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Created to Care is the latest book by blogger, author, and mom Sara Wallace and it is my favorite book for moms. When it comes to books for Christian moms, it seems like there are many options to choose from. What sets Sara’s book apart is that it focuses on specific areas of anxiety that are typically unique to the role of motherhood. Being a visual learner, I really loved the chart Sara included on page 21 which demonstrates the expectations we place on ourselves as moms versus what God actually calls us to.
In the Our Expectations column she used examples like, “Feed my child perfect food, Never sin in front of my child, and Make every party Pinterest worthy.” In the God’s Expectations column, she listed examples including, “Train up a child in the way he should go (Proverbs 22:6) and Seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness (Matthew 6:33).
Seeing the contrast between these expectations was a good reminder for me to focus on what really matters in my role as a mom. Since reading Created to Care, I have felt so free to make decisions for my children without fear of having to do things the “right” way.
I also appreciated Sara examining what Biblical priorities a mom should have. She addressed areas including a mom’s relationship with God, her spouse, her children, her home, her local church, and even the topic of self-care. I was especially grateful for the brief section on self-care because it seems to get a bad rap in conservative Christian circles. I found Sara’s words regarding this practice to be so encouraging!
On pages 64-65 she said, “Self-care sounds logical – but is it biblical? I want to encourage you: not only does God allow us to take a few minutes to recharge, but self-care is actually essential to drawing near to God and being used by him. . . If we seek satisfaction apart from Christ, we will always come up empty.”
The examples she used for self-care included having your children play quietly in order to spend time reading the Bible and praying. She also added, “Self-care doesn’t have to look super spiritual or holistic. Sometimes in means eating a brownie in peace and surfing Pinterest. The point is recharging ourselves for the sake of the work God has given us,” (pg. 65).
One of my favorite sections of the book, probably because it has personally affected me, is the section on page 77 titled, “How to Give Criticism.” Sara offers four points to consider before offering criticism to another mom, “Consider how you can help before offering criticism, Give criticism within the context of relationship, Offer constructive criticism for important issues – not just your opinions, Give criticism the way you want to receive criticism.” While reading Sara’s deliberation on these four points I found myself wanting to shout a hearty, “AMEN!”
Another helpful aspect of this book is the reflection questions provided at each chapter’s conclusion. The questions allow readers to dive in deeper to the topics the chapter was exploring and make this book great for individual reading and for group study as well. I have noticed that as a result of reading Created to Care, I’m less anxious about the things that don’t matter and more excited about the things that do.
My heart found great comfort in Created to Care as Sara reminded me of the truth of the gospel and pointed me back to who God is and what He calls me to do as a mom. Created to Care is one of the most hope giving books for moms and I am pleased to give it my highest recommendation.
Read an adapted excerpt of Created to Care here.
I received Created to Care compliments of P&R Publishing in exchange for my honest review.
