Happy June!

With Father’s Day on the horizon this month—I want to emphasize God’s love, authority, and wisdom as our heavenly father. Before God asks us to parent well, He reveals Himself as the perfect Father. Scripture consistently points us back to God—not culture, trends, or fear—as the standard for how authority, discipline, love, and correction are meant to function in the home.

God Sets the Standard for Parenting

Psalm 103 describes God as compassionate, slow to anger, and abounding in love—yet also just and wise. He sets boundaries. He corrects behavior. He calls His children to obedience—but always within covenant love.

God’s parenting shows us that:

• Love and discipline are not opposites

• Correction is an act of care

• Authority exists to protect and guide

A God-centered home reflects this balance—firm yet gentle, structured yet gracious.

A Key truth here is that God’s authority is never abusive; it is protective and refining.

Announcement!

Course #3 drops this month in The Welcome Home Collective!

A Nested Home: Mastering Interior Design & Decor

The Welcome Home Collective is my online classroom, available on-the-go and on-demand, where I teach the elements and aspects of homemaking in manageable, beautiful, and inspirational online courses.

www.thewelcomehomecollective.net

In this course I teach the fundamental principles of interior design and how to work with decor so you can embrace your personal style aesthetic and bring together a beautifully nested home that reflects you, your family, and your lifestyle.

Let’s Visit in The Welcome Home Collective Facebook Group!

If you’ve ever felt like you’re on an island by yourself as you seek to cook for loved ones, clean up epic messes, and create a beautiful home, you’re not alone.

Join me in my private Facebook group, created just for you!

Inside we’ll tackle tough topics about home and family life, lean into Biblical wisdom and encouragement, and I’ll be there to provide tips, hacks, and inspiration along the way!

Join Here!

June Encouragement- Get Hands On!

A Circle Prayer of Blessing: On Father’s Day this year, have your family gather around Dad and everyone places a hand on his shoulder or back. Each person says one sentence beginning with:

• “Lord, thank You for Dad because…”

• “God, help Dad with…”

• “Bless Dad as he…”

Close with one person reading Numbers 6:24–26 (‘may God bless you, and keep you, may His face shine upon you, and be gracious to you’) as a blessing over him.

New podcast episode— Shepherding the Home, God’s Plan for Parenting drops Monday!

Listen here:

June Home Challenge:

Reduce kitchen waste!

It can be tough to stay on top of perishables, but here are a few tips to help you reduce food waste, and save money.

1. Take inventory of your fridge and pantry before you shop for groceries.

2. Maintain an evergreen grocery list on your fridge, so you know what you’re really out of.

3. Freeze things before they expire. (A remarkable amount of items can be stored frozen without affecting their taste or structure.) Milk, bread, cheese, butter, some veggies and some fruits are examples.

4. Compost! You can compost no matter where you live. If you’d like to try your hand at it, you can download a free composting guide on my website at www.welcomehomebygina.com.

   

What’s Next for Welcome Home

• The Welcome Home Kitchen TV Show!

  We’re coming to TV! Get ready for heart, home, and homemade goodness.

  Right to the Heart of Home and Family is a warm, inspiring cooking show that brings viewers back to what matters most—faith, family, and the joy of gathering around the table.

  Featuring The Welcome Home Kitchen, each episode blends home-style recipes designed to nourish both body and spirit, and heartfelt homemaking guidance. Airing on the JesusSaid.TV Network on Roku and coming soon to Amazon Fire Stick, this show invites audiences into a space where food becomes a bridge to connection, comfort, and purpose.

  Tune in Sunday June 7th at 5pm PST!

My book is available at a 30% discount on my publisher’s website Advantage Books.

Closing

I’m praying that June brings joy to your heart and peace to your home. May you feel the presence of the Lord not only in worship or at church, but in dirty dishes, in hostage-style bedtime routines, in long carpool lines, and in the not-so-quiet corners of your day.

Because of Him,

Phone: (323) 696-1310

Email: welcomehomebygina@yahoo.com

📍 Website

🎙️ Podcast

www.thewelcomehomecollective.net

Follow Me on Instagram!

Welcome Home exists to equip the faith-filled women of this present generation to live with more peace, more joy, and more beauty at home.

Happy May!

Motherhood is one of the most amazing and shaping callings in Scripture—filled with purpose, sacrifice, and strength. In a world full of conflicting messages about what it means to be a “good mom,” the Bible gently calls us back to a higher standard rooted in love, faith, and obedience to God.

May Encouragement

With Mother’s Day around the corner, it’s important to begin with this season with a deep breath and a grounding truth: God never intended for motherhood to be carried in perfection—only in faithfulness. In a world that constantly tells us to do more, be more, and hold everything together seamlessly, Scripture gently calls us back to something far more sustainable and life-giving.

Biblical mothering is not about performance; it’s about presence. I wanna say that again. It’s about presence.

Motherhood is about anchoring our hearts in God so that what flows out of us—our words, our reactions, our guidance—comes from a place of alignment with Him rather than pressure from the world.

Isaiah 66:13 says “As a mother comforts her child, so will I comfort you…”

Praise be to God.

Announcement!

Course #2 drops this month in The Welcome Home Collective!

Easy Home & Garage Organization for Busy Moms

I am thrilled to be able to announce that the second course in The Welcome Home Collective, Easy Home & Garage Organization for Busy Moms is launching this month! On May 14th!

The Welcome Home Collective is my online classroom, available on-the-go and on-demand, where I teach the elements and aspects of homemaking in manageable, beautiful, and inspirational online courses.

www.thewelcomehomecollective.net

In this course, you’ll learn how to create simple systems, rules, and routines to keep your home and garage in excellent shape. (And best of all, your family can help maintain them!)

Let’s Visit in The Welcome Home Collective Facebook Group

In conjunction with the launch of The Welcome Home Collective last month I’ve founded The Welcome Home Collective private Facebook group- a place where women can go for practical tips, homemaking wisdom, and Biblical encouragement.

Join me there! The Welcome Home collective Facebook Group

The Welcome Home Podcast- the new episode drops Monday May 4th! We’ll be talking about Biblical mothering, our calling as moms in today’s age, and we’ll even look at Mary, the mother of Jesus, as a case study!

Listen here: The Welcome Home Podcast

And if you like the episode, please consider subscribing!

May Home Challenge:

Find 2-3 minutes every single day this month to take 5 deep, belly breaths and let the Holy Spirit minister to you as you do it. It’s a nice re-calibration for your Central Nervous System, not to mention, your soul!

Homemaking Thought of the Month- An Old Fashioned Trifle

Ingredients:

• 2 lbs fresh strawberries, sliced

• 16 oz container of pound cake, cubed

• 1 package of instant vanilla pudding (5.1 oz size)

• 3 cups of milk for the pudding

• 8 ounce tub of Cool Whip (I get reduced fat)

• 1/2 cup of sugar (you can use Truvia or Splenda for baking)

Directions:

1. Add the sugar to the strawberries and toss to coat. Set aside in the fridge for 30 minutes for them to gel, tossing at least 1-2 more times.

2. Prepare the pudding as directed. Gently fold in Cool Whip. Set aside in the fridge till needed.

3. Layer your ingredients into the trifle bowl in this order: 1/3 of the pound cake, 1/3 of the pudding mixture, and then 2/5 of the strawberries.

4. Repeat these layers twice more. The final layer of strawberries should be slightly less than 1/5 versus the 2/5 used in earlier layers.

Refrigerate the trifle for at least 2 hours before serving. Enjoy!

What’s Next for Welcome Home

• The Welcome Home Kitchen!

  The opportunity has arisen for The Welcome Home Kitchen to come to a new Christian Television Network! Stay tuned for more info!

My book is available at a 30% discount on my publisher’s website Advantage Books.

Closing

I’m praying that May brings renewal to your heart and peace to your home. May you feel the presence of Jesus not only in worship or at church, but in dirty dishes, in hostage-style bedtime routines, in long carpool lines, and in the not-so-quiet corners of your day.

Because of Him,

Phone: (323) 696-1310

Email: welcomehomebygina@yahoo.com

📍 Website

🎙️ Podcast

www.thewelcomehomecollective.net

Follow Me on Instagram!

Welcome Home exists to equip the hardworking wives and mamas of this present generation to live with more peace, more joy, and more beauty- everyday.

I’m so excited to share something special with you all!

Just this week the newest feature of my ministry has officially been released—The Welcome Home Collective.

This has been on my heart for a while, and with God’s prompting, it’s here!

This is an online classroom created to serve hardworking, faith-filled wives and mamas who want to grow in all things homemaking—with peace, joy, and beauty.

Inside The Collective, you can:
• Take the free Discover Your Hostess Style Quiz
• Download a free guide on Teaching Hospitality to Kids
• Join my free course: Build and Bless: Your Home Renewal Workshop

You can explore everything here: 👉 www.thewelcomehomecollective.net

I’d also love to invite you into the private Facebook community—it’s a companion space to The Collective where we can connect more personally, encourage one another, and grow together:

👉 The Welcome Home collective Facebook Group

Would you please consider joining the Facebook Group? I’d love to see you there!

Thank you for you. It means so much to be able to share this with you!

Because of Him,

Author, Speaker, Podcaster,

Founder, The Welcome Home Collective

Phone: (323) 696-1310

Email: welcomehomebygina@yahoo.com

www.thewelcomehomecollective.net

📍 Website

🎙️ Podcast

Follow Me on Instagram!

Welcome Home exists to equip the hardworking wives and mamas of this present generation to live with more peace, more joy, and more beauty- everyday.

Happy April!

There’s something about this month that feels like a fresh breath- new growth, longer light, and the awesome reminder that death has been defeated and Jesus is alive.

Before we really get into it, I have a HUGE announcement to share with you!

As I’ve been connecting with the hardworking wives and mamas on the front lines doing what needs to be done day in and day out, voices have arisen for more support, more guidance, and more direction on the homemaking front.

I’ll admit that at first I couldn’t wrap my head around this ask, this desire for help in upskilling at home, so I sat with it. Then one day in January as I drove in my car God prompted me, and immediately I knew what to do.

As soon as I got home, The Welcome Home Collective was born.

The Welcome Home Collective is my online classroom, available on-the-go and on-demand, where I teach the elements and aspects of homemaking in manageable, beautiful, and inspirational online courses.

I am thrilled to be able to announce that the first course in The Welcome Home Collective, Grow with Confidence: Landscaping and Gardening for Real Life, is launching this month! On April 20th!

www.thewelcomehomecollective.net

In this course you’ll learn how to design and build a beautiful landscape and garden that truly reflects your style and personality. No more feeling overwhelmed or wasting money!

April Encouragement: Resurrection Life is for Real Life

Now back to the topic at hand. I’d like to encourage you with some truth right up front- the resurrection isn’t just something we celebrate once a year. It’s something we can live- right in the middle of our everyday lives.

Sometimes resurrection life sounds like something that belongs in a worship song or in a church service… but what about:

• The sink full of dishes

• The piles of laundry

• The family messes

• The calendar overload

• The silent moments when you’re exhausted

• The seasons when you feel unseen, or worse, unappreciated

Friend, resurrection life meets us there too. Jesus didn’t rise so we could only feel hope on Sunday mornings. He rose so we could carry hope into Monday afternoons… into our busy kitchens… into hectic school mornings… into hard conversations… into moments when we need strength we don’t have.

Resurrection is not just a story. It’s power. It’s presence. It’s peace. It’s renewal.

And it changes what our homes can look and feel like! Remember Philippians 4:13 “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me”.

Living the Resurrection in the Everyday Spaces of Home

This month on the podcast I’m talking about what it means to live resurrection hope in real, daily life at home.

New episode drops: Monday, April 6^th!

Listen here:

April Home Challenge: Resurrection in the Rooms

This month I’d like to invite you to try this simple home-focused challenge:

Choose one room each week to “resurrect”. Not in a stressful, Pinterest-perfect way, but in a meaningful way.

Week 1: The Kitchen- Make It Holy Ground! Pray while you cook. Play worship music. Speak gratitude aloud.

Week 2: The Living Room- Restore Peace! Light a candle. Declutter one small corner. Create a space for rest, conversation, and calm.

Week 3: The Bedroom- Invite Renewal! Use fresh linens, open windows, and pray over your sleep and your mind.

Week 4: The Entryway- Bless Comings and Goings! Pray over your family coming in and going out. Speak blessings over your home. (I love Numbers 6:24-26.)

The goal here isn’t perfection- it’s intention, and simple steps forward.

Easter on Parade Floral Arrangement

What You’ll Need:

Trumpet lilies • Eucalyptus (Gunni variety) • Baby’s breath • Queen Anne’s lace • Sterling silver footed bowl (of any height) • Floral foam

Directions:

1. Cut a block of dry floral foam to fit inside the bowl.

2. Soak the foam thoroughly in water and place back in the bowl.

3. Insert fully bloomed lilies in the foam, starting with the tallest stems first.

4. Fill in the open spaces with eucalyptus, Queen Anne’s lace, baby’s breath, and lilies with closed buds.

For more practical tips on how to do these things and more, grab a copy of my book, Welcome Home: A Guide to Homemaking, From the Heart, available on amazon.com and everywhere books are sold.

What’s Next for Welcome Home

• The Welcome Home Collective.net!

  The Welcome Home Collective equips women to create beautiful and peaceful homes, meaningful routines and traditions, and a life that feel rooted, joyful, welcoming, and beautiful.

• Check out the 1 minute video below to learn more about it!

• I’m so excited to share that my book Welcome Home: A Guide to Homemaking from the Heart has recently received two awards! Thank you for being part of this journey and for making the message of home so meaningful!

  

  

My book is available at a 30% discount on my publisher’s website Advantage Books.

Closing

I’m praying that April brings renewal to your heart and peace to your home. May you feel the presence of Jesus not only in worship or at church, but in dirty dishes, in hostage-style bedtime routines, in long carpool lines, and in the not-so-quiet corners of your day.

Because of Him,

Phone: (323) 696-1310

Email: welcomehomebygina@yahoo.com

📍 Website

🎙️ Podcast

www.thewelcomehomecollective.net

Follow Me on Instagram!

Welcome Home exists to equip the hardworking wives and mamas of this present generation to live with more peace, more joy, and more beauty- everyday.

Happy March!

This month, our theme is First Fruits at Home: Faith, Giving, and God’s Provision in Our Homes- and I can’t wait to walk through this with you.

There’s something transformational about choosing to honor God not only in church or big moments… but in the everyday living of our homes- in our grocery budgets, in our time, in how we serve our families, and in how we trust Him when things feel tight or uncertain.

The principle of first fruits is about putting God first- and believing that when we do, He truly provides.

March Encouragement

When we hear “first fruits,” we may immediately think of money- but this can be so much deeper than that. The ancient world was largely agrarian and the nation of Israel in particular had a very large export business. With a climate much like Southern California’s, where I live, harvests of various riches could be abundant year-round. First fruits are the shiniest, most choice, beautiful pieces of fruit. And if you wanted to honor someone, instead of sending an edible arrangement or a gift basket, you would honor them with the first fruits of your harvest. The Bible specifically calls our attention to giving God the first fruits of our finances, with tithing.

And in my #1 best selling book on amazon, Welcome Home: A Guide to Homemaking, From the Heart, I offer additional ways we can offer God our first fruits.

First fruits can look like:

• Giving God the first moments of your morning

• Offering Him the first yes before the day gets busy

• Choosing faith before fear in your household

• Being generous even when things feel limited

• Trusting His provision even when you don’t see the full plan

I believe many of us are being invited into a new level of peace this season- the kind of peace that comes from knowing:

God is our Provider. Not our paycheck. Not our schedule. Not our “perfect plan.”

Psalm 23: “The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters. He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the LORD forever.”

St. Patrick and What This Means for Us Today

St. Patrick’s Day has its roots in the life and ministry of Saint Patrick, a Christian missionary who brought the gospel to Ireland in the 5th century. After being enslaved in Ireland as a young man, Patrick later returned- freely and faithfully- to share Christ, teaching biblical truth and using the shamrock to explain the Trinity. The day originally commemorated his death and celebrated God’s work through his obedience, faith, and perseverance.

So friends, as we enjoy the holiday and its shamrocks, greenery, and corned beef and cabbage, lets remember the reason for the holiday.

Get Hands On!

Take advantage of the opportunity to teach your kids about the Trinity using the Shamrock! My local grocery store sells these each year and I buy one to put in our windowsill to remind us of the constant and evergreen presence of God the father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit in our home.

God is Faithful

Proverbs 3:9-10- “Honor the Lord with your wealth, with the first fruits of all your crops; then your barns will be filled to overflowing.”

Homemaking Thought of the Month

This month, I’d like to remind you gently that provision doesn’t always arrive in the form we expect…

Sometimes it’s:

• An answered prayer

• A timely encouragement

• A “God moment” at the grocery store

• A meal stretching farther than you thought

• A calm spirit replacing anxiety

Great Aunt Nida’s Cabbage Rolls

In the spirit of the holiday, I’d like to share with you this family recipe that has been passed down for generations- enjoy!

Recipe:

Ingredients:

1 can tomato sauce

½ cup water

2 eggs

1 head green cabbage

1 cup white rice

2 lbs ground round

1 onion, minced and browned in butter

6 strips of bacon

Salt and pepper

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Cook the rice separately. Core the cabbage and place the whole head into boiling water. When the leaves begin separating, remove the cabbage from the water. Allow to rest.

2. Mix the ground round, rice, browned onions, and 2 eggs together to form a solid mixture. Separate the leaves of the cabbage and roll the mixture into each leaf.

3. Place 6 raw bacon strips on the bottom of a baking dish, then place the cabbage rolls on top. Finish the dish by pouring 1 can of tomato sauce and ½ cup water over the cabbage rolls.

4. Bake at 350°F for 1 ½ hours.

What’s Next for Welcome Home

• BIG news! God prompted me, and I’m excited to share that I’m currently building The Welcome Home Collective with the support of an incredible team of talented Christian women. This platform is a faith-based lifestyle and homemaking site created for women who desire more than a beautiful home- they desire a peaceful one.

  The Welcome Home Collective is to be a Christian community that equips women to create beautiful and peaceful homes, meaningful routines and traditions, and a life that feel rooted, joyful, welcoming, and satisfying. So stay tuned for updates!

• Check out the 1 minute video below to learn more about it!

• This month I’ll be attending an awards ceremony with the Christian Author’s Network at Blue Lake, Alabama as Welcome Home: A Guide to Homemaking, From the Heart is a finalist for an award!

  

• Stay tuned for this month’s episode of The Welcome Home by Gina Podcast, where I’ll talk about God’s faithfulness, and our response with tithing- I promise, you’re gonna wanna ear it!

• I’ll also be welcoming Gretchen Huesmann who specializes in devotions for educators (all my homeschool moms say ay-oh!) The episode drops on the 25th!

Friend, I’m praying March is a month of renewed trust for you- a month where you see God’s hand in the everyday details and feel peace knowing your home is in His care.

If this month’s newsletter has encouraged you, would you share it with a friend or leave a thumbs up? It helps this message reach more homes that need hope, truth, and peace.

In closing, I encourage you to join this mission of creating homes that are warm and welcoming, with peace and joy even in the midst of the chaos.

My book is available at a 30% discount on my publisher’s website Advantage Books.

Lord, help us to make our homes a reflection of Your love- spaces of welcome, comfort, and grace. Let every guest feel Your presence when they enter.

In Him,

Phone: (323) 696-1310

Email: welcomehomebygina@yahoo.com

Website

Podcast

Follow Me on Instagram!

Welcome Home exists to equip the hardworking wives and mamas of this present generation to live with more peace, more joy, and more beauty- everyday.

“We love because He first loved us” 1 John 4:19.

Friends, the truth is that we as human beings know how to love one another because #1- God IS love, and #2- because He first loved us.

What else could give breadth and depth to something….but God.

In addition to celebrating the holiday with my husband and kids, every year I host a Galentine’s celebration at my home. Over the years this has taken on different shapes, sometimes its a high tea, other times its a dinner, but the purpose has always remained the same- to love God and love others. This is after all, the greatest commandment.

Love is a Fruit

Galations 5:22-23 serves as the primary scripture on the Fruit of the Spirit which lists love, joy, peace, patience (or forbearance/longsuffering), kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control as the Spirit’s work in believers’ lives, noting that “against such things there is no law”.

Paul mentioned this last part specifically because he was writing to a primarily Jewish audience, one living under Levitical law and still struggling to grasp the fact that with the supernatural tearing of the curtain in the temple at the time of Christ’s death on the cross, the old way of laws and rigamarole were over, and we are now free of the dominion of the enemy, who became the prince of this world at the time of the fall of mankind in the Garden.

Epic, right? But I digress.

Love being likened to the fruit of the Spirit is a poetic and practical metaphor for evidence that God’s Spirit who indwells in us, is alive and active, producing fruit as if from a tree.

The Skeptics, Critics, and St. Valentine

This gives tremendous reason to celebrate a holiday that could easily be written off by skeptics or critics as “another reason to sell greeting cards”. Valentine’s Day didn’t originate as a Christian holiday, but rather a pagan one. It wasn’t until The Catholic Church designated February 14th to honor several martyred saints named Valentine, notably a priest who defied Emperor Claudius II by secretly marrying soldiers, defying the emperor’s ban on marriage. (Remember, marriage is a God-given design and emperors were generally Pagan with their religious affiliations.)

There are a myriad of ways we can celebrate this holiday, and share the message of God’s love to our children.

Simple Folds, Stunning Tables: Your Year-Round Guide

In my book, Welcome Home: A Guide to Homemaking, From the Heart I talk about setting thoughtful and creative tables to bless your family and welcome guests and demonstrate that you’ve prepared a place for them.

Learning just four versatile napkin folds can instantly elevate your table settings throughout the year, keeping every gathering- big or small- feeling fresh, festive, and thoughtfully curated. With a few simple techniques, you can transform an everyday table into something seasonal and special, whether you’re hosting a cozy family dinner, a holiday celebration, or a summer brunch. These folds add texture, personality, and a touch of elegance without requiring extra décor, making them an easy, year-round way to refresh your home and delight your guests.

For the tutorials, head on over to my Instagram!

What’s Next for Welcome Home

• On Saturday, February 7th The Open Book in Northridge will be hosting a book signing event from 12-2pm for my book Welcome Home: A Guide to Homemaking, From the Heart.

• This month I’ll be doing a press tour and book signing at The National Religious Broadcasters Convention in Nashville, TN.

• Stay tuned for the February episode on The Welcome Home by Gina Podcast, where I’ll talk about modern day idols and how they affect our homes and families.

• I’ll also be welcoming Terrie Hellard-Brown with Sparking Everyday Discipleship on my podcast.

In closing, I encourage you to join this mission of creating homes that are warm and welcoming, with peace and joy even in the midst of the chaos.

My book is available at a 30% discount on my publisher’s website Advantage Books.

Lord, help us to make our homes a reflection of Your love- spaces of welcome, comfort, and grace. Let every guest feel Your presence when they enter.

In Him,

Phone: (323) 696-1310

Email: welcomehomebygina@yahoo.com

Website

Podcast

Follow Me on Instagram!

Welcome Home exists to equip the hardworking wives and mamas of this present generation to live with more peace, more joy, and more beauty- everyday.

Have you ever wondered why it seems that time moves faster and faster as we age? It’s because as we grow older, increments of time represent a smaller and smaller portion of our life.

It’s interesting that time is a concept not known or adhered to by God. He always was, always is, and always will be. He is the creator of heaven and earth and every living thing.

Spiritual Gifts

This month, I’ll be writing about Using Our Spiritual Gifts in Our Homes and including an assessment you can take in order to determine which gifts you’ve been uniquely equipped with. We’ll explore the joy in serving our families as we live out Christ’s sentiment that it is more blessed to give than to receive (Acts 20:35). (Follow me on Instagram to receive the announcement!)

“As each one has received a gift, minister it to one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.” 1 Peter 4:10 (NKJV)

6 Easy Organization Tips

Organization and a de-cluttered home is a popular topic each New Year, but when it comes down to it, self-will to follow through on a resolution will only take you so far. Experts tell us that we must create systems to help us implement the tactics needed to modify behavior to achieve our goals(s).

Here are some quick tips for you that I share in my book Welcome Home: A Guide to Homemaking, From the Heart for quick and easy implementation in your own home.

In particular, the notion “a place for everything, and everything in its place” can be easily imparted on our children, so that they can be empowered to tidy up independently (or by request).

Quick Reflections

In the month of December;

• I was afforded the privilege of speaking to the Bethel Christian Church’s women’s ministry group (Riverside, CA)

• Had a book signing event at The Vintage Peddler (Simi Valley, CA)

• Received notice that my book, Welcome Home: A Guide to Homemaking, From the Heart is a finalist for the Christian Authors Network Award (Andalusia, AL)

• My book was picked up for in-store sales at the bookstore at the Church at Rocky Peak (Chatsworth, CA)

• Released a special feature podcast episode called 6 Struggles Every New Mom Faces, and How to Overcome them with the Armor of God (ranked #19 on Apple Podcasts in China 10/25)

What’s Next for Welcome Home

• Book signing event at the Open Book, Northridge, CA

• Preparing for The National Religious Broadcasters Convention and my book signing in Nashville, TN

• The Welcome Home by Gina Podcast, Episode #11- Using Our Spiritual Gifts in Our Homes (thank you for your encouragement, and requests for more podcasts! As such, I will be releasing new episodes every month in 2026!)

• This month I’ll also be welcoming Heather Lea of Roar Rising to my podcast. Heather brings to the table years of experience guiding Christian women, so stay tuned for that episode!

In closing, I encourage you to join this mission of creating homes that are warm and welcoming, with peace and joy even in the midst of the chaos.

My book is available at a 30% discount on my publisher’s website Advantage Books.

Lord, help us to make our homes a reflection of Your love- spaces of welcome, comfort, and grace. Let every guest feel Your presence when they enter.

In Him,

Follow Me on Instagram!

Welcome Home exists to equip the hardworking wives and mamas of this present generation to live with more peace, more joy, and more beauty- everyday.

Jesus came to save alright, but he didn’t come in the way that man expected him to. Instead of some showy, theatrical performance to start his ministry, he spent 40 days in the uninhabited desert with God. And at the end of his ministry, instead of a triumphant military-esque ride into the great city of Jerusalem, which is what they did in those days, he rode in on a humble donkey.

His message was simple and divine, but radical and unexpected.

In 2019 I had the honor and privilege of visiting a manger in Bethlehem with about 40 other believers. We sat in a large alcove, cut into the mountain side by shepherds and farmers centuries ago, and we worshipped. Never had Christmas carols meant more to me.

“O come, all ye faithful, joyful and triumphant, O come ye, O come ye to Bethlehem! Come, and behold Him, born the King of angels!”

So, as we dip, dive, and revel in the season of light and life, may we always adore him. And may we forever remember that He is the reason for the season.

One of the ways we can do this is to establish traditions and set about the season with the purpose of instilling values in our children, not to mention, blessing their memories for their whole lives.

I am a self- admitted maximalist when it comes to Christmas, and I go weak at the knees for opulence. At the same time though, I feel it is all too easy to get swept up in the magic and splendor of the season, especially when children are around. I have to remind myself that we are in this world, but not of this world. It’s so easy to turn on Mariah and decorate gingerbread houses and bake cookies (things I love to do!), and at the same time, I feel we must ask the question, what are we doing in our homes and in our hearts to adore him?

As human beings, made in the image of God, we were made to worship.

Think about it. Mankind will worship statues, sports players, celebrities, musicians, and all kinds of people, places and things. This is because we were made to worship.

If we’re not worshiping God, then what holds the keys to our hearts?

In the new year I plan to write more about modern-day idols and how people, possessions, popularity, power, pleasure and prestige can sweep us off our feet and distract us from the only “P” that matters- our purpose in this life. If you haven’t already the book A Purpose Driven Life by Rick Warren, you are in for a treat. A number of years ago I read this seasoned book at it drastically changed my life for the better. I cannot recommend it highly enough, so to roughly paraphrase, we are here on this earth for 3 things- for GOD’s Purpose, Plans, and Pleasure. It’s remarkable to think, “wait, it’s not all about me?!” Nope. It sure isn’t. And that should come as some relief. Living for oneself is actually a very heavy burden.

And that was the crux of Jesus’s message- “I have come that they may have life and have it to the full”.

The people of his day weren’t prepared for this reality, and truth be told, neither are the people of our day.

So in what ways can we be salt and light to a dark world this season? And how will we raise our young ones to understand, embody, and carry the cosmic message of Christ’s birth and ministry?

I’d like to share with you a few simple, seasonal things you can do in your home to acknowledge and honor the Lord this Christmas.

1. One tradition my mom created when I was a child was a happy birthday Jesus cake every Christmas.

For our birthdays growing up my mom always made a spice cake. To this day it’s my favorite cake to have for my birthday, and as children we grew so excited to celebrate Jesus’s birthday with a spice cake on Christmas day.

2. Have a manger or nativity scene present in your home. This does not have to be ornate. Something as simple as replacing a picture on the wall with the nativity scene (Hobby Lobby sells super cute, modern ones) can do the trick.

In my home, I have both the nativity scene in Jerusalem wood on display on my mantel, as well as a gorgeous image of the mother Mary swaddling the Christ child (a precious hand-me-down from my mom).

So as we go cuckoo over Christmas villages, trains, gingerbread houses, snowmen, reindeer, and every other type of Christmas treasure, let’s make room for the reason for it all.

3. Tell your children about the reason for the season.

This could look like singing Christ-centered Christmas carols at bedtime, doing crafts that highlight the Christ’s birth, talking to them, reading books, or scripture. For my son, when he was just a peanut, I told him that Jesus’s birth is the reason why we celebrate Christmas, and Santa is here to help share that with children everywhere, by giving them gifts in the same way God gave us the most awesome and perfect, best gift ever- his son. (But that’s just me. You do what you think is best for your littles!

In closing, if you’re in need of a beautiful, thoughtful Christmas gift, I’m selling Welcome Home, the hardcover coffee table edition, for 30% off on my publisher’s website at: www.advbooks.com.

And in case you haven’t heard, Welcome home: A Guide to Homemaking, From the Heart is now available in paperback, with reflection questions at the end of each chapter designed ot help you think more deeply about each chapter, and how the wisdom of Proverbs 31 can be applied in your heart, home, and bless your family.

This edition of the book is excellent for book clubs, Bible studies, and Life Groups.

What’s Next for Welcome Home

I’m constantly thinking in terms of “the head” and “the heart” of Welcome Home. So, in January, for our “heads” I’ll be doing a segment on goal setting, and organization.

For our hearts, I’ll be doing a feature on Spiritual gifts, so if you’re not following me on Instagram, be sure to use the link below to ensure you don’t miss out!

In Him,

Follow Me on Instagram

As hardworking moms (whether inside or outside of the home, and often both!) we can be a little stressed, overstimulated, and time poor.

We also want to be the hands and feet of Jesus but often don’t know where to begin, or we feel we have no bandwidth to do anything more than get through each day and all that is asked of us from the moment we wake up.

Through Welcome Home: A Guide to Homemaking, From the Heart I show women how we can be successful, find purpose, and live out our calling starting in our own homes. I discuss the Proverbs 31 woman and how our first ministry is to our homes.

The truth is, we can serve love and joy to our families and to the people who enter our homes with Christian hospitality right where we’re at.

Welcome Home serves to equip the hardworking wives and mamas of this present generation to live with more peace, more joy, and more beauty- everyday.

As I reflect on just the past 6 weeks, I can’t believe we’re where we are in the journey.

As I’ve shared before, God gave me this project back in May of this year and with blind faith I listened and followed (even though I had my doubts, my worries and anxieties, as well as some pretty gnarly spiritual warfare) so as we go full-fledged into the holiday season, I’m now able to look back and say “wow, thank you God” and I wanted to share that with you.

In October we launched the eBook (available now on Kindle) and the audiobook now available on Audible), hit over 500 followers on Instagram, was picked up by Barnes & Noble, Walmart, Books-A-Million, and Thriftbooks.

The Welcome Home By Gina podcast was highly well received and is available on iHeart Radio, Spotify, and Apple Podcasts.

Additionally, we’ve even launched a bookmark and a coffee cup so you can have your favorite drink while you read or have your quiet time with the Lord.

This month, I am thrilled to announce that we are launching the paperback version of the book, which includes 10 reflection questions at the end of each chapter, making this version of the book perfect for book clubs, life groups or bible studies!

To go along with the paperback edition, we have launched a companion Journal and Pen Set, here.

And this is just the beginning. My goal is to provide practical tools, tips, and tricks that women can begin using right away as they seek to live out their calling and find fulfillment in life.

In closing, I wanted to share a gentle reminder / speak the truth to you- no matter our circumstances, we know 2 things for sure: 1) God is always good 2) God is still on the throne.

If you have a question or a comment, please drop me a line, I’d love to hear from you!

P.S. I have a book signing event coming up next Saturday, November 8th at Traditions Year-Round Holiday store in the valley! I so hope you can stop in, grab some muffins and hot cocoa, chat with me, and get some holiday shopping done!

Warmly,

Lord, help us to make our homes a reflection of Your love-spaces of welcome, comfort, and grace. Let every guest feel Your presence when they enter. Amen.

Follow Me on Instagram!

Dear Friends,

I’m so excited to share something close to my heart with you. As many of you know, this fall I released my first book, Welcome Home: A Guide to Homemaking, From the Heart. What began as a collection of simple stories, seasonal traditions, and homemaking tips has grown into something much bigger- a ministry that is already touching lives in ways I never imagined.

When I first started writing, my desire was simple: to encourage other mamas to see their homes as more than walls and a roof, and homemaking as a joyful service to our families and others. I believe our homes can be a reflection of God’s love- places of beauty, peace, and purpose. A home can be holy ground, where hospitality becomes worship and everyday moments become opportunities to glorify Him.

What I didn’t expect was how many of you would reach out, sharing your own stories of longing for connection, for peace, and for a home that feels like a sanctuary. That’s when I realized Welcome Home wasn’t just a book- it was the beginning of a ministry.

The Welcome Home community is for every faith-filled, hard working wifey and mama who wants joy in serving beauty to their family at every turn. We believe that homemaking is not just about keeping house, but about nurturing hearts, giving love, and providing service.

In the months ahead, I’ll be using this newsletter to share encouragement, seasonal inspiration, and updates on how this ministry is growing. My prayer is that it blesses you and helps you see new ways to cultivate beauty and purpose in your own home.

Thank you for walking alongside me in this journey. I’m grateful for your support, your prayers, and your friendship.

With love,
Gina

P.S. If you haven’t yet, you can learn more about the book and free resources at www.welcomehomebygina.com.

Closing Thoughts

“As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.” – Joshua 24:15
May your home be filled with peace and joy this month.

Subscribe now