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My So-Called Life as a Submissive Wife: A One-Year Experiment...and Its Liberating Results
Can a modern wife be submissive to her husband?
In her highly anticipated sequel to My So-Called Life as a Proverbs 31 Wife, author Sara Horn takes on one of the most widely debated subjects for a Christian wife--marital submission.
What does biblical submission look like for wives today? And why is submission viewed as such a dirty word by so many women and men in our culture, including Christians? Can a happily married couple live out the biblical model of submission and be the better for it?
Horn takes on a one-year experiment to seek answers to these questions and to explore what it means to be submissive as a wife and "helper" to her husband. The answers--and her discoveries--may surprise you.
This unique, entertaining, and thought-provoking personal account will challenge women to throw out their preconceived notions of what a submissive wife looks like and seek fresh leading from God for their lives and marriages today.
In her highly anticipated sequel to My So-Called Life as a Proverbs 31 Wife, author Sara Horn takes on one of the most widely debated subjects for a Christian wife--marital submission.
What does biblical submission look like for wives today? And why is submission viewed as such a dirty word by so many women and men in our culture, including Christians? Can a happily married couple live out the biblical model of submission and be the better for it?
Horn takes on a one-year experiment to seek answers to these questions and to explore what it means to be submissive as a wife and "helper" to her husband. The answers--and her discoveries--may surprise you.
This unique, entertaining, and thought-provoking personal account will challenge women to throw out their preconceived notions of what a submissive wife looks like and seek fresh leading from God for their lives and marriages today.
224 pages, Paperback
First published August 1, 2013
37 people are currently reading
251 people want to read
About the author
Sara Horn
11 books41 followersSara Horn is passionate about encouraging women. Through her books, she writes to share honest life wrapped in biblical truth and challenges women to live out the same.
An award-winning writer, Sara has published numerous articles and more than six books in her decade-long career. She is also the founder of Wives of Faith, a military wives ministry she began in 2006 when her husband prepared to leave for his first deployment to Iraq as a Navy reservist.
Sara's first book, A Greater Freedom: Stories of Faith from Operation Iraqi Freedom, was written with Oliver North and received a nomination for a Gold Medallion, the highest honor given in Christian publishing.
Since then she has focused on subjects very close to her heart as both a military spouse and wife and mom including the book GOD Strong and the Bible study, Tour of Duty. Her purpose as a writer is to encourage women to seek God in every aspect of their lives, whether in the midst of a deployment or every day challenges.
Her most recent book, My So-Called Life as a Submissive Wife, released in 2012 as the sequel to her most popular book to date, My So-Called Life as a Proverbs 31 Wife.
Sara has been married to the love of her life, Cliff, for fifteen years, who is currently serving in his third deployment overseas in the last six years and they have one son, Caleb, who is in seventh grade this year. They reside in the Baton Rouge area.
An award-winning writer, Sara has published numerous articles and more than six books in her decade-long career. She is also the founder of Wives of Faith, a military wives ministry she began in 2006 when her husband prepared to leave for his first deployment to Iraq as a Navy reservist.
Sara's first book, A Greater Freedom: Stories of Faith from Operation Iraqi Freedom, was written with Oliver North and received a nomination for a Gold Medallion, the highest honor given in Christian publishing.
Since then she has focused on subjects very close to her heart as both a military spouse and wife and mom including the book GOD Strong and the Bible study, Tour of Duty. Her purpose as a writer is to encourage women to seek God in every aspect of their lives, whether in the midst of a deployment or every day challenges.
Her most recent book, My So-Called Life as a Submissive Wife, released in 2012 as the sequel to her most popular book to date, My So-Called Life as a Proverbs 31 Wife.
Sara has been married to the love of her life, Cliff, for fifteen years, who is currently serving in his third deployment overseas in the last six years and they have one son, Caleb, who is in seventh grade this year. They reside in the Baton Rouge area.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 47 reviews
May 27, 2016
I realize that "submissive" is hot-button word for most people. Most women and even most men cringe at the idea of women being "submissive" to their husbands, imagining some archaic, oppressed, abused woman who creeps around trying not to displease her domineering husband. If, however, you want to give this book a fair shake, you've got to let go of that interpretation of the word.
Sara Horn, previously the author of a book about trying to incorporate Proverbs 31 into her modern-day life, takes on the Biblical admonition that "wives submit to your own husbands" and tries to find out how this might play out in a modern marriage. She's a working mom and military wife who runs a ministry for other military wives, all while trying to find out how God's plan for men and women should be shaping her life. What she comes up with is not a neat, step-by-step guide for being a Biblical wife, but rather a messy, all-too-human attempt to make her marriage better and herself a more Godly person. She does not become (or attempt to become) docile and weak, but she does try to give her husband more respect, to honor his decisions and his ability to lead, to let go of her control-freak ways, to pay attention to her husband's feelings and needs, and to figure out how to prioritize the many roles a 21st-century woman must play.
Although this experiment arises from Horn's Christian faith, there is a lot here that can be useful to women of any faith or none at all. The essential theme is that modern society teaches women to think only of themselves and what they want. It teaches them that they must take care of everything without help from a man. Husbands are more like accessories than "other halves." What Horn suggests is that this attitude not only makes it hard to maintain a loving marriage, but also makes a whole lot of women unhappy as they strive to do more than is humanly possible. By allowing her husband to take on a leadership role, she not only does something healthy for him, but also takes some of the pressure off herself, allowing her to pursue what really matters and to enjoy her family more fully.
Sara Horn, previously the author of a book about trying to incorporate Proverbs 31 into her modern-day life, takes on the Biblical admonition that "wives submit to your own husbands" and tries to find out how this might play out in a modern marriage. She's a working mom and military wife who runs a ministry for other military wives, all while trying to find out how God's plan for men and women should be shaping her life. What she comes up with is not a neat, step-by-step guide for being a Biblical wife, but rather a messy, all-too-human attempt to make her marriage better and herself a more Godly person. She does not become (or attempt to become) docile and weak, but she does try to give her husband more respect, to honor his decisions and his ability to lead, to let go of her control-freak ways, to pay attention to her husband's feelings and needs, and to figure out how to prioritize the many roles a 21st-century woman must play.
Although this experiment arises from Horn's Christian faith, there is a lot here that can be useful to women of any faith or none at all. The essential theme is that modern society teaches women to think only of themselves and what they want. It teaches them that they must take care of everything without help from a man. Husbands are more like accessories than "other halves." What Horn suggests is that this attitude not only makes it hard to maintain a loving marriage, but also makes a whole lot of women unhappy as they strive to do more than is humanly possible. By allowing her husband to take on a leadership role, she not only does something healthy for him, but also takes some of the pressure off herself, allowing her to pursue what really matters and to enjoy her family more fully.
July 31, 2013
Overall, I liked this book... I had previously read 'My So-Called Life as a Proverbs 31 Wife' and had a hard time relating to that one (I am very much a home-minded wife, not a career-minded one, so I just don't have the same struggles)... but I knew what to expect going into this one.
What this book is: one woman's attempt at living a more submissive life, written from her perspective detailing her experiences. It's a light, easy read.
What this book is not: an instruction manual or a body of research or a checklist or a how-to.
What I liked: It's written in very much the same easy-to-read, first person journal-ish style. And I definitely could relate more to this one, as I am an independent personality. However, that doesn't preclude me from being a submissive wife in the way GOD intends (which is much different from the way society views submission. We aren't meant to be doormats). As with the Proverbs 31 book, I very much appreciated Sara's open mind in the way she approached the 'experiment.'
What I didn't like: the snarky introduction. It just rubbed me the wrong way. I also would have liked a little Biblical 'meat' so to speak. Some background/history/commentary "just so you know, here's what respected Biblical scholars have to say..." peppered in here and there so that new and mature Christians could increase their understanding of submission while still enjoying a good read. (I also felt this way about the Proverbs 31 book.)
I also think this is one of those books that will speak more to younger women than older women, just because women whose kids are grown and who have been married for decades are simply in a different season of life.
Because some readers might be wondering, I will add that this book is very different than Rachel Held Evans "A Year of Biblical Womanhood" (which is not a bad thing, in my opinion.)
What this book is: one woman's attempt at living a more submissive life, written from her perspective detailing her experiences. It's a light, easy read.
What this book is not: an instruction manual or a body of research or a checklist or a how-to.
What I liked: It's written in very much the same easy-to-read, first person journal-ish style. And I definitely could relate more to this one, as I am an independent personality. However, that doesn't preclude me from being a submissive wife in the way GOD intends (which is much different from the way society views submission. We aren't meant to be doormats). As with the Proverbs 31 book, I very much appreciated Sara's open mind in the way she approached the 'experiment.'
What I didn't like: the snarky introduction. It just rubbed me the wrong way. I also would have liked a little Biblical 'meat' so to speak. Some background/history/commentary "just so you know, here's what respected Biblical scholars have to say..." peppered in here and there so that new and mature Christians could increase their understanding of submission while still enjoying a good read. (I also felt this way about the Proverbs 31 book.)
I also think this is one of those books that will speak more to younger women than older women, just because women whose kids are grown and who have been married for decades are simply in a different season of life.
Because some readers might be wondering, I will add that this book is very different than Rachel Held Evans "A Year of Biblical Womanhood" (which is not a bad thing, in my opinion.)
June 21, 2017
Don't Read
This book falls wide of the mark. Sara Horn set out to obey her conviction that Scripture teaches women to be submissive to their husbands, so she commits to do that and write a book about the journey. However, she never clarified what submission meant - even for her own situation. Instead, we have her record of her husband and her's mutual struggles to be considerate of one another.
Horn shares stories about things like setting up an interview without discussing with her husband about taking on another job. It doesn't matter whether you hold a complementarian or egalitarian view, that is just basic curtesy in a relationship for either party. Couples discuss major decisions. That has nothing to do with submission.
Much of the book wrestles with the share of household chores and the stresses of modern life. These are real and regular struggles for busy couples, but again, not the heart of what submission is in Scripture.
Much of the book is just fluff of day to day living in rambling Facebook post fashion. There is much recorded of her selfish and unkind thoughts towards her husband, family, and in-laws - all acknowledged and struggled with, to be sure, but in the trite way evangelicals commonly "get real" and not the gravity of repentance one finds in Christian classics. I couldn't help feeling continually embarrassed for the people she wrote about who would certainly be reading the book.
This book falls wide of the mark. Sara Horn set out to obey her conviction that Scripture teaches women to be submissive to their husbands, so she commits to do that and write a book about the journey. However, she never clarified what submission meant - even for her own situation. Instead, we have her record of her husband and her's mutual struggles to be considerate of one another.
Horn shares stories about things like setting up an interview without discussing with her husband about taking on another job. It doesn't matter whether you hold a complementarian or egalitarian view, that is just basic curtesy in a relationship for either party. Couples discuss major decisions. That has nothing to do with submission.
Much of the book wrestles with the share of household chores and the stresses of modern life. These are real and regular struggles for busy couples, but again, not the heart of what submission is in Scripture.
Much of the book is just fluff of day to day living in rambling Facebook post fashion. There is much recorded of her selfish and unkind thoughts towards her husband, family, and in-laws - all acknowledged and struggled with, to be sure, but in the trite way evangelicals commonly "get real" and not the gravity of repentance one finds in Christian classics. I couldn't help feeling continually embarrassed for the people she wrote about who would certainly be reading the book.
June 12, 2025
Loved this book! I had started practicing being submissive and more respectful to my husband, the head of our household, and in the process I learned how to be more submissive to God's will. It's not only trusting your husband but also trusting our Heavenly Father. When we as women love and support our husbands, they will love and support us as well. They will thrive and just like we have to get out of our own ways to let God do His work, we also need to step back and let our husbands lead.
February 26, 2022
This felt like a conversation with a friend and I enjoy following along with the author's journey to become a submissive wife.
That being said, I think the bulk of the book missed the mark in terms of biblical submission. It's not about who does the chores, it's an attitude to be a helper and to relinquish control to your husband. The final chapters are more in this vain thankfully. I'm also not a fan of the citing of The Message translation, as it's a paraphrase of the original text that often twists the meaning of the Scripture. Perhaps that's the root of some of the content in this book...
That being said, I think the bulk of the book missed the mark in terms of biblical submission. It's not about who does the chores, it's an attitude to be a helper and to relinquish control to your husband. The final chapters are more in this vain thankfully. I'm also not a fan of the citing of The Message translation, as it's a paraphrase of the original text that often twists the meaning of the Scripture. Perhaps that's the root of some of the content in this book...
August 6, 2016
As with most other books, I picked this one up at the library because, honestly the title was interesting. Like most women, the word 'submissive' has negative feelings for me. I imagine a woman who can't make a single decision unless someone else says it's okay. I picture someone who is almost a slave to another. Sara decides to try to become a submissive wife, turning to scripture for guidance on what that actually means (rather than what others or culture have gotten us to think). She uses Ephesians 5:22 as her core scripture for this experiment.
Overall, I really liked this book. Sara is honest, she's not perfect, she stumbles and doesn't have all the answers but that's what makes this book so interesting. She questions her actions and her thoughts a lot - many times I found myself thinking.. I would be asking the same thing!
I spoke to my husband about this book the other night and there was one part of the book that really stuck out to me. God has called many of us to the role of wife and men to the role of husband. There are characteristics and responsibilities that the bible tells us husbands and wives should fulfill. Are there ever times that, as a wife, I do things that prevent my husband from fulfilling the role God has intended for him? -> that thought stuck with me for a long time. There were times in my own marriage where I was taking on responsibilty that really didn't fit for me - in the book, her husband tells her that, because of her experiment "I realize now that one of the reasons it's good for me to step up as a leader is because you're a worrier, and it's not always good for the worrier to make major decisions." That statement resonated with me!! :)
I really liked this book and am glad I finished it in the New Year (new year, new perspective :)).
Overall, I really liked this book. Sara is honest, she's not perfect, she stumbles and doesn't have all the answers but that's what makes this book so interesting. She questions her actions and her thoughts a lot - many times I found myself thinking.. I would be asking the same thing!
I spoke to my husband about this book the other night and there was one part of the book that really stuck out to me. God has called many of us to the role of wife and men to the role of husband. There are characteristics and responsibilities that the bible tells us husbands and wives should fulfill. Are there ever times that, as a wife, I do things that prevent my husband from fulfilling the role God has intended for him? -> that thought stuck with me for a long time. There were times in my own marriage where I was taking on responsibilty that really didn't fit for me - in the book, her husband tells her that, because of her experiment "I realize now that one of the reasons it's good for me to step up as a leader is because you're a worrier, and it's not always good for the worrier to make major decisions." That statement resonated with me!! :)
I really liked this book and am glad I finished it in the New Year (new year, new perspective :)).
June 19, 2014
I picked up this book because I tend to take over in my marriage and I want to step back and allow my husband to lead. My husband and the author's husband sound similar in that they are slower in making decisions and sometimes don't take all the factors into account. This is not to say they aren't strong men. My husband is a strong, but gentle man who I love dearly and don't want to run over. Anyway, I was hoping for more insights to how she learned to be submissive without losing who she was in the process. I found that she referred entirely too much to her first book. Her writing style was easy to read and the book did keep my interest, but I wanted more.
January 29, 2018
I don't know how to rate this book. On one hand, I liked her thoughts about Scripture and my favorite parts are when she was expounding on the Bible and how to live by its principles. On the other, her journal entry life stories were rarely pertinent, but sometimes amusing just the same. Submission is MUCH more than who does the laundry, which was 85% of her experiment. Also, she didn't capitalize he/him when referring to God, which bothered me. Wouldn't recommend.
March 8, 2017
I found this book while browsing the Christian Living section of Half Price Books. It jumped out at me because of the title, and at first, like most, I scoffed. Then I got to thinking. Then I picked it up. And I read the back and a random page in the middle of the book. I was hooked.
Horn takes us through not only her peaks but her valleys as she goes through an experiment to be a submissive wife to her husband. Rather than preach to us, she lets us into her world and her REAL feelings. Her REAL efforts are documented, and not in a "how-to" forum that I think so many women think this book would be. Rather, we walk with her and see as her feelings unpack and her perception changes. I could very easily replace my feelings with hers, and tweak her situations to become my own.
Her book definitely gave me hope that I'm unpacking what it means to be biblically submissive in a world that has coined that term as demeaning and demoralizing.
Horn takes us through not only her peaks but her valleys as she goes through an experiment to be a submissive wife to her husband. Rather than preach to us, she lets us into her world and her REAL feelings. Her REAL efforts are documented, and not in a "how-to" forum that I think so many women think this book would be. Rather, we walk with her and see as her feelings unpack and her perception changes. I could very easily replace my feelings with hers, and tweak her situations to become my own.
Her book definitely gave me hope that I'm unpacking what it means to be biblically submissive in a world that has coined that term as demeaning and demoralizing.
October 7, 2019
This is a fun read, not at all preachy. Sara is authentic in her writing. She admits her failings and celebrates her successes at trying to be submissive to her husband. She shows women that submission is not repression, but that in serving our husbands, we serve the Lord. There are lots of golden nuggets of wisdom in this book and several laugh-out-loud moments, too. Highly recommend.
March 15, 2023
That was a ride. kind of dragged in the middle, but all in all, just sort of experience i was hoping to gain from this book. a lot of things i had come to figure out for myself, but this helped me to know I'm on the right track in honoring my husband's position as the head of our family. i am so blessed to have him to lead me in the right way
August 30, 2017
Quick read with good insight
The author makes some good points about marriage and how God created us to compliment each other, not try to outdo one another. She gets a little off track and some of her stories don't seem to relate to the topic at hand but most do.
The author makes some good points about marriage and how God created us to compliment each other, not try to outdo one another. She gets a little off track and some of her stories don't seem to relate to the topic at hand but most do.
April 2, 2019
It was a good book, I was hoping for a little more guidance, but all-in-all I found more answers.
May 30, 2023
There is no practical information or how to so I would say if you like testimonies this would be an interesting read but it’s not a handbook.
Want to read
August 19, 2025Driver Library - R14.95
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 2, 2013
Submissive. The word seems to raise the hair on the back of every woman's neck. Even men seem uncomfortable with the term, in general, because to want their wives to be submissive often comes across as chauvinistic and unfair, but to not want their wives to be submissive can make them seem as if they are not concerned with upholding a biblical mandate of man as the head of the house with wife as the submissive helpmeet.
So where to find balance? I picked up this book, "My So-Called Life as a Submissive Wife" by Sara Horn to review because I wanted to see what this particular woman had to say about submission, as she experimented in her own life, trying to follow what she believed the Bible says about being a submissive wife and struggling with it. Submission is at once simplistic and involved. "Easy" and extremely difficult. And yet, by the end of the book you are left feeling that Sara Horn may finally have begun to find that ever-elusive balance in her own home, in such a way that works for her and for her family and her marriage. Not that she states that every other woman should proceed just like she chose to (as documented in a very personable, one-on-one account in her book). But Sara gives a lot of insight into her numerous struggles as well as small victories and accomplishments along her journey. It's refreshing to note that she did not attempt to write a "look at me, I've got this down and here is what you should do down to the last detail, a-b-c" sort of how-to manual. She simply shared her inspiration for attempting to walk in what she considers godly submission, and the results.
What I liked about this book: I liked that Sara chose to be personal in it. That she not only shared the good times, the triumphs, the happiness, the good insights she gained, but that she also shared the times when she felt frustrated, irritated, overwhelmed, resistant, or not good enough. It's a very "real" book.
What I didn't like about this book: It is hard to find things I don't like about books. I think probably the only thing I didn't like about this book is simply that I don't necessarily agree with every conclusion Sara comes to. I might not feel a certain way about situation "a" as Sara did, or agree upon how she interpreted the results. But for the most part, I agreed with or at least found a great deal of reasonable thoughts and thus views within her conclusions.
I would give this book 3/5 stars. I felt it was relatively well written, very engaging overall and had some very important ideas to put out there. I liked, as I mentioned before, how personal Sara chose to make this book.
Thank you to NetGalley.com and to the publisher of the book, Harvest House Publishers, for a free ebook review copy. Please note that all opinions expressed in this review are my own and are honest.
So where to find balance? I picked up this book, "My So-Called Life as a Submissive Wife" by Sara Horn to review because I wanted to see what this particular woman had to say about submission, as she experimented in her own life, trying to follow what she believed the Bible says about being a submissive wife and struggling with it. Submission is at once simplistic and involved. "Easy" and extremely difficult. And yet, by the end of the book you are left feeling that Sara Horn may finally have begun to find that ever-elusive balance in her own home, in such a way that works for her and for her family and her marriage. Not that she states that every other woman should proceed just like she chose to (as documented in a very personable, one-on-one account in her book). But Sara gives a lot of insight into her numerous struggles as well as small victories and accomplishments along her journey. It's refreshing to note that she did not attempt to write a "look at me, I've got this down and here is what you should do down to the last detail, a-b-c" sort of how-to manual. She simply shared her inspiration for attempting to walk in what she considers godly submission, and the results.
What I liked about this book: I liked that Sara chose to be personal in it. That she not only shared the good times, the triumphs, the happiness, the good insights she gained, but that she also shared the times when she felt frustrated, irritated, overwhelmed, resistant, or not good enough. It's a very "real" book.
What I didn't like about this book: It is hard to find things I don't like about books. I think probably the only thing I didn't like about this book is simply that I don't necessarily agree with every conclusion Sara comes to. I might not feel a certain way about situation "a" as Sara did, or agree upon how she interpreted the results. But for the most part, I agreed with or at least found a great deal of reasonable thoughts and thus views within her conclusions.
I would give this book 3/5 stars. I felt it was relatively well written, very engaging overall and had some very important ideas to put out there. I liked, as I mentioned before, how personal Sara chose to make this book.
Thank you to NetGalley.com and to the publisher of the book, Harvest House Publishers, for a free ebook review copy. Please note that all opinions expressed in this review are my own and are honest.
September 10, 2013
About the Book:
Can a modern wife be submissive to her husband?
In her highly anticipated sequel to My So-Called Life as a Proverbs 31 Wife, author Sara Horn takes on one of the most widely debated subjects for a Christian wife--marital submission.
What does biblical submission look like for wives today? And why is submission viewed as such a dirty word by so many women and men in our culture, including Christians? Can a happily married couple live out the biblical model of submission and be the better for it?
Horn takes on a one-year experiment to seek answers to these questions and to explore what it means to be submissive as a wife and "helper" to her husband. The answers--and her discoveries--may surprise you.
This unique, entertaining, and thought-provoking personal account will challenge women to throw out their preconceived notions of what a submissive wife looks like and seek fresh leading from God for their lives and marriages today.
About the Author:
Sara Horn is a wife and mom, an author, and founder of Wives of Faith, a military wives ministry. She's a sought-after media guest and writer of numerous articles and books, including My So-Called Life as a Proverbs 31 Wife and GOD Strong: A Military Wife's Spiritual Survival Guide. She's devoted to her husband, who serves in the U.S. Navy Reserves, crazy about her son, and passionate about her ministry to women.
My Review:
Sara Horn takes on the Proverbs 31 image of what it means to be the "submissive" wife. She decides to do a year long experiment to explore what that means and entails. I chose to review this book because I myself have always or at least in the last ten years or so of my marriage strived to be a submissive wife. I do feel like alot of things Sara points out as things a submissive wife should do I feel like I already mastered but of course I have been married close to 20 years. One thing to get in the habit of towards this goal is always okay things or talk them through with your husband first before committing to them.
But when I look back on my marriage I see alot of things I would of done differently. But then again on the other hand I feel like I earned everyone of those 19 years. We need to remain diligent in our approach on trying to be the best submissive wife we can be. First of all because God has called us to do it and secondly because we love the man that He has blessed us with to the point of doing all we can to love and support him. Its not a very easy feat but with Gods help we can achieve it.
**Disclosure** This book was sent to me free of charge for my honest review from Harvest House.
Can a modern wife be submissive to her husband?
In her highly anticipated sequel to My So-Called Life as a Proverbs 31 Wife, author Sara Horn takes on one of the most widely debated subjects for a Christian wife--marital submission.
What does biblical submission look like for wives today? And why is submission viewed as such a dirty word by so many women and men in our culture, including Christians? Can a happily married couple live out the biblical model of submission and be the better for it?
Horn takes on a one-year experiment to seek answers to these questions and to explore what it means to be submissive as a wife and "helper" to her husband. The answers--and her discoveries--may surprise you.
This unique, entertaining, and thought-provoking personal account will challenge women to throw out their preconceived notions of what a submissive wife looks like and seek fresh leading from God for their lives and marriages today.
About the Author:
Sara Horn is a wife and mom, an author, and founder of Wives of Faith, a military wives ministry. She's a sought-after media guest and writer of numerous articles and books, including My So-Called Life as a Proverbs 31 Wife and GOD Strong: A Military Wife's Spiritual Survival Guide. She's devoted to her husband, who serves in the U.S. Navy Reserves, crazy about her son, and passionate about her ministry to women.
My Review:
Sara Horn takes on the Proverbs 31 image of what it means to be the "submissive" wife. She decides to do a year long experiment to explore what that means and entails. I chose to review this book because I myself have always or at least in the last ten years or so of my marriage strived to be a submissive wife. I do feel like alot of things Sara points out as things a submissive wife should do I feel like I already mastered but of course I have been married close to 20 years. One thing to get in the habit of towards this goal is always okay things or talk them through with your husband first before committing to them.
But when I look back on my marriage I see alot of things I would of done differently. But then again on the other hand I feel like I earned everyone of those 19 years. We need to remain diligent in our approach on trying to be the best submissive wife we can be. First of all because God has called us to do it and secondly because we love the man that He has blessed us with to the point of doing all we can to love and support him. Its not a very easy feat but with Gods help we can achieve it.
**Disclosure** This book was sent to me free of charge for my honest review from Harvest House.
October 13, 2015
I had a discussion with a friend from church re Proverbs 31 and how women couldn't possibly live up to that. I decided to first read it and then research it. In amongst my research I found Sara Horn who wrote My So Called Life as a Proverbs 31 Wife. I then also found this book and having had various discussions with different people on being a "submissive" wife which is something that I could not come to terms with I thought, well I will buy the book and read it and see if I'm convinced.
I mentioned it at our bookclub and now we are all reading it - discussion should be interesting.
I liked how it started, she was very honest, said it wasn't a how to book. Then it started and it was just about her life over a one year period. I thought oh dear I'm going to have to force myself to read a chapter a day as they weren't very interesting and didn't really say anything about what I was curious about. Then about half way through (thank goodness I was half way there) little things started to dawn on me and make sense and I didn't have to force myself to read it, I actually wanted to read it.
Looking up the meaning to "submissive" some I found were "unresistingly or humbly obedient", "submit of yield to the authority of another", "humility or servility" to name a few none of which sit well with me and still don't but "submissive" is just a word and the meanings I mentioned in this paragraph don't really do the biblical meaning any justice. I found that reading this book I thought that Sara was like me and her husband Cliff was like my husband. It was certainly an interesting read and yes I did learn things and yes I think I understand now.
After another discussion with a friend re this book, I would agree with her that there were way too many references to her damn laundry and to her previous book. Initially I thought I must go out and buy that one but I think I'm done for for now.
By the way in amongst my research regarding Proverbs 31 one website said it was written for husbands not the wives, so the husbands know how much and what their wives do not how they should be. That was only one website.
Looking forward to bookclub. A very honest account of her one year experiment.
I mentioned it at our bookclub and now we are all reading it - discussion should be interesting.
I liked how it started, she was very honest, said it wasn't a how to book. Then it started and it was just about her life over a one year period. I thought oh dear I'm going to have to force myself to read a chapter a day as they weren't very interesting and didn't really say anything about what I was curious about. Then about half way through (thank goodness I was half way there) little things started to dawn on me and make sense and I didn't have to force myself to read it, I actually wanted to read it.
Looking up the meaning to "submissive" some I found were "unresistingly or humbly obedient", "submit of yield to the authority of another", "humility or servility" to name a few none of which sit well with me and still don't but "submissive" is just a word and the meanings I mentioned in this paragraph don't really do the biblical meaning any justice. I found that reading this book I thought that Sara was like me and her husband Cliff was like my husband. It was certainly an interesting read and yes I did learn things and yes I think I understand now.
After another discussion with a friend re this book, I would agree with her that there were way too many references to her damn laundry and to her previous book. Initially I thought I must go out and buy that one but I think I'm done for for now.
By the way in amongst my research regarding Proverbs 31 one website said it was written for husbands not the wives, so the husbands know how much and what their wives do not how they should be. That was only one website.
Looking forward to bookclub. A very honest account of her one year experiment.
September 7, 2013
I know what you’re thinking. You have a vision of some poor women slaving away baking endless pies for the rest of her life. I thought the same thing, this is definitely not me. But then, out of curiosity, I read the description of the book and decided to give it a chance despite my reservations. I’m glad I did. The word “submissive” carries with it such a negative connotation in our modern society where women are striving to be equals. However, the concept of being a submissive wife in this book has nothing at all to do with baking pies and being a June Cleaver, but everything to do with the way that God intended a marriage to be. It’s about allowing your husband to become the head of the household and, in doing so, the mutual support for one another builds a strong marriage that will last a lifetime.
I’m the first to admit that this is not something I’m good at. At all. But after reading this My So-Called Life as a Submissive Wife, I would be willing to at least try. And I think I will end up surprising myself, just as Sara did. As she mentions from the very beginning, if you’re looking for a how-to manual, this is not it. This book is a very honest and real experience that she shares in such a way that we feel like we’re experiencing everything along with her. She shares the same questions, concerns, and struggles that most modern day women would have concerning such a topic. She learns lessons, makes mistakes, and grows as a person. It’s been awhile since I’ve read such an honest account of someone’s personal journey that I could identify with so well.
I highly recommend this book to every Christian wife and strongly believe that upon finishing the book, you too will have a new perspective on the way that God intended marriage to function. Rather than losing freedom, Sara gained so much more. I believe if I follow in her footsteps, I can achieve similar results. If you want to improve your marriage, you should read the book and learn about what Sara learned throughout her one-year-long experiment.
Note: I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review from Reader’s Favorite.
I’m the first to admit that this is not something I’m good at. At all. But after reading this My So-Called Life as a Submissive Wife, I would be willing to at least try. And I think I will end up surprising myself, just as Sara did. As she mentions from the very beginning, if you’re looking for a how-to manual, this is not it. This book is a very honest and real experience that she shares in such a way that we feel like we’re experiencing everything along with her. She shares the same questions, concerns, and struggles that most modern day women would have concerning such a topic. She learns lessons, makes mistakes, and grows as a person. It’s been awhile since I’ve read such an honest account of someone’s personal journey that I could identify with so well.
I highly recommend this book to every Christian wife and strongly believe that upon finishing the book, you too will have a new perspective on the way that God intended marriage to function. Rather than losing freedom, Sara gained so much more. I believe if I follow in her footsteps, I can achieve similar results. If you want to improve your marriage, you should read the book and learn about what Sara learned throughout her one-year-long experiment.
Note: I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review from Reader’s Favorite.
July 27, 2013
Having read her My So Called Life as a Proverbs 31 Woman, I thought I knew what I was getting myself into. Sara is very open about her struggles, questions, doubts and when she does not get it right. She exceeded that in this book. Hearing her deal with in laws and her wanting on one hand to let Cliff lead, but then true to her nature she jumps the gun on somethings and wonders "what just happened?". Her willingness to even put herself out there on this subject and then share the good, the bad and the ugly says a lot about her desire to become all that God wants her to be.
Even though the situations were different, I could see a lot of my husband and I in the things they went through. My husband is very patient and laid back and a tad absent minded which he readily agrees. I am more like Sara. As I read and saw how they learned about this whole submissive thing ( and I am sure are still learning because it is a daily choice) I felt there was hope for Lars and I. We may not get it right all the time. If I go in with the attitude that God's will needs to be in this submissive relationship first and if I want the best for my husband, it will become easier to let go and let him led.
This book moved me so much that at the end I started crying for her, for them and for us!
This is not a rule book on how to do it. It is seeking God, having a lot of prayer and having to re-learn a lot of things that you may have not learned right the first time. I am thinking I am going to read this again and see what more I can glean from her year long experiment. I highly recommend this book to any wife who wants take her marriage to the next level.
Even though the situations were different, I could see a lot of my husband and I in the things they went through. My husband is very patient and laid back and a tad absent minded which he readily agrees. I am more like Sara. As I read and saw how they learned about this whole submissive thing ( and I am sure are still learning because it is a daily choice) I felt there was hope for Lars and I. We may not get it right all the time. If I go in with the attitude that God's will needs to be in this submissive relationship first and if I want the best for my husband, it will become easier to let go and let him led.
This book moved me so much that at the end I started crying for her, for them and for us!
This is not a rule book on how to do it. It is seeking God, having a lot of prayer and having to re-learn a lot of things that you may have not learned right the first time. I am thinking I am going to read this again and see what more I can glean from her year long experiment. I highly recommend this book to any wife who wants take her marriage to the next level.
April 30, 2013
I love Sara's honesty in this book! She shares the good and the bad, the struggles and successes, her thoughts on how the world views her choices and her desire to follow God as well as her confusion as to what submission really is.
Her writing is humorous and to be honest I can't imagine trying an experiment such as this while living with my in-laws and then adding my grandmother-in-law to the mix as well! She manages to keep it all together...mostly. She even shares how the changes she made let to changes in her husband as well.
The only thing that was missing was direct instruction on what it is to be submissive, but that is something I love as well. God didn't give a step by step depiction of what submission to a husband is, probably because submission looks slightly different in every marriage. God laid the groundwork and left the rest up to us to work out, which Sara quickly picks up on. Like her, though, sometimes I wish the instructions were a little clearer! :)
So I highly recommend this for every engaged or married woman to read if they truly want to honor God and their husband in their relationship. This isn't a throwback, obey your husband without thought, male dominating concept. This is the way to a marriage that really is forever after.
I did receive an advance copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Her writing is humorous and to be honest I can't imagine trying an experiment such as this while living with my in-laws and then adding my grandmother-in-law to the mix as well! She manages to keep it all together...mostly. She even shares how the changes she made let to changes in her husband as well.
The only thing that was missing was direct instruction on what it is to be submissive, but that is something I love as well. God didn't give a step by step depiction of what submission to a husband is, probably because submission looks slightly different in every marriage. God laid the groundwork and left the rest up to us to work out, which Sara quickly picks up on. Like her, though, sometimes I wish the instructions were a little clearer! :)
So I highly recommend this for every engaged or married woman to read if they truly want to honor God and their husband in their relationship. This isn't a throwback, obey your husband without thought, male dominating concept. This is the way to a marriage that really is forever after.
I did receive an advance copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
August 2, 2013
Society today will tell you, “Do not read this book!”. However, I challenge you to step out of the box and READ THIS BOOK! This is not a “how to”, or a “do this and you can accomplish being the perfect wife” type of book. It is an earnest look into one women’s journey to get closer to God and closer to the wife, mother and child of God that He intends her to be. Sara Horn is a woman like you and me just trying to dive deeper into the word of God. It’s honest, thought provoking and humorous to read about her journey. I saw myself throughout the book, my circumstances different, but the internal conflicts and feelings were the same. We are not meant to be door mats. That is not what is meant when the Bible uses the word submission. Society has twisted that word into something ugly. So I say gain a new perspective on this word by reading this book and just see where it takes you. I will leave you with one of my WOW moments from this book: “But I’m not sure God designed us as wives to be yes-women to our husbands. Otherwise, where does the whole “iron sharpening iron” thing happen?” (Pg183 Sara Horn) You and your husband should sharpen each other!
July 30, 2013
In the context of 21st century feminism, it's tough to know what Biblical submission means, what it looks like, and how to live it in today's society. Enter Sara Horn, a smart and savvy writer, ministry leader, and military wife.
Sara bravely sets out to chronicle her year living according to Biblical principles of submission in marriage. Not an easy task in a society that thinks that submission is a June Cleaver-esque wife vacuuming wearing heels and pearls and dinner in the oven; or worse, something to do with the bedroom and a certain trilogy of grey-covered novels published last year.
Sara's memoir is honest and thought-provoking, spiritual but not in a heavy-handed way, and best of all, real.
I highly recommend this book for wives of any age who want encouragement and reality when it comes to a modern marriage following Biblical principles.
Disclosure: I received a Netgalley copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. I also received a paperback copy from the publisher, Harvest House. Review is my opinion.
Sara bravely sets out to chronicle her year living according to Biblical principles of submission in marriage. Not an easy task in a society that thinks that submission is a June Cleaver-esque wife vacuuming wearing heels and pearls and dinner in the oven; or worse, something to do with the bedroom and a certain trilogy of grey-covered novels published last year.
Sara's memoir is honest and thought-provoking, spiritual but not in a heavy-handed way, and best of all, real.
I highly recommend this book for wives of any age who want encouragement and reality when it comes to a modern marriage following Biblical principles.
Disclosure: I received a Netgalley copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. I also received a paperback copy from the publisher, Harvest House. Review is my opinion.
August 16, 2015
Excellent Book!
Sara Horn takes us through a year in her life as she tries to become a "submissive wife". During that year Sara faces ridicule and disdain from many as she shares what she is doing, but she continues on and discovers she is glad she did. Sara discovered that being a submissive wife didn't mean she lost her rights as a human in the marriage, but rather that when she yielded to God and placed him first in her life and her marriage, her marriage and family life improved. Sara read through the scriptures and decided to follow God's commands on marriage versus the cultural norms, and she found her husband opening up and wanting to lead the family more. This is a whimsical, quirky, transparently written book by Sara Horn as she opens her heart and lays out her life for her readers. I thank her for that and because of her book I too want to try being a "so-called submissive wife" as well.
Sara Horn takes us through a year in her life as she tries to become a "submissive wife". During that year Sara faces ridicule and disdain from many as she shares what she is doing, but she continues on and discovers she is glad she did. Sara discovered that being a submissive wife didn't mean she lost her rights as a human in the marriage, but rather that when she yielded to God and placed him first in her life and her marriage, her marriage and family life improved. Sara read through the scriptures and decided to follow God's commands on marriage versus the cultural norms, and she found her husband opening up and wanting to lead the family more. This is a whimsical, quirky, transparently written book by Sara Horn as she opens her heart and lays out her life for her readers. I thank her for that and because of her book I too want to try being a "so-called submissive wife" as well.
September 4, 2014
Very honest personal account of a normal wive's struggle with the concept of submission. Because it's not didactic, you do have to read it straight through (as in, don't put it down for 2 weeks and pick it up to continue reading) so that you can get a good understanding of her journey and experiences and how her view of submission changes from start to finish. She's got a great tone, humorous and genuine, and it's easy to read. I'm definitely planning to read it again to explore more because submission is a topic I've always struggled with, so for me, it'll take a second read to wrestle with it.
Good book. I recommend it to all engaged women because it gives a wive's perspective of the struggles of submission, which are not often discussed at it in premarital counseling or church or anything.
Good book. I recommend it to all engaged women because it gives a wive's perspective of the struggles of submission, which are not often discussed at it in premarital counseling or church or anything.
August 1, 2013
Sara Horn's newest release is another hit! I fell in love with her writing when I read her Proverbs 31 Wife book last Christmas. Her witty, real-life, heartfelt writing carries through to the Submissive Wife book as well. This truly is a book for wives of all ages and is now on my list for wedding shower gifts, along with her Proverbs 31 book! Sara uses her real life experiences to share with us the joys, frustrations, fears and amazing changes being a submissive wife can bring to a marriage. Including her husband's thoughts and reactions to this whole submissive wife thing takes this book up a level, especially page 184, which particularly resonated with me and my marriage.
Read it, read it again, then pass it on to another wife who could use some encouragement.
Read it, read it again, then pass it on to another wife who could use some encouragement.
July 31, 2013
One of my favorite authors! Sara brings to light a subject that is hard to swallow and not only shows the reality behind it, but though humor shows us the trials and successes of her self imposed challenge. Wonderful and easy read, perfect for women of all ages. Highly...Read More
One of my favorite authors! Sara brings to light a subject that is hard to swallow and not only shows the reality behind it, but though humor shows us the trials and successes of her self imposed challenge. Wonderful and easy read, perfect for women of all ages. Highly recommend if for self study or women's groups.
One of my favorite authors! Sara brings to light a subject that is hard to swallow and not only shows the reality behind it, but though humor shows us the trials and successes of her self imposed challenge. Wonderful and easy read, perfect for women of all ages. Highly recommend if for self study or women's groups.
October 16, 2014
Sara Horn has written another delightful, thought-provoking book on her experiences of trying to be a better Christian and wife. This book isn't a how-to guide or preachy at all (in my opinion), but more like a series of snapshots of her year spent focusing on being more submissive to her husband. Throughout the book, Sara examines submission through a Biblical lens, instead of how it's commonly viewed in American culture. It's a great read for Christian women trying to be closer to God and to their husbands. Quick note: for non-Christian women who don't believe in the Bible though, I wouldn't recommend it because of how much it relies on Bible verses and a true desire to be closer to God.
August 10, 2013
The word submission is distorted in today's culture. But when looked at from the biblical perspective, it is a really beautiful part of marriage. This is an amazing story of a woman who decides to pursue being biblically submissive in her marriage. She spends a year focusing on making her actions reflect what Christ wants us be as wives. It is a beautiful story of a changed hearts, in both her and her husband.
Here is my full review:
http://www.crayonmarksandtigerstripes...
Here is my full review:
http://www.crayonmarksandtigerstripes...
October 7, 2013
I saw an interview from this author and was interested in the title. The format was a little different than I expected. It is basically an autobiographical book with the author, a military wife, sharing her journey about how submission worked out in her life. It is not a how-to book, but it does have good suggestions from the author. She told about how her husband started to lead and what she had to do when she didn't quite like his leading:)
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