What would it be like to have peace in your home? What would that look like to you? We all desire for our homes to be a haven, a place of rest and peace for our families. We want our homes to be characterized by peace and love. How do we get the peace-filled home that we desire, though? Well, a recent podcast called 5 Habits of Happy Homeschoolers (September 4, 2025) from Sarah Mackenzie of the Read-Aloud Revival deeply moved me. She gave us an acronym for PEACE in the home. It is worth a listen for you as well, and it isn’t solely for homeschoolers. These principles apply to anyone who wants peace in their home. Check it out HERE (Read-Aloud Revival ® with Sarah Mackenzie). In the meantime, let’s look into what she suggests as the habits for creating PEACE.
1. Prioritize Relationships
What would happen if you focused on building the relationships with the people living in your home? We often do not have peace because we are trying really hard to get all of the things done at the expense of our families. Taking the time to do a puzzle with your preschooler, play a game with your 5th grader, or go out for coffee with your 16-year-old seems impossible. But if we are trying to prioritize relationships to have peace in our homes, these are the kinds of things we need to be focusing on. Do you know what makes your kids happy or sad or frustrated? Study your children. Ask them good questions — open ended ones that they have actually use words to answer. Knowing more about your children and making the bond between you closer will help you have a peace-filled home.
“ Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.” – I John 4:7-8
2. Embrace Simplicity
We do too much. That’s right. We try to get a whole week’s worth of work in one day’s time. What things in your home can you simplify? One of the ways that we do this in our home is to create rhythms. We start school at 8:30 by taking a walk (helps me to exercise, get our brains going, and connect with each other) and then we all focus on chicken chores and a little gardening when we get back. If we had to remember to do those things at another time of the day, it wouldn’t happen as efficiently. We also have rhythms about emptying the dishwasher before breakfast, so all of the dishes get in there and cleaned in the afternoon before dinner. Simple!
Creating simplicity in our home boils down to creating rhythms that help things run smoothly without stressing out momma! This may include decluttering your home and your schedule to create the peace you long for.
“Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil.” – Ephesians 5:15-16
3. Avoid Comparison
Social media lies to you. Yes, it is true. It tells us in order to be happy we must have things like our neighbor has. We need to go on these trips like this or dress our kids like that. It shows us all the successes of other people. All of it makes us feel inferior. It makes us long for something different than what we have right in front of us. Comparison is a thief of our joy. When we stay in our own lane and focus on what we have in front of us, we will be thankful for the blessings that we already have. Stop looking around. Don’t compare yourself or your children or your husband with what someone else is or has. On social media they are only showing the good that they want you to see. You see their custom living room, but you don’t see their kitchen that has all the extra items which were in the living room before the picture! Avoid the comparison trap and have more peace in your home.
“Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, ‘Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.’” – Hebrews 13:5
“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth… For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” – Matthew 6:19-21
4. Chase Joy
What makes you happy? Chase that joy! Being in our homes should cause us to have joy, so why does it often feel like a chore? What can you do to create that joy in your home? The first thing that I think of is having a thankful heart — changing my perspective to one of thanksgiving! This creates joy and peace.
For example, when I have had mountains of laundry (and we have a lot of laundry with six kids), I have had to train myself to be thankful that we have clothes to wash and for the little people in my home that I get to do laundry for! Instead of complaining that there are dishes to wash… again, I choose to be filled with gratitude that I have mouths to feed, money to buy food, and a husband who works hard to provide for us. These shifts in our attitude will help us to have joy and peace in our homes. What changes in perspective to you need to make to have joy and peace?
“Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful.” – Colossians 3:15
5. Eliminate Hurry
When our children were young, I found myself always saying, “Hurry up! What is taking you so long? Can you go any faster? Let’s go!” When the Lord convicted my heart about this, I knew that I needed to be more patient. What was the big hurry? Now, I embrace slow as I try to eliminate hurry. Giving our family breathing room has caused us to slow down and enjoy life so much more. This may mean that you must eliminate some of the things on your “To Do” list in order to have more margins.
For us this has meant not having our children in sports year-round. We don’t want to be ruled by sports every day of the week. Instead, we choose to do things as a family which are slower-paced. I have friends who have scheduled their lives full of wonderful things — Homeschool Co-Ops, music lessons, art lessons, sports teams, 4H, playdates, and more. They are away from their home every day for several hours — on the go and in a hurry. This does not created peace in your home. Eliminate this hurry to have peace.
You see, Jesus is truly our example in all of us. He prioritized relationships as He had close friends and disciples, and He took time to be with people. Jesus also embraced simplicity and eliminated hurry. He always had time for people and didn’t have a schedule that He needed to keep. Jesus was filled with joy because He was doing His Father’s business. That is where we find our satisfaction, too!
“Peace, I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not LET your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.” – John 14:27
What about you? How do you create peace in your home? What step or steps do you need to take to create the peaceful home that you desire? Would you share your thoughts in the comments below?
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