“If Mama Ain’t Happy” ~ a review of Rachel Norman’s new book (plus giveaway, ends 10/24/22)

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Friends, I have a wonderful new book to share with you! I was so blessed to receive a copy of Rachel Norman’s fantastic book for moms called If Mama Ain’t Happy. Let me share more about the book and how it impacted me. Plus, there’s a giveaway you can enter to win your own copy!

From the publisher:

If Mama Ain’t Happy
Why minding healthy boundaries is good for your whole family
 
Rachel used to be a mom who spent her days weary, anxious, and guilt laden. She had five kids in five years, lived on three different continents, and then was blindsided by a devastating health diagnosis. Neglecting her own physical, spiritual, mental, and emotional needs for so long—in an effort to be a selfless mother—had left her utterly depleted. And physically unwell. Then she began asking a question she’d never considered before: Could it be that taking good care of myself is not actually selfish, but maybe, just maybe, something a responsible adult does? 

In this countercultural book, Rachel takes some weight off your shoulders by:
 

• Offering hands-on, rubber-meets-the-road strategies to cultivate a life you aren’t trying to constantly escape

• Teaching you to discover and claim your own limits and boundaries so you can be a calm, resilient, peaceful mother
• Showing you how to shape your daily life and values around the few things that really matter, and how to let the rest go

If mama ain’t happy, ain’t nobody happy. But when mama is at peace? Everyone benefits!

How If Mama Ain’t Happy touched me

What is your mom life journey looking like these days? I personally am still in a learning curve (even though my boy is in college!). I remember all too well the cartoon tiger Hobbes’ words to his best kid friend Calvin in the cartoon series bearing their names: “Live and don’t learn, that’s us.” I hate to admit it, but sometimes I learn more from the disasters or debacles than I do from the smooth moments of life. I’ve not been skilled in either setting boundaries or margin, which has brought me some hard lessons. And because those weren’t hard enough on their own, my self-talk made them even harder with the condemnation that we as Christian women seem all too ready to heap upon ourselves.

Wouldn’t it be amazing to have a kind, generous-hearted, wise friend or mentor who could help you get past those hard things, and guide you in making different choices with your time, your life, and your people (both little and big) so that your inner and outer lives could be smoother?

Well, Rachel Norman provides exactly that in her immensely helpful If Mama Ain’t Happy. She has been there! And even though she’s not with the reader in person, it feels as though she is. She openly shares what she’s learned as the mom of 5, with an incredibly (and she would say overly) busy life, when she was diagnosed with cancer. She survived it; and she learned so much about how to live a different life with principles of peace, wise choices, and boundaries, and in her book shares those with us. Or, as she says in chapter 1:

If my own daily life seemed too much to bear, something had to give. I was going to believe the promises of God’s Word. I was going to pay attention to my mental, physical, emotional, and spiritual boundaries.

Rachel Norman

Why are boundaries important? Simply because, as humans, we only can give or do so much. (I missed that memo.) We have our own limits, and setting boundaries on only doing what we *can* do, and caring for ourselves, enables us to care for our families. Not to mention staying healthy in all the ways that make us human (in our minds, bodies, wills, emotions, and relationships). This not only models healthy adulthood for our kids, but enables us to be present with them as good parents who are not always on the edge of falling into a stress pit. Rachel discusses how to put those boundaries into practice in these life areas:

• Our own rules and standards
• Our friends
• Our emotions
• Our own daily care
• Our responsibilities
• Our home
• and last but not least, our own lives

In chapter 4 and those following, Rachel offers thoughtful questions to help readers engage further with each topic, and to examine their lives to see where and how healthful change can happen.

I’m not exaggerating when I say that this book contained life-changing counsel and wisdom for me; plus, plans I could shape for my own life to bring health and happiness to, as poet Mary Oliver said, my “one wild and precious life.” For that’s really what we are given, right? One beautiful and precious life of our own; and the loved ones that we’ll interact with in that life.

Rachel Norman’s book gave me rich and wonderful ideas for how I can embrace my own limits even as I live my life as fully as I can. These ideas *seem* simple even as they’re profound; but they are DOABLE. And have the potential to bring glorious change and beauty to our lives. I recommend to you, from the bottom of my heart, her beautiful If Mama Ain’t Happy.

Some of my favorite moments in the book

I have to share some of Rachel’s quotes that were pivotal for me. (I’ve no doubt you’d find many yourself!) Here are some of my favorites:

• “Have you tried to be perfect, excel at everything, and live outside your limits for most of your life, hoping that this would make you worthy or acceptable? Did it work?…No?…Now is a good time to find a more realistic and gracious motivation strategy that doesn’t make you hate your life.” (p. 93)
• “As you try to navigate all your emotions, stop beating yourself up…The next time you’re tempted to put yourself down, try treating yourself with the same gentleness you’d offer a friend instead. It might just change your life.” (pp. 128-129)
• “I realized I was experienced at abandoning my own needs and ignoring my own limits.” (p. 145)
• “But there are likely many areas of life in which you can, with some thought, prayer, and intention, stop going against your limits and boundaries.” (p. 164)
• “Once you realize that you can craft a life that is a blessing to you and those around you, you will start to see the things driving you crazy as flags indicating where your boundaries are being crossed. Next you can begin investigating these flags and start solving problems, because you realize that these problems are your responsibility….And then, guided by knowledge and the wisdom of the Lord, you can begin to act like a person who is balancing…who can steer away from potholes and go down easier paths. You can recognize your boundary lines and work to stay within them.” (p. 165)

Again, if you are that mom (like Rachel, like me, and like so many others) who has carried too many loads and is exhausted; who wants to learn how to create healthy boundaries; who wants to love your family and be able to enjoy precious and dear moments with them, unmarred by constant unnecessary stress; who wants to experience real rest–this book is for you, my friend. May it bless you and bring you peace.

How you can enter to win a copy of If Mama Ain’t Happy

You can enter to win a copy of the fabulous If Mama Ain’t Happy from BlessedFreebies! Just click on the pink link below. That will take you to the giveaway page. Giveaway ends on October 24, 2022. Best wishes!

Enter to win the giveaway for If Mama Ain’t Happy here!

Where you can find Rachel Norman on socials

You can follow Rachel Norman on her social media accounts:

Instagram

Facebook

Pinterest

YouTube

Twitter

Where you can purchase If Mama Ain’t Happy

You can purchase If Mama Ain’t Happy from Rachel Norman’s website. You’ll be able to visit lots of booksellers’ book links that way (on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Christianbook, and more). Just click on the purchase link below!

Purchase here!

Enjoy! –Wren

Disclosure: I received this book from the author. All opinions shared here are my own honest ones.

Beautiful new movie, especially for parents: “An Unlikely Angel” from Pure Flix (plus giveaway! ends 9/9/22)

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If you’re a FINCHNWREN blog reader, you’ve probably noticed that I’ve been talking about wholesome faith & family streaming service Pure Flix lately–and sharing about their Pure Flix Original films and series. I have another one to tell you about today, plus a giveaway for a Pure Flix subscription! Momentum Influencer Network and Pure Flix provided the new An Unlikely Angel to stream (premieres August 26, 2022). Honestly, I am still catching my breath over this one–IMO the best Pure Flix Original yet!

About An Unlikely Angel

Janie is a workaholic who is falling apart at the thought of becoming a first-time mom. She whispers a small prayer for help and it’s answered in a very unlikely way when an angel intervenes and fast forwards her life. Will her second chance change how she approaches life?  Janie is lucky enough to be given a second chance, but will she change before it’s too late?

With a fantastic cast including Jillian Murphy, Robert Amaya, Aaron Mees, and the delightful child actor DeLyla de Castor (and also Sam J. Jones as Janie’s dad), An Unlikely Angel is a beautifully-told story of new mom/project designer/workaholic Janie, whose short prayer invites an angel sent straight from God to help her. This help comes in a way that sends her 6 years down the line after the birth of her daughter, shows her what life could end up as, then gives her a choice. What kind of life would Janie embrace…if?

Many are the plans in a person’s heart,
    but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails.

New International Version Bible, Proverbs 19:21

My thoughts about this film

Can you remember the last time you laughed AND cried as you watched a movie that warmed and encouraged your heart?

An Unlikely Angel might just be the film to do that for you, especially if you’re a mom. (Or if you’re a fan of the classic Checker cab.)

The newest Pure Flix Original film, An Unlikely Angel, affected me profoundly even as it charmed and entertained me. I find so much in it to recommend. The actors are exceptional, the story pacing is even and clear, and the results and consequences of Janie’s choice make total sense. While the movie evoked a lot of emotions in me, the story is told gently and kindly: what *could* a woman who’d missed six years of her life (and her daughter’s life) actually be experiencing?

But back to those emotions. I’ve gotta tell you I shed a LOT of tears as I watched this movie! (Not until about the three-quarters mark; til my heart was wound up in the characters.) Janie’s kind dad. Her vulnerability to him and to God as she asks for help in an overwhelming situation; where, she seems to have no talent or skill. Gabe’s truthfulness and kindness. The unexpected things life threw at Janie. Her precious daughter. Janie’s story reminds me a little bit of the story of Hagar from the Bible, in Genesis 16 and 21. Hagar feels (and is) alone; forsaken; in need of help and so truly knowing that she herself can’t provide the help she needs so desperately. And God speaks to her and sends help!

We may not get that second chance or do-over that Janie is offered. But we have a good God whose plans are good and whose ear is bent toward even the whispered prayers of His dear children. Actually, He’s so attentive to us that before we even call on Him, He answers us. (Isaiah 65:14) I will take a movie that reminds of of that, any time!

Join Pure Flix and watch An Unlikely Angel. You will be encouraged; you will smile; and you will hug your kiddos. (Just keep that box of Kleenex handy. And maybe a wastebasket.)

Watch the trailer here!

How you can enjoy Pure Flix–and subscribe today

Pure Flix is a one-stop shop for faith and family-friendly movies and shows where you can confidently stream in your home with the entire family. With new premium and exclusive original entertainment choices every week, Pure Flix streaming service has the largest variety of high-quality, curated, positive, encouraging, wholesome movies, series and kids’ content in one service. Pure Flix is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Sony Pictures Entertainment, alongside AFFIRM Films.

Your Home for Wholesome Faith & Family Streaming

Pure Family. Pure Fun. Pure Faith.

You can subscribe (monthly or yearly) with plans varying from $5.84-$7.99 per month. With these, you’ll receive access to thousands of series and films that will bless, encourage, strengthen, and edify your family. New content is added weekly that’s perfect for every individual or family, of all ages!

You can even enjoy Pure Flix for 7 days free! Just click on Pure Flix trial for more info and to sign up.

Enter to win a Pure Flix subscription!

There are SO MANY positive and lovely movies and series that you and your family can watch together on Pure Flix. I’m so happy to be able to share Pure Flix with you–and to give away one 3-month subscription to Pure Flix streaming service!

To enter to win, just click on the pink link below that says “Enter here!” That will take you to a Giveaway Tools entry form where you’ll be able to enter to win in a variety of ways. Giveaway closes on 9/9/22. One winner will be selected to win. If you have won a Pure Flix subscription in the past six months, you are ineligible to win this giveaway.

Enter here!

Meet star Robert Amaya in this fun interview with Jean Thomason!

Robert Amaya has been one of our family faves since we saw him for the first time in the movie Courageous, then in subsequent films like Moms’ Night Out, War Room, and Family Camp. He is just as genuine, fun and funny in real life, as you can see in this interview with the marvelous Jean Thomason from Momentum Influencer Network.

And some encouraging words for parents from Pure Flix

In addition to providing access to fantastic faith & family films, Pure Flix also has some encouraging and lovely words to inspire you. Here are some of them; just click on the links for free access!

Back to the Basics: Activities & Ways to Simplify Life

15 Bible Verses to Encourage Mothers on Mother’s Day and Beyond

5 Powerful Quotes from Women in the Bible

5 Tips for Learning How to Pray Without Ceasing

Enjoy! –Wren

Disclosure:

Many thanks to Pure Flix for providing a sample of the product for this review. Opinions are 100% my own.

My review of the excellent “Sharing God’s Big Love with Little Lives” ~ and you can enter to win! (ends 5/31/22)

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One of the joys of my life has been teaching little ones in Sunday school, in art enrichment classes, and in our own homeschool. So I was thrilled to have the opportunity to enjoy Jean Thomason’s Sharing God’s Big Love with Little Lives, provided to me by Momentum Influencer Network. What a wonderful experience listening was–and what an awesome resource for equipping parents, grandparents, and those who work with children!

About the audiobook

Jean’s exceptional, loving book is designed to help parents (and grandparents or caregivers) understand how to teach little ones about God and to build a foundation for children’s faith. It’s divided into seven chapters, the titles of which form the acronym “PRAISE!” Each letter stands for a thought or principle which is then expanded throughout its chapter. Here’s what they stand for:

• P – Placed and Privileged to Parent
• R – Rare Window of Opportunity
• A – All-Access Pass to God
• I – Infancy
• S – Seven Ways to Practice Praise
• E – Enthusiastic Enjoyment
• ! – Imperative with Exclamation Point

Jean Thomason’s book provides an exceptional, Biblically-based toolbox that parents can utilize to love, teach, and extend God’s invitation to their kids to build and create their own faith, even though they are children. She brings years of experience of children’s ministry and her own parenting to create these vital tools, which will encourage and equip moms and dads.

My impressions

Beautiful. Joyful. Insightful. And exactly what a parent is looking for!

Sharing God’s Big Love with Little Lives was just a joy. In the audiobook version, it’s read by its author, Jean Thomason, and both her voice and her years of experience in the field of performing arts make the recording shine. Her joyful voice, and delight in sharing Christ with children, are evident in every word.

I love how each chapter is packed full of Scriptures that will encourage moms (and other caregivers) as they are reminded again and again of the importance of the spiritual formation of the precious children entrusted to their care. I’ve heard many times the quote, “the days are long but the years are short.” That’s a sad one, isn’t it? But while Jean communicates a similar message, hers falls more on the side of “Seize this day! Pour out love on these babies! Teach them about God’s huge love for them, that Jesus died and rose again for them, and God the Holy Spirit will be with them!”

This is a book that (as you can tell in the photo above), as I listened, I found myself scribbling a ton of notes. Again and again I heard Bible verses, insightful words and research, and reminders to me, a mother and teacher myself, of the momentous responsibility of training up my own child in “the nurture and admonition of the Lord” (Ephesians 6:4). The nurture (the nourishment, the protection, the embrace) and admonition (counsel, advice, gentle reproof) of the God who loved them so much that He gave His one and only Son for them. And doing these with joy, enthusiasm, exuberance, and love!

I am delighted to recommend Sharing God’s Big Love with Little Lives to everyone who is raising, teaching, or caring for children. Jean’s great care and compassion for children, and teaching them about God, is just what each of us moms (and dads!) needs to receive and share. You will love this book–and meanwhile, you’ll also be equipped, strengthened, sustained, and absolutely blessed to hear (or read) this.

And…some of my favorites!

I can’t let you go without sharing some of my favorite quotes from this fantastic book. Here they are; I believe they’ll give you a lovely taste of what you’ll experience when you read or listen to Sharing God’s Big Love with Little Lives!

• Jean’s words on Eunice and Lois, the mother and grandmother of Timothy, and how their teachings and example prepared him for eventual faith and leadership (2 Timothy) by creating a firm foundation in his life
• “…today is my day with my children. There are no unimportant moments. May I know that no other work is so important, no other career so precious, no other task so urgent. May I not defer it or neglect it but by the Spirit accept it gladly, joyously, and by Thy grace…”
• George Barna said, “…Ministry to children is the single most important work in the kingdom of God. And more to the point: the most significant part of each person’s life is his or her spiritual health. Every dimension of a person’s experience hinges on his or her moral and spiritual condition.”
• “We are responsible for our children’s spiritual formation–so we must do nothing to hinder them, as Jesus said.”
• “Make it a point to be happy when you see your children…Let your love and attention show on your face as you greet your children.”

How you can download the first chapter, free of charge!

Jean Thomason has provided the first chapter of Sharing God’s Big Love with Little Lives for you to listen to at absolutely no cost to you. Just visit the Miss Patty Cake website by clicking on the link below, and follow the directions.

First chapter, free for you

More about the author, Jean Thomason

Jean Thomason has more than 30 years of experience as a musical performer, worship leader, author, and conference speaker to parents, grandparents, teachers, and children’s ministers. She is the living embodiment of the joyful children’s musical character, “Miss PattyCake”. Through this brightly costumed character, Jean plants biblical truths, served in fun toddler-size pieces, while helping equip parents to lay a spiritual foundation for their children. Her live “Miss PattyCake” family events are performed throughout  God’s great big world. In her latest book “Sharing God’s BIG LOVE with Little Lives”, Jean shares her insight gleaned from her 20+ years in children’s ministry. Using scripture, humorous anecdotes, and insightful research, Jean equips you with fresh ideas and enthusiastic encouragement to help you guide your little ones as they grow into all that God has created them to be. This book is a fun and powerful resource for parents, grandparents, and caregivers.

Watch Jean’s video about the book here!

Purchase Sharing God’s Big Love with Little Lives here!

You can purchase this lovely book here! Just click on the link below.

Buy here

Enter to win an audiobook of “Sharing God’s Big Love with Little Lives”

One person will win “Sharing God’s Big Love with Little Lives” in audiobook form! To enter, simply click on the pink link below that says “Enter here!” That will take you to a Giveaway Tools entry form, where you’ll be able to enter in a variety of ways. Giveaway closes on 5/31/22. Best wishes!

Enter here!

Enjoy! –Wren

Disclosure: Many thanks to Jean Thomason for providing a sample of the product for this review. Opinions are 100% my own and NOT influenced by monetary compensation.

“More Than A Mom” ~ a review of Kari Kampakis’s newest

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I have found my newest favorite mom book in Kari Kampakis’s More Than A Mom, which FrontGate Media provided to me. It has been SO encouraging and full of wisdom for me. Let me tell you more!

About More Than A Mom

Kari Kampakis, a mom of four girls, knows what being a mom asks of us. And not that we don’t delight in that privilege! But sometimes (oftentimes?) moms might neglect their own health while they care for their kids and families. We throw ourselves, body and soul, into: meal preparation; trying to figure out how to assist kids as they interact with the internet; getting up with our kids at night, when they’re nursing, or sick, or having nightmares; driving all around town; you know the drill! Moms so often treat motherhood if it were a sprint. When really, it’s a marathon.

What if moms could take care of themselves while they are doing all these mom activities in such a way that they remain healthy themselves AND model healthy living for their kids? Kari believes it’s possible! In More Than A Mom, she details 10 areas moms can incorporate to live more healthily in body, soul, and spirit: knowing their worth; resting & restoration; friendships; conquering stress & anxiety; choosing joy; rejecting negative self-talk; making peace with their bodies; feeling capable; embracing purpose; and living in hope. And, she doesn’t just give readers lofty ideals (that can make them feel even more guilty). Instead, she talks about the ways women can embrace these changes in ways that are positive, include Scriptures, and are action-oriented. Chapters also close with thoughtful questions that will enable moms to think about what they’d like to incorporate and include in their own lives; and what, if anything, needs to change for their own mental/emotional/spiritual/physical health.

How this book impacted me

When I was almost finished reading More Than A Mom, I told my husband, “Don’t let me put this book out of my sight!” That’s a convoluted way of saying that there was so much of value to me in this book. In fact, while I’ve read it, I am definitely not finished with it yet. I plan to work through it again, chapter by chapter, engaging with its ideas in my journal, taking notes but also using it to make changes in my life. It resounded with me, enormously; and there is more of it for me to unpack.

Here are some of my favorite quotes:

• “Like the shepherd in Matthew 18:12 who leaves ninety-nine sheep to search for the one sheep that is lost, God would travel to the ends of the earth for you. You’re not just another face in the crowd. To Him, you’re fully seen, desired, and known.”
• “We want a positive life, and since we can’t create a positive life while consumed with negative thoughts, we’re often forced into a mind edit, a sifting through the mental clutter to clear out negativity. The expert of a mind edit is God, who created our minds in the first place. He knows our thoughts and offers healthy scripts to replace old ones.”
• “Cultivate inner beauty..How you act (and make people feel) impacts the way people see you. Beauty is a running tally influenced by a woman’s choices…Your beauty quotient grows by simply being kind.”
• “The reason why we accept God’s assignments is in response to His perfect love….At every age, you have a purpose, one that fulfills your heart’s desire to make a lasting and meaningful difference.”

As I read and interacted with More Than A Mom, I was so impacted by Kari’s loving thoughts and wisdom. She pointed out so many helpful actions and habits that I know I can put to work in my own life, mentally, emotionally, physically, and spiritually. This book has made a difference for me; and it will continue to, I know, as I put the ideas into practice that I’d like to embrace. I believe it can for you as well!

About Kari Kampakis, the author

Kari Kampakis is a mom of four girls, author, speaker, and podcaster from Birmingham, Alabama. Her new book for girl moms, LOVE HER WELL: 10 WAYS TO FIND JOY AND CONNECTION WITH YOUR TEENAGE DAUGHTER, can be found everywhere books are sold. Kari’s books for teen & tween girls – LIKED and 10 ULTIMATE TRUTHS GIRLS SHOULD KNOW – have been used widely across the country for small group studies. Join Kari on Facebook, Instagram, and the Girl Mom podcast, or visit karikampakis.com.

Where you can find More Than A Mom

You can pre-order this book through the link below. Plus, when you do, you’ll receive free downloads from Kari, cell phone lock screens, devotionals, and other goodies.

More Than A Mom purchase link

Enjoy! –Wren

Disclosure: I received a copy of this book from FrontGate Media. All opinions are honest and my own.

Sally Clarkson’s new book, “Help, I’m Drowning” ~ A JustRead Blog Tour & Giveaway (ends 9/20/21)

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Welcome to the Blog Tour for Help, I’m Drowning by Sally Clarkson, hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!

ABOUT THE BOOK

Title: Help, I’m Drowning Author: Sally Clarkson Publisher: Bethany House Publishers Release Date: September 14, 2021 Genre: Christian Women’s Spiritual Growth

Life is filled with unexpected storms that take you by surprise.

In these storms of life, it’s easy to feel helpless, exhausted, afraid . . . and alone. We can feel like victims to circumstances out of our control. Beloved author Sally Clarkson understands deeply. Through almost seven decades of life, she has found herself tossed about in overwhelming life storms through many different seasons. In Help, I’m Drowning, Sally identifies the challenges that took her by surprise and then leads you to the wisdom she gathered from her experiences. Finding grace to walk through the darkness and hope to make it through will give you the comfort and encouragement you need in knowing you are not alone. Though there are no easy, formulaic answers that apply to every situation, Sally leads us to the One who is with us and will see us through. Sally found the anchors that held her steady in the midst of every storm, and she wants to help you find your anchors too. She invites you into her own personal story of anchoring well, and then–with honesty, grit, and her trademark wisdom–she will help you heal and move forward with courage and strength.

PURCHASE LINKS*: Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | BookDepository | IndieBound | Christianbook | BookBub

ALSO AVAILABLE

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Photo Credit: © Steve Hixon

Sally Clarkson is the beloved author of many bestselling books, including Awaking Wonder, Own Your Life, The Lifegiving Home with her daughter Sarah, Desperate with Sarah Mae, and Different with her son Nathan. As a mother of four, she has inspired thousands of women through Whole Heart Ministries. She advocates relentlessly for the power of motherhood, the foundational importance of family, and the influence of home through her Mom Heart conferences, speaking to audiences on several continents. Mentoring women to understand how to love God in a more personal way and how to live a satisfying Christian life are threaded through her messages. Sally’s podcast, At Home with Sally Clarkson and Friends, has more than 14 million downloads.

CONNECT WITH SALLY: Website | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter

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TOUR GIVEAWAY

(1) winner will receive a four-book prize including Awaking Wonder by Sally Clarkson, The Happy Crab by Layla & Kevin Palmer, Make Their Day by Karen Ehman, and Prevail by Susie Larson!

Full tour schedule linked below. Giveaway began at midnight September 13, 2021 and will last through 11:59 PM EST on September 20, 2021. Winner will be notified within 2 weeks of close of the giveaway and given 48 hours to respond or risk forfeiture of prize. US only. Void where prohibited by law or logistics.

Giveaway is subject to the policies found here.

ENTER GIVEAWAY HERE https://widget-prime.rafflecopter.com/launch.js

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Follow along at JustRead Tours for a full list of stops!

*NOTE: This post contains affiliate links.

My thoughts

Oh, I have so many! (Thoughts, I mean.) Help, I’m Drowning: Weathering the Storms of Life with Grace and Hope was yet another book that I didn’t know I *needed* but which poured out comfort, wisdom, strength, and important points to reflect upon as I: remember my past, walk through my present, and also look toward my future; all those years as a woman, a wife, and a mom. I have to admit that there were a few moments in which I wished this book had been written about 10 years ago, as there were storms my family and I were buffeted by then, and I was completely unprepared for the difficulties I was about to walk through. (You know! As if I had that time machine that I could use to take a copy of this book back to 2011 me!)

Part of my own struggles was the pair of rose-colored glasses I was wearing (I was comforted to read that Sally had begun her marriage with a similar pair). Apparently when I read the Bible’s verses on suffering, I studied them but then was SHOCKED when the pains of life showed up on my doorstep. (I know! Also as Sally says about herself and us, I was totally a toddler myself in some ways!) As we all do, I muddled through. But reading Help, I’m Drowning today provides a different pair of glasses for me to view my life with; one that says that storms will come, but I have the hand of my loving Father God who will walk me through them; and that I can begin to trust Him even more with those storms as well as life’s joys and blessings. So as we know, if we live in the world today, there are all sorts of difficulties that life can bring. Sally chooses some to speak about here that I know have affected me and many of my friends and family. She speaks, not in a “one-size-fits-all” manner, but as a loving older mentor sharing what she has learned that might help others. Here are some of the ideas that meant most to me:

• Does God not care about me as I am going through this suffering?
• Fear desires to intimidate and even stop us in our tracks
• It really is okay to feel sadness
• Some of our storms are created by difficult people
• We can be tender and gentle with ourselves (!)
• We really can grow and mature as we walk through the storms

There is a lot there, right? More really, than I can unpack for you here in one post. I can say, overall, that Sally’s book was a breath of not only fresh air, but of loving and kind support and encouragement. Sally’s words and the way she shared her own life experiences told me that what I had lived and struggled with was normal for this life, and this world that we live in. That the Bible even left us examples of similar struggles faced by the early church (or, of course, by the Hebrews and Israelites in the Old Testament). The author’s personal, honest stories meant so much to me as a Christian and as a mom myself.

Perhaps even more helpful to me than the “Yes, this is what life can contain and you’re not a weirdo for going through this,” were the insights Sally included about how we can walk through these troubles (as Jane Bennet calls them in Pride and Prejudice). We can know, as we live through our days, that we are not unnoticed by the God who loves us; that He promises to work things out for our good; that He is not embarrassed or ashamed of us when we struggle. All of those things that, in my deepest valley of suffering, I forgot as if I’d never learned them in the first place! We can have a disconnect when trouble comes; but both Sally and Scripture remind us of the truth of the God who’s standing with us in all things.

This is such a beautiful, instructive, and helpful book for women and for moms. I believe I’m going to be garnering riches from it for a long time.

Enjoy! –Wren

DISCLAIMER: I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book which I received from the author. All views expressed are only my honest opinion.

Enjoy! –Wren

DISCLAIMER: I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book which I received from the author. All views expressed are only my honest opinion.

What steals your peace of mind? Ashley Willis’ “Peace Pirates” tells you how to get it back! (Review & Giveaway; ends 6/26/20)

**Congratulations to Elissa J, who won the giveaway!**

 

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Do you struggle with keeping your mind and thoughts peaceful when the struggles of life dog your footsteps and try to keep you down and distracted? If so, I have a wonderful book to recommend to you. The BlogAbout Blogger Network sent me a digital copy of Ashley Willis’ Peace Pirates to read, and it’s a remarkable book. Keep reading for my thoughts, and for an opportunity to win a signed (on the cover!) hardback copy of your own!

 

 

What is it that makes mom life so hard at different moments? I know I’ve often thought, “If I didn’t have THIS challenge (or THAT challenge), things would be so much better.” Or peaceful. Or wonderful. Or, “I’d be a much better mom if I didn’t have THIS particular thing going on.”

So often, we believe that all our problems would be solved and we’d be consistently AMAZING mothers if we didn’t have certain particular external struggles. But what if I told you that peace is attainable in our minds, our hearts, and our homes?

And that it really is something we can achieve? Ashley Willis’ wonderful and encouraging new book, Peace Pirates: Conquering the Beliefs and Behaviors that Steal Your Treasure in Motherhood is ready and willing to teach us how.

 

About Peace Pirates

Peace Pirates is divided into three sections. In the first, “Confessions of a Pirate Mom,” Ashley shares about her own life and experiences (as a wife and mom of 4) that caused her to learn that she (and moms in general) were in enormous need of peace. During a number of challenging years, Ashley pursued personal healing and learned that living and walking in peace of mind really was possible.

In the second section, “The Four Peace Pirates,” Ashley outlines four habits or ways of thinking/acting that try to pirate away our peace:

• Mommy Martyrdom (I can do it all! Don’t try to help me! Really, I can get this!)
• Comparison Chaos (Oh. Look at her hair! And her kids are so well-behaved! I wish that I had that…)
• Clenching Control (You know what this is. It’s that whole control freak thing.)
• Excessive Expectations (Those unsaid, unspoken demands that our family members should be doing this thing. Or that thing. Then being cranky and unkind when those demands aren’t met. Oh, and we can do this to ourselves just as much as we can to others.)

But Ashley doesn’t just leave us with these probably very recognizable habits. (I could definitely see clearly, upon reading these chapters, which ones I struggle with the most.) But she helpfully provides a quiz in the book as well, if you would like some help in identifying which of these areas you might have. For each one, she gives hope for change as well as the ways to change these, with God’s help, grace, and His Word.

The third section takes a loving look at the life of Mary, the mother of Jesus. Although she, an imperfect human as we all are, was entrusted with such an enormous task of mothering, she approached it with faithfulness to God and belief in Him, and took the opportunity to “treasure up (all those) things in her heart.”

 

My thoughts and reactions to this book

I loved it!

I love Ashley’s voice. She speaks to the reader genuinely, kindly, and with a great sense of humor. The reader never feels looked down upon or judged. Rather, you know that Ashley is reaching out with a hand to help you climb out of habits that are keeping you from being the mom you wish you could be. And, she gives specific, realizable instructions and ways you can do so.

I saw myself so clearly in the section called “Excessive Expectations.” I have always expected A LOT of myself. And due to some health challenges I’ve had here and there over the past eight years, I became a person who suddenly couldn’t do as much as I thought I could. Let me tell you, I judged myself harshly for that. And there wasn’t anyone who could wave a magic wand and make me that girl that I was in the past who could go, go, go. And just as Ashley says, that way of thinking “distract(ed) me from God’s will, defeat(ed) my spirit, and deplet(ed) my energy.”

Yet here’s the truth. God doesn’t expect me to be that person. He probably never did in the first place! Instead, He is loving me and holding out a hand to help me to gain that peace of mind and proper perspective that will change me, and my home and family. I loved the writing exercise Ashley included, where the reader writes down her expectations, the heart desire of each, and how it would promote peace in the home. (Plus a few more.) When we can see something in black and white, it can really open our eyes and enable us to move forward!

I was also beautifully encouraged and blessed by Ashley’s recounting of Mary’s example.

 

Final thoughts

Do you recognize yourself in any of these types of Peace Pirates? Or, are you feeling discouraged with your mom life, and unable to make any changes? If you are, this is the book for you. It’s lovingly and kindly written, and filled with grace and help. I so recommend it!

 

How to enter to win a copy!

The BlogAbout Blogger Network has provided a signed (on the book cover!) hardback copy of Peace Pirates for me to give away to one FINCHNWREN reader. To enter, simply click on the “Enter here!” link below. That will take you to a Giveaway Tools entry form where you’ll be able to enter in a variety of ways. Giveaway closes 6/26/20. Best wishes!

Enter here!

 

Enjoy! –Wren

DISCLAIMER: From time to time, FINCHNWREN may receive a free product or service. We’ll then tell you our own honest opinions about it. We are not required to write a positive or glowing review, nor are we additionally compensated for these reviews. We share our own opinions, and our family’s opinion, of these products. We’re disclosing this in accordance with FTC regulations.

FLASH GIVEAWAY! “More for Mom” Review (CLOSED)

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If you’re one of my readers who is a mom, are you breathing a sigh of relief that the school year is *almost* over? You can have the best kiddos in the world and still be exhausted at the end of a full year. Does this sound like you? If so, I have the perfect summer read for you. The Blog About Blogger Network gifted me with Kristin Funston’s new book, More for Mom: Living Your Whole and Holy Life this spring. And, they have provided an extra copy so that I can give it to a FINCHNWREN reader! (This is a FLASH giveaway closing 5/27/19, so enter today!)

 

 

Do you ever feel overwhelmed by your to-do list? Or just tired when you look at the laundry pile/weeds to be pulled/calendar of events for your family? Do you feel as though you could be living a successful life and ministry if you *only* could remove one thing from the stack, something that seems to interfere with the life you want to live?

Kristin Funston has life and relief to speak to you then. She, too, struggled with this “overwhelm” feeling that causes us to feel that we have to keep producing and keep striving; as the marked-out word on the book cover suggests, that life and people just want “more” from Mom. Do you ever feel like that; that people just keep asking you to do more, more, more, and that you are trying to serve out of a cup that is already emptied out; or even, a cup that is cracked already?

Maybe this is just what our culture has shaped us to believe. I’ve certainly lived life that way and had those moments. (Especially if you’re a type A person like I am.) At a recent physical, my doctor and I were talking about stamina and energy levels, and the cost of doing more than we can. He said, “Well, if you can just carve out a “reasonable” schedule…”

Yes. I actually laughed when he said that. 🙂

Sometimes in the midst of mom life a reasonable schedule isn’t always possible. We can have the orthodontist appointments, the coop classes, the driving lessons calendared. But we aren’t always able to calendar sudden colds or the flu; unexpected emergencies; or the meals you’d like to provide to a dear friend in need. And over time, that constant demand of schedule can not only wear us down physically but emotionally and spiritually as well. How can we recover from, and learn to operate from, a place where we can understand that MORE is not demanded from us, but is provided FOR us by the God who loves us?

Kristin Funston offers a different mindset for us to operate from:

“Each of us is a whole person with one whole life,
and we were designed to experience the holy of this life now, on earth.” (p. 7)

Okay, that sounds great. But what does it mean exactly? To Kristin, it means that we don’t have to live “compartmentalized” life, where changing diapers is one thing, teaching Sunday school is another section of my life, meal planning is another, work life is another. Really, our lives aren’t composed of the “important” and “non-important” parts. It’s all one life, and it’s all significant. All of the seemingly disparate parts of our lives are really all just one, whole life; one that has Him to steer us through, fill us up for, and stitch all those different parts together into one beautiful whole. One where we actually experience rest.

That’s just the first chapter. Throughout the rest of the book, Kristin unpacks these from this original “whole life” thesis statement:

• Experiencing joy, contentment, and (yes, even) a holy life
• Learning to develop a mental mindset that keeps our thoughts in a beautiful and useful path
• Showing love by engaging with others both inside and outside our families
• Dealing in a healthy manner with personal expectations and avoiding comparisons
• Really, really seeing others
• Understanding the real purpose of our lives
• And tons more!

And while all of this is so, so awesome (and trust me; this is a remarkable book that has been incredibly meaningful to me), there are two things that really made it truly life-giving for me.

1. There is no expectation in this book anywhere to make me think that I need to be a perfect mom.
2. It. Is. Hilarious!

While Kristin is offering readers this beautiful way of looking at our lives and engaging with God for more joy, more peace, and more contentment…she is just so real. And makes you laugh while you read it! I am definitely an anti-spoiler girl (i.e., I avoided every single news article or blog post about Marvel in the weeks heading up to “Avengers: Endgame” because I did NOT want to know what happened before I sat in that theater seat!) but I just have to share with you some of these funny moments from More for Mom:

• “If I can barely manage my life, how can I be godly?” (p. 91)
• “Yow. Not going to lie. This verse hurt my feelings.” (p. 69)
• “After a long day of (poorly) parenting my two-year-old, I find peace and even laughter when I sit and write words down in a journal or prayer book.” (p. 126)
• “I have a terrible memory and am very easily distracted. I believe this is partly because of the changes that child rearing caused in my body and mind, but I also know it’s because there are roughly twelve bazillion things running through my mind at any given time.” (p. 150)

And all of this is important to me for several reasons. First, I REALLY believe that we need to laugh more. Life is just hard sometimes, and it hurts. And we can get worn down and forget how much laughter not only lifts our spirits but also puts smiles on the faces of those we love. SO important.

Second, I love that Kristin gets down on the floor with her readers. She’s not sitting high up in the air on some podium of righteousness that we can barely see. She is right down there in the trenches with us. She has struggled with our own struggles; she has had the snarky thoughts that we have had; and she’s made some mom mistakes that are so familiar to us. She makes it funny even as she’s making it real…and that gives us hope that we can do this too.

 

In closing…

Has this been a rough year for you as a mom? Are you just so, so glad that we are on the cusp of summer? Do you feel as though you just can’t accomplish one more thing? Or, if none of these things is true for you (yay for you if so!), would you just like to read a book that will blow a fresh air of encouragement across your mom life? Then More for Mom: Living Your Whole and Holy Life is THE book you must read this summer. You will learn so much, focus your gaze differently on your life, and learn how to live this mom life in joy and peace.

I loved it. And so will you.

 

And the giveaway!

One FINCHNWREN reader will win a copy of More for Mom: Living Your Whole and Holy Life! Simply click on the pink “Enter here” link below. That will take you to a Giveaway Tools entry form where you’ll be able to enter in a variety of ways. This is a flash giveaway, so it will close on Monday, May 27. Enter now and watch your email to find out if you won on Tuesday, May 28!

Enter here

And the winner is: Leela. Congratulations, Leela!

Best wishes! And enjoy! –Wren

 

DISCLOSURE:  From time to time, FINCHNWREN may receive a free product or service in exchange for our honest opinions expressed in our blog. We are not required to write a positive or glowing review, nor are we additionally compensated for these reviews. We share our own opinions, and our family’s opinion, of these products. We’re disclosing this in accordance with FTC regulations.