By Misty Umholtz
For the Love: Fighting for Grace in a World of Impossible Standards by Jen Hatmaker
If you have not had the pleasure of reading one of Jen’s books before, I think you would thoroughly enjoy this one. She is honest, real, open, funny and spiritual. She makes you feel like a friend, like your crazy quirks are perfectly normal and gives you a license of freedom from the pursuit of perfectionism all at the same time. You will probably laugh out loud while reading or at least have a smile plastered to your face all the way through.
Jen is a mother of five children ages ranging preschool- high school and she turned 40 while writing this book. For all the moms of youngins’ out there trying to do it all, be it all and have it all, she offers pearls of wisdom that would be wise to heed to even if you find it hard to believe right now in your season of life. For all the moms of older children, it will be a companion of freedom in declaring yourself free to be you and love you and your own. For all the Grandma’s out there, whether you are young or old, you will probably find validation for what you have already known for a long time now.
This book offers Jen’s advice, opinions and thoughts about everything pertaining to life that encompasses a women’s world including fashion, careers, cooking, friends, the church, marriage, pastors, mothering and more with plenty of laughs along the way.
Even if you don’t agree with every single word she says, she provides words of enlightenment, freedom and grace in every chapter.
I finished this book feeling like God just gave me a stamp of approval for being who He cre
ated me to be. I received a hall pass to forego anything that tried to hold me down or make me feel guilty even on all the ‘to do’ lists and ‘should have to’ lists put on myself pertaining to church, the way I mother and the way I live my life. I also felt inspired and challenged to look at the circles God has placed me in and reach out to the mission field He has provided to me without me leaving my own life that I am already living.
This book definitely left a mark on me without the feeling of having to do anything to fix myself. If you are pondering what to read next, this one gets a huge thumbs up.