Making It Home: Finding My Way to Peace, Identity, and Purpose

For women who have grown up in the tension between third-wave feminism and Martha Stewart, it can be a struggle to define and embrace the meaning of home. There is constant pressure to do things a certain way, and sometimes intense criticism from those who think you're doing it wrong. But what if home isn't really about whether or not you homeschool or have a career? What if it's more about who you are than what you do?

A self-proclaimed "former subversive," Emily T. Wierenga has learned the art of making a home and the joy of settling down. Emily takes readers on an unconventional journey through marriage, miscarriage, foster parenting, and the daily struggle of longing to be known, inviting them into a quest for identity in the midst of life's daily interruptions. Through soul-stirring writing, she helps women understand that homemaking is much more than old-fashioned tradition; rather, it's a timeless art requiring mind, body, and spirit.

From the Back Cover

Growing up in the murky space between Gloria Steinem and Martha Stewart has left a whole generation of women struggling to define and embrace the meaning of home. There is constant pressure to do things a certain way and often intense criticism from those who think you're doing it wrong. But what if home isn't really about whether or not you homeschool or have a career or make your own artisan bread?

What if home is more about who you are than what you do?

Former subversive Emily T. Wierenga takes you on an unconventional journey through marriage, miscarriage, foster parenting, and the daily struggle of longing to be known. In this soul-stirring quest for identity in the midst of life's daily interruptions, she shows us that homemaking is much more than old-fashioned tradition; rather, it's a timeless and essential art requiring mind, body, and spirit.


"Emily Wierenga is one of those rare and extraordinary writers willing to lay it all out there. Making It Home is nourishment for the heart, clarity for the eyes, and divine comfort for the soul."--Rachel Macy Stafford, New York Times bestselling author of Hands Free Mama

"Emily gently reminds us that a home is far more than a house. When we open our doors and hearts to others--both far and near--we create a precious space where God and humanity reside richly together."--Margaret Feinberg, author of Fight Back with Joy

"Making It Home absolutely captivated me. Emily Wierenga is a brilliant writer who shares her journey with refreshing vulnerability. Her prose is poetic and raw, and the door to her spiritual life is held wide open for the reader."--Jennifer Dukes Lee, author of Love Idol

"Emily Wierenga has a gift for taking readers on journeys of the soul. If you need hope for the future, courage for the next step, and an insightful, honest guide to walk with you, Making It Home will help you find your way."--Holley Gerth, Wall Street Journal bestselling author of You're Already Amazing


Emily T. Wierenga is an award-winning journalist, blogger, commissioned artist and columnist, and the author of six books, including the memoirs Atlas Girl and Making It Home. Proceeds from Emily's books benefit her nonprofit, The Lulu Tree, partnering with single mothers in the slums and villages of Africa. She lives in Alberta, Canada, with her husband and three children. To learn more, please visit www.thelulutree.com.