12 Steps to Becoming A More Organized Woman

by Lane P Jordan ISBN 1-56563-412-8

Being organised is something which I am always striving to achieve as it is the key to having a relaxed and homely environment where the family can come and find rest and sanctification after their busy day. To some people being organised comes naturally but to others of us it is something we have to keep on reading about in order to stay motivated. I have recently read a very inspiring book called "12 Steps To Becoming A More Organised Woman" by Lane P Jordan, Practical Tips for Managing Your Home and Your Life Based on Proverbs 31 which has some very good tips which I found very useful. When I pray to the Lord and ask Him to help me be organised I always ask Him to let me be a "Proverbs 31 Woman". Anyway, here I will briefly outline some of the helpful information I have read.

Proverbs 31:10-31

An Excellent Wife, who can find?
For her worth is far above jewels.
The heart of her husband trusts in her,
And he will have no lack of gain.
She does him good and not evil
All the days of her life.
She looks for wool and flax
And works with her hands in delight.
She is like merchant ships;
She brings her food from afar.
She rises also while it is still night
And gives food to her household
And portions to her maidens.
She considers a field and buys it;
From her earnings she plants a vineyard.
She girds herself with strength
And makes her arms strong.
She senses that her gain is good;
Her lamp does not go out at night.
She stretches out her hand to the distaff,
And her hands grasp the spindle.
She extends her hand to the poor,
And stretches out her hands to the needy.
She is not afraid of the snow for her household,
For all her household are clothed with scarlet.
She makes coverings for herself;
Her clothing is fine linen and purple.
Her husband is known in the gates,
When he sits among the elders of the land.
She makes linen garments and sells them,
And supplies belts to the tradesmen.
Strength and dignity are her clothing,
And she smiles at the future.
She opens her mouth in wisdom,
And the teaching of kindness is on her tongue.
She looks well to the ways of her household,
and does not eat the bread of idleness.
Her children rise up and blessed her;
Her husband also, and he praises her, saying:
"Many daughters have done nobly,
But you excel them all".
Charm is deceitful and beauty is vain,
But a woman who fears the Lord, she shall be praised.
Give her the product of her hands,
And let her works praise her in the gates.

Introduction

The introduction to the book covers the reason why we should strive to be a Proverbs 31 woman and how God cares about every aspect of our lives and how he is with us at all times and that we are not alone. We must put him in charge of everything even our time and we must strive for the best, nothing less. It also states how the Proverbs 31 woman has a lot to teach us and "she opens her mouth in wisdom, and the teaching of kindness is on her tongue".

Chapter 1 – Be An Excellent Wife

An excellent wife, who can find?
For her worth is far above jewels.

Proverbs 31:10

This chapter covers so much which I think woman today do not pay much attention to. It says that the first step to becoming more organised is to strive to be an excellent wife. To build the marriage we have to set goals and objectives. Communication is so important being able to talk to each other any time of the day or night. It explains the line "For her worth is far above jewels" and also "Her husband has full confidence in her and lacks nothing of value. She brings him good, not harm, all the days of her life". It covers attitude, listening, being an encourager, focusing of his good points, doing practical things for your husband and letting your husband be your best friend. It ends with 1 Corinthians 13:4-8. On the last page there is a list of rules for success in marriage written by Eleanor Roosevelt. Each chapter of the book concludes with a review called "Bringing Home Chaper 1" or whatever chapter it is which briefly explains the chapter and it has discussion questions and a personal application to apply.

Chapter 2 – Plan Your Shopping, Cooking & Travelling

She is like merchant ships;
She brings her food from afar.

Proverbs 31:14

I found this chapter inspiring. It starts explaining the above verse and the author explaining how things were in her childhood. Food is a very important aspect of our lives and how we can express our love to our families through cooking good and nutritious food. The chapter gives helpful tips on shopping for food, cooking and organising your kitchen. It covers planning meals ahead, shopping efficiently, planning your cooking and organising your kitchen. It then goes on to cover planning your travelling, packing and planning efficiently, taking extra steps to ease air travel and making car travel easy which includes a car emergency kit list. It ends with a verse from Deuteronomy 1:32-33 and the "Bringing Home Chapter 2".

Chapter 3 – Schedule Your Day

She rises also while it is still night
And gives food to her household
And portions to her maidens.

Proverbs 31:15

The time in our day I think alot of us take for granted but with a little scheduling we could achieve so much more and this chapter is very helpful for this. As before the chapter starts with explaining the above verse from Proverbs and then goes on to cover setting goals, setting up a comman post, establishing a daily routine, making the most of your time, having a place for everything, handling paper only once and last but not least, putting God first. It ends with a verse from Proverbs 16:3 and the "Bringing Home Chapter 3".

Chapter 4 – Balance Home And Career

She considers a field and buys it;
From her earnings she plants a vineyard.
She makes linen garments and sells them,
And supplies belts to the tradesmen.

Proverbs 31:16,24

In the beginning of this chapter is a story and then the chapter goes on to say how different life is today for woman to what it was many years ago. How women have children and still have careers and the pressure of how women feel they can’t sit at home but need to go out and earning money too. The chapter also explains the verses above and how it applies to us. Again, it compares the times now and of the past and how things have changed but to always honour God. It goes on to say that some women have to work single mothers etc. and the following tips are especially for them. It covers finding the right job for you, keeping a right attitude, being realistic in your daily goals and maximising your time finishing with the verse of Matthew 11:28. and then "Bringing Home Chapter 4".

Chapter 5 – Get In Shape

She girds herself with strength
And makes her arms strong.
She senses that her gain is good;
Her lamp does not go out at night.

Proverbs 31:17-18

The Proverbs 31 woman needs to have strength to accomplish her everyday tasks so being in shape has its benefit. This chapter explains this and also reminds us that our body is the temple of the Holy Spirit and we must take care of it to glorify God and that means with what we eat and what we do with it. It is very encouraging and makes us realise that getting into shape is not just to look good but also for God’s sake too and to be able to good servants for him. The chapter goes on to cover exercising every day, eating properly every day for energy, it also has a list of high energy foods, learning to control the stress in your life and getting the rest you need ending with the verse Isaiah 40:29 and the "Bringing Home Chapter 5".

Chapter 6 – Work Hard And Be Creative

She looks for wool and flax
And works with her hands in delight.
She stretches out her hands to the distaff,
And her hands grasp the spindle.

Proverbs 31:13,19

The chapter starts by the above verse being explained and how it applies to us now. It talks about how God does not like idleness and how we must be productive. It looks at how things have changed with all the modern technology of washing machines etc. and how women had to work so hard before and do everything by hand. It gives to verses from Proverbs on laziness and working hard and the benefits. The rest of the chapter covers working productively and expressing your creativity and it ends with a verse from Exodus 35:25-26,31 and then the "Bringing Home Chapter 6".

Chapter 7 – Reach Out To The Needy

She extends her hand to the poor,
And she stretches out her hands to the needy.

Proverbs 31:20

The Proverbs 31 woman needs to think of the less fortunate. The chapter shows the way people lived in biblical times and how they reached out. It explains how being organised will give us time to help others. It covers reaching out to your family, reaching out to friends, reaching out in your community and church, reaching out in your city, state and country and reaching out to the world finishing off with the verse from Matthew 5:16 and then the "Bringing Home Chapter 7".

Chapter 8 – Manage Your Clothes and Closets

She is not afraid of the snow for her household,
For all her household are clothed with scarlet.
She makes coverings for herself;
Her clothing is fine linen and purple.
Strength and dignity are her clothing,
And she smiles at the future.

Proverbs 31:21-22,25

This chapter starts off as the other chapters do explaining the verse of Proverbs and then the author gives her tips and also writes about looking our best for God and how it is not a sin to do so. She also shows how women used to sew their own clothes but of course in this day it is seldom that they do especially working mothers and then she goes on to list some tips on sorting, storing, buying and cleaning your clothes. The chapter covers developing a method for sorting and storing clothes, buying clothes wisely, developing an efficient method for keeping clothes clean and then ending in the usual way with a verse from 1 Peter 3:3-4 and then the "Bringing Home Chapter 8".

Chapter 9 – Nurture Your Children

She opens her mouth in wisdom,
And the teaching of kindness is on her tongue.

Proverbs 31:26

This chapter the author looks at what a joy children are and how God looks at children as precious gifts. It gives various verses showing what the bible says about children. It also gives verses on how we must be kind to one another. It covers taking time to read with your children, taking time to nurture your child’s spiritual life, taking time after school with your children, taking time to eat together, taking time for activities with your children, taking time to help your child succeed in school, taking time to discipline and train your children, taking time to teach your children scheduling and then it gives a list of "Twenty ways to make your children feel great finishing with a verse from Psalms 127:3-5 and the "Bringing Home

Chapter 9 Chapter 10 – Change Your House Into A Home

She looks well to the ways of her household,
And does not eat the bread of idleness.

Proverbs 31:27

This chapter covers so much and is so important because we all want to make homes not just places where we live and there is a difference. I found this chapter so inspiring. It starts with how we can change our house into a home and what a lovely feeling it is when Christmas comes and everything is in order for the celebration. It explains various other verses from the bible and then covers organising your home, cleaning effectively and creating a peaceful home and ends with 1 Peter 2:5 and the "Bringing Home Chapter 10".

Chapter 11 – Be Restored

Her children rise up and bless her;
Her husband also, and he praises her, saying:
"Many daughters have done nobly,
But you excel them all".

Proverbs 31:28-29

This is a lovely chapter covering how we can restore ourselves and is so useful for its tips. It starts off by briefly running through what has been covered in previous chapters. She also talks about rest and receiving praise for what we have done and receiving the fruit of our labours. She discusses various things and also adds a verse from the bible Philippians 4:6-9 and then goes on to cover restoring yourself physically, restoring yourself emotionally, restoring yourself spiritually and ends with the verse Isaiah 30:15 and the "Bringing Home Chapter 11".

Chapter 12 – Find Strength To Do It All

Charm is deceitful and beauty is vain,
But a woman who fears the Lord, she shall be praised.
Give her the product of her hands,
And let her works praise her in the gates.

Proverbs 31:30-31

It starts with how we all desire approval and admiration and explains the above verse. A very important point which she raises is having God in our lives and that is the last step of our twelve steps to becoming a more organised woman. It also lists steps we can take to have God in our lives through the spirit. The chapter also covers finding the right church and planning for a fruitful prayer time ending with Proverbs 31:31 and the "Bringing Home Chapter 12".

All in all this book is well worth reading to get things from a Godly perspective and by the end of it you will be rearing to get your life in order and your walk with God. When you take this book out you may expect that it will just be covering getting your home tidy but in fact it covers so many other things which can easily be overlooked. I have thoroughly enjoyed it and hope that you will too!

Get a home organisation file and put your menu for the week with shopping list

Chores to be done
Bills to pay
Important papers for your husband’s attention
Childrens activities
Diary for the week

Review: 12 Steps to Becoming A More Organized Woman