Lisa-Jo Baker's Surprised by Motherhood: A Journey from Fear to Faith
Surprised by Motherhood: Everything I Never Expected about Being a Mom books pdf file
If you are looking for a book that will inspire you, encourage you, and make you laugh and cry at the same time, you should read Surprised by Motherhood: Everything I Never Expected about Being a Mom by Lisa-Jo Baker. This book is a memoir of a woman who never wanted to be a mom, but became one anyway, and discovered the beauty and wonder of motherhood along the way.
Surprised by Motherhood: Everything I Never Expected about Being a Mom books pdf file
Introduction
In this section, I will introduce the book, the author, and the reasons why you should read it.
What is Surprised by Motherhood?
Surprised by Motherhood is a book that tells the story of Lisa-Jo Baker, a lawyer with a passion for human rights, who never planned to have children. But then she got pregnant, and her life changed forever. She had to face the challenges and joys of becoming and being a mom, without having her own mother as a guide. She had to learn to embrace the messiness, the chaos, and the love that comes with motherhood. She had to discover that being a mom is not about being perfect, but about being present.
Who is Lisa-Jo Baker?
Lisa-Jo Baker is a writer, speaker, and community manager for (in)courage, an online home for women all over the world. She was born in South Africa, grew up in Florida, studied law in England, worked for human rights in Ukraine, and married an American. She now lives in Maryland with her husband and three children. She writes about faith, family, and friendship on her blog and her books.
Why should you read this book?
You should read this book if you are a mom, or if you know a mom, or if you want to be a mom someday. This book will make you feel less alone, less guilty, and more grateful for the gift of motherhood. This book will show you that motherhood is not a burden, but a blessing. This book will help you to see the beauty in the ordinary moments of life with your children. This book will remind you that God is with you in every step of your journey as a mom.
Main body
In this section, I will summarize the main points of each chapter of the book.
Part 1: The journey to motherhood
This part covers the first three chapters of the book, where Lisa-Jo shares how she became a mom.
Chapter 1: The girl who never wanted to be a mom
In this chapter, Lisa-Jo tells us about her childhood in South Africa, where she witnessed the injustice and violence of apartheid. She also tells us about her mother, who was a strong and loving woman, who died of cancer when Lisa-Jo was 18. Lisa-Jo says that losing her mother made her lose her desire to be a mom. She wanted to travel the world, fight for human rights, and make a difference. She didn't want to be tied down by diapers, dishes, and domesticity.
Chapter 2: The unexpected pregnancy
In this chapter, Lisa-Jo tells us about how she met and married her husband, Peter, who was an American missionary in Ukraine. She also tells us about how she got pregnant with their first child, Micah, when they were living in England. She says that she was shocked and scared by the news. She didn't feel ready or qualified to be a mom. She felt like she was giving up her dreams and her identity. She felt like she was betraying her mother's legacy.
Chapter 3: The birth of a mother
In this chapter, Lisa-Jo tells us about how she gave birth to Micah in a hospital in London. She says that it was the most painful and the most beautiful experience of her life. She says that when she held her son for the first time, she felt a surge of love that she had never felt before. She says that in that moment, she became a mom. She realized that motherhood was not a mistake, but a miracle. She realized that motherhood was not a sacrifice, but a privilege.
Part 2: The challenges of motherhood
This part covers the next three chapters of the book, where Lisa-Jo shares how she struggled with some of the difficulties of being a mom.
Chapter 4: The sleepless nights
In this chapter, Lisa-Jo tells us about how she suffered from insomnia and anxiety after having Micah. She says that she couldn't sleep because she was afraid that something bad would happen to her baby. She says that she felt guilty for not enjoying every moment of motherhood. She says that she felt lonely and isolated from her husband and her friends. She says that she cried out to God for help and comfort.
Chapter 5: The identity crisis
In this chapter, Lisa-Jo tells us about how she moved with her family to the US, where they had their second child, Zoe. She also tells us about how she struggled with finding her purpose and value as a mom. She says that she missed her career as a lawyer and her passion for human rights. She says that she felt like she had nothing to offer to the world except changing diapers and making sandwiches. She says that she compared herself to other moms who seemed to have it all together. She says that she questioned God's plan for her life.
Chapter 6: The loss of control
In this chapter, Lisa-Jo tells us about how she learned to let go of her need for control and perfection as a mom. She says that she realized that motherhood is unpredictable and messy. She says that she realized that motherhood is not about following rules and routines, but about following God's lead and grace. She says that she realized that motherhood is not about doing everything right, but about doing everything with love.
Part 3: The joys of motherhood
This part covers the last three chapters of the book, where Lisa-Jo shares how she discovered the beauty and wonder of being a mom.
Chapter 7: The surprising love
In this chapter, Lisa-Jo tells us about how she fell in love with her children more and more each day. She says that she was amazed by their personalities, their talents, their quirks, and their gifts. She says that she was delighted by their smiles, their laughs, their hugs, and their kisses. She says that she was moved by their faith, their hope, their courage, and their kindness. She says that she was grateful for their forgiveness, their acceptance, their trust, and their love.
Chapter 8: The healing power
Chapter 9: The gift of presence
In this chapter, Lisa-Jo tells us about how she learned to be present and enjoy the moments with her children. She says that she realized that motherhood is not about the future or the past, but about the now. She says that she realized that motherhood is not about the big or the small, but about the all. She says that she realized that motherhood is not about the what or the how, but about the who. She says that she realized that motherhood is not about her, but about them.
Conclusion
In this section, I will summarize the main points of the article, give a call to action, and answer some FAQs.
Summary of the main points
Surprised by Motherhood: Everything I Never Expected about Being a Mom is a book that will touch your heart and soul as a mom. It is a book that will make you laugh, cry, and nod in agreement. It is a book that will inspire you to embrace the messiness, the chaos, and the love that comes with motherhood. It is a book that will show you that being a mom is not about being perfect, but about being present.
Call to action
If you want to read this book, you can download it as a pdf file from this link: https://www.tyndale.com/p/surprised-by-motherhood/9781414387857. You can also buy it as a paperback or an audio CD from Amazon or other online retailers. You can also visit Lisa-Jo Baker's website at https://lisajobaker.com/ to learn more about her and her other books.
FAQs
Here are some frequently asked questions about the book and their answers:
Q: Is this book only for moms?
A: No, this book is for anyone who wants to learn more about motherhood and its challenges and joys. It is also for anyone who wants to appreciate their own moms or other moms in their lives.
Q: Is this book based on a true story?
A: Yes, this book is a memoir of Lisa-Jo Baker's personal experience of becoming and being a mom. It is based on her real life events and emotions.
Q: Is this book a Christian book?
A: Yes, this book is written from a Christian perspective and includes references to God, faith, and scripture. However, it is not preachy or judgmental. It is honest and relatable.
Q: Is this book suitable for children?
A: This book is not intended for children, as it contains some mature themes and language. It is more suitable for teens and adults.
Q: Is this book part of a series?
A: No, this book is a standalone book. However, Lisa-Jo Baker has written other books on similar topics, such as The Middle Matters: Why That (Extra)Ordinary Life Looks Really Good on You and Never Unfriended: The Secret to Finding & Keeping Lasting Friendships.
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