<p>Mothering is messy. Our joy and hope in raising children doesn’t change the reality that being a mom can be frustrating stressful and tiring. But just as God is using us to shape our children God is using our children and motherhood to shape us. </p><p>In <em>The Better Mom</em> author Ruth Schwenk herself a mother of four children encourages us with the good news that there is more to being a mom than the extremes of striving for perfection or simply embracing the mess. We don’t need to settle for surviving our kids’ childhood. We can grow <strong>through</strong> it.</p><p>With refreshing and heartfelt honesty Ruth emboldens moms to:</p><ul><li>Find freedom and walk confidently in purpose</li><li>Create a God-honoring home environment </li><li>Overcome unhealthy and destructive emotions such as anger anxiety and more</li><li>Avoid glorifying the mess of mom-ing or idolizing perfection</li><li>Cultivate life-giving friendships </li></ul><p>At the heart of <em>The Better Mom</em> is the message that Jesus calls us to live not a <em>weary</em> life but a <em>worthy</em> life. We don’t have to settle for either being apathetic or struggling to be perfect. Both visions of motherhood go too far. Ruth offers a better option. She says “It’s okay to come as we are but what we’re called to do and be is far too important to stay there! The way to becoming a better mom starts not with what we are doing but with who God is inviting us to become.'</p>