While there was a lot of value in this book for any young Christian mother struggling with perfectionism, especially the reassurance that we feel doubt and conflict (which seems to be what the author means by "guilt") not because we are worthless at what we are doing but because we are mothers who do our best, it seemed to me to fall short in two respects.

First, every difficulty she discusses is resolved simply in the course of a few pages. Just like a half-hour sitcom. Does she recognize no problems in a mother's life that cannot be resolved by a simple prayer and a few affirmations? I think I could introduce her to several.

Secondly, the book was intensely personal, drawing on Coleman's experience of "Mommy guilt" and no-one else's. This is exemplified not only by the fact that each chapter revolves around a problem in her own life, but by the fact a huge daily issue that in my experience and my Christian friends' has been our greatest single ongoing source of self-doubt and stress doesn't get a serious mention. The dilemma of education. Public school - and expose the children to false values? Private Christian school - and put the family budget under serious stress, or force the mother to work away from home against her convictions? Homeschool - and possibly not give the children an adequate grounding in the more difficult subjects? Not an issue for Coleman - her children went to a private Christian school where she worked. Nice for her! ( )

I have watched my sister juggle the emotions brought by taking on single motherhood while keeping her career prospering, so especially enjoyed the insight (and gentleness) the author brings in this book around the demands of work on moms.

I didn't expect there to be such lovely poetry - very nice surprise indeed! ( )

Remember when you were younger and did not have children yet? Do you remember when you had it 'all figured out'...marriage, finances, motherhood? Then reality set in and all that was believed to be figured out became question marks. Every step you took as a mother was tested and challenged and then it dawned on you: no one has the answers and the child in all of the child-rearing help books did not actually exist. Mommy Grace is about that process and how as mothers we carry the guilt that comes from daily parenting and we make mistakes. We can be 'redeemed, forgiven and loved' daily through Jesus Christ. ( )

i had high hopes for this book---saw the title and description on early reviewers and thought--'heck yeah! show me a mom who doesn't feel *some* guilt and i'll make a cat a pair of pajamas.' Alas, to my dismay each brief devotional/inspirational story (which i didn't expect) had a prayer/poem/soother after it (which i *really* didn't expect). That sort of thing is just a little barf-o-rama to me, splashing your religion all over my mommy-ness. Naive me, my husband had to explain that when the rest of the world says 'grace' they really mean 'ultra Christian.' Wish i had known, it's just a really nice concept to me.
Also, her 4 boys are grown! What does she know from Adam anymore?

My feelings on this are a bit mixed. As a secular humanist- I was more than a little put off by the very strong Christian dogma, but at the same time, the message came through loud and clear in spite of that. And the message was a good one. It's a message of acceptance and self-love and reassurance/reminders that we all are imperfect and yet we are good enough.
I would recommend it to all Christian mommies- and mommies of other/no faith as well with the caveat that there are a LOT of scriptures and Christian thought. ( )