Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
It’s funny how you can judge a book by its cover. Or even the first chapter or two. And then totally change your mind. That’s what happened when I read Mom Seeks God: Practicing Grace in the Chaos by Julia Roller. I was surprised at the number of Catholic spiritual experts that she referenced, without mentioning it (Henri Nouwen & St. Ignatius of Loyola, to name two).
Now, I have to admit that I can be a little pompous about my Catholic faith. As a result, I always wonder why whoever can’t just come back into the Catholic fold, especially when I see they are open to such wonderful pieces of it :). So when she was mentioning such Catholic bigwigs as St. Ignatius of Loyola and pieces of his Ignatian spirituality, I got up on my little horse and figured I’d have to pick it apart.
But I really grew to like Julia. She is very like me, from the spiritual pompousness to the very limited vocal range. Even how she wants to do things and then her introverted side talks her out of it. It’s uncanny, really.
Mom Seeks God is part how-to and part memoir about a year-long journey she undertook to meet with God amid the chaos of everyday life. Even how she came to take that journey was eerily similar. She read a ton of books and picked 12 spiritual disciplines, one for each month.
UNlike me, however, she got to most of them. Even while pregnant, she accomplished 10 which is more than I think I would have gotten to :). The spiritual practices she chose were:
- Prayer
- Fellowship
- Submission
- Study
- Simplicity
- Silence
- Worship
- Failure & Fasting
- Service
- And Celebration
She did a great job of illustrating how it is possible to meet God in all these places. In fact, me being me, in the middle of the fellowship chapter I stopped to add a play date invite to my calendar so I wouldn’t forget.
I really enjoyed her conversational and somewhat self-deprecating tone. Her stories, goals and even (especially?) her tips for each practice could have come straight from my world. The only thing I REALLY wanted to know, was what the other two practices were that she didn’t get to. Because then, I’d be able to try the while thing myself & see how it worked for me :).
Overall, I was somewhat surprised to find that I enjoyed this book immensely. A fun read, I’m contemplating checking out her source(s) for forms of spirituality and picking a few of my own for this year. Mom Seeks God does a great job of making spirituality very practical for busy moms. If you are feeling dry in your spiritual life (or are desperate to get it back!), go read Mom Seeks God. You might find a new perspective that helps you find God and nourish your soul.
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Mom Seeks God by Julia Roller offers a highly relatable story and useful advice to help new moms grow in their faith as they address life changes with grace, patience, and prayer. As readers discover ten essential faith practices, they’ll learn that motherhood itself is a spiritual discipline and can be God’s most effective technique for forming a more Christ-like life.
Julia is celebrating the book’s release with a fun giveaway and connecting with moms during a live Facebook author chat.
One winner will receive:
- A Kindle HDX
- Mom Seeks God by Julia Roller
Enter today by clicking one of the icons below. But hurry, the giveaway ends on May 1st. Winner will be announced at “Moms’ May Day” Facebook Party on May 1st. Connect with Julia for an encouraging discussion on spiritual discipline and finding joy in the middle of motherhood. Win prizes, connect with other moms, and be inspired.
Don’t miss a moment of the fun; RSVP today. Tell your friends via FACEBOOK or TWITTER and increase your chances of winning. Hope to see you on the 1st!
Good Luck!!
