The Invisible Woman: When Only God Sees - A Special Story for Mothers

by Nicole Johnson

"Nicole Johnson shows how being in the background of others' lives isn't necessarily less important"--Provided by publisher.

Genres: Nonfiction, Christian, Parenting, Spirituality, Inspirational

97 pages, Hardcover

First published March 1, 2005

Reviews

[Cindi · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'll start with what I didn't like about the book because it almost kept me from reading on. The first chapter of the book is about a woman who feels invisible in every aspect of her life. Though she is educated and accomplished, her kids don't see her, her husband doesn't see her and she can't relate to women who have chosen to work in their careers rather than staying home full time with their families. The chapter seemed overdone to me. It felt dishonest. Either that or it was written by someone severely depressed. I think I understand the technique as I've come across it before (and almost didn't finish that book either because of that first chapter). Basically, trying to reach out to all the different feelings of invisibility that many women might feel, but that technique doesn't work for me!

The rest of the book was short and to the point. I really liked the message and it has given me a lot to think about. I'm going to check out a book about cathedrals to think about it some more!

[Laura · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a mother we may at times "feel" invisible but we are never alone. Many parts of this book were light hearted and something to laugh out loud about, only as a mother could.

[Anna Kellogg · Rating 5 out of 5]

It was so refreshing to see a new take on invisibility. I myself feel invisible with my family and I loved seeing that not only are there others out there that have felt the same but that we need to take steps to change our attitude about invisibility!

[Alexis Rohrer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Super fire, short read about being cloaked in humility. No one is ever going to see you fully but God always does.

[Karen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Quick read with an inspiring cathedral building message. Thanks mom!

[Tara · Rating 4 out of 5]

A quick, comforting read for any woman who struggles with self-worth.

[Jacqi · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a short little book about a mother who feels she has grown invisible to everyone around her including the family dog. She shares her struggles with a friend who soon gives her a book about the great cathedrals of Europe. In reading the book, the mother soon comes to the understanding that she too is building great cathedrals in her children and family. Just like the original builders, she may not see the end product but still is helping produce great things for God. In time, the mother comes to appreciate her invisibility as love's most beautiful costume. It allows her to go forth and spread God's Love in small, yet meaningful ways.

As a mom of eight children, I came across an excerpt of this book years ago and had to order it. It spoke to my very being as the drudgery of daily life sometimes felt overwhelming and gave me a different perspective on how to view my life. I was building cathedrals in each of my children. It was my own offering to God.

I reread this book as I plan to give it away to a young mother who now has three little children and is slightly isolated where her family lives. I figure in the days ahead when she feels overwhelmed like I did, maybe she can take solace in the pages of this book.

This is a great book to give to young mothers who may be struggling under the burdens of their families.

[Tammy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This quick read had tears rolling down my cheeks more than once. While some reviews read the first section and comment on the extremes - I think some women actually experience those extremes. While I have an amazing husband who “sees” me often, sometimes I feel invisible. While my kids are now grown, I remember those times of feeling unseen.

I love the insight and perspective that she gains during this process and feel we can all learn from her experiences.

I’m grateful to have found this little gem. I leave it with a greater perspective of my purpose.

[Katie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this little book. Is it too short to be called a book? Anyway, I loved it. I think most women (and definitely all mothers) could benefit from reading it. It's a wonderful reminder for moms. We are working on building a masterpiece (our children), and we will likely never see that masterpiece finished, but GOD sees us. We are not invisible.

I loved reading this so much, and I know I will likely go back to it more than once through the years, whenever I'm feeling invisible.

[Anna-Elyse Christmas-Eberhart · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is special to me due to the fact that I bought for my own mother as a gift when I was about 15. Fast forward 18ish years and I came across a copy and read it myself. It’s short and doesn’t really read as fiction but it was a timely and needed reminder that I am building more than the eyes around me can see and Who I am building for!!

[Meredith Winser · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book, it helped lift me from an apathetic funk in my motherhood journey. It was encouraging to be reminded that great things take time, consistency, love and a faithful heart. I was lovingly and patiently reminded by the author in her honest accounts that focusing on our family values and my children’s hearts and actions will have a lasting positive impact on the world.

[Elizabeth Pearson · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a super quick read about finding value with God through the work we do as women. I loved the analogy to French cathedrals and the sparrows they found monks had carved behind the walls because that's where only God would see! Fascinating! Great mindset shift to offer yourself for sure!

[Brenda · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is so good. This is the third time I have read it. Each time I have taken something new away from it. Every mom, every wife, every woman that doesn’t think she is “seen” needs to read this.

[Brittany Glenn · Rating 4 out of 5]

It is a quick read. The first person POV made it very relatable. I was looking for something I could relate to with some faith sprinkled in and this was just right.

[Rachel · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you can get past the first chapter this was really good.
Gift from my sister - Lenten read

[Laurie · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book has a solid premise, but the first chapter was so completely negative that I had a hard time sticking with the book. I'm glad I did, though.

[Andrea Powell · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of my most favorite books! Every mom needs to read this!

[Jackie Bowles · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved the basic premise of the book, especially for women/mothers when they feel unappreciated. It provided good food for thought regarding what we are doing in our everyday lives.

[Reader · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful book that gave me new insight about gratitude and the joy of serving without reward

[Rachel]

Not as much of a story as it is lessons learned, the musings of a mother. They were nonetheless insightful and hopeful. A read for any mother who is feeling or has ever felt invisible.

[Kim McCoy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a short book, but it contains profound message of self worth. We are never invisible to God, no matter our life’s work.

(Read for book club)

[Elizabeth Stephens · Rating 5 out of 5]

Just a sweet short book to remind you that you may be invisible to others, but God sees.

[Jessica · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful convicting book

[Melissa · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the best books I have ever read.

[Amanda · Rating 2 out of 5]

There were some lovely moments of insight in this book (as well as some "tough love" ones, which I loved). Unfortunately, they were so obscured by the strange attempt at parable that I found the book as a whole more confusing than insightful. The weak attempt to make it a "story" rather than embracing that it was actually a "self-help" just hid (irony of ironies) the actual message and diluted the powerful insights the author was trying to relay. It was just... weirdly done.

[Beth Pearson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I finished this book awhile ago, but I had to let it simmer a bit in my mind before I could write a review about it.

My neighbor received this book from a friend and brought it to me to read because it was the new favorite thing in her life. I've been a wife for about 20 years and a mom for about 15 years and when I started reading it, it actually became the most painful thing in my life!

The Invisible Woman is a wife and mother of 2 kids named Charlotte and as she talks about how her family has erased her and no longer see her, it opened a painful spot inside of me to a depth that I wasn't aware even existed! As a mom, I knew lots about feeling unappreciated, not noticed, etc., but Charlotte put into words things I completely agreed with but hadn't ever fully developed. Comments about irresponsibility coming with invisibility wrapped up a feeling I've been struggling with for a couple of years now!

I related to Charlotte's feelings on almost everything and that was sad and depressing and left me feeling very down! Luckily, this is only the first 25 pages, and I kept reading.

My mind and spirit felt lifted and renewed in the last 3/4 of the book. The author, Nicole Johnson, explains and expounds on the worth of motherhood (and womanhood) without being sappy, preachy or trite. Of course, it wasn't anything I hadn't heard before, but it was put in a way that I hadn't thought of or appreciated before. I felt validated in my feeling sorry for myself in the first part of the book, yet inspired and reassured in the rest of the book. It's a quick read---less then 90 pages, but I have kept a couple extra weeks so I could write down some of my favorite passages into my own journal.

If you want to read it, I recommend buying your own copy so you can highlight and mark parts of the book that speak to you. Just don't get so depressed in the first part that you quit reading! : )

[Holly (2 Kids and Tired) · Rating 5 out of 5]

I first heard about Nicole Johnson when I saw a You Tube video sketch of her talking about The Invisible Woman. It touched me and made me search out her book. And her book did not disappoint.

How often do women feel invisible? We give our all to being good wives and mothers, but sometimes our efforts are unappreciated and often unnoticed. Nicole addresses this issue in profound ways. She uses the example of a woman named Charlotte who, after confiding in a friend about her invisibility, receives a book about the great cathedrals in Europe. These great cathedrals often took so long to build that many of the workmen would never live to see them finished. Yet, they put their best work into those cathedrals because they knew that God would see that work.

Nicole says, "At times, my invisibility feels like an affliction. But it is not a disease that is erasing my life. It is the cure for the disease of my own self-centeredness. It is the antidote to my strong, stubborn pride." That one line touched me so much.

She also said, "When I really think about it, I don't want my son to tell the friend he's bringing home from college for Thanksgiving, "My mom gets up at 4 in the morning and bakes homemade pies, and then she hand bastes a turkey for three hours and presses all the linens for the table." That would mean I'd built a shrine or a monument to myself. I just want him to want to come home. And then, if there is anything more to say to his friend, to add, "You're gonna love it there." That's what I want my boys to say too.

There was a wonderful section on using your invisibility for the good of others, rather than focusing on ourselves.

This little book is a gem. It's a short, inspiring read. It would make a perfect gift. I checked it out of the library, but I want to get my own copy so that I can re-read it again, and again.

[Vicky · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. I could really relate with bits and pieces of this book...although I don't think I have ever felt the extreme amount of neglect that this author portrays of being a mother. I guess watching my own mother made me aware that this is sort of how being a woman and mother is. I don't know.
I could relate to some of her thoughts...p 6. "The more I poured myself into my family, the more invisible I became" I sometimes wonder if this is just part of serving others and losing yourself in that service. P. 18 she said, "I feel stuck in an endless repetition of events of which I'm powerless to change the outcome" I can totally relate to that.
She then goes on to discover some important lessons. I loved how she found a correlation between builders of cathedrals (big beautiful buildings dedicated to God that took over 100 years to build) and raising and taking care of her family. P. 38 "Many builders devoted their whole lives to a work they would never see finished." While we will see our children grow and marry and hopefully raise their families...I don't know that we can fully understand or see how all of our sacrifices and love affect our families in the here in now.
The last part of the book that I really enjoyed talked about our relationship with God.
This book is a very quick read.

[Suetheartist · Rating 4 out of 5]

Someone passed this tiny book onto me as a quick read and without any explanation as to why I should read it. The title made me think it was like one of the chicken soup books full of misery to make me thankful by hearing others sad story. Surprised is an understatement to my conclusion of this book. The focus is that more than often mothers become invisible in societies eyes by the nature of all the unsaid or thanked acts of love and kindness we do daily for others. A strong comparison is the fact than temples in the early centuries were built by plain folks whose name was never revealed, signed or noted. They were invisible and yet satisfied because of their strong beliefs in the notion that God sees them.

Whether it be God or whatever this book puts empowerment in each other's hand. More than ever we need affirmations to act kind to others without the pay back. In other words we can be invisible because we choose. We can respect our individuality and yet have the sense of living in the global tribe. This would hold true to male female, mothers fathers, everyone.

And yes I was thankful that I was given the opportunity to read this book. I will be passing it on.....perhaps invisibly.

[Ann Baxter · Rating 3 out of 5]

I could relate very well to the author's dilemma of feeling invisible. It is often the plight of stay-at-home mothers. And I agree with her conclusion that it doesn't matter if she is "seen" for her life to matter. We do need to find our value in who we are, not just for what we do. However, to allow our husbands or children to see through us, to not value us AT ALL is not OK. If we become invisible too early in marriage, or with our children, we are training them how to treat us and others. We need to insist on being seen - not that a big fuss about what we DO is necessary, but acknowledging our general service IS necessary.

I'm sure there will be some who will disagree with me. It reminded me a bit of The Giving Tree.I had the same problem with it. To give and give until you are nothing but a stump is not the Lord's plan for us.