Carry On Warrior: Thoughts on Life Unarmed

If you are a mom and you participate in Social Media, you have heard of Glennon Doyle Melton.  Unless you were living under a rock (or unless you are one of those people who never click on the posts you see 100 times in your news feed), you most likely read her blog post “Don’t Carpe Diem” when it went viral last year.  And you probably loved it.

I sure did.

It was one of the most validating things I’d ever read on the internet as a mother who is just trying to do her best, but doesn’t always enjoy every. single. moment. of parenthood.  Who probably doesn’t even enjoy most of them. I absolutely loved loved LOVED Glennon’s thoughts on this. I love my children. I adore my children to pieces. I would do anything for my children. But. I don’t enjoy many of the things motherhood entails.

Anyway, because I loved that essay so much, I agreed to be on the tour for Glennon’s new book: Carry On Warrior: Thoughts on Life Unarmed.  Even though I am trying to wean myself off of book reviews and have done a huge amount of them lately.

And it was so worth it.

I cried a lot during the first part of this book simply because I related so well to her experience. No, I don’t relate to the fact that she is a recovering alcoholic and bulimic. I relate to her movement through life:  A person who has weaknesses, who is a mother that wants what is best for her children, who is a follower of Christ.  She really thinks a lot about what it means to be a Christian, what it means to be a mother, and what it means to have weaknesses and to lift and help each other.

Which is what the book did for me. It made me want to be better. A better Christian. A better mother. A better daughter. A better friend. A better person—one who lifts and helps instead of judges and shuns. Someone who makes the world a better place.

If you haven’t read her Don’t Carpe Diem essay, go read it now. And then order yourself a book. 

*************

I was provided a copy of the book by the publisher via TLC Booktours.

This post contains affiliate links.

Subscribe
Notify of
guest

10 Comments
Oldest
Newest Most Voted
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
queendeni

Well, here I am, I think I want to read that book. I totally love the concept behind it.
But I will tell you, that your children are incredible human beings, being raised by incredible parents. I feel so at peace knowing who is raising these special spirits. They are wonderful, warts and all, as are you and your siblings, your dad, joel, and all those we come in contact with. Oh and please include MaryFran, whom truly exemplifies a daughter of God, a sister, and friend. Plus all of your other friends who invite me into their lives. You make my day brighter, oh so much brighter!

The Atomic Mom

I was living under a rock (new baby) last year, and I do not remember this essay at all….but the book looks interesting. I'll look for it.

Alanna

I would love to win this book! I follow Glennon and Momastery on Facebook but don't have any extra funds right now to buy my own book. It's my birthday next week…I'm going to keep my fingers crossed that this is my gift. 🙂 Love wins!

Kerri

Loved that post. I'd love to read her book.

Maddy

PICK ME!!

Kristin

Ooh, pickmepickmepickmepickme!!! I loved that article too!

Life in the circus

I have plenty of those moments! All of which make me feel like I'm not a very good mother. It's nice to know I'm not the only one that isn't in constant bliss being a mom. It's permission to be human. Trying to be super mom all the time (and failing miserably!) is exhausting!

Hikari Ataeru

Loved that article, but I'll just check the book out of the library.

BUT, as I'm so proud of me for not having been found living under a rock, I was oblivious enough to not realize that there was a WHOLE ENTIRE BOOK! So. It's now on my reading list. Thanks.

Another really good one that maybe falls into this category is one that I did buy, "Growing Girls; The Mother of all Adventures" by Jeanne Marie Laskas. It is wet-your-pants funny and also profound. I've read it and read it, and now I only let myself read it on the elliptical machine, which is embarrassing because then I'm sweating along, chuckling nerdl-y to myself and then tearing up a minute later. I do get a lot of space at the rec center, though. And it distracts me as I pitifully try to get into some kind of shape. (Round is a shape, but…)

Anyway. I like to know that others struggle to be Christian, and to be parents, and I love it when someone can see the hilarious side of things.

Motherhood is full of guilt and irony, and if you squint and tilt your head a little, it turns from despair to humor in the blink of an eye. (Or the twitch, if I'm fully honest.)

Thanks for the review. And for having a place where a perfect stranger can throw in her two cents.

Jeri

Oh, nuts! Hikari whoever is my teenager. The above comment was made by Jeri

Anonymous

I'm so glad you enjoyed this one! Thanks for being a part of the tour.