Review/Giveaway: Out of the Spin Cycle

A WINNING READINGS GIVEAWAY!

Title: Out of the Spin Cycle:  Devotions to Lighten Your Mother Load
Author: Jen Hatmaker
Genre: Christian motherhood - devotional

How to enter: Leave a comment on THIS post right here! If you're a subscriber or a follower, leave a second comment for a second entry.

Entry deadline: July 10, 2010

Restrictions: Open internationally!

That's right, enter right here for this giveaway.  This is my review copy, so it has been gently read.

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Publisher:  Revell
Physical Description: 175-page paperback
List Price: $11.99
ISBN: 978-0800734480
For More Info:  http://www.jenhatmaker.com/ 
Also, see author interview.

Synopsis:

Following Jesus shouldn't be just one more thing to do

Motherhood sometimes feels like a list of expectations. You may be busy or even overwhelmed. But you are also strong and brilliant. And here's a secret: a lot of those things on your list of expectations are things Jesus never expected you to do on your own.

In Out of the Spin Cycle, author and speaker Jen Hatmaker takes the words and deeds of Jesus, adds the humor of a young mom's life, and offers messages of grace and encouragement. Covering areas such as worry, marriage, priorities, money, and the comparison trap, this dynamic Bible teacher brings Jesus's message alive in short, to-the-point devotionals for your busy life. This is a devotional for you--the woman inside the mom--the Bible student, the learner, the world-changer.

So put aside that to-do list for a moment and discover the ways Jesus can lighten your mother load.

About the Author:

Jen Hatmaker is the author of seven books and Bible studies, including A Modern Girl's Guide to Bible Study. With a heart for the women of her generation, she speaks at retreats and conferences around the country. Jen and her husband, Brandon, reside in Texas with their three children, and lead the ministry work at Austin New Church.

What I Liked:  This is definitely a book that spoke to me right now. 

As a mom, especially a blog-reading mom, I feel like I'm constantly secondguessing my mothering choices.  It used to be birth methods, breastfeeding, sleeping arrangements, cry-it-out versus on-demand choices, types of diapers...  Now it's discipline methods, educational methods, dietary choices, scheduling and routines, computer time...  It doesn't stop, does it?  Next up is allowances, tomorrow it'll be whether girls should go to college...  There are some great opinions and great writers out there, and it's hard for me to wrap my mind around all the options and logic involved in each choice. 

Not to mention that I'm human, so when it comes to living out a choice, I often fail in what I've chosen.  Life happens.

Well, this book is a breath of fresh air.  In a humorous way, the author balances those incidental issues (working women, body image, horrible mom moments, discipline, finances, and a whole lot more) and puts the focus on Christ, where it belongs.  Filled with personal examples and sweet mom moments, there is plenty of material any mom could relate to.

Each devotional ends with a practical little challenge to "step out of the spin cycle."

I admit - I read through the whole book in two sessions, rather than the recommended 40 days.  It was that interesting.

I highly recommend squeezing in a few minutes with this book for all the moms who are struggling to find balance and perspective in the middle of their overwhelming lives.

What I Didn't Like:  Absolutely nothing! 

Cautionary note to moms who are on a soapbox about one of the "incidental issues:"  you may be compelled to come off the soapbox in the challenge to love Jesus above all else.

Thanks to Baker Publishing Group for the review copy of this book.