"Set-Apart Motherhood" by Leslie Ludy

I jumped into new territory for me this go-around. I am not a parent, I don't even have children in my forseeable future, but I've admired Leslie Ludy in the past. Why not give her newest book about motherhood a chance? I’ve always appreciated the insight that Leslie Ludy brings to the Christian community. Now that Leslie has entered the realm of parenthood, she brings her wisdom to other parents striving to raise their families the best they can. “Set-Apart Motherhood” encourages moms to step up and not fall for the deception that familial life has to be messy and chaotic. Leslie does well at keeping the chapters short and succinct, wrapping them up with some questions to reflect on and Scriptures to chew on. For moms with busy schedules, this could operate as an excellent devotional. The one reservation I had was that it felt as if Leslie was painting this ultra-conservative way to have the perfect family with all your ducks in a row along with the perfect house. It honestly felt a little unattainable to me; however, she mentions multiple times that it’s by the grace of God that order is achieved. As long as you hold on to the “grace of God” mantra, Leslie’s advice is very helpful and encouraging. When this title is released on July 1st, I'd welcome your feedback. What did you think? Encouraging or unrealistic?

Weeks 5&6: Hurt

The past 2 weeks I finally read a book I haven't read yet. :)

Title: "Hurt"
Author: Chap Clark
Pages: 195 (including the appendixes but excluding the notes)
Rating (out of 5): 3.5
Reread?: No

Favorite quote: "It comes down to a commitment to a simple truth: The nurture and care of the young in society is the responsibility of every adult in society. Every adult who cares about the young must do whatever it takes to address and confront any other adult, organization, or policy that adds to the effects of abandonment. " (pg. 181)

Thoughts: This book is based on Chap Clark's study on teenagers and why today's teengers aren't the same as teens of the past. His main conclusion is that teens, more than ever, are feeling and being abandoned. After making this statement, he outlines several areas that this is noticeable such as family, school, sex, sports, etc. This book is one to be read if you have any contact with teenagers. It helps give an accuate view of what teens today are facing.
The reason I didn't give it a higher rating was because his writing led me to believe that a certain conclusion was yet to be made. In fact, he had already made a broad point and vaguely outlined areas where this point is proven.

Now reading: "The Retail Revolution: How Wal-Mart Created A Brave New World of Business" - Nelson Lichtenstein