Review: An Invaluable tool for EVERY MOM!
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 03 1, 2014
I follow Tricia Goyer on Facebook and twitter and her blog and I LOVE her books! And I must admit that I too wonder how she does all that she does - or I did, until I read this book."Balanced" is a wonderful way of finding out the answer to all those questions. Tricia shares with other work-at-home moms how she handles all the hats she has to wear.I'm not going to spoil it for you but I will say this - At one point in the book, Tricia makes a point of saying:"Disclaimer. This book may not be for you if: You are looking for a simple how-to manual with only schedules, outlines, and agendas. You don't think your spiritual life impacts your work and home life. You think the whole balance issue depends on you and not on your dependence on God.In this book, there is as much inner work I'm going to talk about as there are ideas, helps, and tips for balancing. Because as someone who's been working at home nearly all of my twenty-four years as a parent, I've discovered three main things:1.What I do isn't as important as who I am.2.What God can do in my life and what He's capable of doing can be two very different things--I don't want to limit Him.3.My outward goals are only reachable if I submit my inward soul to God.If this sounds like a book you need, good. If not, I understand! We moms only have so much time. You need to spend your time, energy, and hard-earned money on a book that will meet your expectations.Know that I'm praying God will speak to your heart through my story. I hope you'll discover good advice to help you follow the dreams God has placed in your heart and be the wife and mom you've always wanted to be." - Direct quote from Tricia Goyer (Balanced: Finding Center as a Work-at-Home Mom)I really respect her for that. It takes a lot of courage and faith to present women with a reason they should not buy your book - and then to tell them you're OK with it. Ironically, that makes me want to buy the book even more!Tricia and I have a lot of different ideas on how a person should carry out their faith but they stem from the same ideals. And each Christian really does need to understand that they have a very different journey. Your walk with God is a very personal thing and what God calls one to do - he may not call another to. The point is this - I can see Tricia's faith in every word. She may go about her faith and her witness differently than me but she definitely puts it all out there for the world to see!As a homeschooling mom, I am encouraged by Tricia's story and it definitely tells me I am doing something RIGHT! As a single mom, I am excited to see that Tricia gives so much of her time to help out other mothers - single and married alike. As a struggling writer, I am inspired by Tricia's journey through writing and publishing and there is a lot of information in this book that benefits me greatly. Tricia talks about homeschool, faith, writing, family life and social media - and how to weave each one into your life without de-railing everything else.And through it all is woven - a tale of faith so heartwarming, it renews my love for God all over again!I whole-heartedly recommend this book to anyone who is a struggling writer, a work-at-home mom, a home-schooler, new to Christian faith, or someone who is just interested in Tricia Goyer's life! It's a great read - no matter your reasoning!Disclaimer: I received this book free in exchange for an honest review.