Strong, Brave, and Beautiful

Book excerpt: From the discomforts of pregnancy to the adventures of parenting toddlers, tweens, and teens, every mom knows (or quickly learns): Motherhood is humbling. Between constant messes, surprises, and the multi-faceted needs of our children, mamas are constantly on their toes-rising to meet challenges that call at all hours of the day and night. Raising kids is an honor and a joy, but it is also more demanding than most of us anticipated prior to the arrival of our little ones. We are often spread thin and stretched to our limits. Motherhood can be fertile ground for discouragement. Mercifully, it can also be a mirror to reflect back to us how strong, brave, and beautiful we are. Strong, Brave & Beautiful: Stories of Hope for Moms in the Weeds is a collection of essays packed with honest and grace-filled stories and practical, heartfelt encouragement for the beautiful, messy years of raising children. Readers will... better understand and recognize God's presence and work in the mundane find beauty in otherwise unglamorous motherhood moments begin to recognize their own strength and courage Strong, Brave, and Beautiful is the perfect gift for the moms in your life who need encouragement, nourishment, and hope. "In the pages of Strong, Brave & Beautiful, every mother will find herself in the powerful stories and compassionate understanding offered by the writers of this book. From poop disasters that make you laugh and groan with sympathy to the specific bittersweet of weaning to enthusiastic celebrations of not only surviving but thriving in an ordinary day, these essays paint vivid pictures of the highs and lows of parenting that will fill the hearts of mothers everywhere with camaraderie and encouragement. Read this book and know that you are not alone." -Meg Tietz, author of Spirit-Led Parenting and host of The Sorta Awesome Podcast "Mamas will relish the validation, relief, and kinship within these pages. Strong, Brave & Beautiful is a balm for the soul and a grace-filled gift for mamas clearing a path through the weeds of motherhood. I loved it." --Shauna Letellier, author of Remarkable Hope: When Jesus Revived Hope in Disappointed People Ready for a fresh dose of hope in your mothering? It's waiting for you on every page." --Becky Keife, author of No Better Mom for the Job and community manager for (in)courage