Motherhood is hard work-very much a full time job. The farther I go on this journey and the more challenging it gets-adding in more kids and new stages to master- the more I realize how vital a good support system is for every Mama. In my life that looks like a loving husband, awesome parents and in-laws, a great church and moms ministry there AND a row on my bookshelf of encouraging and instructive books specific to motherhood. I have come to realize the significant importance of real life community and camaraderie with local, like minded moms; but being an introvert, I will always appreciate a well written book I can relate to and find solace in. Hope Unfolding: Grace-filled truth for the Momma's heart was just such a book for me. My mom, a true Titus 2 woman-always looking for ways to encourage me as a young mother, introduced me to Becky's blog, Scissortail Silk, awhile back and was excited to see her gather some of her stories and message into a book!
The cover itself is uplifting and inviting- bringing some beauty into your day from the get go! Becky has a very engaging, conversational writing style that makes it feel as if she's sitting right across the living room from you, sharing a heart to heart. I really appreciate Becky's drive for reaching out to other moms in the midst of it and to say, "Ya, me too." There is really something to be said for someone willing to let their guard down and allow others to see that their life is a bit on the messy side too. Vulnerability goes so much farther in establishing a real connection with someone than trying to keep up appearances. In the last few years especially, I have gained some amazing mama friends by being willing to open my door (clean house or not) and share a cup of coffee and a good conversation, with children running wild around our feet. I have learned that if I was going to wait until I had everything together and my life spic and span before I let people in, I would be very lonely, indeed. I cherish the friendships that have been built around messy kitchen tables, laughing over the crazy things our kids have done and mulling over this puzzle called life with authentically beautiful women. So I love that Becky has grabbed ahold of that idea and taken it to the internet to connect women to a bigger community and now in book form.
What I admire more than the fact the Becky is easy to relate to is that she doesn't just leave you there at "Ya, I know, this whole thing sucks sometimes, doesn't it?" Especially when I'm in a hard season myself, I have a very easy time agreeing with someone else's trials and discouragement but don't quite have the strength to assist in finding the silver lining. Becky does a great job of taking you from a real life scenario from her own story to spinning some deeper meaning and truths out of the situation. Being a Mama of three herself, she can empathize with the wear and tear of motherhood (and those beyond ordinary days that push you over the edge); but she has rooted herself in the hope of Christ enough to be able to gently lift the chin of her fellow mothers and help them to see beyond the struggles of today, to the bigger purpose and reward found in Him.
As a (very small-time) Mama blogger myself, most every time a message bounces around in my head that I feel I'd like to write about and share, I tell myself "that's already been said and way better than you could ever express it." Because, thanks to the internet especially, there are thousands of voices out there sharing some very inspiring words. But I was recently kind of shaken out of that train of thought by something I read in Emily Freeman's A Million Little Ways. Emily wrote "Our imaginations are endless. You get to frame things in a way only you can, with a voice only you have. Sure, we may be framing the same thing, but we'll do it differently...See the world out of abundance rather than scarcity. Just because he is saying something you want to say doesn't mean you shouldn't say it too...If they are saying it too, all that means is you're on to something...Yes, someone can do it better and they probably already have...but you saying it might be the first time someone finally hears." All this to say, I can't say I haven't heard the message Hope Unfolding brings before, but it was a refreshing reminder of truth. I think Becky's voice is one that resonates well into the hearts of those traveling the well worn path of motherhood.
"I received this book from Blogging for Books for this review."
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