Joyfully at Home - Jasmine Baucham

Joyfully at Home by Jasmine Baucham

The Vision Forum, Inc 2010

Rating: 8

Readability: Very readable...

Impact: Very good reminders.

Read it Again: Probably.

Recommend It: Yes.

What to Expect

A relatively balanced book on Christian womanhood directed towards unmarried girls, young and old. I was skeptical, mostly because of the title, but Jasmine Baucham does not try to argue that you must stay at home, and instead gives a quite argument for a woman's general calling.

Conversationally toned, but pretty well organized. Laid back. Stays out of your face. Good at going back to the Bible.

Not sure if I agreed with every angle she took, but certainly worth the read and with plenty of wisdom and encouragement...both for daughters at home and young women who have moved out.

My Squib

I was wary at first. Vision Forum has produced some excellent recourses, some of it seems pretty romanticized and since So Much More was so not my favorite, I had low expectations. (Note: I'm not saying So Much More had nothing good to say, but the tone and priority management of the book did not agree with me.)

I believe Jasmine Baucham takes on a tamer, humbler view that she has diligently tried to back up by going back to Scripture over and over. I ended up really liking the book.

There are a lot of really amazing recourses out for Christian young ladies now. I own and love a lot of them.

But it seems like so often the emphasis gets confused. Our #1 priority should be to run after Christ, and I know the authors of many of these books sincerely believe that. Somewhere, it seems, that that direct goal gets pushed behind other implications.

I mean, we focus so hard on this or that, but if we were just pursuing Christ this or that wouldn't be an issue. Or if it was, it would be a long way down.

I'm not trying to say that if we are correctly focused we won't have other issues...but it seems like it sure takes care of a lot of them.

If your focused on God you won't be focused on yourself.

If your focused on God you will want to serve Him.

If your focused on God you will not be focused on boys.

Etc..etc...

I'm not trying to say that we shouldn't do in depth study of service or humility or purity, but it so often seems like we approach things the wrong way.

I think that's part of what sets Elisabeth Elliot's Passion and Purity apart. Instead of causing you to think more about a current relationship or coming one, it points you strait to God. How can you glorify Him in your singleness now? How will approach dating/courtship/marriage in a way that will glorify Him when/if God's timing comes?

It also seems like so often something is encouraged because you will need it when you are married. That's a reasonable argument, but it seems like just that...reasoning.

It's not like we don't have a calling NOW. Marriage is a powerful tool of Christian warfare, but it's certainly not the only tool. Service, patience, submissiveness, humility, and self-sacrifice are not things that you need to learn so your marriage won't crash, but there things to do right now, because they are a command!

It just seems like the argument of learning to do something before you get married, while it may make complete sense and be true, is not the argument we should use.

(Please note that I am not criticizing stay at home daughters or trying to minimize the importance of marriage or proper prep any way. I am a daughter at home who has chosen to stay home.)

Anyways...

Joyfully at Home didn't leave these issues out, but saved them, for the most part, for last section of the book. I thought they would have been much better in the front and then constantly brought back through out the rest of the book.

Over all, I thought this was a really great book. Jasmine Baucham is a convicted Christian that sincerely wants to honor God.

I also love the fact that she's so into writing, loves literature, is pretty much a hopeless (but self-aware) romantic. Although I'm not, I know and love some amazing people who are and I appreciate them. :-)

So, yes, it's a good book.

From the Book

Biblical womanhood, at its core, is merely embracing Eve's purpose: serving those around you with the gifts the Lord has given you; making a home, yes, or being willing to pull up your sleeves and build a wall like the women in Nehemiah's day.

Taking joy in the raising of children, you bet...and being able to get dirty chasing them in the backyard. Beautifying, you bet, but also possessing deeper traits than mere beauty: intelligence-- competence-- true joy (Nehemiah 8:10).

If you read it, tell me what you think!
Thanks for reading,

Miss Pickwickian