I shared my biggest fears on Instagram the other day about releasing Grumpy Mom Takes a Holiday. Today I’m sharing my greatest fear about what you’ll think ABOUT ME as I release Grumpy Mom.
What will SHE think?
She being the mom of 6, the mom with the special needs child, the mom with kids older than mine. The mom with a lot harder day-to-day than mine.
Will they laugh at the mom of two with only 5 ish years of motherhood under her belt writing a book hoping to help them? I tried to put these fears away and assume it was silly to address it but as I tried to put it out of my mind, I heard someone share that they had trouble trusting someone who writes something while the learning is fresh. It needs time to sit. You need to become an expert in it. And while I get where she was coming from, I feel so passionately about this message and want to share some very specific reasons why I didn’t wait.
Here’s exactly why I wrote this book now:
1. I have a naturally melancholy personality. That means it doesn’t matter if I’ve been doing this for 3 days or 15 years. It doesn’t matter if I am having pretty good days with a small hiccup or devastating circumstances. In all scenarios, I will gravitate toward the negative and because I know how good God is, I know that’s not His design for how I spend my life. This book is about equipping you to face whatever you are facing and walk through it in light of God’s truth.
2. I’ve gone from one point to another point. You can ask my husband. You can ask my kids. You can ask my sister. I’m a different mom than I was. And really, every time I read through the book again, more change happens. Why? Because we’re human beings with lots of room to grow. I’m not sure where your starting point is, but it’s likely much different if you have 4 kids a husband who travels a lot for work or chronic illness. My prayer is that no matter what your current circumstances, you will see change on the spectrum of grumpy to joy.
3. Our generation needs this message right now. Not in 20 years when I deem enough time has appropriately passed to share about motherhood. If I could tell you the messages I’ve already received from moms who have said how much they need this book, I’m blown away. I’m grateful to get this book in their hands while their in the thick of it and it can serve them and not when their youngest graduates college.
4. Because this isn’t a book about how to raise children. My kids are still young. I can’t share exactly how I parent and tell you it’s the right way to do it. What I’m sharing is exactly what has changed the way I have approached motherhood and how that brought me more joy and helped me live a motherhood that I’m excited and not looking to escape. I’m talking right now results. “Time will tell” doesn’t make sense here because regardless of what our future looks like (though I hope and pray I’ve stewarded them well), our life is different right now as a result of this message.
5. Because God’s Word is alive and active. I actually was reminded of this by a mom who has four kids and was originally hesitant that my book would help her because she wasn’t grumpy until after her fourth child. Then she mentioned that the gospel is true for moms of four and two! So simply put but so true!! I’ll tell you this book is not about what I think will help us in motherhood but what God is showing to me to be absolute truths about motherhood that the world mixes up (and therefore we get a mixed up message) that cause us to spend more time than we could ever hope grumpy or just frustrated.
6. Because we have to fight for joy and my heart is to help us all do that. We have an enemy and I imagine he gets quite a kick out of seeing us waiting for joy to hit when we should be fighting for it. Part of your fight for joy might be a simple first step of trusting that God’s got something good for you in this book and that you actually are capable of change in the first place! Do you believe you can’t change? Do you believe your circumstance is too extreme, too unique and therefore incapable to be redeemed? Don’t believe that lie! Whether you get the book or not, know that as believers Christ living in us means we are capable of transformation.
One reason I’m so excited about this book is that it’s not about monumental change that feels impossible to even attempt. It’s about identifying lies we’ve been told and letting that simple realization and God’s truth, transform those moments we yell and set our feet on a new path instead of ruining the whole day.
The big question:
What have you got to lose? Mommas are already sharing stories of hope as they’ve just read the intro of the book. Want to see what it’s all about? Click here to see a sampling to find out if Grumpy Mom Takes a Holiday is worth the read!
Are you ready for a little refreshment NOW? Our 9-day challenge, Afternoons Redeemed, is here to help mommas start finding joy in what is often one of the hardest times of the day. Click here to sign up for free!
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