May 6
The Sacred Art of 'Slow-Sabbath' Transitions for Families
The transition to the Sabbath requires intention. A family cannot leap from the chaos of Saturday into the peace of Sunday without a bridge.
By Rachel Whitakerwith love, Rachel
Spring · May
LDS Family Life
from a small garden south of Salt Lake
Family discipleship, honest motherhood, and the slow work of making a home, written at the kitchen table by Rachel Whitaker.
Lately on the kitchen table
read more →A note from Rachel
Faith that holds in ordinary rooms.
Words that hold on a hard one.
LDS Family Life is a publication about LDS family life, motherhood, marriage, homemaking, and practical gospel living for families who want faith at home to feel lived instead of staged. I write first-person essays on family discipleship, spiritual formation in ordinary routines, and the pressures families are trying to carry with steadiness and grace.
The sink full of mixing bowls. The garden row that finally came up. The child calling for one more glass of water. The prayer I whisper while scraping plates after dinner. Those are the things that hold a family, and they feel worth writing down before they slip past.
with love, Rachel
Essays
May 6
The Gentle Art of 'Sabbath-Slowing' for the Modern Home
The Sabbath does not begin on Sunday morning. It begins in the choice we make on Saturday evening to start slowing down. The way we arrive matters.
By Rachel Whitakerwith love, Rachel
May 6
The Ministry of the 'Smallest' Gestures in Marriage
Marriages are not built on grand gestures. They are built on the thousand small decisions to pay attention. A filled water bottle changes everything.
By Rachel Whitakerwith love, Rachel
May 6
The Art of 'Low-Pressure' Family Prayer
We have turned prayer into a performance children have to get right. But prayer was never meant to be a performance. It was meant to be a conversation.
By Rachel Whitakerwith love, Rachel
May 5
The Art of 'Quiet Hospitality' for Overwhelmed Families
Hospitality has become a performance nobody asked for. Quiet hospitality asks us to show up as we are and let others do the same.
By Rachel Whitakerwith love, Rachel
May 5
The Sacred Rhythm of the 'Low-Stakes' Family Council
The low-stakes family council is not about the agenda. It is about the rhythm of gathering. The rhythm itself does the work.
By Rachel Whitakerwith love, Rachel
May 5
Creating a 'Soft Landing' for Children
The first thirty minutes after a child comes home are for decompression only. No questions, no demands. Just space and a soft place to land.
By Rachel Whitakerwith love, Rachel
May 5
The Art of 'Low-Pressure' Family Scripture Study
We turned scripture study into something it was never meant to be. A performance instead of a presence. It turns out there is another way.
By Rachel Whitakerwith love, Rachel
May 4
The Quiet Ministry of the 'Home-Bound'
Hospitality does not require a clean house or the ability to stand. It requires an open heart and the willingness to receive someone as they are.
By Rachel Whitakerwith love, Rachel
May 4
The Art of the 'Low-Stakes' Family Council
Most family meetings fail because the stakes are too high. Building the habit of gathering starts with low stakes, small decisions, and real listening.
By Rachel Whitakerwith love, Rachel
A few reader questions
FAQ
- What is LDS Family Life?
- LDS Family Life is an independent editorial publication about LDS family life, family discipleship, motherhood, marriage, homemaking, and practical gospel living at home for Latter-day Saint families and other Christian readers who want grounded faith in ordinary life.
- Who writes LDS Family Life?
- Rachel Whitaker is the sole author. Rachel is a 46-year-old former third-grade teacher, home cook, and mother of four writing from a kitchen table south of Salt Lake City.
- Is LDS Family Life an official Church publication?
- No. LDS Family Life is an independent editorial publication and is not affiliated with or endorsed by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
- What topics does the site cover?
- Rachel writes about family scripture study, Sabbath rhythms, marriage, parenting, homemaking, hospitality, emotional and spiritual life at home, and the slow work of building a faithful family culture. The voice still carries kitchen-table texture, but the core focus is faith and family life.
- How often does Rachel publish?
- Rachel publishes new essays throughout the week, with the archive updated regularly through both timely and evergreen pieces. Everything is announced on the homepage and in the archive.
- Does LDS Family Life focus on politics or church news?
- Not as a main lane. LDS Family Life focuses first on discipleship, family relationships, home rhythms, and practical gospel living. When public issues appear, they are handled only through the lens of family faithfulness and life at home.
- What does faith at home look like on this site?
- Faith at home means prayer, scripture, meals, service, repentance, and ordinary tenderness practiced inside a real family schedule. The site is built for readers who want discipleship that feels lived instead of staged.
- Who is LDS Family Life written for?
- LDS Family Life is written for busy families, especially mothers, who want honest encouragement, practical family discipleship, and a quieter, sturdier vision of gospel living in everyday rooms.