Women today really do bear a great deal of pressure each day. We seem to become inundated with lists and not just grocery lists. In her book, Good News for Weary Women: Escaping the Bondage of To-Do Lists, Steps, and Bad Advice, Elyse N. Fitzpatrick, tackles the problem of living in order to maintain our list of rules, goals, and to -do’s.

While these all have their place in our lives, and can often be well meaning, the problem is they become the means by which women begin to measure their worth. They also become an act of futility as no one can keep such a standard for very long, including:

• have well behaved children 24/7
• be a Mary AND a Martha
• be meticulously groomed and feminine 24/7
• be involved in every Bible Study
• have a home cooked meal every day
• be up before the crack of dawn for devotions
• stay up way after everyone is in bed to pray
• have a perfectly clean home 24/7
• have the perfect marriage
• never have a personal struggle

While each may be a good goal in and of itself, none will cause God to love us any more than He already has. These lists, often received from church, well meaning friends, Facebook or another social media outlet, can place unrealistic expectations which then become a source of frustration.

The author brings us to the realization we are already loved and accepted by God – as we are.

“There is good news for you. You don’t need to learn secret steps, try harder and harder, wear yourself out to be beautiful, snag Mr. Perfect, or raise perfect children. You are already welcomed, loved, forgiven, and completely okay. You can laugh and rest and resist all the ways the world lies to you and tells you  you’re not good enough. And you can love God because He has already loved you. You can be free to fail, to rest, to love, to be weak, to grow, and to know that everything is already given to you in Him.”

In each chapter, Elyse shares wisdom which shatters these burdens we place on ourselves. She also includes a “Bad News/ Good News” article, stories from the lives of women she met or interviewed, and questions for discussion or thought making this a wonderful book to use for Bible Study, a book club, or small group.

** While Tyndale House Publishers has provided me with a complimentary copy of this book, all opinions expressed are my own.

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