May 3, 2021
In this stimulating debut, Confessions of a Woman Learning to Live blogger Zook encourages Christian mothers to be honest about their needs and trust in God’s plan. As a foster parent, pastor’s wife, and mother of four children, Zook felt pressured to live up to societal expectations of perfectionism, and here reveals her experiences dealing with depression, grief, and parenting a hyperactive child who doesn’t “fit the mold” and required counseling. To get through her tribulations, Zook had to admit her needs, seek professional help for herself, and openly speak about her stress. She also emphasizes the importance of being vulnerable and having solid friendships: “Friendships with women teach me about relational vulnerability, the hard work of bonding... I learn to make space.” She also shares how she learned to seek God within difficult experiences and challenges women to explore hard questions, such as “Who is God and what does he want me to do?” Ultimately, Zook points Christian moms to God’s grace and reminds them that nothing in their lives “has been outside divine orchestration and redemption.” Reader who enjoy the work of Lysa TerKeurst should take a look.