If you are over a certain age, Emilie Barnes will be a familiar name to you and this post might be like a walk down memory lane that sends you scouring the bookshelves of your home for your own Emilie Barnes books. If you are younger, you might not be familiar with her at all. During the 1980s and 1990s she was a prolific and very popular Christian author who wrote lovely and encouraging books on making a home, family, home organization, saving time, etc. She interested me far more than someone like Martha Stewart because Emilie Barnes seemed like such a real and down-to-earth person that I could more easily relate to. Her ideas were attainable for regular Christian women.
She was the mega blogger before their were blogs. Actually, it’s a good thing she wrote before blogs because now we have all of her lovely works in actual books we can enjoy instead of losing them to the noise of the online world.
I thought of her today and decided to collect her books from around the house to gain some fresh inspiration this weekend. Here’s some that I have and then a sampling (and I do mean sampling) of what else she wrote in case you aren’t familiar with her works. This is her Amazon author page if you want to see more.
The Spirit of Loveliness: Bringing Beauty, Creativity, and Order to Your Life
This was the first Emilie Barnes book I purchased and I just loved it. I gave it as a gift more times than I can count. I have one with the older cover which I think evokes far more emotion than this one. The older one looks dated now, but it’s much richer and more in keeping with what the book inspired women to do in their homes. So don’t be put off by the plainness of this cover (which I think is a terrible mistake for her book). It’s really a lovely book content-wise.
Welcome Home: Creating Your Own Place of Beauty and Love
I haven’t looked at this book in some time, but when I pulled it off the shelf I could see how Emilie Barnes had influenced how I created and decorated my own home. The rooms in her book are far more full of things than mine are, but there is a cozy warmth in the book and in the photographs that speaks to me.
15 Minute Home and Family Organizer
This book is exactly what it says it is – full of practical organization ideas to implement in short amounts of time. It’s actually two books put into one. It contains both The 15 Minute Organizer and 15 Minute Family Traditions and Memories. Emilie Barnes really got her start helping women with time management and finding more hours in their day.
Creative Home Organizer
This is full of quick practical tips for virtually every aspect of the home.
![By Emilie Barnes Emilie's Creative Home Organizer (Revised edition) [Paperback]](https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/51dT%2BrMhtoL.jpg)
15 Minutes of Peace with God
This is an encouraging devotional book with Scripture to read, personal reflections, etc.
Meet Me Where I Am, Lord
I received this as a gift from a relative. It’s a book of short, five minute readings to provide encouragement throughout the day.
Minute Meditations for Busy Moms
Short five minute devotionals to encourage moms in their important work. Emilie had a heart for moms and the work that they do.
Time Began in a Garden
A lovely large gift book with thoughts about gardens and life lessons from them in the midst of beautiful illustrations and layouts.
Emilie Barnes Books
What follows in the rest of this post is a sampling of the many books Emilie Barnes wrote. She generally wrote around themes and I’ve grouped them accordingly below.
Books for Children
These are sweet books for children.
Christmas Themed Books
Some lovely Christmas books for inspiration
Books with a Tea or Teacups Theme
Tea and teacups were a regular theme around which she wrote
Devotional and Quiet Time Books
Emilie Barnes wrote so many devotional and quiet time books. These are just a few.
Home Organization
Organizing and time management was a key part of her speaking ministry. Here are just a few of her books on this topic.
Pretty Books of Encouragement
Encouragement combined with popular artwork of the time
Manners
In addition to the children’s books above that deal with manners, Emilie wrote other ones for adults.
Do you have any Emilie Barnes books? Which ones are your favorites or influenced you in a significant way?
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Very interesting, Sallie–I don’t think I’d ever heard of her before! Thank you!
You’re welcome, Peggy!
Oh my goodness, I love all that Emilie Barnes shared. She was such a precious christian woman. Her books warmed my heart from beginning to end. I still have her books and love each and everyone of them. I am so thankful to have had her in my life through her written word. Thank you so much for sharing.
Wishing you and yours a blessed 4th of July.
Homespun Hugs ♥ Teri
Hi Teri,
It seems from everything I’ve read about her she was truly a kind and gracious Christian woman who loved to help other women.
It’s fun to know that she was such a blessing to you as well. In the day of online personalities and social media, I think it’s easy to forget the writers who had a significant impact on us before the internet blew up life as we knew it.
Have a Happy Independence Day!
Sallie
Thank You for these lovely books. I have never heard of Emilie Barnes. I will be looking into her books. The covers of the books are so inviting and beautiful.
Marilyn
Hi Marilyn,
You’re welcome! I hope you find some Emilie Barnes books to enjoy and find inspiration.
Sallie
Hello, I just thank you for sharing Emilie Barnes with readers. Oh, how I loved listening to her on the radio when she was featured on Focus on the Family. I have many of her books and love them so much. She influenced me with her positive and Christ-like attitudes about marriage, homemaking, and raising children. I cherish her books and love to give them as gifts, especially to young ladies embarking on womanhood.
Melinda
Hi Melinda,
It’s great to meet another woman who appreciates Emilie Barnes. I don’t think I ever heard her on Focus on the Family. As best I can remember, I only know her from her books. But they were so helpful and encouraging whenever I got a new one!
Sallie
Hello Sallie , I have more to share about Emilie Barnes. I have recently had knee replacement surgery and found myself rereading several of her books – specifically “Help Me Trust You, Lord” and “A Journey Through Cancer”. I was promoted to re read her obituary from 2016 online. Here is the amazing part – I was not the only one searching her obituary. People have left comments this year thanking her and turning to her writings for inspiration in these trying times. It is so amazing to me and so like the power of the Lord, that this lady is ministering to women four years after her passing. And …. drum roll… after a couple of weeks reading her books, I flipped open another of her books and she had signed it “ To Melinda , I’m proud of you. Keep reading “ and then her signature !
I have forgotten that day, but I am swept away by the encouragement of her faith and the beauty of her lovely books that still comfort and inspire today .
Oh my goodness, I have such fond memories of Emilie Barnes. She was such a blessing to me. I loved each one of her books. She was such an inspiration to so many women. She was a precious woman of God. Her writings were so wholesome, shared warmth and love that warmed my heart and I pray, helped me to warm hearts of others. I feel this is a perfect time to go to our bookcase and take her books from the shelf, put them on my chair side table to read as I snuggle under my fleece throw in the evening with my cup of tea. What I nice way to prepare my heart and home for family and friends as we plan for our Thanksgiving and Christmas Season. It will be simple and old fashioned in our home as we remember the real Reason for the Season. Just sharing my thoughts. Homespun Hugs ♥ Teri
Hi Teri,
It sounds like you have a great strategy for planning the holidays. Simple is good. 🙂
Sallie
In my early years of marriage my mom took me and my sisters to see Emilie Barnes. She gave such a beautiful presentation. Recently I had been thinking about her and was saddened to hear of her passing. I wish I could find a video of one of her presentations.
Hi Kimberly,
How neat that you were able to see Emilie in person! I started looking for some videos. I found a couple of talks published for the radio on Focus on the Family. I’m going to keep looking for videos.
https://youtu.be/PGnrTm6YRmU
https://youtu.be/Ps47ECgyyio
Sallie
I realise that this post was a few years ago but Emilie Barnes was a key person in my growth/journey and increasing joy as a stay at home Mum and traditional wife in the 2000’s. This was not an easy era with many of my peers with careers and looking at me with obvious distaste or concern. Emilie encouraged and mentored me in Australia after I found her in a Christian bookshop. I eventually passed on my books to another Mum but wish I had kept them, for sentimental reasons. I enjoyed remembering her.