Borrowed Strength for Mothers

Posted on by Michele Morin

Encouragement; reassurance; words of wisdom crafted in the trenches.

Somehow, Seth Haines knew that this was the gift his wife needed for the Christmas following the birth of their third child — so he put out the word.  Friends, favorite authors, and bloggers were asked for a contribution of hope, a letter from the heart of a mother.  The response far exceeded Seth’s expectations, and he was able to present to his wife, Amber C. Haines, a collection of stories:  joyful accounts of tiny people and huge love; tales of grief and estrangement; recollections of disappointment and of celebration.

Now the gift is being multiplied in The Mother Letters, an exquisitely bound and illustrated gift book that fosters community while it celebrates the beauty of borrowed strength.  The truth is that motherhood is (as the subtitle suggests) an amazing and exhausting mix of laughter, joy, struggles, and hope.

Each letter overflows with grace and simple wisdom:

  • slow down
  • have grace with yourself
  • stay faithful to your whole calling
  • listen to what your children are teaching you
  • the days are long, but the years are short
  • simplify everything

Like Amber, I have lived the chaos that accompanies life with four tiny boys, but any woman who wears the name “Mother,” will find in The Mother Letters an invitation to die — and then to discover the strength that lies on the other side of weakness.

//

This book was provided by Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group, in exchange for my review.  I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

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Published by Michele Morin

Michele Morin is a Bible teacher, writer, reader, and gardener committed to the truth that women can become confident Christ-followers and students of God's Word. She has been married to an unreasonably patient husband for thirty-plus years, and together they have four sons, four daughters-in-love, and six adorable grandchildren. Michele loves hot tea and well-crafted sentences, poems that stop her in her tracks, and days at the ocean with the whole family. She laments biblical illiteracy and advocates for the prudent use of “little minutes.” She blogs at Living Our Days, and you can connect with her on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter.

16 thoughts on “Borrowed Strength for Mothers”

  5. This review reminds me that I need to go back and read through the series of letters that my mother wrote to me for several years. My siblings and I found them in her stuff during her last months with Alzheimer’s, in envelopes marked not to be read until I die. She had written them over the course of many years. Invaluable!

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  8. Borrowed strength… such a fitting title. I especially love the line: ‘an invitation to die — and then to discover the strength that lies on the other side of weakness’; it reminds me of what great strength is available to us as we accept our weaknesses and embrace God’s incomparable power. Blessings to you, Michele.

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    1. Yes, I see that you’ve reviewed it — it’s in my email inbox, and I want to read it. So fun to read a review of a book I enjoyed. We all have such different take-aways!

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  11. […] Somehow, Seth Haines knew the gift his wife needed for the Christmas following the birth of their third child — so he put out the word.  Friends, favorite authors, and bloggers were asked for a contribution of hope, a letter from the heart of a mother.  The response far exceeded Seth’s expectations, and he was able to present to his wife, Amber C. Haines, a collection of stories:  joyful accounts of tiny people and huge love; tales of grief and estrangement; recollections of disappointment and of celebration. Now the gift is being multiplied in The Mother Letters: Sharing the Laughter, Joy, Struggles, and Hope , an exquisitely bound and illustrated gift book that fosters community while it celebrates the beauty of borrowed strength. Here’s a link to more information about the book. […]

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