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Longing for Paris: One Woman's Search for Joy, Beauty, and Adventure--Right Where She Is
For anyone who has ever daydreamed of another life . . .
Most days, you wouldn't trade what you have for the world. You love your husband and your kids, and you are grateful to God for your life. But there are days when you feel as though life is rolling over you in waves and you are just going through the motions. You find yourself aching for something more, something that is calling to the depths of who you are, maybe for something you can't even name.
For Sarah Mae, it was Paris, a place that is known for breathtaking beauty, inspiring art, and exquisite food. But as she searched her heart, she found there was more to her longings than she anticipated.
Join Sarah Mae in Longing for Paris, a soul-searching, light-filled journey for the woman who knows she can't uproot her life to discover herself and her longings, but who desperately wants to uncover them so she can get unstuck and choose a life that is filled with beauty, adventure, and deep joy . . . right where she is.
Most days, you wouldn't trade what you have for the world. You love your husband and your kids, and you are grateful to God for your life. But there are days when you feel as though life is rolling over you in waves and you are just going through the motions. You find yourself aching for something more, something that is calling to the depths of who you are, maybe for something you can't even name.
For Sarah Mae, it was Paris, a place that is known for breathtaking beauty, inspiring art, and exquisite food. But as she searched her heart, she found there was more to her longings than she anticipated.
Join Sarah Mae in Longing for Paris, a soul-searching, light-filled journey for the woman who knows she can't uproot her life to discover herself and her longings, but who desperately wants to uncover them so she can get unstuck and choose a life that is filled with beauty, adventure, and deep joy . . . right where she is.
222 pages, Paperback
First published August 4, 2015
47 people are currently reading
897 people want to read
About the author
Sarah Mae
21 books394 followersSarah Mae is the author of the book, The Complicated Heart: Loving Even When it Hurts, a story about how Sarah learned to love and forgive her alcoholic mother.
Sarah is the host of The Complicated Heart podcast, she speaks all over the country encouraging women to walk in freedom, and she wrangles three extroverted kids, a naughty yellow lab, and new husky puppy, because obviously she loves chaos. Holding down the fort with her in Lancaster, PA is her woodworker husband, Jesse.
Sarah is the host of The Complicated Heart podcast, she speaks all over the country encouraging women to walk in freedom, and she wrangles three extroverted kids, a naughty yellow lab, and new husky puppy, because obviously she loves chaos. Holding down the fort with her in Lancaster, PA is her woodworker husband, Jesse.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 69 reviews
March 14, 2016
This book was milk, not meat. And like, really really watered down skim milk at that.
Let's start with the subtitle, shall we? This was not a woman's search for joy, beauty, or adventure. There was very very little searching, joy, beauty, or adventure in this book, at least none that I detected she found. It seemed to be a musing of these dreams deferred. Nothing at all wrong with that. That can be real life at times, but that was not at all what the title or description seemed to lay out as a thesis. It just seemed like it never moved on past the introduction phase. There were a lot of dreams, and not so much searching. And definitely very little finding. (And I won't even address how little scripture tells us to find and follow our dreams. It does talk a lot about dying to ourselves, but that seems to sell fewer books.)
Every now and again, she would touch on something... start to crest over a little hill that looked promising where she and her children would search out the best croissant in their tiny city, or listen to a recording of Beethoven in the car together. There was a sentence that read, "I want to fill my children with rich stories, testimonies of saints, good music, art, delicious food, and deep relationships." I wanted to scream, "Yes! Talk about that then!" And then, she would just go back to talking about laundry.
Now let's talk about the writing itself. This was yet another of the books in the "personality-driven" genre (see my review on Where the River Runs by Kelly Minter), that apparently sells books, but I literally went so far as to read the acknowledgments, trying to seek out who exactly was her editor. Sentences like: "Back to dreams for a moment." Just not necessary! You're the writer. Just go back to the topic if you want to, no need to tell us you're switching gears. And if you do, that likely means your thesis is so disjointed, it's a huge transition so you have to state where it is we're going back, because you've wandered far from your original topic. There was another sentence, "I would share a letter in this book, but it's special between the two of us" just should have been edited out. Oh, edit, edit, edit! Who are these editors, Tyndale?? I knew nothing of Sarah Mae, but it was clear to me a few chapters in that she was a blogger. A quick google search proved me right.
When discipleship becomes a business, I suppose this is the problem we are left with.
Mothering and laundry and schooling children are all wonderful, noble, important things, and worthy of books, but they just don't have much to do with longing for, or finding Paris. The practical advice on spending quality time with your children was great, it just didn't have anything to do with the thesis of this book.
This was just one of those books that was written about such a specific point in time -- I suppose if you too are a mother of three, blogger and speaker, wife to a woodworker, homeschooler living in a small town, then perhaps there would be insights here for you. And not to say that's not an audience. But I've read books by people who would fit this description that ALSO contained universal, timeless truths. This was not one of those.
Read Joe Rigney's The Things of Earth or Randy Alcorn's Heaven instead for some good, meaty discussion on the search for joy, beauty, and adventure. As long as there are any words of Augustine or Lewis or Elliot or Spurgeon or L'Engle left in the world that I haven't read, shame on me for spending a couple hours on this. I've learned my lesson, and next time, I won't be caught finishing a forgettable book.
Let's start with the subtitle, shall we? This was not a woman's search for joy, beauty, or adventure. There was very very little searching, joy, beauty, or adventure in this book, at least none that I detected she found. It seemed to be a musing of these dreams deferred. Nothing at all wrong with that. That can be real life at times, but that was not at all what the title or description seemed to lay out as a thesis. It just seemed like it never moved on past the introduction phase. There were a lot of dreams, and not so much searching. And definitely very little finding. (And I won't even address how little scripture tells us to find and follow our dreams. It does talk a lot about dying to ourselves, but that seems to sell fewer books.)
Every now and again, she would touch on something... start to crest over a little hill that looked promising where she and her children would search out the best croissant in their tiny city, or listen to a recording of Beethoven in the car together. There was a sentence that read, "I want to fill my children with rich stories, testimonies of saints, good music, art, delicious food, and deep relationships." I wanted to scream, "Yes! Talk about that then!" And then, she would just go back to talking about laundry.
Now let's talk about the writing itself. This was yet another of the books in the "personality-driven" genre (see my review on Where the River Runs by Kelly Minter), that apparently sells books, but I literally went so far as to read the acknowledgments, trying to seek out who exactly was her editor. Sentences like: "Back to dreams for a moment." Just not necessary! You're the writer. Just go back to the topic if you want to, no need to tell us you're switching gears. And if you do, that likely means your thesis is so disjointed, it's a huge transition so you have to state where it is we're going back, because you've wandered far from your original topic. There was another sentence, "I would share a letter in this book, but it's special between the two of us" just should have been edited out. Oh, edit, edit, edit! Who are these editors, Tyndale?? I knew nothing of Sarah Mae, but it was clear to me a few chapters in that she was a blogger. A quick google search proved me right.
When discipleship becomes a business, I suppose this is the problem we are left with.
Mothering and laundry and schooling children are all wonderful, noble, important things, and worthy of books, but they just don't have much to do with longing for, or finding Paris. The practical advice on spending quality time with your children was great, it just didn't have anything to do with the thesis of this book.
This was just one of those books that was written about such a specific point in time -- I suppose if you too are a mother of three, blogger and speaker, wife to a woodworker, homeschooler living in a small town, then perhaps there would be insights here for you. And not to say that's not an audience. But I've read books by people who would fit this description that ALSO contained universal, timeless truths. This was not one of those.
Read Joe Rigney's The Things of Earth or Randy Alcorn's Heaven instead for some good, meaty discussion on the search for joy, beauty, and adventure. As long as there are any words of Augustine or Lewis or Elliot or Spurgeon or L'Engle left in the world that I haven't read, shame on me for spending a couple hours on this. I've learned my lesson, and next time, I won't be caught finishing a forgettable book.
February 8, 2017
This was one of those books, where there really wasn't anything wowing or amazing about it, yet I found that it was very relatable and helpful during this time in my life. Now, even though months have passed since last reading it, I can still remember the difference that it made in my life, the encouragement I felt from the words, and the fun I had while I read it. Maybe it's only a four star read, but I gave it five because it made a lasting impression on me.
May 6, 2016
I absolutely loved this book. I feel Sarah is my kindred spirit and that gives me hope that I am not alone in this place. Sometimes my longings bog me down and distract me from what's right in front of me which is a hard place to live.
If you are in a place of discontent and you keep saying to yourself, if I could runaway...., read this book.
If you are in a place of discontent and you keep saying to yourself, if I could runaway...., read this book.
October 14, 2020
Author Sarah Mae loves France, and specifically Paris. She has never been there, but she would love to go. And yet, she has three young kids. Traveling to Paris is not in her foreseeable future, but she longs for it.
As you can imagine, I can really relate to this. I’ve loved travel (in my case, to Europe) my whole life, and remember as a child hanging out while Mom worked on genealogy wishing I could go to Germany. I’ve been blessed to have actually been to Europe multiple times, and yes, I truly did love it. When I returned to Germany last year, it was my first international trip in 23 years — and it was pure bliss.
Mae cites Proverbs 29:18, about people perishing for lack of vision. She ties that to our hopes and dreams: we need them to … thrive? (I’m resisting that word due to its recent infamous usage by Meghan Markle 🙂 ).
Mae suggests that if we can’t totally fulfill our dreams, we should try in small ways. In her case, she talks about finding a place that serves croissants in her small town. She suggests making artwork (a la Mona Lisa) with your kids. She seeks to bring excitement into the everyday. One odd example of “excitement” she shares, from a friend, involved leaning in close to the fast food restaurant drive-thru speaker and screaming her order until she was hoarse, “just for fun.”
Hmmm. Pretty quickly I realized that this book really wasn’t going to cut it for me, and much of it I think comes down to a difference in personalities. For Mae, closing her eyes while eating a croissant and imagining Paris transports her. For me, I don’t think this would do a thing. “It was so good that I realized then that it didn’t matter if I was in a cafe in Paris or in a Pennsylvania Dutch country thousands of miles away. The quiche was just as enjoyable because of the way I savored it.” Wow, interesting, and honestly I envy her ability to be so easily satisfied.
Mae weaves in Bible verses throughout, and comes around to the (inevitable) conclusion that while “Paris will ultimately let me down,” Jesus never will. Well, true, but … I don’t know. I didn’t find this book helpful or inspiring in the way I hoped it would be. Maybe for a mom of little kids at the end of her rope, or to the woman with a different type of personality, it would be a hit.
As you can imagine, I can really relate to this. I’ve loved travel (in my case, to Europe) my whole life, and remember as a child hanging out while Mom worked on genealogy wishing I could go to Germany. I’ve been blessed to have actually been to Europe multiple times, and yes, I truly did love it. When I returned to Germany last year, it was my first international trip in 23 years — and it was pure bliss.
Mae cites Proverbs 29:18, about people perishing for lack of vision. She ties that to our hopes and dreams: we need them to … thrive? (I’m resisting that word due to its recent infamous usage by Meghan Markle 🙂 ).
Mae suggests that if we can’t totally fulfill our dreams, we should try in small ways. In her case, she talks about finding a place that serves croissants in her small town. She suggests making artwork (a la Mona Lisa) with your kids. She seeks to bring excitement into the everyday. One odd example of “excitement” she shares, from a friend, involved leaning in close to the fast food restaurant drive-thru speaker and screaming her order until she was hoarse, “just for fun.”
Hmmm. Pretty quickly I realized that this book really wasn’t going to cut it for me, and much of it I think comes down to a difference in personalities. For Mae, closing her eyes while eating a croissant and imagining Paris transports her. For me, I don’t think this would do a thing. “It was so good that I realized then that it didn’t matter if I was in a cafe in Paris or in a Pennsylvania Dutch country thousands of miles away. The quiche was just as enjoyable because of the way I savored it.” Wow, interesting, and honestly I envy her ability to be so easily satisfied.
Mae weaves in Bible verses throughout, and comes around to the (inevitable) conclusion that while “Paris will ultimately let me down,” Jesus never will. Well, true, but … I don’t know. I didn’t find this book helpful or inspiring in the way I hoped it would be. Maybe for a mom of little kids at the end of her rope, or to the woman with a different type of personality, it would be a hit.
July 3, 2015
Ah, Paris. The word itself makes me sigh, just hearing it. And if I hadn't had the unforgettable opportunity to visit Paris in college while I studied for a semester in England, the longing might be unbearable.
Okay, so there's still a part of me that dreams of going back, this time with my love by my side. Isn't it tragic that my husband and I have been to Paris separately, in our youth, but never together? Tragic, I tell you.
There's something about Paris that hits on my longing for adventure and beauty and meaning. And it's not just Paris. It's Italy. It's travel to anywhere I've never been. It's my dream of writing a book. Of finding purpose in my work and life.
It's the kinds of things that get pushed down or set aside in motherhood, things I've been wondering about: Are they recoverable? Do they fit in my life anymore as a mom?
Not long ago, I read Elizabeth Gilbert's Eat, Pray, Love and I wanted to escape my day-to-day life--for real--to have those kinds of adventures and "find myself."
Thank God--I really do!--for the next book to come along: Sarah Mae's Longing for Paris: One Woman's Search for Joy, Beauty and Adventure Right Where She Is. Pause for a moment and take all of that title in.
In this book, Sarah Mae recognizes our longings and affirms them as gifts from a God who cares about our dreams because He cares about us.
This book could not have come at a more perfect time. (Disclaimer: I received an advance copy of the book from Tyndale House Publishers in exchange for my review.) I'm in the middle of a year focusing on the word "whole" and my kids will both be in school all day starting in the fall. I have this amazing opportunity to rediscover who I am after feeling like motherhood swallowed me these last 7 or so years.
Longing For Paris encourages moms at any stage of parenting (or any woman with unfulfilled longings) that we can have that beauty, adventure and meaning we're looking for, right in our own homes and towns. But it's not just empty platitudes Sarah Mae offers; it's practical ways to do this.
A few of my favorite take-aways from the book:
Adventure can be anything out of the ordinary: dessert before dinner, a French pastry from a local cafe, savoring your food. It's a call to seek out the "Paris" wherever you are.
Beauty is what you make of it. In the ordinary, everyday, we can begin to think that we're not beautiful or our lives are not beautiful. Taking a cue from the confidence of French women, who seldom worry about what other people think, Sarah encourages us to choose to see beauty. And one way to do this is to get rid of our frumpy clothes or anything we wear that doesn't make us feel beautiful. I love this suggestion because I know there are clothes in my closet that negatively affect my attitude about myself.
Simplicity adds to our contentment with what we have. It's weird how having more stuff doesn't make us any happier, just more burdened. She told a story about having her kids choose 20 things to keep out of all their things. That sounded like a lot, but she realized how much more they actually had. Purging and simplifying our things helps us enjoy what we do have.
I took a lot of notes with this book, and I want to plaster some of the quotes from the book in front of me always so I can remember these words.
It's a beautiful call to live a full and rewarding life, even if it's not everything you hoped it would be.
If you love your life--most days--but wonder if there's still room in it for your dreams, then this is the book that will help you live with that tension, not just in a settling for less kind of way, but in a deeply satisfying way.
Okay, so there's still a part of me that dreams of going back, this time with my love by my side. Isn't it tragic that my husband and I have been to Paris separately, in our youth, but never together? Tragic, I tell you.
There's something about Paris that hits on my longing for adventure and beauty and meaning. And it's not just Paris. It's Italy. It's travel to anywhere I've never been. It's my dream of writing a book. Of finding purpose in my work and life.
It's the kinds of things that get pushed down or set aside in motherhood, things I've been wondering about: Are they recoverable? Do they fit in my life anymore as a mom?
Not long ago, I read Elizabeth Gilbert's Eat, Pray, Love and I wanted to escape my day-to-day life--for real--to have those kinds of adventures and "find myself."
Thank God--I really do!--for the next book to come along: Sarah Mae's Longing for Paris: One Woman's Search for Joy, Beauty and Adventure Right Where She Is. Pause for a moment and take all of that title in.
In this book, Sarah Mae recognizes our longings and affirms them as gifts from a God who cares about our dreams because He cares about us.
This book could not have come at a more perfect time. (Disclaimer: I received an advance copy of the book from Tyndale House Publishers in exchange for my review.) I'm in the middle of a year focusing on the word "whole" and my kids will both be in school all day starting in the fall. I have this amazing opportunity to rediscover who I am after feeling like motherhood swallowed me these last 7 or so years.
Longing For Paris encourages moms at any stage of parenting (or any woman with unfulfilled longings) that we can have that beauty, adventure and meaning we're looking for, right in our own homes and towns. But it's not just empty platitudes Sarah Mae offers; it's practical ways to do this.
A few of my favorite take-aways from the book:
Adventure can be anything out of the ordinary: dessert before dinner, a French pastry from a local cafe, savoring your food. It's a call to seek out the "Paris" wherever you are.
Beauty is what you make of it. In the ordinary, everyday, we can begin to think that we're not beautiful or our lives are not beautiful. Taking a cue from the confidence of French women, who seldom worry about what other people think, Sarah encourages us to choose to see beauty. And one way to do this is to get rid of our frumpy clothes or anything we wear that doesn't make us feel beautiful. I love this suggestion because I know there are clothes in my closet that negatively affect my attitude about myself.
Simplicity adds to our contentment with what we have. It's weird how having more stuff doesn't make us any happier, just more burdened. She told a story about having her kids choose 20 things to keep out of all their things. That sounded like a lot, but she realized how much more they actually had. Purging and simplifying our things helps us enjoy what we do have.
I took a lot of notes with this book, and I want to plaster some of the quotes from the book in front of me always so I can remember these words.
It's a beautiful call to live a full and rewarding life, even if it's not everything you hoped it would be.
If you love your life--most days--but wonder if there's still room in it for your dreams, then this is the book that will help you live with that tension, not just in a settling for less kind of way, but in a deeply satisfying way.
September 7, 2015
Longing for Paris by Sarah Mae, Tyndale Publishing,ISBN-10: 1414372612, ISBN-13: 978-1414372617
Life sometimes just overwhelms, you know? Sure, there are the days when things are going hunky dorky and you are happy. You wouldn't want to do anything about life differently. You are having a great hair day. The dogs are getting a long and have not eaten your shoestrings. You are caught up on your work. Things are just great.
But then there are days that you just want to curl up in a ball and cry. You feel like you are a robot going through the motions. You can feel in your deepest part of your tummy that something is missing. There is something else you should be doing. You can feel it, you can taste it, but you are not sure what it is.
Sarah Mae loved Paris. Paris is known for art, beauty and delicious food.
In Longing for Paris, Sarah Mae pens a tale that most women in the busy, materialistic society we live in can relate too. She keeps it light-hearted while at the same time makes it poignant and a book that you just can't help but want to read over and over, and make notes in.
Why? Sarah Mae realizes her Paris is actually in her own back yard.
Check it out.
Life sometimes just overwhelms, you know? Sure, there are the days when things are going hunky dorky and you are happy. You wouldn't want to do anything about life differently. You are having a great hair day. The dogs are getting a long and have not eaten your shoestrings. You are caught up on your work. Things are just great.
But then there are days that you just want to curl up in a ball and cry. You feel like you are a robot going through the motions. You can feel in your deepest part of your tummy that something is missing. There is something else you should be doing. You can feel it, you can taste it, but you are not sure what it is.
Sarah Mae loved Paris. Paris is known for art, beauty and delicious food.
In Longing for Paris, Sarah Mae pens a tale that most women in the busy, materialistic society we live in can relate too. She keeps it light-hearted while at the same time makes it poignant and a book that you just can't help but want to read over and over, and make notes in.
Why? Sarah Mae realizes her Paris is actually in her own back yard.
Check it out.
August 31, 2017
My low rating is not a reflection on this book or the author. It is due to my own negligence in not reading the synopsis or reviews before I dug in. If I had done so, I would have known this book is not for me.
This book is for you if you are one or all of the following:
1) bible-studying Christian female
2) stay-at-home mom
3) home-schooling mom
None of which I am, so again my fault for not knowing this ahead of time. This book is full of bible verses and scriptures, and a lot of preaching about a woman's life and experiences and where to go in the bible to get help in making your life better.
This book is NOT about Paris, although it is mentioned a few times. I love Paris so I was drawn to this book by its title. Not at all what I expected.
This book is for you if you are one or all of the following:
1) bible-studying Christian female
2) stay-at-home mom
3) home-schooling mom
None of which I am, so again my fault for not knowing this ahead of time. This book is full of bible verses and scriptures, and a lot of preaching about a woman's life and experiences and where to go in the bible to get help in making your life better.
This book is NOT about Paris, although it is mentioned a few times. I love Paris so I was drawn to this book by its title. Not at all what I expected.
August 13, 2017
As a Christian, a mom and a therapist, I have read a lot of parenting books and spiritually encouraging books focusing on the role of mom and wife. This is, so far, one of the best of them. Sarah Mae focuses on biblical teaching that both underly and can remedy the feeling of longing so many moms have between their actual life with kids verses the other longings of their hearts that don't seem to fit with the mom life. This is a book I am sure to refer to both for Sarah Mae's words and for some of the sources she quoted. This is NOT a parenting book of techniques. What I will say is it helps set our hearts so that we can parent. If you learn well from the experiences of others, you will like this book. If you are looking for a list of how-to's, you will probably not like this book.
While I do not share a dream of going to Paris (maybe New Zealand!), this book struck a chord for me in every aspect of life that I struggle with, from reconciling the dream and reality of motherhood with other dreams to my attitude towards housework. Too much of the time I am 15 steps ahead and not enjoying or focusing on the present. This book changed that.
Also, in the back, it has chapter discussion questions plus another set of personal reflection questions that will only enhance any insights/encouragement obtained.
One less favorable review used the phrase "when discipleship becomes a business".....would it be awesome to be part of a face-to-face group, discussing these issues? Yes, it would. However, life with kids doesn't always promote deep, uninterrupted conversations about longing and what to do with it. Sarah gave this a name and something to do with those thoughts and feelings, at least for me.
While I do not share a dream of going to Paris (maybe New Zealand!), this book struck a chord for me in every aspect of life that I struggle with, from reconciling the dream and reality of motherhood with other dreams to my attitude towards housework. Too much of the time I am 15 steps ahead and not enjoying or focusing on the present. This book changed that.
Also, in the back, it has chapter discussion questions plus another set of personal reflection questions that will only enhance any insights/encouragement obtained.
One less favorable review used the phrase "when discipleship becomes a business".....would it be awesome to be part of a face-to-face group, discussing these issues? Yes, it would. However, life with kids doesn't always promote deep, uninterrupted conversations about longing and what to do with it. Sarah gave this a name and something to do with those thoughts and feelings, at least for me.
February 20, 2022
My love for travel was the appeal of this title when I pulled it from a local bookstore's shelf. Like Sarah Mae, my sense of adventurism is best felt when exploring new places. Like Sarah Mae, my longing for travel cannot always be actualized for a variety of reasons (none of which have to do with parenting responsibilities); I was pulled in with the subtitle to search for joy, beauty, and adventure right where I am. I loved the idea of what this book may offer.
Longing for Paris was a quick read for me, but in saying so I think this was one of its downfalls. Though it is structured with end-of-chapter reflections, I was not able to strongly connect to the personal anecdotes Mae includes to make them effective. While her anecdotes are relatable and not particularly poorly written, it is the depth of ideas that is cut short. In fact, I would say as a critique that she might have developed these anecdotes further to allow readers like me, having similar but not identical life experiences, to better identify with her own experiences. While I am sure there are readers who felt otherwise, without the depth of personal and spiritual connection I was hoping for some opportunities for reflection into my own experiences and longings were lost for me. Hence, I did not spend as much time with the author's ideas as I might have liked to.
At the end of my reading, I am left thinking more about the title than the actual text.
Longing for Paris was a quick read for me, but in saying so I think this was one of its downfalls. Though it is structured with end-of-chapter reflections, I was not able to strongly connect to the personal anecdotes Mae includes to make them effective. While her anecdotes are relatable and not particularly poorly written, it is the depth of ideas that is cut short. In fact, I would say as a critique that she might have developed these anecdotes further to allow readers like me, having similar but not identical life experiences, to better identify with her own experiences. While I am sure there are readers who felt otherwise, without the depth of personal and spiritual connection I was hoping for some opportunities for reflection into my own experiences and longings were lost for me. Hence, I did not spend as much time with the author's ideas as I might have liked to.
At the end of my reading, I am left thinking more about the title than the actual text.
May 9, 2020
This was an interesting book to read at this time. At a time when many of us are living in a way that is not by choice and not entirely satisfying (or not satisfying at all), this book shows ways to embrace where you are and to make your life into a life worth living without leaving everything behind and moving overseas (or wherever one's dream place is). A few years ago I started doing much of the kind of work she suggests in this book and made changes to my life that have made my life much more of what I want my life to be. So much of this book for me is not exactly irrelevant but already familiar. I do recommend the book to those who might be struggling with a sense that they aren't or maybe can't live the life they want. It is heavy on Christ talk so those who are not receptive to it might want to skip this book. Also she is not a great writer but only serviceable. 3.4 stars rounded down.
abandoned
July 25, 2019Perhaps it was because I was listening to it as an audiobook, rather than reading it, but it felt very disjointed. It was almost as if she had these little excerpts as little blog posts and then just copy and pasted them into chapters. I don't know if that is the case or not, but that's how it felt. Admittedly, I didn't get very far, which is why I didn't feel right to assign a star rating. I did take away one thing though...whenever I think "what if..." (and subsequently spiral) I ought to immediately re-frame it as "EVEN if...God is still GOOD." I think I got just what I needed from this book to be honest. Maybe someday I'll try to read it in its written form, but I'm abandoning the audiobook for now.
April 25, 2018
half a star If I could.
How does something this terribly written get published? I should have counted the number of times she used the word soul in the most cliche sense. I don't mind Bible quotes and deep soul searching, in fact I was looking for some enlightenment, but sorry...this isn't it. A string of questions without any thoughtful analysis does not make a compelling read. Perhaps this is because the author is what...in her 20s? How much living has she done? Big disappointment!
How does something this terribly written get published? I should have counted the number of times she used the word soul in the most cliche sense. I don't mind Bible quotes and deep soul searching, in fact I was looking for some enlightenment, but sorry...this isn't it. A string of questions without any thoughtful analysis does not make a compelling read. Perhaps this is because the author is what...in her 20s? How much living has she done? Big disappointment!
December 3, 2018
I got this book because I thought it was about a woman finding joy, beauty, and adventure in PARIS. It is a long life dream of mine to visit the city of lights. That is not what this book was about! BUT.... It was a great read. The author speaks to you about finding those things in your life now, right where you are. She's a Christian and everything she points out points back to Him. She is also a homeschooling mom who understands mommy burnout. Great read for those mommy's who are on their last ounce of sanity.
September 21, 2019
This book was just what I needed at this particular moment in my life. Sarah offers plenty of things to ponder coupled with scriptures to meditate on. Although it is recommended for moms, it isn't about being a mom, so anyone can enjoy, appreciate, and learn from it. The few parts that are targeted more towards moms are still worthwhile reading, or one could just skim over those portions. The author's stream of consciousness was a bit all over the place at times, but overall I found her to be funny, profound, and genuine. I'm glad I found this book. 😊
October 1, 2019
This book hit home to me. I shouldn’t feel guilty for having dreams, but I can also do so much right now with what I have. Being content and living in the moment. I’m a mother of four teenage/adult kids, a wife and I am a Christian woman who sometimes needs a little encouragement and will feel down and drained with life, but I also need to be content with where I am in life and always give God the Praise for what he has done. This book gives me encouragement and giving the Biblical teaches in this book reminds me that God does care about me as a woman and a person.
December 28, 2019
I really like this gal! She is real, confident and loves the Lord! I found some true golden nuggets in this book that I know I will return to again and again. Is the writing top-notch? Is the book riveting? Not really and not necessary, BUT it is genuine and full of truth.
I have raised two boys to adulthood, but I wish I had read this when I was a young momma. Being a mother is a true honor and a privilege that not all people can have. For me, I could have used this reminder when I was in the thick of 'mothering' my two sons.
God bless you, Sarah Mae!
I have raised two boys to adulthood, but I wish I had read this when I was a young momma. Being a mother is a true honor and a privilege that not all people can have. For me, I could have used this reminder when I was in the thick of 'mothering' my two sons.
God bless you, Sarah Mae!
January 14, 2017
It took me FOREVER to finish this book and has led me to making a resolution to not finish books just for the sake of finishing them.
I kept waiting, longing perhaps for this book to reveal something. It felt like the author was always on the cusp of something but never really got there. The title left me with unmet expectations. It was flat.
I kept waiting, longing perhaps for this book to reveal something. It felt like the author was always on the cusp of something but never really got there. The title left me with unmet expectations. It was flat.
July 1, 2017
Overall a great book about finding your dream in the circumstance you are in. I think it would be great for young Moms particularly as she shares ideas she used with her own family when they were young.
June 27, 2017
I was encouraged by Sarah Mae's message to look for beauty, joy, and fun right there in the midst of our everyday live. I enjoyed reading this book.
March 4, 2021
A quick read, but without much substance. I feel like she could have dove deeper and been a little more organized from chapter to chapter.
August 6, 2021
Such a moving and inspirational piece!
April 13, 2022
The concept is of interest. Appropriate for a young mom.
I keep trying, but these books just don't seem to work for me.
Writing from Lititz, Pa did add a bit of fun.
I keep trying, but these books just don't seem to work for me.
Writing from Lititz, Pa did add a bit of fun.
April 18, 2023
My kids are grown, but loved the book. It makes you think about your life and people in it
June 22, 2024
I loved how the author compared Paris with God. I also loved reading about her life story.
June 11, 2018
Very relatable
I'm mostly still in the midst of the phases of life, marriage and motherhood that she describes in retrospection. But it's hopeful to know there is so much to these 'longings' and I feel inspired to find my own 'Paris' or at least be more intentional to find joy in this season.
I'm mostly still in the midst of the phases of life, marriage and motherhood that she describes in retrospection. But it's hopeful to know there is so much to these 'longings' and I feel inspired to find my own 'Paris' or at least be more intentional to find joy in this season.
August 29, 2015
We all have longings for something else. "The grass is always greener on the other side of the fence" type longings. Sarah Mae shows us her search for joy, beauty, and adventure - right where she is.
Page xx "I wanted to get out of the dailiness of life and into an adventure. I wanted to travel and see and touch and do, but my life didn't afford me that luxury. I couldn't just up and leave my family in order to figure out what was going on in my soul."
I so could have written that. This speaks to my heart. Probably yours as well.
Page xxvi "Life is like that, a mix of fun and hard, beautiful and ugly, painful and life giving. This book - the stories in it, the teaching- is all a mix, because I am a mix of this life, as are you."
Mae gets real, down and dirty, and shares about her marriage struggles, about an abortion as a teenager, and how she climbed out of that pit of despair. Because no one's life is perfect and life really is beautiful and ugly all at the same time.
This book encourages us to use our talents. To become who God made us to be. Page 84, "I often wonder if the distractions in today's culture hamper kids from releasing untapped talent. Instead of being bored and going out to discover their talents, they are glued to TV and video games and the internet. It takes an immense amount of time to create a masterpiece." This also speaks to me, not just for my kids but myself as well. Necessity is the mother of all invention. A child may not find out that they are a great artist if they don't "get bored enough" to first pick up that paintbrush. A mother may not find out that she is a wonderful quilter or writer or pianist if she is always "too busy" to perfect her hobby.
So when it comes to mothering, it's important for us to help our children, to guide them to their talents. For every single person has a hidden talent. And we should let our children be the guide. Page 131 "This is what children do: They bring laughter to our world. They are curious and observant and innocent in their understanding of so many things. They make us remember, for a moment, what it is like to see the world with fresh eyes and unscathed hearts.
They don't have scars yet. Life is truly wondrous to them."
While Mae makes the point throughout the book that she does long for Paris...the culture, the people, the beauty...she also knows that what she truly longs for is HOME - Heaven. She mentions a dream that she had about running.
Page 186: "I ran, and I thought about Heaven, and I thought about the wind in my face.
No tired legs.
No twisted ankles.
No gasping for breath.
No side aches.
I just ran.
My new body fit inside of me perfectly.
My spirit was not held back.
It was glorious.
Glorious.
I felt absolutely light and free, and I knew I would one day experience what was in my dream.
My longings are the reminder that there is more-another world, another place where I am meant to be."
Why did that make my heart skip a beat? Because I have that dream. That running dream, quite often since Jacob was sick. The running, the feeling of flying, the sense of freedom. I always, always, always wake up from those dreams with a wonderful peace. And I didn't realize, until reading those words of Mae, that someday I will run with that freedom, that lightness. And that my sweet Jacob already is. He is running without getting tired, flying across the ground with his strong legs and his happy spirit. He is HOME.
So while this book touched me on so many levels there was one thing bothering me, nagging at me through the whole book that I couldn't figure out, until page 137 when Mae writes "As I mentioned earlier, French women are known for accepting who they are, embracing it, and working to grow into it. They don't strive to be like someone else; they want to be fully themselves." Mae seems to put France, and it's people, on a pedestal. Though she's never been there. I am curious to see what she thinks of the culture after she gets there someday. Because I have a feeling she will find that they are just human as well...and not as perfect as she seems to think they are in her mind. That is the one fault I have with the book, that sense of Paris perfection didn't sit well with me and became quite annoying.
This book was sent to me by Tyndale Publishing in exchange for my honest opinion. See full review at http://www.trenchesofmommyhood.blogsp...
Page xx "I wanted to get out of the dailiness of life and into an adventure. I wanted to travel and see and touch and do, but my life didn't afford me that luxury. I couldn't just up and leave my family in order to figure out what was going on in my soul."
I so could have written that. This speaks to my heart. Probably yours as well.
Page xxvi "Life is like that, a mix of fun and hard, beautiful and ugly, painful and life giving. This book - the stories in it, the teaching- is all a mix, because I am a mix of this life, as are you."
Mae gets real, down and dirty, and shares about her marriage struggles, about an abortion as a teenager, and how she climbed out of that pit of despair. Because no one's life is perfect and life really is beautiful and ugly all at the same time.
This book encourages us to use our talents. To become who God made us to be. Page 84, "I often wonder if the distractions in today's culture hamper kids from releasing untapped talent. Instead of being bored and going out to discover their talents, they are glued to TV and video games and the internet. It takes an immense amount of time to create a masterpiece." This also speaks to me, not just for my kids but myself as well. Necessity is the mother of all invention. A child may not find out that they are a great artist if they don't "get bored enough" to first pick up that paintbrush. A mother may not find out that she is a wonderful quilter or writer or pianist if she is always "too busy" to perfect her hobby.
So when it comes to mothering, it's important for us to help our children, to guide them to their talents. For every single person has a hidden talent. And we should let our children be the guide. Page 131 "This is what children do: They bring laughter to our world. They are curious and observant and innocent in their understanding of so many things. They make us remember, for a moment, what it is like to see the world with fresh eyes and unscathed hearts.
They don't have scars yet. Life is truly wondrous to them."
While Mae makes the point throughout the book that she does long for Paris...the culture, the people, the beauty...she also knows that what she truly longs for is HOME - Heaven. She mentions a dream that she had about running.
Page 186: "I ran, and I thought about Heaven, and I thought about the wind in my face.
No tired legs.
No twisted ankles.
No gasping for breath.
No side aches.
I just ran.
My new body fit inside of me perfectly.
My spirit was not held back.
It was glorious.
Glorious.
I felt absolutely light and free, and I knew I would one day experience what was in my dream.
My longings are the reminder that there is more-another world, another place where I am meant to be."
Why did that make my heart skip a beat? Because I have that dream. That running dream, quite often since Jacob was sick. The running, the feeling of flying, the sense of freedom. I always, always, always wake up from those dreams with a wonderful peace. And I didn't realize, until reading those words of Mae, that someday I will run with that freedom, that lightness. And that my sweet Jacob already is. He is running without getting tired, flying across the ground with his strong legs and his happy spirit. He is HOME.
So while this book touched me on so many levels there was one thing bothering me, nagging at me through the whole book that I couldn't figure out, until page 137 when Mae writes "As I mentioned earlier, French women are known for accepting who they are, embracing it, and working to grow into it. They don't strive to be like someone else; they want to be fully themselves." Mae seems to put France, and it's people, on a pedestal. Though she's never been there. I am curious to see what she thinks of the culture after she gets there someday. Because I have a feeling she will find that they are just human as well...and not as perfect as she seems to think they are in her mind. That is the one fault I have with the book, that sense of Paris perfection didn't sit well with me and became quite annoying.
This book was sent to me by Tyndale Publishing in exchange for my honest opinion. See full review at http://www.trenchesofmommyhood.blogsp...
March 16, 2017
Such a good positive message for young women...finding happiness ("Paris ") in your own present life. I'll pass this on to my daughter, as I think she'll really enjoy it!
December 8, 2015
Longing For Paris by Sarah Mae
ISBN: 978-1-4143-7261-7
Christian Life/Women
Retails for: $15.99
About:
This book is about one woman's very emotional journey to find inner peace with herself, her past and her life with lessons she's learned from her experiences as a child, a mother, a wife and a Christian. She dreams of a life in Paris.. but what she finds that she's truly longing for is much deeper.
Sometimes, I find myself so busy, that I wish that I could just hit pause, and go on a vacation. A lavish vacation away from my sometimes seemingly dull, and sometimes overly chaotic life. However, finding beauty in things I have right here at home and appreciating the small and the big things alike, is what makes it all worth it. I found myself laughing and agreeing with certain things in this book. I felt like the way the author told her story, she was in a way telling my own. I have dreams. Big dreams too. I know most of them will never come true, but embracing what could.. is where I struggle. The author reminds us that sometimes we need to quit fighting our struggles and just give in. We have this responsibility to ourselves to nurture our souls and the souls of our spouses and children. We have to listen. We have to see. We have to experience and live, forgive, truly slow down and live life to it's fullest.
Impression:
I loved, loved, loved when the author wrote about her marriage. She wrote,
"Yeah, it's ugly sometimes in my house, and I'm selfish, and stretching into love with a sinner you have to sleep next to is such a crazy, ridiculous thing. But that crazy thing is God's idea, and so it matters." pg. 102 This hit home for me. It made me laugh and then reflect on my own life even more. Sometimes married life is very hard and the struggle is real, but the big reminder here is that GOD wanted this life for us. He wanted us to sacrifices, and love just as He did.
When I got to pg 158, the tears came. What she wrote was so real that I wept for her. This author shared a very personal sin she had been carrying around with her as this heavy burden and she described how she eventually found the light again with the help of God.
What I really took from this book is a lot of little reminders.
"He set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand..."
"Life is not a ladder to climb but a garden to enjoy."
"The same stars you are seeing are the same stars someone in Paris is seeing as well."
And, Bible verses.
"If you seek him, he will be found by you."-1 Chronicles 28:9, ESV
"Don't be concerned about the outward beauty of fancy hairstyles, expensive jewelry, or beautiful clothes. You should clothe yourselves instead with the beauty that comes from within, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is so precious to God."-1 Peter 3:3-4, ESV
What we all need to seek the most in life is a healthy relationship with ourselves and explore those hidden pieces of our souls so we can learn what it is our hearts truly desire and how to get the most out of our lives. GOD loves us and wants us to enjoy this life he created for us. Through Him, we can figure it out, without having to run away, or go on a vacation. That sums up this book. This author's writing style was relaxed and I couldn't put this book down. I believe this is a great read for anybody going through the motions and needing spiritual enlightenment & encouragement!
ISBN: 978-1-4143-7261-7
Christian Life/Women
Retails for: $15.99
About:
This book is about one woman's very emotional journey to find inner peace with herself, her past and her life with lessons she's learned from her experiences as a child, a mother, a wife and a Christian. She dreams of a life in Paris.. but what she finds that she's truly longing for is much deeper.
Sometimes, I find myself so busy, that I wish that I could just hit pause, and go on a vacation. A lavish vacation away from my sometimes seemingly dull, and sometimes overly chaotic life. However, finding beauty in things I have right here at home and appreciating the small and the big things alike, is what makes it all worth it. I found myself laughing and agreeing with certain things in this book. I felt like the way the author told her story, she was in a way telling my own. I have dreams. Big dreams too. I know most of them will never come true, but embracing what could.. is where I struggle. The author reminds us that sometimes we need to quit fighting our struggles and just give in. We have this responsibility to ourselves to nurture our souls and the souls of our spouses and children. We have to listen. We have to see. We have to experience and live, forgive, truly slow down and live life to it's fullest.
Impression:
I loved, loved, loved when the author wrote about her marriage. She wrote,
"Yeah, it's ugly sometimes in my house, and I'm selfish, and stretching into love with a sinner you have to sleep next to is such a crazy, ridiculous thing. But that crazy thing is God's idea, and so it matters." pg. 102 This hit home for me. It made me laugh and then reflect on my own life even more. Sometimes married life is very hard and the struggle is real, but the big reminder here is that GOD wanted this life for us. He wanted us to sacrifices, and love just as He did.
When I got to pg 158, the tears came. What she wrote was so real that I wept for her. This author shared a very personal sin she had been carrying around with her as this heavy burden and she described how she eventually found the light again with the help of God.
What I really took from this book is a lot of little reminders.
"He set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand..."
"Life is not a ladder to climb but a garden to enjoy."
"The same stars you are seeing are the same stars someone in Paris is seeing as well."
And, Bible verses.
"If you seek him, he will be found by you."-1 Chronicles 28:9, ESV
"Don't be concerned about the outward beauty of fancy hairstyles, expensive jewelry, or beautiful clothes. You should clothe yourselves instead with the beauty that comes from within, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is so precious to God."-1 Peter 3:3-4, ESV
What we all need to seek the most in life is a healthy relationship with ourselves and explore those hidden pieces of our souls so we can learn what it is our hearts truly desire and how to get the most out of our lives. GOD loves us and wants us to enjoy this life he created for us. Through Him, we can figure it out, without having to run away, or go on a vacation. That sums up this book. This author's writing style was relaxed and I couldn't put this book down. I believe this is a great read for anybody going through the motions and needing spiritual enlightenment & encouragement!
January 7, 2016
"Yes, I want Paris, the real Paris and all the exciting things that Paris represents. But at the end of the day, I have discovered that these desires are pointing to something else." (XX)
This is not a book about Paris, but more. And what are those desires?
Sarah is honest and straightforward with longings and her vulnerabilities, as a wife and a mother. Yes, she's longing for Paris, but she's also longing for adventure and change and something she can't really pin-point. O, yeah, joy. The deep joy that only God can provide, and to see the beauty of it all not only in her dreams, but "right where she is." Sometimes reality is reality and dreams are dreams, or is it?
I've done the traveling abroad thing, meeting new people, eating exotic foods, immersing in a foreign culture and experience God's work in people's lives. Yet, I've learned in recent years of seeing, feeling and enjoying God's grace in our every day lives. I understood Sarah's dilemma and ultimately her search. Reading along her journey gives one, especially a busy mom and wife a perspective of finding God's grace among the small, everyday, supposedly "mundane" things. There's one little thing though, with a little dreaming and a little hope, small and mundane things can flourish and become a memory that'll be forever embedded in your mind. I like the premise of this book. Though, I think it relates mostly to moms, you can still connect to it, even if you're not a mom or wife yet. The big picture - God's picture. That's what's this is about.
"Friends, this is the thing about our longings, the deep, ultimate longings of our souls: They will all be fulfilled in a moment when we step into the heavenly Promised Land." (194)
Seeking or searching? Check out this book, read through Sarah's journey, and experience with her as she draws you in with little reminders "to Paris" at the end of each chapter, and some thought-provoking questions at the end of the book.
NOTE: I received a complimentary copy of this book for an honest review. For my reviewing policies, please see my Disclosure page. http://justcommonly.blogspot.com/2016...
This is not a book about Paris, but more. And what are those desires?
Sarah is honest and straightforward with longings and her vulnerabilities, as a wife and a mother. Yes, she's longing for Paris, but she's also longing for adventure and change and something she can't really pin-point. O, yeah, joy. The deep joy that only God can provide, and to see the beauty of it all not only in her dreams, but "right where she is." Sometimes reality is reality and dreams are dreams, or is it?
I've done the traveling abroad thing, meeting new people, eating exotic foods, immersing in a foreign culture and experience God's work in people's lives. Yet, I've learned in recent years of seeing, feeling and enjoying God's grace in our every day lives. I understood Sarah's dilemma and ultimately her search. Reading along her journey gives one, especially a busy mom and wife a perspective of finding God's grace among the small, everyday, supposedly "mundane" things. There's one little thing though, with a little dreaming and a little hope, small and mundane things can flourish and become a memory that'll be forever embedded in your mind. I like the premise of this book. Though, I think it relates mostly to moms, you can still connect to it, even if you're not a mom or wife yet. The big picture - God's picture. That's what's this is about.
"Friends, this is the thing about our longings, the deep, ultimate longings of our souls: They will all be fulfilled in a moment when we step into the heavenly Promised Land." (194)
Seeking or searching? Check out this book, read through Sarah's journey, and experience with her as she draws you in with little reminders "to Paris" at the end of each chapter, and some thought-provoking questions at the end of the book.
NOTE: I received a complimentary copy of this book for an honest review. For my reviewing policies, please see my Disclosure page. http://justcommonly.blogspot.com/2016...
August 6, 2015
Longing for Paris by Sarah Mae is one of those books you want to read slowly. Take your time. Fix coffee and find a cozy seat. Pick up a journal and a pen that you love. Grab some index cards or post-its or whatever you find yourself sticking around your house covered with Scripture, because that is what you're going to want to do. I really enjoyed this book for several reasons.
First of all, Sarah Mae is extremely transparent and honest (two qualities I appreciated in the book she co-authored with Sally Clarkson, Desperate). She doesn't hesitate to "tell on herself", I like to say. She lays out the stories of her day-to-day with three kids and a husband, her struggles, and her thought processes about life.
Secondly, she tackles this massive-humongous-mommy-concept of "longing". Really, this applies to all people. There is a difference between where we are in life and where our dreams, our longings lie. Sarah Mae reckons with those realities and emotions wrapped up in our living and dreaming with a lovely instruction "to live wide awake". Throughout the book, we can enjoy Sarah's dream of Paris woven as a thread through each chapter while we picture our own dreams woven around a life lived "wide awake".
Finally, embedded into the stories and the encouragement is the life-giving Word of God. What could be better than latching onto the Word of Truth spoken over our lives? I wish someone had told me what I am telling you right now. Carve out some time. Journal the questions provided in the back of the book. Choose a Scripture from each chapter to write out and memorize. Let God enrich your life as you go on the journey that is Longing for Paris.
First of all, Sarah Mae is extremely transparent and honest (two qualities I appreciated in the book she co-authored with Sally Clarkson, Desperate). She doesn't hesitate to "tell on herself", I like to say. She lays out the stories of her day-to-day with three kids and a husband, her struggles, and her thought processes about life.
Secondly, she tackles this massive-humongous-mommy-concept of "longing". Really, this applies to all people. There is a difference between where we are in life and where our dreams, our longings lie. Sarah Mae reckons with those realities and emotions wrapped up in our living and dreaming with a lovely instruction "to live wide awake". Throughout the book, we can enjoy Sarah's dream of Paris woven as a thread through each chapter while we picture our own dreams woven around a life lived "wide awake".
Finally, embedded into the stories and the encouragement is the life-giving Word of God. What could be better than latching onto the Word of Truth spoken over our lives? I wish someone had told me what I am telling you right now. Carve out some time. Journal the questions provided in the back of the book. Choose a Scripture from each chapter to write out and memorize. Let God enrich your life as you go on the journey that is Longing for Paris.
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