Passionate Housewives Desperate for God

The Culture of Christendom

2010-09-06T12:44:00.000-07:00

Today, I read a review of Passionate Housewives, the book I co-authored with Jennie Chancey; and, I breathed a sigh of relief. Since writing our book, Jennie and I have read numerous reviews and received hundreds of emails from readers testifying to the fact that God is using Passionate Housewives to remind Believers of the beauty and magnitude of a woman's role in the home. However, it is certainly not without its detractors.

Having been misrepresented at times, it was especially refreshing to read the following review by Robin Phillips, a man who seemed to not only grasp the "heart" of our book; but was also able to expound upon it so powerfully.

“Many Christian young people have willingly walked away from a faith they knew to be true because they were enticed by the illusory attractiveness of idols; but few people ever abandoned a faith they believed to be both true and beautiful.”

I think, often, in a fleshly attempt to be holier than Jesus, we forget about the importance of passing down the significant beauty of our faith.

"Let Your work appear to Your servants, and Your glory to their children. And let the beauty of the Lord our God be upon us, and establish the work of our hands for us; yes, establish the work of our hands." (Psalm 90:16-17)

And, as Robin points out:

Here’s the catch. In order for parents to show their children that the faith is lovely, they must be there to successfully model it.

Please take the time to read Robin's excellent insights:

We are all familiar with the way feminism has undermined the integrity of the family, leaving many women feeling guilty, or at least defensive, if they choose to stay at home to be housewives. What is generally given less attention, however, is the way Christian motherhood has suffered grievously from within the ranks of the church. I am not referring to direct theological challenges from Christian teachers who think women ought to farm their children off to day care or go and pursue careers. That is just feminism in evangelical packaging and is easy enough to spot, though sadly that mentality is rampant even in the church.

What is more difficult to discern, however, are the multitudinous ways that the individualistic and dispensational theological paradigms have indirectly contributed to many Christian mothers abandoning their primary vocation. An entire evangelical culture has sprung up over the last two hundred and fifty years which sees salvation purely in terms of going to heaven when you die, with no understanding of the need to build a Christian civilization here on the earth that will last for thousands of years.

Worse still, many Christians believe that the institutions and culture of Christendom are a Constantinian innovation and hardly a worthy goal for the 21st century church. Failing to understand God's purposes covenantally, we would prefer to wait to be ‘raptured’ away from the earth, working to get as many people saved in the meantime, than to seek God’s promised blessings on the thousands of descendents that come from those who love him.

As a result, the concept of family and child-rearing has suffered grievously. Not seeing ourselves as links in a golden chain, both receiving and transmitting the traditions of the covenant community to the next generation, we fail to pour ourselves into our children in the way that we could. (As an aside, this relates to why I am against the ‘conversion experience’ model for children of believers, a topic I deal with here.)

Because of our failure to invest in the next generation, our children are falling away right left and centre, giving credence to the second edition of the Confession of Faith, presented to Parliament in 1658, which includes these words: “Wherever thou goest thou wilt hear men crying out of bad children – whereas indeed the source must be sought a little higher, ‘its bad parents – that make bad children -, and we cannot blame so much their untowardness as our own negligence of their education.”

The education we should seek to give our children, and which is central for successfully transmitting the faith to the next generation, is more than just the education of correct ideas. It is not enough to simply convey to our children the sense that Christianity is true. Neither is it enough to give them a Christian worldview that interconnects all knowledge into a Biblical philosophy.

These are both necessary endeavours, but they are not sufficient. We must also strive to convey to our children the beauty of the Christian faith. If we are to be successful in transmitting our religion, we must show the next generation that the truth is lovely. Many Christian young people have willingly walked away from a faith they knew to be true because they were enticed by the illusory attractiveness of idols; but few people ever abandoned a faith they believed to be both true and beautiful.

But here’s the catch. In order for parents to show their children that the faith is lovely, they must be there to successfully model it. If a mother farms her children off to daycare so she can find fulfillment in pursuing a career, if the father comes home from work and takes more interest in his newspaper than his kids, if the parents use the television as a baby sitter whenever they are tired, if the parents are always grumbling or bickering and never promoting an atmosphere of joy, if the parents send their children off to be educated by the local priests of Baal, then we cannot be surprised when the children grow up to reject the faith their parents purported to follow.

This being the case, fathers and mothers need encouragement to focus on the primary mission field God has given them: their own children. That is why I so appreciated Stacy McDonald and Jannie Chancey’s book, Passionate Housewives Desperate for God: Fresh Vision for the Hopeful Homemaker. In an age when mothers are constantly being pressured to abandone their God-appointed mission field, McDonald and Chancey give much needed hope and encouragement.

CLICK HERE to read Robin's entire review of Passionate Housewives.

As an aside, I can hardly pass up the G. K. Chesterton quote Robin offers:

Woman is generally shut up in a house with a human being at the time when he asks all the questions that there are, and some that there aren’t. It would be odd if she retained any of the narrowness of a specialist. . . . when people begin to talk about this domestic duty as not merely difficult but trivial and dreary, I simply give up the question. For I cannot with the utmost energy of imagination conceive what they mean. . . .

If drudgery only means dreadfully hard work, I admit the woman drudges in the home, as a man might drudge at the Cathedral of Amiens or drudge behind a gun a Trafalgar. But if it means that the hard work is more heavy because it is trifling, colourless and of small import to the soul, then as I say, I give it up; I do not know what the words mean. To be Queen Elizabeth within a definite area, deciding sales, banquets, labours, and holidays; to be Whitely within a certain area, providing toys, boots, cakes, and books; to be Aristotle within a certain area, teaching morals, manners, theology, and hygiene; I can understand how this might exhaust the mind, but I cannot imagine how it could narrow it.

How can it be a large career to tell other people’s children about the Rule of Three, and a small career to tell one’s own children about the universe? How can it be broad to be the same thing to everyone and narrow to be everything to someone? No, a woman’s function is laborious, but because it is gigantic, not because it is minute.

Are you on Facebook?

2010-01-13T09:51:00.000-08:00

Jennie Chancey and I have finally launched the Passionate Housewives Desperate for God Facebook page. It was created a while back and then promptly forgotten in the midst of the day to day challenges of homemaking and child rearing. As we have time, we will be sharing what God is teaching us, and we invite you to do the same! We love hearing from our readers and enjoy the interaction with other moms in the trenches.

See ya there!

Stacy McDonald

Passionate Housewives Desperate for God

Promote Your Page Too

CBMW Interview

2010-01-11T20:09:00.000-08:00

Interview with CBMW (The Council on Biblical Manhood and Womanhood)

Encouraging Passionate Housewives: Interview with Jennie Chancey and Stacy McDonald

Jeff Robinson

The following is an interview with the co-authors of the book entitled Passionate Housewives Desperate for God: Fresh Vision for the Hopeful Homemaker. Gender Blog gave an overview HERE.

Gender Blog: What compelled you to write this book?

Jennie: Stacy and I were disturbed by a trend that appeared in the broader culture and also penetrated the church-the "me-first" movement that was applauded in publications as diverse as Christianity Today and Newsweek and World Report.

Wives and mothers were urged to put self first if they expected to be happy and stay sane. We were amazed that such an unbiblical idea had gained traction in print and online. I received emails from several concerned readers of LAF (ladiesagainstfeminism.com), who wanted to know if I'd write a biblical refutation of the self-first teachings.

Shortly after that, Stacy called me to tell me about a book she'd outlined that would hold out Christ's life as our model: dying to self, crucifying the flesh, and living for the Lord by putting others first and trusting the Lord to sustain us. When I saw her outline, my jaw dropped. She'd put down every single point I wanted to bring up in an article. That's when Stacy invited me to co-author the book with her, and I was thrilled to be a part of it.

Stacy: Jennie and I discussed her concerns over Christian women who were being duped into believing that the only way they were going to be happy and sane was if they pampered themselves, met their own needs and demanded their "right" to have it all. We were in agreement that women needed to be told the truth, straight up.

My original purpose and direction for the book related more simply to the erroneous picture of "homemaker" the general public was getting. Though our family doesn't even own a television, I heard about the types of shows that were becoming popular-shows where homemakers were portrayed as desperate, miserable, adulterous, and even murderous. Supposedly, they only "pretend" to be happy and content-and Hollywood is willing to show us what is "really" going on behind the scenes.

GB: Just how profound is the danger that feminism poses for our wives and daughters?

Jennie: Feminism is very dangerous. It hasn't changed since the Garden of Eden and still holds out the same lie: "What God says isn't good enough. You've got to make up your own mind." Feminism divorces girls from God-given, God-blessed femininity and urges them to pursue masculinity.

It's really ironic. I think "feminism" is the wrong word, because it's anything but feminine. Satan wants us to turn God's created order on its head. He doesn't agree with God's pronouncement that the creation of male and female was "very good" (Gen. 1:31). Egalitarians do their best to convince girls that male headship and biblical roles for women are part of a long-gone past and should be rejected.

But rejecting God's order does not bring greater happiness or fulfillment. I know, because I pursued the path of feminism for several years during college and for a couple of years after. I rejected the inerrancy of Scripture for a time, because "enlightened" professors at my Christian college told me "all that was written by men who were a product of their times." I am ashamed that I didn't take a firm stand against such heresy, but I didn't want to appear unintelligent or backwards, so I embraced it instead, forcibly silencing my doubts in the name of "higher education."

I Timothy 2:14 tells us that women are prone to deception. We might not be flattered by this, but it is the truth! We need to guard our hearts and the hearts of our daughters from the smooth tongues that would lure them away from the biblical role God has graciously given them.

Stacy: Whitewashed feminism is a more clandestine form of feminism that has crept into many modern churches. I'm sure you've heard the term "evangelical feminism." These feminists are typically not the radical, secular kind; they claim to hold Scripture in high regard, yet they do not accept the biblically defined role distinctions between men and women, and they reject male authority to varying degrees.

This more subtle version of feminism is particularly dangerous due to its beguiling cloak of Christianity. While its face may be more polished, and its manifestation less extreme, at its core, it is no different than its "secular" counterpart. It's simply whitewashed feminism.

This type of feminism can be especially dangerous to our daughters, but ironically, our daughters can actually be part of the attack on feminism. Our daughters love being women and understand their roles through God's design.

As we raise our daughters to embrace the feminine aspects of their creation and joyfully hold to a biblical view of womanhood, then we will see a whole generation of godly wives and mothers who are inoculated against the lies of feminism and who teach God's truth to their own children. They'll have seen the beauty and truth of the Scriptures lived out in real families and they'll want no part of the feminist lie.

GB: How can local churches better serve stay-at-home moms?

Jennie: I think a lot is accomplished by simply affirming the biblical role for women from the pulpit instead of giving ground to the egalitarians by remaining silent for fear of offending. So many wives and mothers struggle because they lack godly teaching and affirmation of their role. Saying "thanks" on Mother's Day is nice, but preaching the Word and encouraging women to love and apply themselves to their callings is far more important. It's also important to demonstrate scripturally that homemaking isn't just for women with children.

Often women who aren't able to have children feel left out or like second-rate citizens in God's economy. The Titus 2 commands for women apply to all of us. Older women need to be reminded that their role doesn't end when children leave the nest. There are young women out there starving for godly mentors to come alongside them.

Young unmarried women need to be encouraged to invest in the lives of the families in the church through acts of service (helping in a home when a new baby arrives, taking meals to shut-ins, visiting widows, etc.). There are so many things for women of all ages and stations to do in the church.

When we neglect or forget those tasks, we leave a vacuum-one that has been filled badly by the welfare state. Time for churches to boldly and courageously set forth God's commands for women and bless them when they are obedient and faithful!

Stacy: One thing churches can do is stop making moms feel guilty for not being involved in every program the church offers. Don't ask mothers of young children to teach classes, organize events, or take on various jobs at church. Support them in their focus to care for the needs in their homes. Remember that many times they are already overwhelmed with what they are doing - they don't need additional burdens to juggle or distractions that will keep them from their more important tasks.

While there are certainly many ways women can and should serve the church during different seasons of life, a woman whose responsibility it is to care for her husband and children should not feel torn from her family or feel that she's doing "lesser work" when she's serving in the home.

GB: How important is it that we encourage our "passionate housewives" as they carry out their crucial but difficult task of homemaking?

Jennie: I think it goes without saying that there's not a lot of encouragement for women to be homemakers and submissive to their husbands today. So many women have written us to say that they felt alone in their beliefs and without support. It is truly critical that we encourage a revival of biblical roles for women (as well as men) and give all the support we can to those women who are faithfully serving the Lord.

The majority of feminists would have us believe that homemaking is brainless, meaningless work. It is anything but! It isn't just about laundry and dishes and changing diapers. It is about being the helpers to our husbands that God has called us to be. It is about extending hospitality, caring for the sick and needy, reaching out to the lost, and raising up the generation behind us to wholeheartedly follow the Lord. It's a full-time job

Stacy: We hear from women all the time who are thankful for the encouragement that Passionate Housewives, LAF, and Your Sacred Calling give them. Many are starving for like-minded fellowship, and can't find Titus 2 mentors in their own churches because so many older women are not available due to their own careers and personal pursuits.

We think it's very important to provide "passionate housewives" who are in the trenches with as much encouragement and support as we can. And we encourage husbands and older women to remember how important it is too. These mothers are training up future generations for God's glory - we should be very supportive indeed!

A Man's Perspective on Passionate Housewives...

2009-01-07T06:54:00.000-08:00

Although I've had several women share with me that their husbands found Passionate Housewives profitable for men to read, I hadn't yet read an actual review from a man.

But the following Lutheran pastor has honored us with our first such review...

Father Hollywood Recommends...

Marci's Review

2008-06-07T19:22:00.000-07:00

For the most part I don’t read many books on being a wife. They tend to make me plummet into an abyss of perfectionism and in turn make my marriage worse. That said, I loved Passionate Housewives Desperate for God. It is a book that unashamedly challenges the standard cultural perceptions of homemaking, encourages and gives hope in the role of homemaker, and it examines the roles of wife and mother in the light of God’s perfect plan.

The authors start off by dispelling common cultural myths about what a housewife is: a mindless maid for a tyrannical husband, the “desperate” housewife living a double life, or more commonly a woman who feels obligated to do her duty at home while leaving her dreams at the door. Though these myths may be founded on some reality, the author’s seek to, “lay aside the stereotypes and glamorized myths and discover the rare jewel of godly womanhood—to rediscover what it means to be a passionate housewife ‘desperate’ for God alone!”

They challenged many presumptions I have as a wife and mother; the need for “me time”, my personal needs vs. serving others, the advice of self-help gurus, and the subtle messages that we ingest through living in a self-centered society. Romans 12:2 says, “And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is good and acceptable and the perfect will of God.” This challenge really helped me to look at the things that were influencing me and ultimately stealing the joy I have for my position as a wife and mother.

More than anything I loved the encouragement and perspective this book provided on the unique and special role of homemaker. I think the thing that makes me most unsatisfied as a wife is the feeling that my job is futile and never ending. Laundry is always dirty no matter how much I wash, the work seems never ending and that I must be wasting my God-given talents by “slaving away” in my home.

I gained new perspective on the work of home making through these words by Martin Luther, “What you do in your house is worth as much as if you did them up in heaven for our Lord God. We should accustom ourselves to think of our position and work as sacred and well-pleasing to God...”

The authors also point out that homemaking is one of the only jobs where the worker will see the direct results of their work, will experience immediate benefits from, and that the worker at home is truly their own manager. The combination of these two insights has changed how I feel about working in my home and for my family. I now see that what I do every day does have eternal importance, if done with a heart of service to the Lord, and that I have so much more freedom working in my home than I would working as an employee to someone else.

Lastly, I loved how the author’s unfolded the role of wife and mother in light of the plan God has put in his Word. Though God’s plan is a far cry from the realities of homemaking in our society and even in my life, it encouraged me to change my perceptions, my selfishness and to stop being influenced by the shallow role that the world has made being a wife and mother into.

It encouraged me to find greater satisfaction and passion in life through the only one that can provide true and lasting satisfaction, “Jesus answered and said to her, ‘Whoever drinks this water will thirst again, but whoever drinks the water I shall give to him will never thirst. But the water I give him will become in him a fountain of water springing up into everlasting life.” (John 4:13-14).

Visit Marci's Blog

A Review from Christin...

2008-04-09T20:06:00.000-07:00

Christin from As Gold Refined

As I came to a close on this book last night I was a little disappointed - not with the book, just that it was all done!

I can honestly tell you that after the preface and the first chapter, my mindset had already been changed on how I view myself as a mother and wife. I'm not saying I won't ever struggle again with thinking only of myself and what I can get out of life. But, I was so boggled down by other teachings of doing things for myself all the time that I felt like my own family was a burden. This is the same family that God has given me to care for - my number one ministry and for a while it seemed like only something in the way of the things I wanted to do.

I didn't necessarily want to go out and get a career, but I wanted to spend more time on the computer than I should have. I wanted to sit and read a book longer then I should have. I came to a point where I believed it was my "right" and I would get upset when this "time" was interrupted by the very ministry God has entrusted to me!

This book opened my eyes to the Truth of God's Word and it literally set me free. Free from the bondage of my own selfishness, which in turn made me free to love my kids so openly and easily - because it was no longer about me and I saw serving them as a blessing.

I was a bit surprised at how fast my mindset had changed just from reading a few chapters of a book, but I don't think that's what did it. I believe it was the enlightenment of the Truth of God's Word that set my mind free.

Stacy and Jennie use God's Word to break down the walls of lies that even the church feeds us about our role as women - to our husbands, to our children which in turn is our role in creation - what we were created for. No, it's not about being a doormat. It's about obeying God's word and in turn being blessed to use our gifts and talents through our own homes to serve the Lord and serve others.

I highly, highly recommend this book. It enlightens us to the bondage and dangers of feminism and shows us how to regain true femininity. I understand there are people very resistant and negative toward homemaking and being "just a mom", but being a mother and a homemaker are far greater callings then many people realize. There is nothing wasted here - we are pouring into the most important people in our lives - and those who care the most about us.

I encourage you to pick up a copy of this book and be open to what these ladies have to share. We can find joy in serving - but we must be like Christ and deny ourselves to do so. He will equip us and we will reap the benefits.

Christin

As Gold Refined

Jennie and Stacy on Family Life Today Radio!

2008-03-20T07:14:00.001-07:00

I know I'm a little late in getting this post up, but I hope you find it helpful anyway...

Home Sweet Home: The Center of Evangelism (Day 1)

CLICK HERE to listen to Day 1 of the radio interview with Dennis Rainey and Bob Lepine

Guests Include: Jennie Chancey, Stacy McDonaldDoes motherhood leave you little time for ministry? If that's what you've thought, you might want to reconsider. On today's broadcast, Jennie Chancey and Stacy McDonald, co-authors of the book Passionate Housewives Desperate for God, tell Dennis Rainey how a woman's home can be her greatest outreach for the gospel, especially when she's training her children or reaching out to friends or neighbors.

Program: FamilyLife Today
Airdate: 3/13/2008 12:00:00 AM

Redefining Womanhood (Day 2)

CLICK HERE to listen to Day 2 of Jennie and Stacy's radio interview with Dennis Rainey and Bob Lepine

Mother of eight, Jennie Chancey, and mother of ten, Stacy McDonald, join award-winning author and speaker Dennis Rainey for today's broadcast. Jennie and Stacy, co-authors of the book Passionate Housewives Desperate for God, encourage wives and mothers to remember their high calling and to look forward to the legacy they're leaving behind.

Program: FamilyLife TodayAirdate: 3/14/2008 12:00:00 AM

Mrs. Kincell's Review

2008-01-26T18:15:00.000-08:00

I have been both a fulltime careerist and a fulltime homemaker. I was trained for the former. I remember times when

*I wished I had the equivalent of a “wife” so that when I got home from long hours at my job, someone would have dinner ready, my clothes clean for tomorrow, my babies home and taken care of, and my house clean. Instead this tired mom got home around 6 or 7, nursed a hungry baby, made dinner, ground baby food for the next day, cleaned up the kitchen, did some laundry, repacked the diaper bag, bathed the baby, tried to spend “quality” time with her, and fell into bed exhausted for three hours sleep before baby’s next feeding. Everything repeated starting at 6:30 A.M.

*I wished that I could work (my job) during the late afternoon and evening when I was tired. Instead I gave my fresh hours to my job and then when I came home tired, I got to spend time with my husband and children. Even though it wasn’t an option, I knew that if I could give those tired hours to my job, I wouldn’t be able to excel there, nor to keep job security, nor to feel like I was giving my best. (No one cared that I wasn’t giving my best to my family…)

That feeling wasn’t there until I had babies; the young, childless me had energy after work!These were the kind of things that I pondered over and over during the ten years that I worked fulltime. I slowly realized that a woman couldn’t do it all, despite appearances. And it was exhausting trying to.

Most of my colleagues didn’t really try although they told themselves they did. They either didn’t have babies; put off having them until they had fertility problems; or succumbed to “the best” daycares, bottle fed babies, and often divorce. Their older children looked more to their peers for models than to any adult. Parents easily sighed that there wasn’t anything they could do: “you know how kids are.” And everyone, I mean everyone, agreed that once they became teenagers they would rebel despite anything that could be done.

Don was finishing his degree at the end of my working years, and we both wanted me home as soon as we could; we would make different decisions if we had it to do over again. Yet, finally home – what I wanted for so long – things were different. There were no accolades and no one respected the mom they way they did the PT. Absolutely no one made me feel that what I did behind closed doors mattered. It was tempting in the beginning to trade a job for civic and church responsibilities, and I did my share of that for a few years.

I wasn’t prepared to manage a household. I could do quite well with the hired servants paid for with my big salary (like the “servants” who did much of the cooking before I put it in the microwave, or the “servants” who made my bread, or the “servants” who washed our cars). In order to stay home on one salary (in a society designed for two), I needed to fire all the “servants” and learn to do all that work myself. Except that I was not trained to do that work and so was not efficient at it.

I quit working fulltime 16 years ago. I’ve learned so much since. When I made the decision to pursue a career (actually I don’t remember ever entertaining any other thought), I had never learned anything about feminism and its influence on women my age. I was totally ignorant of the changes in expectations for women during the 20th century and I was a sitting duck for going in the usual direction without any thought of the cost involved. I didn’t know the difference between a consumer household and a productive one. And, in my profound ignorance and arrogance, I truly thought that being a homemaker required no real intelligence or preparation.

In the ensuing years of learning, I have often thought I would love to write a book explaining about REAL homemaking. Most women really have no clue. I certainly didn’t. Those who are home often still farm out much of their job so that they still don’t really do anything meaningful.

Passionate Housewives is much of the book I wish I could have written. Certainly it is written much better than what I could have, but it embodies many of the things I have learned and feel passionately about. In addition, there were new nuggets of encouragement and conviction that pushed me forward. A few times in my life I have read a book that was so meaningful that I would like to buy a zillion copies and just give them out. This is one such book. I would love to hand this one to all the homemakers I know and all the non-homemakers who think I’m a bit crazy.

Touched on in this book is the scariest thing I have learned in the past 16 years: that socialism is partially premised on these feminist ideas. Early in the 20th century, the socialists wrote that what was needed was to get children from their earliest ages into the government education system and to get women out of the homes. A breakdown of family ties and education would prevent the transfer of Christian heritage and thought to the next generation, opening the way for socialistic thought. That battle wasn’t won on the battlefields of WW I or II, but it has been won since as we acquiesced of our own accord. A quick read of the Communist Manifesto is not shocking; it reads like a report on the United States. We now demand the government provide daycare, preschool education, medical benefits, salary if we are unemployed, and the list goes on.

A woman may no longer depend on her man, but she certainly depends on Uncle Sam… Chalk one up for socialism; it appears that our soldiers may have died in vain. But we are oblivious. What the socialists could not win militarily, they have won by patience and dogma. We’ve been the slowly boiling frog.I challenge women to get out of the boiling pot long enough to actually study their history. Take an honest look at the other side. Don’t jump to conclusions based on ignorance.

A good place to start is a Scriptural study on women starting in Genesis 1 and 2. A second place to start might be this book. It certainly is a good place to be if you are already a homemaker. It contains much wisdom mostly absent in our society. Well written by both authors, I highly recommend this read!

Visit the Kincell's Blog

Cindy Prechtel's Review

2008-01-23T20:06:00.000-08:00

“You deserve a break!”

“Why should you have to do all the caring for the kids?”

“You’re wasting your life being a stay-at-home mom.”

These messages and others are the voices of feminism that seek to undermine God’s high calling of being a wife and mother. These messages, whether spoken or inferred can be discouraging - especi- ally for homeschool moms who are not only mothering, but committed to teaching reading and even chemistry if needed! It can be easy to fall into a “woe is me” attitude that breeds discontentment and selfishness.

In this refreshingly honest and down-to-earth book, two godly women sit down to put forth a fresh vision for homemaking. The message of ‘Passionate Housewives, Desperate for God’, is one of HOPE! The authors are real, and scattered through this convicting and encouraging book are stories and glimpses into their very real lives.

They are quick to dispel the “perfect housewife” myth. You know the one - the 1950s happy homemaker vacuuming in her high heels and pearls. Instead, they take the reader straight to the Word of God, for fresh insight and pearls of truth. Be prepared to be chal- lenged - I found myself switching between this book and my Bible, highlighter in hand!

Both of the authors have a lot to say and they say it quite well. The book begins and ends with the fictional account of the life of ‘Carol’. It is kind of a before-and-after glimpse of her life as she first gives in to the message of feminism that permeates our society (and sadly, the church), and then as a woman set free by God’s Word to be all that He created her to be - completely ful-filled in her service to Him by serving her family.

‘Passionate Housewives’ is not a politically correct book! The concept of dying to self, of living to serve your husband and children as unto the Lord, is not a popular ideology in our society. You may not agree with every doctrinal position these ladies and their husbands hold, but you will, however, be blessed with truths that transcend denominations - and timeless wisdom desperately needed in this day and age.

This is not a “how-to” book. You won’t find ideas for successful home management, or picking the right homeschool curriculum. Here’s something else you won’t find - authors who expect you to be just like them. Oh, they hold firmly to their beliefs about many things, but when it comes to what a “perfect” wife and mother should be, well, they are quick to remind you to lay aside those thoughts of perfectionism and to be wary of comparing yourself with others, including them!

This book addresses so many issues of the heart, it is difficult to describe the breadth of coverage and the amount of hope and encouragement one will find in its pages. As I read, I had many “Aha!” moments and there were definitely places where I was convicted of falling for the message that I am somehow “missing out” on life by serving my family.

I was challenged to realize that I can be home with my kids, but not really “be here” in my heart. I have found the really good books are the ones that do more than cheer (although this book definitely inspires). The books that I put at the top of my “must read again” list are those that make me a bit uncomfortable, that cause me to examine my heart and propel me into the arms of God. ‘Passionate Housewives Desperate for God” is one of those books. I highly recommend it!
—
Reviewed by Cindy Prechtel

Mrs. Paige Patterson Endorses Passionate Housewives Desperate for God!

2007-12-15T19:09:00.000-08:00

“The biblical paradigm for womanhood is marked by clear, though often hidden, distinctives. Especially are these noted in the Proverbs 31 description of the ‘woman of strength.’ PASSIONATE HOUSEWIVES DESPERATE FOR GOD provides the bookends for the life of this remarkable woman—on the one hand, she is passionate, enthusiastic about everything to which she puts her hand, even the most mundane tasks in her home; on the other hand, she is totally committed to what God wants her to be and to do without being swayed by culture or peers.
She makes no apology about devoting her foremost energies and greatest creativity to her own family and household, and in so doing she is confident of offering her best and most precious gift to the Lord! Give us passionate women who are desperate for God, and we will change the world!” - Dorothy Patterson, wife of Paige Patterson, president of Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary.

A review from a truly passionate housewife!

2007-12-03T11:38:00.000-08:00

Only moments ago I finished devouring your book, “Passionate Housewives Desperate for God.“ And I must thank you from the very bottom of my heart for allowing the Lord to use you ladies in my life. I am so refreshed, my vision renewed, my heart re-awakened!

I was raised in a Christian home, home schooled through high school and had only the desire for marriage and raising a family. I stayed in my parent’s home under my father’s authority until I was 21 when my husband and I married. My heart’s desire was to glorify the Lord in everything I did. We now have four sons ages 6, 5, 3 & 2 and are awaiting the adoption of our first daughter.
Until only recently, I have always found complete fulfillment in serving my family.

Yet slowly the “me first” mentality began to creep into my heart. I began to feel left out as I watched other women having “mommy day’s out.” I began to focus my entire attention on how TIRED I was, how I never slept, never got more than 3 minutes of Bible study before I had a child decide that he needed some Tylenol on his OWN, or a good shower…in the TOILET! I began to despair; something was terribly wrong with me and it must be because I wasn’t getting time off at least every other day.

Homeschooling had always been my hearts desire, my dream, yet I was beginning to feel bitter at those school buses I passed on the roads, wondering why they couldn’t help me out of some of my duties, so that I could spend more time on the things I enjoyed.

One day I snapped, I had finally had enough of head to head battle with a three-year-old who was claiming that if he died I wouldn’t care. I was drained to say the least; my heart was so wrapped up in ME that I couldn’t see my hurting babies.

I couldn’t see that any and all behavior was simply them begging for my attentions to be less self-centered and more servant-like. In fact, I was so far focused on myself that I walked into the store where I had worked part-time before my husband and I married and had kids and stood at the counter, just battling inside the deep rooted desire to ask for my job back. My deep convictions held me back from asking, but the fact that I was willing to stand there and consider it scared me.

For years I have lamented that I wished somebody would write a Biblical book, with practical advice on the issues that moms such as myself face.

When I saw this book appear on the Vision Forum website I ordered instantly, only to get an e-mail saying it was on back order and could take three weeks to ship. I actually cried over that e-mail, and cried out to the Lord for the strength to carry on. Do you know that your book arrived on my door step only two days later, the Lord knew how deeply I needed the sound Biblical advice that He used you to convey to my heart.

As I read each page, my heart soared, (especially in the weary women chapter). I was reminded of the beauty of the Biblical truth that I was turning my back on. I realized the mending that needed to take place in my relationships with my sons, and the heartfelt apology that my husband deserved to which he forgave instantly. I still have a dramatic three-year-old. I still struggle moments of selfishness.

However, my heart is restored. The heart to serve my Lord by serving my husband, my children, and those we come into contact with. I am not spinning and toiling in my heart, but rejoicing. In the beginning of the book, I related on a few levels with “Carolyn” in the first portion; and by the end of the book I completely related with her final story of joy in the Lord in the midst of keeping her home.

This is the very first book on motherhood/marriage that I have ever read without feeling like a failure, condemned and under the pile. Quite the opposite, and because of that, and the Biblical truth within the cover, I am sharing it with everybody I know.

If I could I would hug both of you and cry on your shoulders; because by being willing to allow the Lord to use you to write this book, you have been a part of restoring my ministry, my calling, my joy. I do not have to be perfect. I am covered by grace to complete this incredible task at hand: to raise up four godly young men to be servants for the Kingdom, and someday, I pray, a daughter who will be a helper to her own husband.

From the bottom of our hearts, both my husband and I thank you.

Chris and Jasmine

Upcoming Radio Interviews

2007-11-03T06:02:00.000-07:00

On Thursday, Jennie and Stacy had the opportunity to discuss their new book Passionate Housewives Desperate for God with Nancy Leigh Demoss on her radio program Revive our Hearts Ministries. We'll keep you updated on when the shows will air!
The previous day they were guests on Family Life Today's program with Dennis Rainey and Bob Lepine. What a gracious and hospitable group! They had a wonderful time and were made to feel very welcome!

Read the Preface!

2007-11-02T12:09:00.001-07:00

Click here to read the Preface!

2007-10-19T09:57:00.000-07:00

Listen to an interview by clicking here

2007-10-05T10:17:00.000-07:00

Click Here to

ORDER TODAY!

Passionate Housewives: Desperate for God

2007-09-25T10:00:00.000-07:00

Fresh Vision for the Hopeful Homemaker

By Jennie Chancey and Stacy McDonald

Have you struggled to reconcile God’s vision of virtuous womanhood with worldly myths that marginalize and mock the role of the homemaker? Do you wrestle with cultural messages that demean the homemaker’s calling and exalt instead the emotionally androgynous power-woman—the wife whose worth is measured only by the degree of her ambition, the shape of her body, or her money-making skills? Such is the image of the “desperate housewife” that the modern media, culture, and feminism are promoting with great energy.

In a delightfully fresh and honest way, this book addresses these issues head-on and provides fresh vision for the hopeful homemaker. Hear a former “Christian” feminist share how she went from a die-hard homemaker-in-training to a dedicated career woman and then back again—after God gripped her heart. See the hollow counterfeit of whitewashed feminism and “me-ology” destroyed. And consider the beautiful picture painted in Scripture of the truly fulfilled homemaker who glories in the hopeful calling God created for her.

Pull up a chair, dust off the cookie crumbs, and join Jennie Chancey and Stacy McDonald as they lay aside stereotypes like the “Stepford wife” and dispel such myths as the 1950s “perfect homemaker.” Laughter and tears will flow, and hopefully you will be infused with a renewed vision for victory as a wife and mother. Discover what it means to be a passionate housewife “desperate” for God alone! Paperback. Approx. 200 pgs. $16 Pre-Order Today

Read the Press Release

"Passionate Housewives, Desperate for God is an exceptionally well written book. Jennie Chancey and Stacy McDonald do not pretend to be the perfect wives, mothers, and homemakers; but they do have a heart for God and His glory. Both of them see the role of the wife and mother as God’s high and holy calling and they exhort us through Scripture and practical examples to, by God’s grace, fulfill that calling. This book will make you think, will convict you, and will, as the subtitle states, give you a 'fresh vision for the Hopeful Homemaker.' I highly recommend this book." Martha Peace, Biblical Counselor and author of The Excellent Wife.

"As a mother of eight, I am encouraged to see this book published, to help women who desire to walk as passionate servants, who want to “do the right thing,” and who love the natural yearnings which God created in them. We all have a longing to create, cultivate, and faithfully nurture the gifts God has given us. When the gifts come in the form of family, we would do well to listen to the biblical wisdom of Stacy and Jennie, to counteract the western culture’s strident cry for self-assertion.I gladly recommend this book for all women who want to honor Him and help others (even a two-year-old!) to glorify Him, by dying to self with joy and thanksgiving. He is worthy of our efforts and these two authors cheer us on to biblical femininity." —Valerie Shepard, Wife of Pastor Walt Shepard and Daughter of Elisabeth Elliot

“Jennie Chancey and Stacy MacDonald have spoken the Truth with a capital T in their wonderful book Passionate Housewives, Desperate for God. Totally grounded in Scripture, this book winsomely presents the true picture of a godly homemaker. Prepare to be stimulated, challenged, and encouraged as a woman. This book is a real gem!” —Vickie Farris, wife of Michael Farris, founder of the Home School Legal Defense Association

Hope! Hope! Hope! This book gives hope to Christian women who desire a Christ-centered vocation of victory as wife, mother, homemaker, and woman of God. Jennie and Stacy expose the fraud of Christian feminism and provide practical wisdom for all who aspire to be women of God.” —Beall Phillips, Wife of Doug Phillips, President of Vision Forum

“Jesus came that we might have life abundant. Passionate Housewives reminds us where we might find that life: in submitting to our husbands, in serving our children through loving and training them, and in believing the Word of God.” —Denise Sproul, Wife of Pastor R.C. Sproul Jr.

“In an age of constant confusion and conflict over the role of women, Passionate Housewives provides a clear-cut message of biblical encouragement and hope for every woman who truly desires to glorify the Lord as a wife, mother, and homemaker.” —Crystal Paine, wife of Jesse Paine and founder of BiblicalWomanhood.com.

“Passionate Housewives, Desperate for God challenges women to enthusiastically embrace our high calling—that of wife & mother. Be encouraged as Jennie and Stacy reveal God’s truth and expose the lies that lead to disillusionment. May you come away empowered by God’s grace to love and honor your husband and to joyfully lead your children by example to love God and serve others.” —Michelle Duggar, wife of Jim Bob Duggar, whose family story has been featured on Discovery Channel’s “Raising 16 Children”

Order now from Vision Forum!