Desperate; Hope For The Mom Who Needs to Breathe by Sarah Mae & Sally Clarkson

I just finished reading this book and, as a mom who was feeling a bit worn out and worn down, this was wonderful!  Through this book, the authors share the intimacy of their friendship in order to help mothers who are feel less-than-wonderful, effective, loving, or ___________ (fill in the blank).  Being a mother is hard work.  REALLY hard work at times.  And we need help.  I know in my own life there have been numerous time (too many to count in fact!) where I had wished I had someone who had been through child-rearing already to come alongside me and help me through the mountaintops and valleys of raising children.  

Titus 2:3-5 says:  Likewise, teach the older women to be reverent in the way they live, not to be slanderers or addicted to much wine, but to teach what is good. ⁴ Then they can urge the younger women to love their husbands and children, ⁵ to be self-controlled and pure, to be busy at home, to be kind, and to be subject to their husbands, so that no one will malign the word of God.   

Sally Clarkson sought out, and became a mentor to, Sarah Mae when Sarah was struggling with raising small children and also battling depression.  How I wish more older women would do this for younger women!  What a difference it would make in the life's of both of them!  Each chapter of the book starts out with a letter from Sarah to Sally telling her what she's struggling with and asking for advice.  Then Sally replies to the letter.  Then the chapter deals with that particular issue(s) in order to offer practical advice and encouragement to the reader.  I can't tell you how many paragraphs I highlighted in this book!  There is so much useful information that I know I will call on next time I'm feeling lonely and overwhelmed with my mothering.  

Most importantly, this lit a spark in my soul in regards to being truly intentional in raising my children.  Not just to go through the daily issues that arise, but being intentional in how I act and what I say to them, especially when I'm feeling exhausted.  My children are watching me and I need to set the example for them to follow in everything I do.  Although it is hard work now, my hard work will become fruitful as they get older and eventually leave the nest and then I will know that all this hard work was worth it.  This book has helped me to gain God's perspective of mothering and to see my role as a mother in a whole new light!

*I received a complimentary copy of this book from Booksneeze.com in exchange for this honest review.