One of the books on my “to read” list has been “Set-Apart Motherhood” by Leslie Ludy. I put it on my Christmas wish list and my sister-in-law got it for me, much to my excitement! As my children grow and I am faced with new situations on a daily basis, I desire to glean from other moms who have been there. It is important to me that these moms are Christians because I firmly believe that God’s Word and prayer are the keys to motherhood. That being said, I might not agree 100% with Leslie Ludy on certain Biblical issues, but there is nothing she teaches that would keep me from reading and benefiting from her books. Any book apart from the Bible has a margin for human error and of course, difference of opinion.
Now I will take a few moments to highlight some things from “Set-Apart Motherhood”…things that impacted me. One of the most convicting challenges presented in the book is the idea of turning “me time” into “God time”. As mothers it is so easy to tell ourselves that we just need a break and need to do something for ourselves. There is some truth in that because yes, we do need to do something for ourselves in order to be the mothers God would have us to be. The best thing we can do to better ourselves is to spend time with the Lord. We will not help our families by spending the majority of our quiet time in ways such as watching TV shows/movies, scrolling through social media, or shopping. Leslie Ludy shares that the best way to refresh herself is to spend purposeful time with her Savior.
Another topic discussed is that of keeping a good routine. Children thrive on routine! The author shares many practical tips for establishing a schedule. She also addresses the importance of fitting one-on-one time into that routine.
There are so many great points in this book, but lastly, I want to mention the chapter on fearless motherhood. It is so easy for my mind to wander into the “what ifs”. What if this happened to my child? What if…? Leslie Ludy reminds us to trust God with our children. I won’t tell you much about that chapter because I think you need to read it for yourself. ?
Now you might be thinking that this all sounds great but is unattainable. Think again. The author confesses that she doesn’t have it all together all the time, but she encourages the reader that through self-discipline and conscious effort, all mothers can fulfil their role to the glory of God. This is set-apart motherhood.
I encourage you to read “Set-Apart Motherhood”, especially if you are a mother or even a grandmother. It was the exact book that I needed to start my year off! It is a fairly short book and not a hard read at all. Something I loved about it is that it is fresh. Leslie Ludy is a mom who is still raising her kids today and everything she wrote in this book is extremely relatable to me. She is honest, includes some humor, and her writing-style is engaging. Here is a link to her website, which I frequently visit. http://www.setapartmotherhood.com/
I am going to put this on my list!!