“What if home is more about who you are than what you do?

Formerly subversive Emily T. Weirenga takes you on an unconventional journey through marriage, miscarriage, foster parenting, and the daily struggle of longing to be known. In this soul-stirring quest for identity in the midst of life’s daily interruptions, she shows us that homemaking is much more than old-fashioned tradition; rather, it’s a timeless and essential art requiring mind, body, and spirit.”

(Excerpt from back cover copy)

Making It Home: Finding My Way to Peace, Identity, and Purpose by Emily T. Weirenga

This book is beautiful and wise, relatable and dreadfully honest.

I loved the descriptions that told simple things in an almost hauntingly magical way.

 “The trees prematurely balding with their hair flung colorfast on asphalt, the clouds frozen to blue, and the birds flocking in dozens past our house in perfect Vs, their honking enough to wake winter.” p. 33

But I found myself in those pages, too.

I found myself in the discontent, the tension, the requirements, and the longings of this home life of mothering and still being a person instead of an angel.

“Every day, we as mothers put ourselves last for our families, until one day we snap because we’re feeling so loveless.” p. 35

I appreciated her brutal-beautiful honesty about everything. Her stories are told in an almost melancholy way, but that touch of coming to peace with things drew me through the book with little trouble.

“Because home is not the house we live in but the people whose pictures line the walls. Whose clothes sit piled on the dryer. Whose dishes sit waiting to be washed. And making a home is a daily sacrifice of creating and holding and being.” p. 49.

Emily faithfully points us back to love and people with stories that are personal and true, and then to the Jesus-freedom of refocusing this art of making a home. Making a life.

” I don’t need to do anything. I don’t need to prove anything, anymore. I don’t need to heart that I am beautiful or smart or powerful, because Abba’s very presence says I am perfect, accepted, loved, redeemed, cherished, delighted in, and sung over. God wants to spend time with me. That is enough.” p.155

Emily’s writing reminded me of Amber C. Haines (whose Wild in the Hollow I reviewed recently). I would recommend this book for any woman who enjoyed Wild in the Hollow, is coming to terms with who she is and her place in the world, especially if she happens to be a mom.

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Have you read this book?

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(I received a complimentary copy of this book from the Baker Books blogging program in exchange for an honest review.)