Michaels - Love the Home You Have: Simple Ways to...Embrace Your Style *Get Organized *Delight in Where You Are

Melissa Michaels, how did you get into my every house-obsessed thought? Anyone who has long balanced visions (yes, plural) of dream houses (plural again) with fickle dissatisfaction for a current abode, will find themselves in Love the Home You Have. Threaded with stories of this beloved bloggers life journey through six housesand lessons learned from eachthis guidebook coaches those who love architecture, decorating, and design to acknowledge that we can live with imperfection because we care about contentment far more. When you print the I Brake for Charming Houses bumper sticker, Ill take one.

Jill Waage, Executive Editor, Better Homes and Gardens Brand

Melissas Love the Home You Have is charming, witty, and gracious. She gets to the heart of joyful living by sharing the importance of vulnerability, authenticity, and honesty within ourselves. Melissa gives all of us Pinterest lovers (yes, thats me!) the freedom to let our homes evolve day-to-day, season-to-season. Her encouragement to be authentic by inviting others in, no matter the state or the style of our homes, is soothing advice for those reluctant to practice hospitality and mirrors a beautiful message to guests that their authenticity is in style, too!

Sandy Coughlin, author and founder of ReluctantEntertainer.com

Melissa Michaels offers the cure to comparison every woman needs: contentment. Shell inspire you to have a home thats not only lovely but a true reflection of what matters most to you and a haven for those you love. Its time to let go of the pressure and expectations youve always felt so you can fully discover and embrace the beauty of the space where you are right now.

Holley Gerth, Wall Street Journal bestselling author of Youre Already Amazing

For years, Melissas words have encouraged me to push aside unrealistic expectations in my home and celebrate authentic living. Love the Home You Have does that and more. Melissas nurturing heart celebrates what a well lived home is all about and gives us permission to start creating our dream home right where we are at. What an inspiring read! Our home is so much more than their walls. With her help, we can make it a true haven.

Jen Schmidt, creator of the blog Balancing Beauty and Bedlam, co-founder of the Becoming Conference

Melissas thoughtful call to contentment comes complete with helpful tips and action items, but more than anything it gives us permission to embrace imperfections and soak up the goodness of the Lord no matter where He leads us to live. What a much-needed reminder that home functions best when its a sanctuary, not a showroom.

Sophie Hudson, author of Home Is Where My People Are and blogger at BooMama.net

Ive always believed God has us where we are for a reason. He doesnt waste a thingincluding the fixer-upper seasons of life. This lovely book is your guide to falling in love with your home, no matter its size or condition. From the whimsical illustrations to the practical suggestions, you will love Melissas encouragement to love the home you have.

Kristen Welch, author of Rhinestone Jesus

HARVEST HOUSE PUBLISHERS

EUGENE, OREGON

Scripture quotations are taken from the New American Standard Bible, 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. (www.Lockman.org)

Cover and Interior Design by Harvest House Publishers, Inc., Eugene, Oregon

Published in association with William K. Jensen Literary Agency, 119 Bampton Court, Eugene, Oregon 97404.

Love the Home You Have

Copyright 2015 Melissa Michaels

Published by Harvest House Publishers

Eugene, Oregon 97402

www.harvesthousepublishers.com

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Michaels, Melissa,

Love the home you have / Melissa Michaels.

pages cm

ISBN 978-0-7369-6307-7 (pbk.)

ISBN 978-0-7369-6308-4 (eBook)

1. Interior decoration. 2. Domestic space. I. Title.

NK2115.M46 2015

747dc23

2014035605

All rights reserved. No part of this electronic publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any meanselectronic, mechanical, digital, photocopy, recording, or any otherwithout the prior written permission of the publisher. The authorized purchaser has been granted a nontransferable, nonexclusive, and noncommercial right to access and view this electronic publication, and purchaser agrees to do so only in accordance with the terms of use under which it was purchased or transmitted. Participation in or encouragement of piracy of copyrighted materials in violation of authors and publishers rights is strictly prohibited.

Contents

For all my readers who still want to believe that fairytale castles can be found, even in the most unexpected places.

We tend to forget that happiness doesnt come as a result of getting something we dont have, but rather of recognizing and appreciating what we do have.

F REDERICK K EONIG

I ve been a house lover from as far back as I can remember. Creating beauty in a home is a little bit of heaven for me. I enjoy the simple daily rituals of keeping house. I love to light nice-smelling candles. I have fun puttering around, rearranging accessories and even furniture on a regular basis. I get giddy over polished white sinks and clean counters. I regularly stop to appreciate little things around my homehow pretty my bed looks after I make it, the way the sun filters softly through my windows, how the colors of my walls flow nicely from room to room.

I take pleasure in seeing seasonal decor on my porch, pretty dishes stacked on my open kitchen shelves, and organized baskets and glass jars in my pantry. Honestly, I fall in love with my home a little bit more every day. I can imagine being content here for the rest of my life!

And that , my friend, is what Ive discovered throughout my journey. The attitude of contentment was a life lesson I have learned over time and am still learning. And its the heart of this journey we are starting together.

The Big Discovery

I spent many years convinced my own dream house was the one found beyond the picket fence or behind the big iron gates. It was the one near the water or the one down the block. The big one. The small one. The charming cottage on the corner.

I tried them all, and each time I was certain it was THE ONE.

Only to find it wasnt the only one.

The dream house is here too, under this new roof of the only house I didnt dream of or fall in love with or even consider our forever home. Its here in the place I hang clothes and chase dust bunnies and bake cookies and wipe the muddy paws of puppies. The place I rearrange furniture and hang curtains and burn the toast.

The most important thing Ive learned from all my dreaming, scheming, and hauling moving boxes is that we can learn to love the home we have whether it is big or small, fancy or ordinary, surrounded by white pickets or brown chain link, faced with brick or faux siding, a first apartment or a starter home in a less-than-ideal neighborhood.

Home is right where you are.

As for those dreams you have about what a home should look like? They can come alive wherever you are, in any size, shape, or style of house, with all of its limitations and frustrations, once you embrace who you really are, what you love, and your own authentic style at home.