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Everything about the birth of my second baby was smooth. Labor and delivery went as well as could be expected. Levon and I worked together and became even closer during his birth. And I felt an instant bond with him that I hadn’t with my first.

The first week was great. Andrew nursed quickly and slept soundly. Aidan was enamored with his new brother. Levon was home to help, providing me with the opportunity to nap every single day. I was (relatively) rested, productive, and happy. I even had time to read a book!

But then … Levon returned to work. Andrew grew fussy and no longer wanted to sleep. And my sweet toddler became an unrecognizable form of himself with constant fits, tantrums, and meltdowns. Andrew was a mess, Aidan was a mess, and I was a mess. I questioned whether I had it in me to be a good mom of two and wondered if I had made a mistake.

In the middle of my madness, a dear friend and veteran mom loaned me a book. I hadn’t shared with her just how much I was struggling, but I didn’t have to. She had been there, and she knew exactly what I was battling. She knew it would get better, but she also knew just how hard it would be before it did. So she offered me a token of friendship, solidarity, and mentorship in one of her favorite forms – a book.

This book could not have been more perfect or perfectly timed. As I began reading, each chapter was something I desperately needed to hear. It spoke to me more directly and more profoundly than any book I’d read for a long time.

The book was Real Moms…Real Jesus: Meet the Friend Who Understands, by Jill Savage, and it became my new favorite recommendation for moms.

What Is Real Moms…Real Jesus?

Real Moms…Real Jesus was written by Jill Savage, author of one of my other favorite books, Better Together: Because You’re Not Meant to Mom Alone (you really should read my review of that one, as well!). Through studies of Jesus’s life and behavior, as well as personal stories of her own, Jill shows us that we are never alone in our challenges as moms.

Her personal stories are refreshingly and comfortingly honest and assure the reader that she is not the first or only mom to struggle in motherhood. But it’s in Jill’s examinations of Jesus’s life that the real impact is made. Each chapter tackles a different challenge of motherhood and relates it to trials that Jesus experienced. The book aims to reassure moms that they are never truly alone and that they always have a friend who understands.

What Did I Think?

Real honesty here – I had seen this book around for awhile, but the description just didn’t jump out at me. I would see it and just kind of dismiss it thinking, “Okay, yeah, I know Jesus is always with me. This isn’t going to be anything earth shattering here.” The only reason I finally did read it was because my friend loaned it to me and I wanted to be able to answer her honestly if she asked me what I thought.

But oh my goodness, I loved this book! From the very first chapter, I was pulled in and edified. Every chapter was something that I had been struggling with, and it comforted me in ways that my husband, my mom, and my friends could not. It was as if Jill had been an eye witness to my recent struggles and wrote the book just for me! But I know that it only felt that way because the issues and feelings that she describes are so relatable for all moms.

Even though I knew that Jesus is always with me, this book revealed it to me in an even deeper way. It showed me just how much He understands the emotions and difficulties I face. It taught me that many of the things I’m struggling with as a mom, Jesus experienced also.

One of my biggest frustrations as a new mom of two has been feeling needed all the time. Between the needs of my newborn, my toddler, my husband, my house, and my job, I mourned the loss of my personal time. I was tired of the constant pull on my energy and attention. Jill pointed out in the chapter, “Everyone needs a piece of me!” how often in Scriptures Jesus would go away to pray and be alone only to have the crowd follow Him. Just knowing that Jesus had experienced the exact thing that was bringing me such fatigue brought enormous comfort to me.

Takeaways

Here are a few of the most significant things that I gleaned from Real Moms…Real Jesus (but I won’t give everything away because I really want you to read the book! :)):

I’ve started praying over my family as I perform household tasks, turning mundane chores that I used to dread into opportunities to grow closer to God and cover my family in prayer.
I now use the hours I spend nursing Andrew to talk to Jesus like a friend, pouring out my heart, talking about my struggles, and thanking Him for His blessings.
It showed me that I can/should draw my strength from God. I can do this, because I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.
It incited a fresh desire in me to develop a closer relationship with Jesus so that I can be more like Him.

And finally …

I now have a deeper understanding that I am never alone. I should take everything to Jesus because He knows exactly how I’m feeling, and He can give me strength to overcome and thrive as a mother.

If you’re not desperately wanting to get your hands on this book by now, it’s only because I’m not doing it justice. I take my book recommendations very seriously, and I reserve high praise for the books that I feel truly deserve it. Real Moms…Real Jesus is one of those books.

Related Post: 5 Books Every Mom Should Read

Through Jill’s personal vignettes and insights into the life of Jesus, you will find inspiration for faith, for love, for parenting, and for developing an intimate relationship with Christ. For these reasons and more, I give this book my two-thumbs-up seal of approval for all moms everywhere.

The Book ALL Christian Moms NEED to Read