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Dearly Beloved, 

Habits of the Household—Bringing Heaven Home

Let me say something upfront: most days, I don’t feel like I’m crushing it at home. I don’t wake up to choirs singing or angels applauding as I brew coffee and shepherd my toddler like a monk with a degree in emotional regulation. No—I wake up groggy, stumbling for a bottle, while my phone buzzes with emails I probably won’t answer.

But in that chaos, I’m learning—slowly—that the goal isn’t perfection. The aim is a home where God’s will reigns. A place where, when someone walks through the door, the presence of God is so rich, so real, that even an unbeliever can feel it.

So no, the goal isn’t perfection. It’s presence.
And the path there? Habits.

And the book "Habits of the Household" has been slowly shaping my home into one I am proud of, where the love of God is shared with joy. 

The Home is a Sacred Place

C.S. Lewis once wrote that all the world’s work—government, mining, technology—exists so people can be safe and happy in their own homes. That’s wild. He called the work of a homemaker “the most important work in the world.” And I believe that.

The home is where real spiritual formation happens—not just for our kids, but for us too. It’s where we learn to practice patience, grace, forgiveness, and yes, sometimes just breathing deeply and counting to ten before we yell something we’ll have to apologize for later. (Ask me how I know.)

But what’s shaping your home? That’s the real question.

You Already Have Habits—Are They the Right Ones?

Let’s start here: you already have a liturgy. Your home has habits. Morning ones. Bedtime ones. Maybe you scroll first thing in the morning, or maybe you pray. Maybe your bedtime routine includes just waiting for 7:30 to come around so you can finally take a breath. (Been there).

The point is, you’re already being shaped. The question is: into what?

“The heart follows the habit.” 

You can’t just think your way into a godly household. You have to practice your way there. Same with parenting. Same with marriage. By DOING, we remind ourselves of what we really BELIEVE to be valuable. 

Becoming Disciples at Home

Our homes aren’t just spaces to manage. They’re places to disciple. That means your marriage isn’t about co-managing life logistics—it’s about helping each other grow into the people God created you to be. That means bedtime isn’t just about brushing teeth and fighting over water cups—it’s a sacred window to speak identity and truth.

Do your kids hear “I love you? And God loves you too?” Or do they hear “Go to bed!” on repeat until the light clicks off? Does your spouse only hear complaints about unmet expectations, or do they feel loved in the midst of an imperfect household?

Slow Theology: One Baby Step at a Time

Here’s the thing about discipleship: it’s not fast. You don’t need to know everything today. You don’t need to become the Pinterest-perfect parent or the monkish spouse who fasts and journals and leads devotions flawlessly.

You just need to take the next step in the right direction. And that direction is always wherever our Heavenly Father is. 

“The Christian posture toward household habits is not about carrying our families on our backs up the steep mountain of life. It’s about reaching out, taking the Father’s hand, and walking one baby step at a time towards Him.”

Sometimes the most faithful thing you can do is pray before bedtime. Or read one verse with your family over breakfast. Or say sorry when you mess up. That’s formation. That’s how God grows us.

The Power of Liturgies

Liturgies aren’t just for churches. Every household has one. Maybe yours is a liturgy of rushing. Or gaining. Or avoiding. But what if your family’s liturgy became one of connection? Of blessing? Of presence? 

What if your bedtime routine was holy ground?
What if your morning rhythm began not with a phone screen, but with God’s Word?
What if, instead of checking out, you checked in—with your spouse, your kids, your soul?

That doesn’t mean you become a different person overnight. It means you start with one new habit. One small rhythm. One redirect.

The Stakes Are High—But the Burden Is Light

Let’s be real. Talking about habits can feel heavy. Like one more thing on the already-too-full plate.

But look up.

You are not alone in this. You’re not carrying your family’s future by yourself. You are a child of God, and your Father is not overwhelmed. He is not impatient. He is not wringing His hands at your mistakes. He’s inviting you to follow.

“I can’t be a committed father if I’m not a committed disciple.”

And I’ve learned that the more I follow Jesus, the more I become the kind of husband and dad I actually want to be. Not because I’m trying harder, but because I’m being changed—slowly, habit by habit, by the grace of a patient God.

So What Do You Do Today?

Let me give you one idea: replace one bad habit with one better one.

  • Scroll less. Read Scripture more.

  • Replace bedtime chaos with a blessing.

  • Begin your morning with gratitude, not grind.

Look—you're already doing something. Why not make it intentional?

A Final Word

Before you're a parent, a spouse, or a sibling—you are a child. Before you lead anyone else, you’re led. Most mornings, we wake up surrounded by chaos—schedules demanding attention, notifications piling up, and laundry that judges us silently from across the room. But in the middle of all that, we get to remember this:
You are loved by a good Father. And because of Him, everything’s going to be okay.

So today—don’t aim for perfection. Just take one step. One habit. One rhythm. And let grace do what grace does best.

Let’s make home holy ground and bring heaven home, one habit at a time.

Pastor Garrett