Who Were You Before You Were A Mom? Live A Life Creative!
I received a copy of Life Creative for review, but the opinions in this post are entirely my own!
I should be writing about an amazing new book, but in order to do so, I really need to write about my friends.
One late afternoon, maybe 3 years ago or so, I got a message from a talented writer friend, Kelli Stuart, who told me that I needed to meet a woman in Southern California who had a background in the entertainment industry. She thought that since my husband and I have a production company, we might have a lot in common with her actress friend. She and Wendy Speake had known one another for eons—fostering their deep friendship from across the country, and she had a hunch that we California girls should know one another too.
Kelli knows her stuff and I happen to think the world of her. We once lost our marbles laughing our guts out at an exceedingly inappropriate time during a somber message at a conference and had to excuse ourselves. I haven’t laughed so hard since. She’s down-to-earth and delightful. If Wendy was a friend of Kelli’s, then she was a friend of mine. Shortly thereafter, Wendy and I connected via email and set up a phone call.
Fast forward a few years and Wendy and I have shared many meals, traveling together with our sons, pool parties in San Diego, co-authoring two best-selling books, and joint speaking engagements.
I’m lucky enough to personally know some of my favorite authors and the opportunity to see and know that the words they write come straight from the heart in all sincerity is a great gift! Authors like Francis Chan (Crazy Love) , Tricia Goyer (Big Sky Amish Series), and Bill and Pam Farrel (Men Are Like Waffles—Women Are Like Spaghetti). Wendy and Kelli are no exceptions!
I love that my two friends have now written a book together, and it’s about something near to my heart—the journey of being a mom while still fostering your God-given gifts of creativity.
Their new book, Life Creative: Inspiration for Today’s Renaissance Mom, gives us permission to be all mom and all creative, all at the same time. We don’t have to sacrifice the talents and beauty God has breathed into our lives for motherhood. And we don’t have to sacrifice motherhood for the stirrings we feel to pour out our gifts on others.
Before I ever laid eyes on this book, I knew it would refresh and inspire readers because Kelli and Wendy have both refreshed and inspired me by their friendship for so long already. Their example of being teachable moms who are always willing to grow and learn while also allowing their artistry to flourish has empowered me to do the same.
We don't have to give up the creative parts of who we were before we were moms. We simply need to find new ways to offer our gifts to the world around us.
These ladies are REAL MOMS-- burnt oatmeal, skateboarding accidents, the challenges of homeschooling kids, and sibling rivalry are all par for the course; as are victories at gymnastics competitions, brotherly love growing over Lego building, and the joys of seeing kids learn to play worship songs on the guitar. Kelli and Wendy have found the key to flourishing creatively in the everyday moments of parenting!
If you, in your mothering, feel isolated and stale, don’t hesitate to get your own copy of Life Creative. The book highlights the stories of other women who are finding ways to step into their God-given creative outlets. Reading Life Creative reveals that using your gifts is an act of worship, breathing new life into your weary days.
Kelli and Wendy are long-distance friends, and that makes me treasure this book even more. Each page is a reminder to me that I’m not on my own in my desire to both parent well and step into the beauty of my creative talent as a writer and producer. Let them be your friends too, as they minister to your parched heart and soul, page by beautiful page, in Life Creative.
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