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31 Days to Clean - Having a Martha House the Mary Way
This book has been revised and updated, see the revised edition here
Journey with me for 31 Days as we get our homes and our hearts in order. Give me 31 days and I'll give you not only a cleaner home, but a vision for one.
I am not a natural when it comes to cleaning. In fact, sometimes I think my DNA is allergic to it! However, I know that if I am to care for my home, and more importantly my family, I need to persevere in creating a clean, peaceful home environment (not a perfect one!).
31 Days to Clean is about the "why" and the vision and the heart for taking care of our domains. Each day I encourage you with some thoughts and ideas, and then we put those ideas to action.
After each days reading, you will be given two challenges:
The Mary Challenge-- Something you do that encourages/engages your heart
The Martha Challenge-- Specific cleaning tasks
31 Days to Clean is a faith journey towards ruling, subduing, and loving. We are forgoing perfection; we are choosing life.
Journey with me for 31 Days as we get our homes and our hearts in order. Give me 31 days and I'll give you not only a cleaner home, but a vision for one.
I am not a natural when it comes to cleaning. In fact, sometimes I think my DNA is allergic to it! However, I know that if I am to care for my home, and more importantly my family, I need to persevere in creating a clean, peaceful home environment (not a perfect one!).
31 Days to Clean is about the "why" and the vision and the heart for taking care of our domains. Each day I encourage you with some thoughts and ideas, and then we put those ideas to action.
After each days reading, you will be given two challenges:
The Mary Challenge-- Something you do that encourages/engages your heart
The Martha Challenge-- Specific cleaning tasks
31 Days to Clean is a faith journey towards ruling, subduing, and loving. We are forgoing perfection; we are choosing life.
79 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 15, 2016
284 people are currently reading
1957 people want to read
About the author
Sarah Mae
21 books394 followersSarah Mae is the author of the book, The Complicated Heart: Loving Even When it Hurts, a story about how Sarah learned to love and forgive her alcoholic mother.
Sarah is the host of The Complicated Heart podcast, she speaks all over the country encouraging women to walk in freedom, and she wrangles three extroverted kids, a naughty yellow lab, and new husky puppy, because obviously she loves chaos. Holding down the fort with her in Lancaster, PA is her woodworker husband, Jesse.
Sarah is the host of The Complicated Heart podcast, she speaks all over the country encouraging women to walk in freedom, and she wrangles three extroverted kids, a naughty yellow lab, and new husky puppy, because obviously she loves chaos. Holding down the fort with her in Lancaster, PA is her woodworker husband, Jesse.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 136 reviews
November 18, 2011
MY REVIEW:
There are lots of books out there to help those who want a clean house, but I don't know of any others that break it down into such "bit-sized" bits for each day. I really appreciate and respect Sarah Mae's day-by-day approach to getting your home clean all the while keeping Christ at the center.
This book is balanced with helpful how-to hints and Biblical perspective for each day and the why behind what we do to keeping our home clean. 31 Days to Clean isn't about making you fit into the perfect routing, it's about finding the right routine that fits your home, enables you to bless others, and most importantly - glorify God.
I really enjoyed this book and the encouragement it has to offer no matter what the state of your home. Anyone can read this book and find practical and useable ideas as well as spiritual truth to change your thinking concerning your home. For those who want to get your house in order, it is a great friend to walk you daily through the process. And for those who have already well established routines and order this is a great look into tweaking what you do and evaluating your heart motive in keeping a clean home.
And last, but far from least...did I mention how wonderfully short and sweet it is?! It only takes a moment to read the daily chapter and walk away invigorated with new perspective!
There are lots of books out there to help those who want a clean house, but I don't know of any others that break it down into such "bit-sized" bits for each day. I really appreciate and respect Sarah Mae's day-by-day approach to getting your home clean all the while keeping Christ at the center.
This book is balanced with helpful how-to hints and Biblical perspective for each day and the why behind what we do to keeping our home clean. 31 Days to Clean isn't about making you fit into the perfect routing, it's about finding the right routine that fits your home, enables you to bless others, and most importantly - glorify God.
I really enjoyed this book and the encouragement it has to offer no matter what the state of your home. Anyone can read this book and find practical and useable ideas as well as spiritual truth to change your thinking concerning your home. For those who want to get your house in order, it is a great friend to walk you daily through the process. And for those who have already well established routines and order this is a great look into tweaking what you do and evaluating your heart motive in keeping a clean home.
And last, but far from least...did I mention how wonderfully short and sweet it is?! It only takes a moment to read the daily chapter and walk away invigorated with new perspective!
March 3, 2016
I am the type of person that will try to find anything else to do besides clean. Yet, I yearn for a house that is clean, orderly and refreshing. Having a Martha Home the Mary Way is a fantastic book for people like me. It is full of encouragement and suggestions on how to have a more orderly home - and the tasks are completely doable. More importantly - it's message is full of grace - and the reminder that the goal is not perfection - the goal is to love our families - and that is something that resonates with this busy mom of four. I highly recommend this book to other busy woman - to those that feel overwhelmed, like they aren't good enough, and that they will never catch up. Sarah Mae spoke encouragement and truth into this overwhelmed mom and she will hopefully do the same for you.
July 11, 2012
I started reading this book today and it is exactly what I need. The subtitle -- having a Martha house the Mary way -- told me exactly what I was getting. This is not a book for those who need a list of items to clean. It is a book for those who find it difficult to balance the workload of a home with the more important aspects of life. The tasks at the end of each chapter are not enough to clean the whole house, but they are a good beginning. The website has more info (including lists and calendars) that can be accessed by using a pass code found inside the book. The website might be more helpful for those seeking routines.
May 2, 2016
This is a book for those who do not have natural Martha Stewart tendencies. If you love to organize but never manage to follow through, if the never-ending chores of the household wear you down until you have no desire or time to spend with God, if acts of service is your love language, if you want to feel more balanced between the practical and the spiritual... this is the book for you.
Filled with encouraging words from another woman struggling to remember that a messy home does not define who she is, and yet who knows that physical chaos brings emotional stress, this is a way to bring order into your home, peace into your life, and to draw near to God. (Even better, it does it without spending you 40 emails every day when you're at work and can't shine your sink. I know I'm not the only one who failed FlyLady.) Sarah Mae's goal is to have a welcoming home, not one that's perfectly decorated and perfectly clean like a showroom (though we all wish we had one at some point).
Part cleaning inspiration and part Bible study, you might wonder how it all fits together, but it blends wonderfully. There are cleaning prompts Monday through Friday, Saturday can be a bigger project or catch-up day, and Sunday is there for more rest. After each day's reading - a page or two of encouraging reflection - there is a Mary Challenge and a Martha Challenge.
The Mary Challenge encourages you to sit quietly, pondering the Word and examining your heart and your thoughts for the "why" and the "how", going beyond the normal requirements of a short devotional (yes, it's meant to challenge you!) but without taking too much time from your day. The Martha Challenge encourages you to get your kids involved (even if you have to pay them sometimes) and to get started cleaning. Some tasks might take only 20-30 minutes, while others might take an hour or more (if you've let them slide too long... oops) but there's no pressure to finish. The message is often restated: Do what you can, because anything is better than nothing. And set realistic goals that work for your style, not using your best friend's goals, or some you read in a magazine.
I'm eagerly awaiting the chance to use this book in a small group. I think even mothers who work outside the home could easily do 2 "days" a week, giving us all plenty of time to encourage each other, offer feedback and discuss both the Mary and Martha aspects. There's only one way to find out!
Disclaimer: I received a free ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. This is an expanded version of the earlier publication, so if you last looked at it a few years ago, take another look!
Filled with encouraging words from another woman struggling to remember that a messy home does not define who she is, and yet who knows that physical chaos brings emotional stress, this is a way to bring order into your home, peace into your life, and to draw near to God. (Even better, it does it without spending you 40 emails every day when you're at work and can't shine your sink. I know I'm not the only one who failed FlyLady.) Sarah Mae's goal is to have a welcoming home, not one that's perfectly decorated and perfectly clean like a showroom (though we all wish we had one at some point).
Part cleaning inspiration and part Bible study, you might wonder how it all fits together, but it blends wonderfully. There are cleaning prompts Monday through Friday, Saturday can be a bigger project or catch-up day, and Sunday is there for more rest. After each day's reading - a page or two of encouraging reflection - there is a Mary Challenge and a Martha Challenge.
The Mary Challenge encourages you to sit quietly, pondering the Word and examining your heart and your thoughts for the "why" and the "how", going beyond the normal requirements of a short devotional (yes, it's meant to challenge you!) but without taking too much time from your day. The Martha Challenge encourages you to get your kids involved (even if you have to pay them sometimes) and to get started cleaning. Some tasks might take only 20-30 minutes, while others might take an hour or more (if you've let them slide too long... oops) but there's no pressure to finish. The message is often restated: Do what you can, because anything is better than nothing. And set realistic goals that work for your style, not using your best friend's goals, or some you read in a magazine.
I'm eagerly awaiting the chance to use this book in a small group. I think even mothers who work outside the home could easily do 2 "days" a week, giving us all plenty of time to encourage each other, offer feedback and discuss both the Mary and Martha aspects. There's only one way to find out!
Disclaimer: I received a free ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. This is an expanded version of the earlier publication, so if you last looked at it a few years ago, take another look!
February 20, 2012
I thought the concept behind this book was a good one. Remembering the 'why' of what we do in our homes. I felt it could have used a bit of skilled writing behind the ideas (fewer uses of the word 'kiddos', for example).
This is more like a one month devotional calendar than a plan to get your house in order. If I only did the tasks listed at the end of each day, total chaos would reign!
I did get some great little gems and insights from the book and it was an overall enjoyable and quick read.
This is more like a one month devotional calendar than a plan to get your house in order. If I only did the tasks listed at the end of each day, total chaos would reign!
I did get some great little gems and insights from the book and it was an overall enjoyable and quick read.
March 3, 2016
Sarah Mae does it again. She gets to the core of the problem, our hearts and souls. This is not just another book telling you how to clean or how to organize your possessions. This is a day by day guide for those of us in the homemaking business that would nurture your soul and offer a practical hands on plan to get your life back on track. Best cleaning book I've ever read!
June 8, 2024
Having thoroughly enjoyed Sarah Mae's "Desperate," I had high expectations for "31 Days to Clean - Having a Martha House the Mary Way." Unfortunately, this book didn't resonate with me as much as I had hoped. Perhaps it's because I'm at a different stage in life now, having already some systems in place that work for our household.
Despite this, I did appreciate the beautiful knit between tending to your heart and the diligence required in cleaning the house. The author does an excellent job of targeting both the heart and the practical aspects of maintaining a home.
Additionally, the book provides questions at the end of every chapter, giving it a bit of a handbook feel. This makes it a practical guide for reflection and action. I believe the target audience is more likely women who are at the beginning of their marriage or who need a 180 degree shift in their cleaning department, as they might find the advice and structure particularly beneficial.
While the book didn’t quite meet my expectations, it still offers valuable insights for those looking to balance inner well-being with household responsibilities with a happier heart. It’s worth a read, especially if you’re seeking a more soulful and humorous approach to cleaning and home management.
Despite this, I did appreciate the beautiful knit between tending to your heart and the diligence required in cleaning the house. The author does an excellent job of targeting both the heart and the practical aspects of maintaining a home.
Additionally, the book provides questions at the end of every chapter, giving it a bit of a handbook feel. This makes it a practical guide for reflection and action. I believe the target audience is more likely women who are at the beginning of their marriage or who need a 180 degree shift in their cleaning department, as they might find the advice and structure particularly beneficial.
While the book didn’t quite meet my expectations, it still offers valuable insights for those looking to balance inner well-being with household responsibilities with a happier heart. It’s worth a read, especially if you’re seeking a more soulful and humorous approach to cleaning and home management.
June 1, 2021
This book is meant to help guide the reader through a thorough cleaning and organizing of the home while finding spiritual purpose and motivation for these sometimes mundane tasks.
If you struggle with keeping house, finding motivation, or involving your children in the daily chores, this book would be very helpful. If you're an older teen on the cusp of graduation and living on your own or a young adult preparing for marriage, this book might be helpful to you.
I didn't find this book helpful to me, personally, but I can see where some would find it informative and motivational.
I disagree with her evaluation of the passage the title of the book is based on. Mary was praised, not because she was visiting with random guests, but because she was prioritizing listening to JESUS over being in the kitchen. Not that the things this book encourages are wrong. It just seemed like a misapplication of that particular passage, and that's a big pet peeve of mine.
If you struggle with keeping house, finding motivation, or involving your children in the daily chores, this book would be very helpful. If you're an older teen on the cusp of graduation and living on your own or a young adult preparing for marriage, this book might be helpful to you.
I didn't find this book helpful to me, personally, but I can see where some would find it informative and motivational.
I disagree with her evaluation of the passage the title of the book is based on. Mary was praised, not because she was visiting with random guests, but because she was prioritizing listening to JESUS over being in the kitchen. Not that the things this book encourages are wrong. It just seemed like a misapplication of that particular passage, and that's a big pet peeve of mine.
March 29, 2018
This book was such a blessing to me. I'm not a natural born cleaner. I'm quite messy and at a total loss as to how to clean and organize well. This helped me to be more focused on having a clean home not for the sake of a clean home but to relieve stress, create a warm environment, and to open up more time to have fun with my family.
September 21, 2023
This was so much better and more down-to-earth than I thought it would be. The scriptures and ideas were encouraging. She included a healthy balance of ways to find inner peace as well as completely practical tips for a thorough cleaning routine, breaking down the whole house into manageable tasks.
June 16, 2023
This book was extremely helpful, and I love how everything was broken down into manageable daily pieces. This is a book I will be rereading in the future!
October 5, 2023
Great book on having a clean, organized and life-giving home.
The level of impact of this book depends on the personality of the reader (and of the mess in the house).
I read it after a whole month of intensive declutter and organising in my own house, so I didn't do the day by day challenges, because most of the things I have already done in the past few weeks.
But I love the christian insights about cleaning +
The greatest lesson: make your kids be able to run the household by the age of 10!
Great goal! I already set it for my family as well..but with the limit of 12 years old.
The level of impact of this book depends on the personality of the reader (and of the mess in the house).
I read it after a whole month of intensive declutter and organising in my own house, so I didn't do the day by day challenges, because most of the things I have already done in the past few weeks.
But I love the christian insights about cleaning +
The greatest lesson: make your kids be able to run the household by the age of 10!
Great goal! I already set it for my family as well..but with the limit of 12 years old.
October 25, 2021
Didn’t finish it. Cliche.
March 23, 2016
Writing
This was my first book by Sarah Mae and I was thrilled to find a new Christian author who writes super practical books that aren't necessarily all about Christianity, but about living regular life as a Christian, if that makes sense. I've been on a huge housekeeping kick this year, trying to get and keep things in order and live like an adult - and this book gave me some of my best inspiration since Spark Joy. The chapters are super short, but have a lot of encouragement and great advice on keeping your home and spirit in order.
Entertainment Value
It was a pleasure to read, which is a high compliment from me for a book that had a lot of parenting talk in it. One of my biggest issues with Christian Women's Non-Fiction is that if it isn't about waiting for a husband, it's about being a mom. Where are the books for women who are happily not married or don't have kids? Anyway, I figured this one would contain a certain amount of mom-specific advice, and it did, but it was done in a way that I was still able to relate to. I didn't feel like there was anything that just out and out did not apply to me and was a waste of my time to read. Instead, I was able to find pieces of each chapter that worked for me.
Overall
This is one that'll be hanging around on my shelf. First of all, it's pretty to look at. Second of all, it has some great ideas. And it was just fun to read and easy to relate to. I definitely recommend it for those who think they'd enjoy a spiritual take on domestic life that doesn't get too heavy-handed. And the best idea I gleaned? Mae recommends cleaning your floors on your hands and knees with a scrub brush rather than a mop. After nearly six years of unsatisfactory mopping I gave it a try and LOOK AT MY FLOOR! It's a NEW FLOOR! This alone is reason enough to recommend the book:
Thanks to Tyndale Blog Network for providing me with a copy to review!
This was my first book by Sarah Mae and I was thrilled to find a new Christian author who writes super practical books that aren't necessarily all about Christianity, but about living regular life as a Christian, if that makes sense. I've been on a huge housekeeping kick this year, trying to get and keep things in order and live like an adult - and this book gave me some of my best inspiration since Spark Joy. The chapters are super short, but have a lot of encouragement and great advice on keeping your home and spirit in order.
Entertainment Value
It was a pleasure to read, which is a high compliment from me for a book that had a lot of parenting talk in it. One of my biggest issues with Christian Women's Non-Fiction is that if it isn't about waiting for a husband, it's about being a mom. Where are the books for women who are happily not married or don't have kids? Anyway, I figured this one would contain a certain amount of mom-specific advice, and it did, but it was done in a way that I was still able to relate to. I didn't feel like there was anything that just out and out did not apply to me and was a waste of my time to read. Instead, I was able to find pieces of each chapter that worked for me.
Overall
This is one that'll be hanging around on my shelf. First of all, it's pretty to look at. Second of all, it has some great ideas. And it was just fun to read and easy to relate to. I definitely recommend it for those who think they'd enjoy a spiritual take on domestic life that doesn't get too heavy-handed. And the best idea I gleaned? Mae recommends cleaning your floors on your hands and knees with a scrub brush rather than a mop. After nearly six years of unsatisfactory mopping I gave it a try and LOOK AT MY FLOOR! It's a NEW FLOOR! This alone is reason enough to recommend the book:
Thanks to Tyndale Blog Network for providing me with a copy to review!
Read
July 5, 2016This is not your average cleaning and organizing book. This has nothing to do with physical cleaning. It is more so, to clean your mind and your home to be filled with love and welcoming God's grace and peace to be around you as well as be felt around you.
I struggled with this in my life and I can defiantly relate to things Sarah states in this book. I like to believe the author had went though the same struggles that I went through to be able to truly understand how I myself would see things and needed encouragement to get through the obstacles that was thrown in my way.
This book helped me , along with my Bible , to get through that.
Sarah Mae is a christian as well and the way she encourages others is so inspiring to want to do the same thing. I am so thankful for her perspective. She has a great gift that God gave her to help others.
I was never organized in anything and not the best housekeeper to be honest. After reading this book and not even meaning to I applied things that was given into this book and applied it to my cleaning and my life. I am not organized and happy.
I learned that you can clean your home inside and out , along with cleaning your mind with your bible studies and you will find joy and peace that you never realized you lived without.
Each day Sarah writes about a different thing about cleaning in a way that you can relate and it seems just like two girls sharing stories.
I must admit that you will put this to your way of doing things before you know it.
I received a copy of this book for reviewing purposes only. I read this book and the review is soley based on my personal opinions of this book. My words are my own and are uninfluenced and unbiased to any discount that may have been given. I did receive a copy of this book for free.
I struggled with this in my life and I can defiantly relate to things Sarah states in this book. I like to believe the author had went though the same struggles that I went through to be able to truly understand how I myself would see things and needed encouragement to get through the obstacles that was thrown in my way.
This book helped me , along with my Bible , to get through that.
Sarah Mae is a christian as well and the way she encourages others is so inspiring to want to do the same thing. I am so thankful for her perspective. She has a great gift that God gave her to help others.
I was never organized in anything and not the best housekeeper to be honest. After reading this book and not even meaning to I applied things that was given into this book and applied it to my cleaning and my life. I am not organized and happy.
I learned that you can clean your home inside and out , along with cleaning your mind with your bible studies and you will find joy and peace that you never realized you lived without.
Each day Sarah writes about a different thing about cleaning in a way that you can relate and it seems just like two girls sharing stories.
I must admit that you will put this to your way of doing things before you know it.
I received a copy of this book for reviewing purposes only. I read this book and the review is soley based on my personal opinions of this book. My words are my own and are uninfluenced and unbiased to any discount that may have been given. I did receive a copy of this book for free.
January 28, 2013
This was an interesting read. I do already do many of these things when trying to get the house picked up, or the "big" jobs done...(you know things you don't pay the 'cleaning lady' to do!) While my husband and I have established it's worth some of the things we give up to pay for someone to come in 2 times a month to clean...there is still the constant picking up that comes with being a SAHM with 3 kids. I think the main thing that struck me about this book...and stayed...was in the first several pages. WHY are you cleaning your home. It's much easier to do a task when you know why you're doing it! In my case, it's because it helps me function in other places in my life...
...and as far as the personality test was focused, I really don't see myself as any of those types:)
I will keep the book, and use it as a guide. She has Mary and Martha challenges at the end of each chapter. While the Mary challenges are a bit easier to tackle...I'll keep the book handy to try a Martha challenge once in a while...but being honest...probably won't happen until it NEEDS to! :)
...and as far as the personality test was focused, I really don't see myself as any of those types:)
I will keep the book, and use it as a guide. She has Mary and Martha challenges at the end of each chapter. While the Mary challenges are a bit easier to tackle...I'll keep the book handy to try a Martha challenge once in a while...but being honest...probably won't happen until it NEEDS to! :)
March 9, 2022
This book was pretty funny. Sarah Mae infuses the daily tasks with a lot of humor and quotes from scripture. Some of my favorite sections were about dealing with feeling guilty and having a welcoming home not a perfect home. At the end of the 31 days you will not have a designer magazine/Martha Steward home but a realistic clean and enticing home built to suite your families needs. If you are looking for a fun way to whip the house into shape without feeling totally Inadequate and hopeless in the process this is your ticket. Last, this book was very reasonably priced. I purchased it on Amazon as an e-book for $4.99. Most of the cleaning books I looked at were closer to $20-$30.
January 1, 2019
I really like this approach to cleaning with little devotionals sprinkled in. I did a first run of this book on audio and now I have the ebook checked out so I can take the program one day at a time. I'm looking forward to it.
Reread January 1, 2019
I listened to this again on audio today which is the first day of the year. I wanted to start the year off right. I started working through the 31 day challenge last summer, but found it difficult to complete due to some home renovations. I'm going to complete it this time around.
Reread January 1, 2019
I listened to this again on audio today which is the first day of the year. I wanted to start the year off right. I started working through the 31 day challenge last summer, but found it difficult to complete due to some home renovations. I'm going to complete it this time around.
July 6, 2011
Bought and read it all in one day and am starting the challenges tomorrow. (I wanted to get an overview of what I was getting myself into!) I LOVE THE IDEAS IN THIS BOOK. I am so excited to try them out. Sarah validated every one of my hesitations and feelings towards cleaning. I love that she prods you to really find the deeper motivation to keeping a clean home. Worth every penny of the $5 it cost. I've convinced my sister to do the challenges with me. Here's to the next 31 days!
March 12, 2016
I love Sarah Mae's reminders that choosing time with Christ is the better way. I also love the way she values taking care of your home. But, I don't think I am the intended audience. I definitely don't need a book telling me to clean my kitchen and how. It's not dirty. Or, giving me a "chore" to catch up all my laundry. I love doing laundry. That's not to say this isn't a good book. It's just not for me.
May 18, 2016
I liked the idea behind this book and I did it with a group of friends which I think is a must. I will say I kept up with the "Mary" (scripture/heart questions) parts more than the "Martha" (actual cleaning). There were several good sentences and ideas that were good for my heart but I found myself just wanting to get through it and be done.
July 14, 2011
I borrowed this book through Lendle. It was not exactly what I was expecting but was not a bad book. This would be ideal to use as a devotional during a month long spring clean. However, it is not as helpful for your everyday cleaning tasks.
November 25, 2011
The scriptures and intentional side of cleaning/ organising (it actually felt more like organising than cleaning to me) were great.
I wonder if people would feel like they got enough how-to though...
Also, a reminder why you have to proofread as I found about 3 - 5 spelling errors :)
I wonder if people would feel like they got enough how-to though...
Also, a reminder why you have to proofread as I found about 3 - 5 spelling errors :)
October 5, 2011
Nothing really new or ground breaking.
December 30, 2016
Nothing really new in this book that I haven't read before. As far as the Mary/Martha aspect of homemaking or organization goes, I would recommend "The Organized Heart" by Staci Eastin.
March 20, 2019
I’ve really enjoyed this book! I must admit though because I listened via audio I’m going to have to go back and review a lot to actually follow the sections labeled “Mary” and “Martha.” The only reason I gave this book a 4 vs a 5 is because I don’t think I’ll be able to set aside as much time as it takes to do many parts of the “Martha” challenge. Realistically as a homeschooling mom with 2 special needs kids and only one old enough to do much helping out of 5 kids this presents some unique challenges. I do however have renewed motivation to strive to meet these goal each day listed and give myself grace when it’s not possible and figure out what works for me. I greatly appreciated the continual call back to Christ, God’s Word, and prayer. There are so many times that similar books about getting things in order are written from very secular perspectives which can be helpful but I truly appreciate the focus on the heart issues, sins, and the acknowledgement of personality challenges, family challenges, and exhaustion. I felt understood and challenged at the same time which is so encouraging!!
August 10, 2019
Ive read this book in book club with few friends ,
Its some welcoming and loving yet a powerful message as martha and mary from tre bible in luke
It opens up ways maybe we havent relized we are so martha always worried about what needs done
Cooking cleaning chores the things we all have to tend to , but how it distracts us distances and makes us a bit angry amd overwhelmed and we miss the importance of spending time with Jesus
We miss the moments that matter
Everything don’t have to look perfect or be perfect
In this we miss the now the presence of joy peace and love
As Martha worries about cooking getting things ready while , can you imagine Jesus in your living room? Wow!!
He’s their while your cooking putting other things before Him and He only wants to spend time with you .
Then we have Mary who let everything go and sat at Jesus’ feet listening to His teaching and didn’t miss His Presence.
We need balance and this book teaches us that the healthy way
love love love this book
Its some welcoming and loving yet a powerful message as martha and mary from tre bible in luke
It opens up ways maybe we havent relized we are so martha always worried about what needs done
Cooking cleaning chores the things we all have to tend to , but how it distracts us distances and makes us a bit angry amd overwhelmed and we miss the importance of spending time with Jesus
We miss the moments that matter
Everything don’t have to look perfect or be perfect
In this we miss the now the presence of joy peace and love
As Martha worries about cooking getting things ready while , can you imagine Jesus in your living room? Wow!!
He’s their while your cooking putting other things before Him and He only wants to spend time with you .
Then we have Mary who let everything go and sat at Jesus’ feet listening to His teaching and didn’t miss His Presence.
We need balance and this book teaches us that the healthy way
love love love this book
March 31, 2019
As a minimalist whose home still somehow tends to get out of control (I'm looking at you, unruly desk and paper clutter, arrrggg), I am always up for reading books that might have tips for how to better manage the chaos. After reading some other books on cleaning, the library algorithm decided to recommend this one, and so I decided to give it a listen (as an audiobook) without looking up what it was about. Oops. So it is clearly aimed at a very different demographic (christian mother's who homeschool their kids and do not work outside of the home), but I listened on, since it was a short book, and even though a lot did not apply to my life, I liked some of the practical tips and mostly, liked the idea of reframing cleaning / decluttering as an act of love towards others, or even towards ourselves, choosing to serve in order to create peace and calm for ourselves and others and creating a space we can then live life in.
September 15, 2017
I love reading housekeeping books; new ones, old ones, comprehensive ones, ones geared towards specific topics. However, I really must say that this ONE was not for me. The "challenges" were things that everyone should be doing (more than once a month by the way!) already. It seemed like it was written to a highly specific audience of stay at home moms who don't already sweep the kitchen floor once a month! Maybe I'm just a "Martha," but if you're already a knowledgeable homemaker (i.e. not living in the kind of trash heap I imagine the way some of the passages of advice are written) you will probably find this book useless. I also found it extremely annoying that the author switched between so many different bible versions when quoting scripture! How many bibles do you own? Goodness! The KJV would be best, but at least pick one and stick with it.
September 14, 2022
Some books talk to you like your friend when you are in need of one.
This is what happened to me while listening to this audiobook.
I am not a Christian, so proverbs of the Bible were something I looked forward to as I did not have a chance to read the Bible yet.
Moreover, I truly enjoyed the concept of making our homes and hearts beautiful and clean.
I completed this book while cleaning my home and doing my office chore.
I recommend it to anyone who is in the mood for a Christian book with tons of cheering needed to go through the struggle of routine work.
It has filled my heart with compassion, love and motivation.
I had listened to it when I needed it most.
I hope you too enjoy it.
Happy cleaning, listening, working and loving.
This is what happened to me while listening to this audiobook.
I am not a Christian, so proverbs of the Bible were something I looked forward to as I did not have a chance to read the Bible yet.
Moreover, I truly enjoyed the concept of making our homes and hearts beautiful and clean.
I completed this book while cleaning my home and doing my office chore.
I recommend it to anyone who is in the mood for a Christian book with tons of cheering needed to go through the struggle of routine work.
It has filled my heart with compassion, love and motivation.
I had listened to it when I needed it most.
I hope you too enjoy it.
Happy cleaning, listening, working and loving.
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