One mother commented on the thread for yesterday’s post, GOD LOVES COOKING. She wrote that “cooking is an art.” I believe it’s true. God gifts people with different artistic abilities, but even these abilities need to be honed and practiced. It is the same with cooking. Many mothers come into marriage with little experience of cooking. They rarely cooked growing up in their own home, which, of course, is a detriment to their lives. All children should grow up knowing how to cook.
Some don’t like cooking because it has been looked upon as an inferior task. But Scripture reveals it is a God-like ministry. But cooking is an art. We must practice it. Learn to do it better. Learn to do it with love, not just the love of cooking, but to show our love to our husband and family.
It’s the same with everything we do as a woman. Birthing is an art. Many women never get to practice the art. They often let the hospital staff take control of their birth. I think most of us didn’t know what we were doing the first time we gave birth. But as each succeeding baby comes we learn more. We understand our body more. We learn out to go with our contractions and the way God has planned to bring the baby forth.
Breastfeeding is an art. Not many feel relaxed at nursing the moment they begin with their first baby. But as we press through with the little (or sometimes big) problems that occur, we learn the art. It becomes a beautiful art. We know how to do it. We learn that it is not just feeding our baby, but total mothering. Whenever need our baby has, we can usually pacify and console that need with nursing. It becomes part of our life.
Homemaking is an art. We continue honing and learning all the time. If we think we have learned everything, we are deceived. I am now into the great-grandmother stage and I am still finding out better ways of doing things.
Dearest wives and mothers, let’s not get bogged down into a rut. Let’s press on to greater things. Let’s hone all the beautiful arts we have the privilege of doing as wives and mothers.
Let’s become great artists. We all have creative gifts in different ways. Let’s use these gifts in our homes to make them beautiful, to make them filled with the presence of God, to make our homes a delight to ourselves, our family, and all who come in.
Blessings to you today,
Nancy Campbell
Painting by Stephen John Darbishire, British painter.
After reading my post yesterday, some have asked to learn more about hospitality.
A hospitable home is like God's home. He doesn’t exclude anyone who wants to come from His home. He loves the word COME. His home is a welcome home. A " let him take the water of life freely" home (Revelation 21: 6 and 22:17). A "come to the waters" home. A “come buy wine and milk without money” home (Isaiah 55:1, 2)
We can have many family mottos and change them from time to time. A great motto to have is the words of Galatians 5:13: “By love serve one another.” We read this Scripture in our family devotions this morning. We currently have ten of the Allison children staying with us, plus others. We have 17 living in the home at the moment.
Your mothering is not in vain! You may not feel appreciated or honored in your home, but God is watching. He sees your work and labor of love. Your sacrificial mothering is never wasted and you will receive your eternal reward. Be encouraged today. 
Do you think it's weak to be meek? Perhaps you could try being meek for a week! You then discover that meekness is an attribute of those who are mature. Any three-year-old can stamp their feet and demand their own way. That’s immaturity.
It’s easy to slide into negativity, isn’t it? This is a big challenge. Who will take it on? 
The ark kept Noah and his family safe from the flood. But although they were safe, they had to go through the storm. We will never avoid going through the storms and tempests of this life. Consequently, we must learn how to navigate them. God shows the way through the example of Noah who built a strong home, a home that could withstand the biggest tempest that ever hit this earth.
I have been thinking of the blessedness of motherhood. Yes, along with the blessedness is hard work and heartache. However, I believe that the devil robs mothers of the joys and glory of motherhood. Because God ordained motherhood and created us for this high purpose, the devil hates it. He hates what God mandates. He feeds us with lies to think we are wasting our lives when in fact, we are fulfilling the very perfect will of God. When we embrace motherhood, we are on Gods side.
Each time Colin and I go to UK, a very dear couple, Phillip and Sheila White film all our conferences. They are all available on the following website: 
Obadiah chapter 11 talks about foreigners entering the gates of Jerusalem. As mothers, we must constantly guard our home. We must watch for the “foreign” sneaking through the gates of our home.
When Christ dwells in you everything you do in your home is a sacred task. 
I’m always amazed as I read God’s Word each day to learn so much about our everyday lives. This morning I read the story of David trying to save his life from King Saul who wanted to kill him. David and Jonathan were working out their plan together. You can read the whole story in 1 Samuel 20.
Better than gold is a peaceful home
I feel very sad when I see wives and mothers with a sour face. Down in the mouth. Always a frown. This is not God's picture of a mother. In Psalm 128:3 God paints a picture of the wife in a home that is blessed of the Lord. It tells us that she is a "fruitful vine" in the heart of her home. Not only does she find joy in her home, but she is fruitful, bringing forth luscious sweet fruit.
Isaiah 60:13 says: "I will make the place of My feet glorious." Originally, the place of God's footstool on earth was the ark in the Holy of Holies of the tabernacle where He dwelt. Later, He dwelt in the Holy of Holies in the temple made by Solomon.
When we find someone believing a lie, what do we do? When someone is going astray, what do we do? Most times, we prefer to say or do nothing. We don't like to interfere. We don't want to be thought of someone who is condemning or legal, so we keep quiet. We don’t want people to think negatively about us.
I read about a wife whose husband was unkind to her and didn’t want to spent time with her, choosing to spend all his evenings in other company. She went to a counselor. He didn’t spend hours counseling her, but instead gave her one simple message: “Always treat your husband with a smile.”
Dear mother, you are in the greatest career in the nation. Don’t come down from your high post! 
God hovers over motherhood. He is with you from the beginning to the end. Are you waiting to give birth to a baby soon? God will be with you in your birth. David confesses in Psalm 22:9: “Thou art He that took me out of the womb.” Or modern translations say, “You brought me safely from my mother’s womb.” Whether you are having your baby at home or in a hospital, put your trust in God. He is the one who brings the baby safely from the womb. He is hovering over you for the life of your baby.