Blog at Home Mom - Book Review

When Christin Slade asked if anyone would like a free copy of her new ebook Blog at Home Mom: Balancing Blogging and Motherhoodin return for reviewing it on their blog, I jumped at the chance. Not only because it was a subject that really interested me, but also because I know Christin a little already from her blog Joyful Mothering, and I love her writing. I know that she has lots of experience and wisdom to offer.

Her new ebook didn't disappoint. She writes in her introduction: "Pursuing our passions doesn’t mean you sacrifice less as a wife or mother, it simply means you focus more on all the different facets."

In the ensuing chapters she covers topics such as setting goals and having a plan, organising your days, prioritising, and how to avoid sloppy days. And these aren't just ways to organise your writing and blogging. In each chapter Christin discusses how to set goals for your blog and for your children; how to organise your blogging schedule and how to organise your children's time. Throughout the book she weaves a careful balance between our responsibilities to our families and our homes and our desire to spend time on our computers developing our calling and gifting as writers. The final two chapters focus on caring for your marriage and caring for your spiritual walk, which are so important if we want to live a happy, balanced, intentional life.

Christin is well-connected in the blogging world, and I love that each chapter ends with some words of wisdom and insight from fellow bloggers on each topic.

If you're a Blog at Home Mom then I encourage you to buy this book, and as a bonus, all the profits from sales of the book go towards the Slade's Adoption Fund, as they try to raise $2500 to bring their two daughters home from Ghana.

Abide in Him!

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Learning from those who've gone before us

I've just finished reading a book by Noel Piper called 'Faithful Women and their Extraordinary God', which looks at the lives of five amazing women from different centuries and countries, with very different callings, from whom we can learn so much. I used to read loads of missionary biographies, which I always found so inspiring, and this book re-ignited a small flame inside me that had died out a while ago. I was encouraged to read about Sarah Edwards, who made such an impact when in the eyes of the world today she was 'just a stay-at-home mum'. Lilias Trotter, who gave up a potentially wonderful career as a talented and respected artist so that she could go to Africa as a missionary despite her poor health, really inspired me to look beyond earthly rewards and human wisdom and to make sure that I'm being obedient to God's call, however strange or 'second best' it may seem. Gladys Aylward's story was one of courage and determination, and I was challenged by her desire to really become one with the people she was working amongst. I'd not heard of Esther Ahn Kim, but her story reminded me that we are not called a life of ease, but rather we should be prepared to suffer as followers of Jesus. Finally, the story of Helen Roseveare really resonated with me because I recognised a lot of myself in her upbringing, spiritual struggles and focus in life. I loved the part where she loses her temper in the hospital ward and has to be gently rebuked by her African colleague that “I don’t think the Lord Jesus would have spoken like that.” I need to be reminded of that on a daily basis when I ‘lose it’ with my kids :-) In another place her local Pastor suggests that “Self is the great enemy….Helen… the trouble with you is that we can see so much Helen that we cannot see Jesus.” I was really struck by that thought. I waste so much time and energy trying to be the best ‘Catherine’ I can be, when really I ought to be seeking to cross out my ‘I’ so that ‘Christ in me’ can be more visible. With that in mind, I love words of this hymn that Noel quotes at the end of this chapter: Not I, But Christ, by A.B.Simpson Not I, but Christ, be honored, loved, exalted, Not I, but Christ, be seen, be known, be heard, Not I, but Christ, in every look and action, Not I, but Christ, in every thought and word. Not I, but Christ, to gently soothe in sorrow, Not I, but Christ, to wipe the falling tear, Not I, but Christ, to lift the weary burden, Not I, but Christ, to hush away all fear. Not I, but Christ, no idle word e’er falling, Christ, only Christ, no needless bustling sound, Christ, only Christ, no self-important bearing, Christ, only Christ, no trace of “I” be found. Not I, but Christ, my every need supplying, Not I, but Christ, my strength and health to be; Christ, only Christ, for body, soul, and spirit, Christ, only Christ, live then Thy life in me. Christ, only Christ, ere long will fill my vision; Glory excelling soon, full soon I’ll see Christ, only Christ, my every wish fulfilling — Christ, only Christ, my all in all to be.