"Professionalizing Motherhood"

I can't say enough about about this book by Jill Savage. I wish I could give a copy to every mother. For the past 4 1/2 months, I've been leading a class of young moms through this book.

In our society, being a stay-at-home mom is often looked at as the choice of a woman who isn't smart enough or good enough to work a paid job; or it's viewed as an interruption to pursuing a career or pursuing your own dreams. Jill Savage, however, in writing this book, not only affirms staying at home with your children as a valid expenditure of your time and energy, but also challenges mothers to take it on as you would any profession, by building a network of other professionals, utilizing resources to enhance your skills, pursuing it with a clear purpose with real goals and expected outcomes for your family. She also gives great ideas for how to be organized, how to laugh and have fun, how to be gracious, how to have a marriage-centered family, how to make Christ the center of your home and daily life, and building an incredible resume.

From this book, a mother can gain a new perspective that her role as a mother is a God-given calling, a privilege, and something she can do well with God walking with her daily. In our culture, a Godly mother who can give her children the love, support, guidance, training and stability they need is so necessary. I believe a generation of mothers who invest themselves fully in helping their children prepare for adulthood would change our culture immensely for the better.

If you like this book, or the concept of it, you should look into the ministry that Jill Savage has founded, called Hearts at Home. You can visit their website at http://www.hearts-at-home.org/ to see all that they offer. I particularly recommend their conferences. I've attended two myself. Moms who can attend one of these conferences, while getting a break from their children, will come away refreshed, inspired, and equipped for the profession of motherhood. The ministry also has an e-mail newsletter, an online message board community, a magazine, several books and other tools for moms, and gift items for sale that celebrate motherhood.