I intentionally keep a minimalist housekeeping bookshelf that consists of 3 cookbooks (Alice Waters, Mark Bittman, and one Gluten Free classic), The Naturally Clean Home, Sally Clarkson’s The Life-Giving Home and a 3-ring binder full of recipes, traditions, and ideas for enriching our home with love, laughter, and good memories.

These are my go-to resources from day to day, month to month, year to year.

I’ve recently added Having a Martha Home the Mary Way,  a book just released by my friend Sarah Mae.

 “Give me 31 days and I’ll help you get your home and your heart in order.“

I’ve never read a book like this before that combines thoughtful, devotional encouragement with get-to-work motivation. Every day’s reading offers something brief to ruminate upon, and then a cleaning challenge. Each element is reasonable for a busy mom like me and would be helpful to use year-round. The book’s heartbeat is expressed in this nugget: “Love can be (and usually is) very practical.” Sarah Mae encourages us to grow internally as well as to give externally; to see our labor within our homes as an intentional expression of love.

Everything about this book is worthwhile and practical.

This is one of those books that could be stored with your best-loved cookbooks and homemaking staples, to be read and endeavored month after month…

Many women have already enjoyed working through the cleaning challenges alongside friends and family. Maybe you would, too? Sarah Mae has a knack of helping women to build healthy friendships while they read her helpful books and get to work.

Pick up a copy at your local bookstore or order it through Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Lifeway, or BAM. You’ll want to have your copy in hand by April 11th so you can join thousands of us across the country taking the 31 Days to Clean Challenge… complete with super-fun Sarah-Mae-style giveaways!