Justin Whitmel Earley - Habits of the Household: Practicing the Story of God in Everyday Family Rhythms

This gem of a book is what I want to give to absolutely every family I know. Intentional, formational, biblical, with profound generationaland eternalramifications, Earley hands us transformational hope for every single family with these practical and gospel-saturated pages. I couldnt put it down.

ANN VOSKAMP, mother of seven, author of the New York Times bestsellers One Thousand Gifts and The Broken Way

If youve never considered how a liturgy could include children bouncing on their beds or cooling down after a meltdown or passing the pepper around the dinner table (and I never had), this book could help you change the habits of your home. It never nags, scolds, guilts, or mandates. Instead, Justin Earley suggests ways that people like you and mepeople with piled-up dishes and maddening soccer schedules and too little confidence that we know what were doingcan build habits to equip our families for the lifelong pilgrimage toward Home.

RUSSELL MOORE, Christianity Today

Parents need this book! Rhythms are paramount in our families, and Justin offers insights on how practicing them at home displays Jesus to our children in ways words alone cannot.

REBEKAH LYONS, bestselling author, Rhythms of Renewal and You Are Free

The family is Gods primary discipleship plan. It is in our households that we are taught what is most important and least important and we begin to understand how we fit in this big and scary world. In Habits of the Household, Justin Whitmel Earley gives us a template for household habits that root our families in the deepest realities of the gospel of Jesus Christ and form all of us more into his image. There is no formation without repetition, so I pray this book encourages your heart and emboldens your desire to allow the Spirit to flow into and through these ten everyday occurrences with greater purpose and intentionality.

MATT CHANDLER, lead pastor, The Village Church

If you are a parent, or about to be one, or a friend of one, or a parent of one, this is gold. Sheer, honest, hilarious, helpful family-shaping gold. There is nothing easy about this most vulnerable of human vocations, and the habits in this book will not make it easy. But they will make it so much better.

ANDY CROUCH, author, The Tech-Wise Family

I got no farther than the introduction and was already implementing these practices with my kids! Such a thoughtful, practical, humble, yet hilarious look at pulling out the sacred in the everyday chaos of parenting. These practices will become staples in our home.

JOSHUA STRAUB, PhD, Famous at Home

Through the last nineteen years of parenting, Ive viewed parenting books with a mix of fear and loathing. It seems like experts were quick to tell me what I was doing wrong and to offer quick-fix solutions that felt removed from my actual messy, relentless, inconsistent experience as a parent. Thats why reading Justins Habits of the Household was such a refreshing, inspiring experience. Justin has managed to boil down the complex world of parenting into a series of relevant, grace-filled, realistic habits that will change the formation of your family. I found myself creating a mental list of every young parent I couldnt wait to gift this book. A must-read for every parent longing to bring more meaning to their daily life.

NICOLE UNICE, pastor, leadership consultant, and author of The Miracle Moment: How Tough Conversations Can Actually Transform Your Most Important Relationships

What a timely and helpful resource! I only wish I had read this when my children were still at home. In Habits of the Household, Justin helps us consider our normal and ordinary lives, and how powerfully formative simple practices can be. This is not a how-to book but rather a grace-filled approach to life at home that helps us see habituation as freeing and fruitful. I cant wait to buy a box and give copies to parents.

KEITH NIX, Veritas School, Richmond, VA; national leader in classical Christian education renewal movement

I met Justin Earley fifteen years ago; we were fresh out of college serving together as missionaries overseas. Even then, I could tell he had wisdom beyond his years. And ever since, I have been encouraged to watch him develop his voice for the benefit of Christs people. Its no secret that home life can be chaoticmany of us are in its throes now, settling for survival mode as we simply try to make it through the day. We want to form our kids with Christian virtue, but sometimes the fight can feel futile. Habits of the Household will help you implement rhythms that will bring order to the mess and grace in the stress.

MATT SMETHURST, planting pastor, River City Baptist Church, Richmond, VA; managing editor, The Gospel Coalition; author, Deacons and Before You Open Your Bible

ZONDERVAN BOOKS

Habits of the Household

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To Whit, Asher, Coulter, and Shep

Because it is easier to raise strong children
than to repair broken men and women

CONTENTS

W e all face a constant challenge to be present in the moment. At any given time, its easy for our thoughts to be all over the placethinking about a pending task, mulling over an email we received, or even daydreaming about being somewhere other than where we are. Truly being present in the moment is important, but often elusiveeven in our parenting. We often complete the tasks of family life on autopilot while our minds wander.