Missional Motherhood by Gloria Furman isn’t the book that I expected from the title. This Gospel-rich meditation begins with a definition of “mother” as “one who mothers” or “nurtures” which is later focused on discipling. So, really, this book is for all Christian women, and not just for moms. The thing I liked most about this book is that it is chock-full of scripture. It’s one of those books that prints out verses completely rather than just giving references. She gives practical help because as she explains, there’s nothing more practical than the gospel.
In one passage, she writes about where true peace comes from:
“Magazine spreads show glorious living spaces and hold out promises that the occupants of such a home embody everything seen in the picture. The promise to the consumer is this: ‘Do you feel that your life is cluttered and you have no peace? If your storage room looked like this, you’d be peaceful.’ And so on. But the Bible teaches something different about home. The remnant Israelites learned that their home was not their refuge. In our modern time, we need to know this too. We need to know that our home is not a projection of our image but a space in which we work to display the image of Christ. Home points to a peace that is beyond color schemes and adornments. It points to the fact that the Lord is our refuge. We find the shalom we seek in him. Your house is not your haven; Christ is.”
The majority of this book goes on to give a general overview of the entire message of Scripture. She spends 4 chapters summarizing the Old Testament and the New Testament. It’s a beautiful, bird’s eye view of the entire Bible.
She ends with some very specific meditations on Christ and His place in our lives as women/mothers. It’s a great book, and a particularly good encouragement to meditate on God’s message and the person of Christ. Gloria Furman has an article here on DesiringGod.org, if you want a taste of this beautiful message. This article is more focused on mothers, but has the same kind of gospel-centered help.
Other great books by Gloria Furman that I recommend:
“In this encouraging book for frazzled moms, Gloria Furman helps us reorient our vision of motherhood around what the Bible teaches. Showing how to pursue a vibrant relationship with God―even when discouragement sets in and the laundry still needs to be washed―this book will help you treasure Christ more deeply no matter how busy you are.” (Amazon description)
In this uplifting and often humorous book, Gloria Furman offers pastors’ wives a breath of fresh air, reminding readers that Christ stands ready to help regardless of the circumstance―whether it’s late-night counseling sessions, unrealistic expectations about how they spend their time, or complaints about their husbands’ preaching. (Amazon description)
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