I’m not sure what’s taken me so long to write about this book.  It was the start of me realizing I can’t be perfect.  It helped me let go of trying to achieve “Perfect Mom” status.  I lead a small group this summer centered around the book. I love this book and the hope it brought to my life.

I discovered the book via Shawna on Styleberry BLOG during one of the many cold dreary days in February. The title struck me immediately.  YES! I’m desperate!  I need to breathe. I need something to give me life again. So I downloaded it and dove in.

It was hard to put down.  I found myself saying Yes!  That’s me!  Oh I’m so glad I’m not alone in thinking that way! Over and over again. It was comforting to know I wasn’t alone. It was freeing to know I was a good mom and didn’t need to be a perfect.  I started recommending the book to all my mama friends.  I promised them – as I promise you – it’s a book designed for busy moms.  The chapters and sections are short enough to read in between the daily chaos of motherhood.

The book is written by two women – a young mom around my age raising little ones and a “seasoned” more experienced mom who has children in high school and college. The two women are in a mentor relationship.  Sally Clarkson, the older woman, took Sarah Mae under her wing and began to speak life to her current situation.  They write letters to each other asking questions many of us have asked I’m sure. The book encourages women to find mentors to walk alongside them in life. I’m still looking for my mentor mom – I’ll find one soon…I just need to be brave enough to ask.

Desperate: Hope for the Mom who Needs to Breathe not only makes you feel you’re no longer alone in your mama struggles, both Sally and Sarah write about seeing your role as a mother your calling. The perspective they give helps you see how motherhood is more than diaper changes and lunch making and sleepless nights. God designed mothers with a specific purpose no one else can fulfill. And with that role comes the responsibility to turn our children’s hearts toward the Lord.

They write about how loving your children is an extension of  God’s love.  As you grow closer to the Lord, parenting gets a little easier. Well, God at least provides wisdom and peace in situations that might have otherwise brought about major stress. He doesn’t magically make all the chaos and hard times vanish.

I love this quote:

Motherhood is God’s creative and original idea, and He desires us to take joy in His intricate handiwork.  He longs for us to seek Him, to rest in His love, to flourish in His acceptance of us, and to understand His ways for us with our children.  When we follow the voice of God and rest in his ability to sustain us as mothers, we will find true and lasting peace. 

The entire book isn’t about loving God so you can love your family (although, it very well could be) the authors also give practical advice and tips on how to manage motherhood.  They also leave room for you to decide for yourself and your own family what standards to set and what kind of environment you want to create in your home.

While I love the book and recommend it to every mama I know, I will say there are two things I’m not crazy about.

For one, the organization of the topics in the book bother me.  I didn’t notice until I was planning my small group meetings to discuss the book that several topics repeat in different sections. Near the end it’s a little repetitive.

The other thing I didn’t like about the book was the bias towards homeschooling and being a stay at home mom.  While they say each family sets their own standards for the family, they use some strong language indicating they think a mom’s role includes schooling and being home full time. After all, it’s what they both chose.

I can overlook those parts, because I know we’ve prayed about and made the decisions that are right for our family.  And I’ll still recommend the book to every mama.

Final thoughts:  Read it if you’re a mama of littles or of children grown and out of the house.  Buy it for a mama.  Talk about it with your mama friends. It’s good.

Now that I’ve revisited it to write this post, I think I need to read it again.