"Having A Mary Heart In A Martha World" Book Review

I just finished "Having A Mary Heart In A Martha World" by Joanna Weaver.  While I had picked this book because I thought I'd benefit from it, I had no idea just how much I'd gain from it.  This book was wonderful!

Things I loved about this book:


1.) It spoke to my heart.  I saw myself in the shortcomings of both Mary and Martha.  But with that came the hope that God can work in my life and heart just as He did in theirs!
2.) It was written from a very personal perspective.  Mrs. Weaver doesn't come across as some "holier than though" Christian writer.  She's very honest about her spiritual weaknesses and how God has worked - and is still working in her life.
3.) She quotes a lot of wonderful authors, pastors, etc.  I love great quotes that make me think.  And I love that Mrs. Weaver doesn't consider herself the only authority on this subject, but shares words of wisdom from other believers.
4.) Every chapter is broken into smaller sections.  Although each chapter is only 15-20 pages long, Mrs. Weaver still saw fit to divide the chapters into different headings.  While they flow smoothly, its still very helpful for a pregnant mom of 2 young kids - who often only gets a chance to read 2 or 3 pages at once.  LOL!
5.) Each chapter also has little sections on things like: "Top Ten Ways to Tame Your Worry Habit" and "Creative Quiet Times." This little sections are full of helpful info and are great for referring back to whenever you need to.

I highly recommend this book.  I found myself engrossed in Mrs. Weaver's stories, her teaching, and her interpretations of the passages about Mary and Martha.  Wonderful!  Here's an excerpt that spoke to me:

"The good news is woven through the New Testament in a grace-filled strand that shines especially bright in the Gospel stories of Mary and Martha. The message is this: Salvation isn't about what I do; it's about what Jesus did.The cross did more than pay for my sins; it set me free from the bondage of the 'shoulds' and 'if onlys' and 'what might have beens.' And Jesus' words to Martha are the words he wants to speak to your heart and mine: 'You are worried and upset about many things, but only one thing is needed.' The one thing is not found in doing more. It is found by sitting at his feet. Catch that: Mary sat at his feet. She didn't move a muscle. She listened. She didn't come up with clever responses or a doctrinal thesis. Her gift was availability."

I received a copy of this book, free of charge, from Blogging For Books in exchange for my honest review.