Desperate Book Review

Oh my goodness, this is a FABULOUS read for ALL moms, For Real!!  Even if you are not in a stage where you feel very desperate or overwhelmed it offers great insight into others' lives who may be struggling.  I HIGHLY recommend this book!

One thing that is unique about this read: it's written by two authors, Sarah Mae & Sally Clarkson.  The book follows the format of the younger mom, Sarah, being honest about her struggles in mothering and sharing how she is growing & learning, followed by Sally, the more seasoned mother, responding with grace, hope and what she has gleaned on her personal parenting journey.

There were so many nuggets of truth, helpful tips, honest confessions and LOADS of grace!  If you feel discouraged, defeated, guilty, judged or "less than" as a mom, run, do not walk, to the nearest book store and pick this up.  It's filled with scripture, real life scenarios and hope.  I did this study with my dear friend Sarah and we bonded sooooo much as we shared our real struggles, laughed and prayed together.  If you can read this with a friend, do it!

This book is so marked up, I pretty much underlined the whole thing, but here are a few of my favorite quotes:

"A happy mom who is secure in herself and at ease in her life is a rare gift that children love and appreciate."

"It is vitally important for women to think biblically for themselves instead of being enslaved to other peoples thoughts and opinions."

"Early on I realized that all the times I had found joy & freedom & pleasure in my life were when I listened to God's voice in scripture and pursued the dreams God put on my heart.  What other people thought of our path was irrelevant."

"If y expect perfection, you are bound to become angry more often, with yourself and with your children.  Children do not thrive with authoritarian, perfectionist parenting, because they can never live up to perfection.  If you want the

m to know the real message of Jesus, you need to live out His life of gracious, forgiving love while becoming more mature in His ideals as you grow."

"YOU must choose with God's help to be a victor, instead of a casualty."

"The more I have learned to cultivate a life that is interesting to me, the more interesting my home has become to my children."

"It will kill your heart for motherhood if you compare yourself to everyone else's ideals.  You have to be yourself and live within the limitations of your personality and needs as a woman."

"As believers, we need to champion each other's lives and struggles, and love and support one another..."

"It's not really about cleaning (housework); it's about loving others well."

"I have come to see that a happy mom is a real gift to her children."

"Love is the fuel that energizes every other type of growth."

"Recognize that God has never required more of you than you can possibly accomplish.  So if you feel overwhelmed, it can often be because you are living by someone else's expectations."

"We need to listen to His voice even when others think you are wrong."

"When we follow the voice of God and rest in His ability to sustain us as mothers, we will find a true and lasting peace."

"But the real trick to finding joy, I'm finding is to focus on the good things."

" We will fail. We will have regrets. We will have grace."

"If every morning you look at your child as a gift from God, a blessing that He has bestowed today, and thank Him for that blessing, you will approach your children with love, patience and grace."

"Give in to your season of life."

"You are exactly the mom your children need."

I would love to hear from you! What quote speaks to you the most?