“Folks who thrive in God’s grace give grace easily, but the self-critical person becomes others-critical. We “love” people the way we “love” ourselves, and if we are not good enough, then no one is. We keep ourselves brutally on the hook, plus our husbands, our kids, our friends, our churches, our leaders, anyone “other.” When we impose unrealistic expectations on ourselves, it’s natural to force them on everyone else.”
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First of all I love, love, love ,love, LOVE the phrase for the love because it reminds me of my mama. She would always say for the love of Pete. What in the world that meant, I have no idea so I started using the phrase with all kinds of endings to it and it always made me smile.
Well making me smile and making me laugh and cry in equal measure was what happened with this 2nd book I devoured by Jen Hatmaker. I love her open spirit and her obvious love for her fellow man…. well really all God’s kids.
One thing that stands out in this book is her belief that we all live in community and that when we do so we are stronger and more aligned to how God designed us to be. I especially loved the idea that when our kids are raised in a setting where they are loved by many… mama’s, daddy’s, aunts and uncles, teachers, friends, other mamas and daddys…. basically a wonderful loving village then we all win. Whew that sure made me breath a sigh of relief. I sure know that I would be lost, I mean totally lost and not found without my sweet village that is helping me.
I loved this book only slightly less than her book, Of Mess and Moxie and I think just because the other was my first and it was such a beautiful smorgasbord of words and phrases !!! Her heart can be heard and her message is consistent in her books and her podcast.
Do yourself and favor and get one of her books, or two or three….Talk to you later because it is Friday night a