Review: Devoted (Great Men and Their Godly Moms)

Cruciform Press provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for a review; however, the views stated here are my own. 

One of the hardest roles I've ever held is that of mother. It's truly a case of on-the-job training. And because it's so hands-on, I have tended to focus on the practical day-to-day aspects of mothering. Now that my kids are young adults (though not all launched), it's a whole new ballgame.

With that in mind, I was so encouraged to read Devoted: Great Men and Their Godly Moms by Tim Challies. This little book is a compilation of blogposts about the mothers of eleven men (some you'll know, some you may not). I appreciated that the author invited Melissa Edgington to write "A Mother's Reflection" in response to each biography. She also teamed up with Rebecca Stark to write "questions for reflection" at the end of each chapter.

Challies introduces the book this way:

History tells of women whose love for the Bible shaped its earliest and most prominent teachers, and women whose unceasing prayers led to the long-awaited salvation of their wayward sons. It tells of women who were great theologians in their own right, yet whose only students were their own children. It tells of women who laid an early foundation in the lives of their sons that, despite their best efforts, they could never undermine. It tells, time and time again, of exceptional Christian men who owe so much to their godly mothers.

I gleaned so many lessons from the lives of these women.

• Don't assume children are too young to learn important spiritual truths, or that they are too young for church to matter. Give them the opportunity to build a biblical foundation from an early age -- and be sure you're building that foundation in your own life (from John Newton's mother).
• When your children, especially adult children, are unbelievers, "often the best ministry. . . is the minstry they will never see -- private, faith-filled, daily prayers in the closet." This ministry is fueled by "daily renewal in God's Word" (from Christopher Yuan's mother)
• A deep relationship with Christ, strengthened through "years of prayer, study, ministry, and the development of a biblical worldview" will enable me to respond to heartache with faith, perseverence, and trust (from William Borden's mother).
• "[God] uses ordinary mothers to carry out his purposes" (from John Piper's mother). 
• While children are young, plead with God for their salvation . . . right in front of them (Charles Spurgeon's mother).
• Respond to rebellion with earnest prayer (from Augustine's mother).

Some of these mothers were consistent in their faith, others were weaker, yet God saw fit to use each in her own way to spiritual impact her son. This, too, was encouraging to me.

I highly recommend this book. It not only makes for great devotional reading, it would also be a good small group (such as a book club) choice, with great application and discussion question already prepared.