You ever read a book and go, “That is so me!” Or, “This is so where I want to be. I need to read that again.” Or, “Wow, this book is amazing. I can’t wait to tell all my friends!”? Well that is exactly how I feel about the book I am going to share with you today. I am still working on my Book List for 2013 and just recently finished reading The Mission of Motherhood by Sally Clarkson. I must say that when I started to read this book I didn’t think it would impact me at all like it did. Yet, I am so thankful that it was on my list, and I indeed read this 5-star rated book because it has quickly risen to the handful of books that have strongly impacted my life.
I briefly mentioned the book back when I shared how it influenced the creation of A Mother’s Daily Affirmation, but I still felt that I needed to share about this book more because of it’s spiritual impact that is so important to many of us as mothers. I have highlighted and marked so many take-aways from this book, that it actually hard for me to sit down to write a short and concise review but I will try my best.
Sally breaks the book down into 12 chapters. The first few chapters discuss a mother’s calling and the meaning of biblical motherhood. While these few chapters may appear to be stepping on a few toes, I found them quite motivating and encouraging. I especially appreciated the third chapter of this section because I don’t know about you, but personally, in this culture, sometimes I feel torn between what the world tells me I should be for my husband, my family, or my community and what God wants me to do through me for my husband, my family, and my community. Even this blog, although Christian focused, can have a worldly spin on it that draws me away from what God really intended for me–a purpose that I am now committed to trust in Him to fulfill more than ever before.
The next few chapters take a look at motherhood from an internal perspective. At times mothering is hard. It’s challenging. It’s tiring. It’s…what God may be using as “iron sharpening iron” (Proverbs 17:17). Do you ever think of mothering as an act of service? Or as a once in a lifetime mentoring opportunity? If not, then these next few chapters will change all of that and also provide several real-life examples setting a godly example that your children will long to follow.
Sally then provides several examples on how to implement godly tools for creating a positive home environment and creative ministry opportunities for the family to further impact God’s kingdom for eternity together. In her own words Sally shares,
“The purpose of this book is not to tell you how to live your life. And it’s certainly not to make you feel guilty. The purpose of this book is simply to hold up God’s ideal for the role of motherhood, to remind us of God’s design and how we can use our role to stitch together the pieces that will help make our families whole.”
After reading this book, I have made a decision to do a few things different in my life so as to create a more solid foundation for my children to develop and grow their own faith in the Lord. In fact, I hope that many years down the road when my children have to write my epitaph on my tombstone that it will say, “The Cornerstone Mom.” No, not because it’s the name of this blog (because that will come and go), but because I want to be known as the mom who was always leaning on Jesus Christ, the Cornerstone, such that my children can build their lives upon. And thanks to Sally, The Mission of Motherhood helped to put it in a renewed perspective for me. Thanks Sally. I will be forever indebted.
She opens her mouth with wisdom, and the teaching of kindness is on her tongue. She looks well to the ways of her household and does not eat the bread of idleness. Proverbs 31:26-27
