will do it again. I need to remember to keep it going! My home needs to be a haven of peace.

  5. I desperately need peace in my home so I am so ready to join this challenge. Thank you for being so inspirational.. God is using your love for Him, your family and others to enrich those you touch through your blogging ministry. He is the vine but you are the branch reaching out to us who sometimes feel overwhelmed with the challenges this world brings as a wife and mom. Thank you, Courtney for being obedient and always so encouraging! Blessings!

  6. I have a blog, but I’m not going to blog this challenge, so many things going on in my life right now that I’m not on a blog schedule!

    But I’m looking forward to doing what I can of this great challenge. I was along for the ride last year, and loved it!

    Now…need to find one candle that is great smelling!!!

  7. I read these posts last year and really enjoyed the challenges. I have continued them throughout the year also. 🙂 On Saturday I posted about “The Tone of Home” and many of the things I mentioned were things that I discovered during this challenge last year. I was so excited tonight to read that you are doing this again! I will post the button on my blog, and may be able to link-up a time or two. We’ll see. Thanks for being such a great example and encouragement, Courtney! 🙂

  8. Excited to be a part of the challenge this year! I don’t currently have a blog, just e-mail! Looking forward to seeing your posts weekly.

  9. I’m joining for sure! I don’t blog, but I am an assistant organizer for a local Christian Mom’s group. I will be posting the link to this challenge on our mom’s board! Thanks so much Courtney! I’m also going to be praying for special blessings on you and your family during this challenge.

  10. Hi Courtney! Thank you for doing this! I so need to
    be able to create this here! May you be blessed during this
    journey as well:)

    Oh, I don’t blog:(. I’ll just follow with the email:)

    Thanks,

    Joann

  11. So glad you’re bringing this challenge back! Last year we bought a home in Oct and the first thing I did was buy a fall scented candle. Fall is my favorite season, so looking forward to this!

  12. Thank you so much for offering this Courtney! I am so blessed by your videos and encouraged to strive to be the woman, wife, and mom that God created me to be. I can’t wait to start this challenge.

  13. What a lovely idea!!! I can’t wait. I look for any information on how to create a haven of my home to nurture myself, husband and kids. Thanks for helping me!!

  14. I am so excited to do this again! I started “following” you one year ago, just at the beginning of your fall challenge- and I LOVED it! Thank you for doing it again!!!

  15. I would love to be apart of this challenge. No blog for me right now, but I would love this to jump start my blog. 🙂

  16. I was just reading about reaping what you sow & then got this email!! All fits together – can’t wait!! Thank you for your ministry.

  17. I am so excited to join in. I was recently thinking about this challenge you did last year and hoping you would do it again this year. I didn’t participate last year, so I am excited to do so now!

  18. Hi Courtney,
    I am excited to join in on this challenge this year! Yesterday during church, I realized that God wants me to worship through the work I do in my home. That’s a true form of worshiping Him. Thank you, Courtney, for helping us all add an element of worship to our homes.

    ~Ginny

  19. I participated in this challenge last year and kept my candle burning all year long. I am looking forward to making my home a haven again. Thank you for all you do. Blessings to you and your family!

  20. I am so excited for this challenge. I LOVE fall and getting my house all warm and snuggly. I have such an easier time baking and meal planning when the weather turns crisp and cold. I have a candle business, so my candles are lit all the time, but nothing is better than ‘fall/winter’ candles. Baking scents make a house feel so cozy 🙂 I have some clutter to still go through and organize, but I am so ready to get it done and haul out my fall decor. Can’t wait to start, thank you for the opportunity!

  21. I loved when you did this last year and I am so glad you are doing it again. It really made a difference for me. Thank you for helping me to not get lost in the busyness of life!

  22. I love this! I just bought a big “mulled cider” candle that even my son loves the smell of! lol I don’t know if I’ll be able to wait until October 3 to start burning it–waiting isn’t a requirement is it? 😉

  23. I love this! Fall is my favorite season. I’ve already got my giant Pumpkin candle out because I love the scents of fall and have been pulling out my harvest recipes. Such a wonderful time of year!

  24. Im not a blogger also but im so looking forward to doing this, my family will love for me to do thank you.
    blessings
    abigail

  25. This sounds wonderful!!! I can’t wait to begin. 🙂 I desperately need to declutter and find peace in my home. My house is so small and so full of stuff, I’m overwhelmed and simply don’t know where to begin! And it stresses me out and eventually I have a meltdown. Not healthy. Not for me, not for my husband, not for my children. So, this is perfect timing! Fall is my favorite time of year. 🙂

  26. Please add me to the challenge! It is exactly what my family and home need right now. Thank you – looking forward to it! And will get a jump start and buy my candle TODAY! 🙂

  27. Can’t wait to start. I’ve been working on making my home more peaceful for sometime now. It is easier now that we only have 1 child (he’s 19) still living at home. But, I’m looking forward to the internal peace challenge as well.

    Thanks

  28. Yay!! I did this last year – it was brilliant, I am due to have a newborn in October but I am going to do as much of the challenge as I can. My husband really loved this challenge last year and when I told him you were doing it again he said ‘God Bless Courtney’, isn’t that sweet!!! Thank you Courtney. My pear and cinnanmon candle is ready……..

  29. I am not a blogger but follow you through email. What a great challenge. Sometimes we can get so crazy busy doing life that we forget to slow down and do the “obvious” simple life things that create calm in the chaos like candles…music…talking and/or really listening with our husbands or children…snuggling in those warm blankets (not quite time in TX, but soon).

    Thanks for the inspiration and I look forward to the ideas and challenge!

    Sweet Blessings.

    1. Il ya un nom de fille Sandra qui est de traduire mes posts en français – Je vais obtenir ce lien et essayer de vous l’envoyer quand je l’ai! Vous êtes les bienvenus ici!
      Courtney

  30. Awesome challenge; I will work on it. Thanks for the peaceful thoughts and challenges. We do need to slow down a little and work on more quiet and enjoyable moments with the family. My children are all married; but I do have a great husband to pamper.
    Keep on enjoying your moments!

  31. Please include me, what a great way to treat my family. Love this idea, thank you so very much. Blessings to you and your family.

  32. What a great way to turn my heart toward home and see what amazing things God will do through these small things! Can’t wait – count me in!!!

  33. I just found you through my sister, (Crystal Short Williams) facebook page. This sounds great! I am a stay at home mom with 5 kids: Courtny – 18 and in college this year, Heather -17, Katie- 13, Aron – 6, and Evan -16 months. Plus we have a 13 year who lives with us during the week while her Dad drives truck. I can use any extra help when it comes to organizing and making the home feel peaceful and “homey” Looking forward to this!

  34. Hi Courtney,
    I found your blog a few months ago and I become a regular reader. Thank you for your ministry. I am excited to join this challenge.

  35. Oh what a wonderful idea! 🙂 I am definitely up for the challenge!

    And I also want to thank you sooo much for this wonderful site and your ministry. It is such an inspiration to me and I am learn so much every time I visit and well, it’s just GREAT! 🙂 So thank you so much for doing this for all of us!

  36. This couldn’t have come at a better time! I was just praying about direction such as this on my walk this morning. I would love to join you!

  37. This is such a great idea! I just got out my “autumn” home decorations today, and your ideas have gotten me even more excited about making this a wonderful season!

  38. I’m glad you are doing this again:) I recently read through your previous posts the last time you did this challenge and loved them. They we’re very helpful for me and I was hoping you would do another challenge. Thanks!

  39. Wow! You have really inspired me in so many ways. A God-send. Seriously. I am also participating in the GMG Bible study and WOW. Thank you so much!! Joining this one too.

  40. I would love to join you in your Fall Challenge. I can’t wait, please sign me up. I am also going to try and follow your 1John study. Thank you so much for offering these wonderful ideas.

  41. With being such a busy mom and wife, how do you manage everything? Do you use a household notebook? In Christ, Melanie

  42. Okay, I’m definitely not blog savy, but I did manage to put the picture and a link in my blog. I’m looking forward to the 30 day challenge. I want my home to be a haven in the midst of these stormy stressful times. During this “challenge”, I will celebrate 29 years of marriage…and I want the next 29 to be even better so this challenge could not come at a better time! Thank you!
    Donna
    anotherbattlewon.blogspot.com

  43. I’m not a blogger yet but hope to be one day. Thank you so much for doing this and I would love to join in – so excited!

  44. No blog but want to join. I love this site I look so forward for new post & videos :). Right now my place seems disarray meaning I’m a full time student I’m majoring in nursing. Sppring will be my last semester I pray & I’m getting married on my birthday December 9th to the love of my life, also I’m a mom of 8 children but right now the youngest who’s 3 is home but I know God is in control & my other 6 children (1 deceased) will return in my custody cause of my past I couldn’t be a mother to them or a child of God, a daughter to my mother or a friend. But God is AWESOME!!!!!!!!! And all things are ppossible thru Jesus Christ who strengthens me :). However it seem like I can’t keep my apartment in order @ all so yes I am looking forward to this challenge & thank you Courtney u are a sweet person & God is continuing to bless u & your family 🙂

  45. Sounds like a wonderful challenge, I look forward to starting this. I enjoyed your video, and the suggested activities sounds great! Thanks~April

  46. Sounds like fun, and much needed around here. We use LED candles since we have little ones, but they’ll have to do. 🙂 Our home could use a little more peace. I’m starting with reading a Psalm and some Proverbs every morning and praying thanks for my family and asking for the Spirit to fill me up and equip me each day for the tasks that have been laid before me. It’s already working on adding peace in our home. Thanks for the encouragement!

  47. I want to do this challenge. I just sent a verse to a friend this morning about peace and acknowledged my need for peace in my life. So, this is perfect timing.:-) Just like our God!

  48. One of my favorite parts of the Bible are the scriptures where God tells us to take our stand and He will fight our battles for us!!

  49. I put your picture on my blog and will be linking up with the challenges. I am looking forward to this. I did this last year and it was so nice and am so excited to do it again!

  50. I attended a conference for my job this week and guess who won a beautiful lavendar candle as a doorprize?! What a confirmation!!

  51. I’m looking forward to this Courtney~I missed it last year. Already bought my candle and am all set to go. Your ministry is outstanding~it reaches us ladies right where we need it. : ) God bless~Lyn

  52. My kids are grown and gone, so it’s just me and my husband, but I’m joining too! What a wonderful thing to do!

  53. I have been so excited to start, I started early! Thank you for being a godly example! You are such an encouragement! So Inspiring!

  54. I have been following you blog since you posted about homeschooling ( your reasons for homeschooling). We are now a homeschooling family:). Thank you for all you do in this ministry. I enjoy it very much and love seeing my faith grow;)

  55. I would love to join this challenge. I am definitely a number 1 house and want badly to be a number 2 household. When I tried to link up for the daily emails (challenges) it gave me an error message. I so don’t want to miss out on this! Thank you so much for this blog! As I was readying it, I wept. Seems silly, and I thought it was silly on my part, but I guess this is what He’s been trying to tell me all along. Thank you again and keep doing what you do! 🙂

  56. I was just catching up on my blog reading, and this was the first one I came to this morning. I am struggling with keeping the peace in my home and a smile on my face. I needed this challenge…I am committing to making my home happy again…the #2 home is in my future! Thank you! God Bless!

  57. God just knows what to place in my life at the right time. I am so in need of this challenge to get me back into perspective of things in my life and home. I am so ready for this and thank you so much. God Bless!!!

  58. Courtney, I am new to the blogging world, I do it often, but I have not expanded with other people. I am wondering how to link up with you? Could you direct me on the process? Also, I have been glued to your site for 2 days, I am simple in awe of the way God is using you for His kingdom and I thank you for serving Him so faithfully. I long to strengthen my relationship with Him and I know that His used you to speak to my soul.

    Blessings

    1. OH Ashley – thank you so much :)!

      To enter the link up go to today’s post and click at the bottom on the “Click here to enter” blue link – it will take you to another page where you insert the link to your post, your blog title and you upload a photo at the bottom from the “Web” and then submit it!
      Hope this helps!
      Courtney

  59. I really need to do this, I do however have a busy month where I will be doing some traveling, but my attitude goes everywhere, so I guess this eill work 😉

  60. I may be late but would love to join the challenge. I have my candle lit and have prayed for my family. Thanks!

  61. Lighting the candle and praying for peace in my home went very well and I did a LOT of praying. This week’s challenge will definately be….well exactly that. A CHALLENGE! But boy am I up for it. Thanks Courtney for your ideas and encouragement.

  62. I just discovered your site today. Happened to be sick, hubby taking care of children for me to roam free on the net in bed.

    I really want to join this 31 day challenge into making your home a haven. I know i’m late in the game, but I find myself asking every morning as a stay at home mom, what are we going to do today… and then trying to figure out how the bible fits into it.
    I do pray that you’d let me join in even though i’m this far into it. I could start from the beginning and work my way to the end of my 31 day challenge…

    I did submit my email address to receive any updates you have for the mailing list.

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