What scars do you carry? Maybe you've had a c-section (or 3) and don't want to wear a bathing suit anymore (among other reasons). Maybe you've been injured in an accident and try to disguise the evidence. Or maybe you've suffered from cancer and now have an ugly scar as a reminder of your survival. Whatever the reason, it's natural for us to want to cover unsightly scars from public view. When I was in my mid-twenties and almost put my eye out from accidentally shoving my face into a large splinter, I didn't realize the permanent damage that could have been done until the ER sent for a plastic surgeon. He said I was too young to carry a scar like that for the rest of my life, and I'm grateful he repaired the wound. Today I can barely see the scar. But only a few short years later I would deal with so much pain that there would be a permanent scar on my soul. This time, however, I was glad to have an enduring reminder of my healing.

This is the ninth episode in the Blueprints for Building Your Spiritual Dream Home series. If you've missed any of the previous episodes, I hope you'll take the time to go back and listen, starting in your podcast app with How to Build a Godly Home: Choosing the Right Location. But the very first episode, Open Your Blueprint, can only be found on my website at CarolRoper.org. Today I'll share how the scars left on historic homes after catastrophic events mirror the scars we carry from our own life storms.

Watch on YouTube Your Scars Tell Your Story with Carol Roper

Listen to the first episode in the Blueprints for Building Your Spiritual Dream Home series Open Your Blueprint

Listen to the second episode in the Blueprints for Building Your Spiritual Dream Home series How to Build a Godly Home: Choosing the Right Location

Listen to the third episode in the Blueprints for Building Your Spiritual Dream Home series Envision Your Dream Home

Listen to the fourth episode in the Blueprints for Building Your Spiritual Dream Home series How Building a Dream Home Tests your Marriage-and Your Faith

Listen to the fifth episode in the Blueprints for Building Your Spiritual Dream Home series The Secret Behind a Strong Spiritual Home (Hint: It's Not Being Pinterest Perfect)

Listen to the sixth episode in the Blueprints for Building Your Spiritual Dream Home series Why You Matter: The Hidden Strength in Every Home

Listen to the seventh episode in the Blueprints for Building Your Spiritual Dream Home series The Power of Light: Becoming a Spiritual Lamplighter

Listen to the seventh episode in the Blueprints for Building Your Spiritual Dream Home series Oaks of Righteousness: Raising Families with Deep Roots

Home isn't just a place—it's a story. When my husband and I set out to build our forever home on his family's farm, we weren't just choosing land; we were choosing legacy. Every step across those pastures reminded us that roots matter—both the ones in the soil and the ones in our hearts. And as we stood beneath a solitary oak, we realized this journey was about more than a house. It was about building on a foundation that time can't shake.

This is the eighth episode in the Blueprints for Building Your Spiritual Dream Home series. If you've missed any of the previous episodes, I hope you'll take the time to go back and listen, starting in your podcast app with How to Build a Godly Home: Choosing the Right Location. But the very first episode, Open Your Blueprint, can only be found on my website at CarolRoper.org. Today I'll share why cultivating strong family roots matters.

Listen to the first episode in the Blueprints for Building Your Spiritual Dream Home series Open Your Blueprint

Listen to the second episode in the Blueprints for Building Your Spiritual Dream Home series How to Build a Godly Home: Choosing the Right Location

Listen to the third episode in the Blueprints for Building Your Spiritual Dream Home series Envision Your Dream Home

Listen to the fourth episode in the Blueprints for Building Your Spiritual Dream Home series How Building a Dream Home Tests your Marriage-and Your Faith

Listen to the fifth episode in the Blueprints for Building Your Spiritual Dream Home series The Secret Behind a Strong Spiritual Home (Hint: It's Not Being Pinterest Perfect)

Listen to the sixth episode in the Blueprints for Building Your Spiritual Dream Home series Why You Matter: The Hidden Strength in Every Home

Listen to the seventh episode in the Blueprints for Building Your Spiritual Dream Home series The Power of Light: Becoming a Spiritual Lamplighter

Watch on YouTube Oaks of Righteousness: Raising Families with Deep Roots with Carol Roper

I'll leave the light on for you. Have you ever heard that line before? Motel 6 turned that phrase into a promise—but spiritually, it's a calling. Darkness is everywhere, but one light can change everything. That light is Christ in you.

Just like lamplighters once walked city streets to protect their communities, you've been called to guard your home with vigilance and faith. The Proverbs 31 woman never let her lamp go out—and neither should we. In this episode, you'll learn practical ways to keep your spiritual flame burning, strengthen your connection to the Holy Spirit, and become the lamplighter your family needs.

This is the seventh episode in the Blueprints for Building Your Spiritual Dream Home series. So far, we've delved into the preparation processes of designing and building your dream home. Today we're talking about the power of light.

Listen to the first episode in the Blueprints for Building Your Spiritual Dream Home series Open Your Blueprint

Listen to the second episode in the Blueprints for Building Your Spiritual Dream Home series How to Build a Godly Home: Choosing the Right Location

Listen to the third episode in the Blueprints for Building Your Spiritual Dream Home series Envision Your Dream Home

Listen to the fourth episode in the Blueprints for Building Your Spiritual Dream Home series How Building a Dream Home Tests your Marriage-and Your Faith

Listen to the fifth episode in the Blueprints for Building Your Spiritual Dream Home series The Secret Behind a Strong Spiritual Home (Hint: It's Not Being Pinterest Perfect)

Listen to the sixth episode in the Blueprints for Building Your Spiritual Dream Home series Why You Matter: The Hidden Strength in Every Home

Watch on YouTube The Power of Light: Becoming a Spiritial Lamplighter with Carol Roper

Sometimes the most important role is the one that feels the least glamorous.

We live in a world that celebrates big wins and visible achievements. But what about the quiet, everyday work—the kind that rarely gets applause? Have you ever felt unimportant in your own home, wondering if anyone notices the meals, the clean laundry, the late-night homework help? The truth is, your role isn't just important, it's essential. You are the strength that holds everything together.

This is the sixth episode in the Blueprints for Building Your Spiritual Dream Home series. So far, we've seen why we need a blueprint, discovered the best location, created a vision, learned how building a dream home tests your marriage and faith and found the critical component of our dream home's foundation. Today we'll see why you, the woman of the home, matters.

Listen to the first episode in the Blueprints for Building Your Spiritual Dream Home series Open Your Blueprint

Listen to the second episode in the Blueprints for Building Your Spiritual Dream Home series How to Build a Godly Home: Choosing the Right Location

Listen to the third episode in the Blueprints for Building Your Spiritual Dream Home series Envision Your Dream Home

Listen to the fourth episode in the Blueprints for Building Your Spiritual Dream Home series How Building a Dream Home Tests your Marriage-and Your Faith

Listen to the fifth episode in the Blueprints for Building Your Spiritual Dream Home series The Secret Behind a Strong Spiritual Home (Hint: It's Not Being Pinterest Perfect)

Watch on YouTube Why You Matter: The Hidden Strength In Every Home with Carol Roper

Picture this: a stunning home with gleaming floors and perfect décor—but underneath, the foundation is cracked. Eventually, everything starts to tilt and crumble. The same thing happens in our spiritual lives when we focus on appearances instead of what's beneath the surface. Without a strong foundation, even the most beautiful house will eventually crack and crumble. The same is true for our spiritual homes.

Discover why appearances aren't enough, how to check for cracks in your spiritual foundation, and practical ways to build a home rooted in faith and grace. Whether you're navigating marriage challenges, raising kids, or simply longing for a home filled with peace, this episode will help you dig deep and start building on bedrock that lasts.

This is the fifth episode in the Blueprints for Building Your Spiritual Dream Home series. So far, we've seen why we need a blueprint, discovered the best location, created a vision and learned how building a dream home tests your marriage and faith. Today we're going to see what critical component needs to be included in your spiritual dream home, and how it changes everything.

Listen to the first episode in the Blueprints for Building Your Spiritual Dream Home series Open Your Blueprint

Watch on YouTube The Secret Behind a Strong Spiritual Home (Hint: It's Not Being Pinterest Perfect) with Carol Roper

What happens when building your dream home nearly breaks your marriage? In today's episode, I'm sharing a raw, honest story from my own life—a season when stress, exhaustion, and unmet expectations left me wondering if my relationship with my husband would survive. But through that struggle, I learned a powerful truth: when we try to manage everything in our own strength, we end up drained and discouraged. The good news? God is the ultimate builder and the best general contractor for your home and family.

This is the fourth episode in the Blueprints for Building Your Spiritual Dream Home series. So far, we've seen why we need a blueprint, discovered the best location and created a vision for our dream home. Today we're going to talk about why God needs to be the builder of your spiritual dream home, and how surrendering control to Him changes everything.

Listen to the first episode in the Blueprints for Building Your Spiritual Dream Home series Open Your Blueprint

Watch on YouTube How Building a Dream Home Tests Your Marriage-and Your Faith with Carol Roper

Every great home starts with a dream—a vision for life within its walls. But before the first nail is hammered, the blueprint must be drawn. After decades of designing houses, I've learned a blueprint isn't just about rooms and square footage; it's about reflecting the heart of the family. The same is true for our spiritual homes. God, the Master Architect, has a design for each of us—a home filled with abundant living that's better than anything we could imagine. Today, we'll start by asking: What does your spiritual dream home look like? And how do we align that vision with God's perfect plan according to His Word so our homes become places where faith thrives and families flourish?

Over the next couple of months I'll be sharing my Kitchen Table series. Blueprints for Building Your Spiritual Dream Home. These episodes are based on the award-winning blog series I wrote several years back that I believe are even more important in today's culture. But there's one episode that is really the starting point for this series and you'll find it on my home page when you click the Open Your Blueprint button.

Watch on YouTube Envision Your Dream Home with Carol Roper

Ever feel like building a godly home is overwhelming? You're not alone. In this episode, we uncover the very first step to creating a home that stands strong—starting with the right location. Deciding where to put a dream house is the most important part of the design process. Putting so much effort into creating a great home only to realize later it was built in the wrong place can shatter any hopes we have for a strong family.

This week is the first in my Kitchen Table series called Blueprints to Building Your Spiritual Dream Home. These episodes are based on the award-winning blog series I wrote several years back that I believe are even more important in today's culture. But there's one episode that is really the starting point for this series and you'll find it on my home page when you click the Open Your Blueprint button.

Listen and begin your journey toward peace, purpose, and a lasting legacy.

Watch on YouTube How to Build a Godly Home: Choosing the Right Location with Carol Roper