You know the feeling when you read the introduction to a book and you think to yourself, “Dang it- I have to lock myself in a closet (or bathroom) and read this thing RIGHT NOW!”?
Ahem, mom life.
That’s how I felt when I started One Mom Can Change the World by Claudia Mitchell and Amy Lanham. This book, an absolute must read if you’re a Mom, was written by 2 amazing women that I’ve actually had the pleasure of meeting and have spent time with in real life. They are both members and prominent speakers at a Mom’s Group I have attended over the last few years (an absolute Godsend for a tired, new Momma). Some of the stories that they tell in this book, I’ve heard them tell in person- and reading them here again has been such a blessing.
These ladies are such an encouragement to all of their fellow Moms and I’m delighted that they chose to share their wisdom in print, where I can turn to it again and again.
I love the premise of the book- it is all based on the ‘clothes’ that we wear as Mothers. Are we wearing a ‘Stinky Mom Shirt”? Are we caught in a comparison trap, comparing our shirts to those of the women around us? Is there something we’re hiding that we’d be absolutely horrified if someone found out? Maybe the ‘shirt’ we sport is covered in lies, stained with guilt, or just doesn’t fit us anymore and it’s time to throw it out.
What type of shirt are you wearing?
Each chapter ends with “Dress for Success’ tips that summarize the section and lists ways to apply what we’ve learned to our lives that very week. It contains bible passages we can turn to for encouragement, ways we can lift up our fellow Mothers, and tips on forgiving ourselves. Each chapter also contains real life snippets of Claudia and Amy’s lives, that prove to us we’re all alike. We’re all struggling in the deep trenches of motherhood together. All mothers have been there, and we’ve all got a “story”. A horror story, a time we’d be ashamed to admit we just LOST IT at our children, and a long list of things that make us feel inadequate. Mom guilt is a real thing- and we all carry it. But, in reading this book I’ve been given so many tools to combat it, that I don’t have to lug such a heavy burden behind me any more.
Written from the perspective of a Mom who’s been there and a Mom who’s currently in the midst of child rearing, it has all of the bases covered. There are chapters on guilt, relationships, marriage, and so much more. It is literally a handbook for Motherhood, with lots of fun What Not to Wear references thrown in!
I’ve been encouraged every time I’ve picked up this book. Been given permission not to be so hard on myself. Taught practical ways to handle the hardships that sometimes come along with being a Mom. And, most importantly, shown how even deep in the muck of Motherhood, one Mom really can make a difference.
We don’t have to be doing some great, magnificent work to change the world. One small act can create a ripple that affects so many others. By being the best Mother we can be to those little people that look up to us, we may even be raising the next world changer.
I’ll leave you with one of my favorite quotes from the end of the book:
“Oh, sweet mama, God’s favor rests upon you. He wants nothing more than to release you from the labels you have so willingly and erroneously placed upon yourself. He wants to set you free from the prison of false expectations and whispered lies. He longs to raise you up as a confident woman secure in her position as a daughter of the King.”
The book will be available for purchase soon locally and from Amy’s website. I will continue updating the details as they come. If you’re a Mom, read this book. If your best friend is a Mom, grab her a copy. Get another one for your own Mom. Because, 100% of the sale of the first printing of this book will go to the Monroe County United Ministries: to create lasting solutions to economic, educational, and social injustice in our community. Once again proving that one Mom can make a difference.
