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The End of Me: Finding Resurrection Life in the Daily Sacrifices of Motherhood
There are many books on motherhood but not many that talk about how hard it is – physically, mentally and spiritually – and what to do when you reach your limits. When Liz Wann became a mother, she was unprepared for how hard it would be. In this book, she writes honestly about these deeply challenging aspects of motherhood and how God works through them to make us more like his Son. "Coming to the end of who I was, and what motherhood was stripping me of, was a good thing that drove me to Christ and to the power that he supplies in every failure and weakness of motherhood." This short, easy-to-read book encourages mothers to depend on Christ when they reach their limits. They will find that God will supply what they need to cope with the daily sacrifices and challenges of motherhood, and that he will use these struggles to make them more like Christ. Liz has been involved with the ministries of Risen Motherhood and Revive Our Hearts, writing about how God has been working in her life through the hardships of motherhood.
96 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 1, 2021
29 people are currently reading
356 people want to read
About the author
Liz Wann
3 books1 followerLiz Wann lives in West Philadelphia with her husband Josh and their three children. She is a regular contributor to desiringGod.org, Revive Our Hearts, and ERLC.com. She is also a content writer for Alistair Begg's Truth for Life ministries and editor-in-chief at Morning by Morning. She can be found online at LizWann.com.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 52 reviews
February 28, 2021
No deep thoughts here. I just really enjoyed this encouraging book. So full of gospel truth.
April 3, 2021
I hesitated to give this book five stars, but I also wanted to encourage the author. Throughout the book she shares the good news of Christ's all-sufficient work on the cross that is the freedom and hope of every person on earth, including women who are struggling in the vocation of motherhood.
My point of hesitation comes with the lack of clarity on what it "dying to self" means. Are we dying to self when politely excusing ourselves from the fellowship of others to retreat to a private place to feed our infants? Is a mother selfish because she would rather have stayed in the room with others rather than find herself again alone? In that case I would say no, that is not selfishness. Is it sin and selfishness to harbor resentment, bitterness, and envy toward all the people sitting, talking, and eating, and seem to be doing those things without loneliness, fatigue, or physical pain? That is an example where we confess our sins to the God who loves us and is not unable to sympathize with us in our human weakness, yet is one who suffered himself without sin. It's also okay to ask for company, to ask someone else to suffer with you and thereby relieve some of the suffering.
The statement "Motherhood is hard" needs more exploration. As the book points out, motherhood is hard and mothers often speak of this fact. Motherhood is difficult and painful in that it reveals how much we are "not enough" so to speak, that is, we too fall short of the glory of God. We realize the depths of our sinful natures, not just in ourselves, but in the children that in part came from us. There are sorrows of living in a fallen world that are multiplied and deeply experienced. This is where the good news of Jesus brings us joy, because in Him we are given the forgiveness of our sins and a new life in which we die to sin and are raised to righteousness. We are given the resurrection hope in Jesus in which we find comfort that the dead in Christ will live again. We are made "enough" in Jesus and can trust in as he works in our lives and also the lives our children.
But the pains of sanctification are not the same as the pains of starvation. I do believe some of the hardness and difficulty experienced by so many mothers, Christion or non-Christian, has more to do with an environmental lack of actual people and resources. Much of mothering these days, particularly in mothering small children, is done within hours upon hours of human isolation where the mother is alone. The hiddenness of motherhood is built in to the creation, say, when we consider the child tucked away and knit together in the womb. But the more I think about this the more I am convinced that hiddenness and isolation are not the same thing, and that prolonged separation from other women and people is not the ideal or "godly" way God created for women to raise children. It leads to a lot of guilt and self-condemnation over "not being enough", that has less to do with her as a mother and person, and more to do with living beyond the natural means of how God actually designed us to live as human beings. That is, we are made for community.
My point of hesitation comes with the lack of clarity on what it "dying to self" means. Are we dying to self when politely excusing ourselves from the fellowship of others to retreat to a private place to feed our infants? Is a mother selfish because she would rather have stayed in the room with others rather than find herself again alone? In that case I would say no, that is not selfishness. Is it sin and selfishness to harbor resentment, bitterness, and envy toward all the people sitting, talking, and eating, and seem to be doing those things without loneliness, fatigue, or physical pain? That is an example where we confess our sins to the God who loves us and is not unable to sympathize with us in our human weakness, yet is one who suffered himself without sin. It's also okay to ask for company, to ask someone else to suffer with you and thereby relieve some of the suffering.
The statement "Motherhood is hard" needs more exploration. As the book points out, motherhood is hard and mothers often speak of this fact. Motherhood is difficult and painful in that it reveals how much we are "not enough" so to speak, that is, we too fall short of the glory of God. We realize the depths of our sinful natures, not just in ourselves, but in the children that in part came from us. There are sorrows of living in a fallen world that are multiplied and deeply experienced. This is where the good news of Jesus brings us joy, because in Him we are given the forgiveness of our sins and a new life in which we die to sin and are raised to righteousness. We are given the resurrection hope in Jesus in which we find comfort that the dead in Christ will live again. We are made "enough" in Jesus and can trust in as he works in our lives and also the lives our children.
But the pains of sanctification are not the same as the pains of starvation. I do believe some of the hardness and difficulty experienced by so many mothers, Christion or non-Christian, has more to do with an environmental lack of actual people and resources. Much of mothering these days, particularly in mothering small children, is done within hours upon hours of human isolation where the mother is alone. The hiddenness of motherhood is built in to the creation, say, when we consider the child tucked away and knit together in the womb. But the more I think about this the more I am convinced that hiddenness and isolation are not the same thing, and that prolonged separation from other women and people is not the ideal or "godly" way God created for women to raise children. It leads to a lot of guilt and self-condemnation over "not being enough", that has less to do with her as a mother and person, and more to do with living beyond the natural means of how God actually designed us to live as human beings. That is, we are made for community.
July 4, 2025
This is such a good book for its size! The end of chapter questions were legitimately thought provoking and convicted me in my expectations as a mom. I think this is a must read for new mothers!
March 8, 2021
Liz acknowledges the struggles we face as mothers and encourages us with gospel truths. I found it really refreshing. Motherhood is a journey! We can be full of pride thinking we can do it all without Christ and we can also experience disappointment through unmet expectations and hard times. We will face daily deaths, but our lives are found in Christ. Day after day, we must remember that our hope and strength comes from looking to our Savior. At the end of each chapter you will find: a challenge, a prayer, and journaling space. Every mom should read this book!
November 22, 2021
A beautiful book for mothers. It's got prayers, Scripture verses, and journaling space all to build on the content covered in the book. Would make a great gift!
January 29, 2021
Every mom eventually realizes it. Some figure it out in a labor and delivery room. Others don’t figure it out until potty training. But eventually every mother realizes that their expectations for motherhood were not realistic.
Liz Wann learned it during labor when her birth didn’t go according to plan, and she tells the story of how God met her in the unmet expectations, in disappointment, in mundane moments. God allowed motherhood to bring her to “the end of me” so she could learn to lean on Him.
New moms will often find the internet is full of “helpful” but cheerful advice for making the most of their new role. Liz offers a sympathetic ear and reassuring comfort to the mom who needs a companion in her overwhelmed state. Eventually all moms get there, and this book will show you how God meets you in that moment.
Liz Wann learned it during labor when her birth didn’t go according to plan, and she tells the story of how God met her in the unmet expectations, in disappointment, in mundane moments. God allowed motherhood to bring her to “the end of me” so she could learn to lean on Him.
New moms will often find the internet is full of “helpful” but cheerful advice for making the most of their new role. Liz offers a sympathetic ear and reassuring comfort to the mom who needs a companion in her overwhelmed state. Eventually all moms get there, and this book will show you how God meets you in that moment.
April 15, 2024
I found this book to be a great resource to moms who are in the trenches of motherhood!
There were so moments I had a hard time relating to the author, but I think most moms will find her book helpful!
There were so moments I had a hard time relating to the author, but I think most moms will find her book helpful!
May 17, 2023
Loved this. Such a helpful framework to approach Motherhood with.
“The death you are feeling is a death to yourself: your independence, parts of your identity, your time, your body and so on.. just when we come to the end of ourselves (yet again), he [Jesus] is there offering us a new beginning.”
“The death you are feeling is a death to yourself: your independence, parts of your identity, your time, your body and so on.. just when we come to the end of ourselves (yet again), he [Jesus] is there offering us a new beginning.”
April 28, 2023
Hands down best book I've read on motherhood. Buy for all your mum friends. Deeply honest and refreshing.
February 18, 2021
It’s that confidence every mother longs for, to feel like you’re doing a good job and gaining some type of ‘success’ as a mother. All the sacrifices we make are often rooted in our hope that they are achieving something for us.
This desire, while it sounds like good intentions, is a dangerous drive for us mothers. We begin to rely on our own strength and our own smarts in this perilous journey toward a goal that is skewed from the reality of God’s purposes for us.
Because we realize, we can’t do it. We can’t rely on ourselves.
We fail. We sin. We are weak.
And we don’t like it.
We find a profound encouragement from Liz Wann in her new book, “The End of Me: Finding Resurrection Life in the Daily Sacrifices of Motherhood.”
Liz is walking the path of motherhood; she has struggled with the sacrifices of motherhood, and the battle of self-sufficiency, but she shares with us how arriving at the end of ourselves leads us to life.
In 7 chapters, Liz unpacks the difficulties we face in motherhood, the challenge of our persistent tendency to rely on ourselves, the reality of our own sin, and the path to life through Christ in our sanctification. She points us to gospel-centered truths.
Our Expectations
Perhaps you’ve dreamt of being a mom your whole life, or maybe you only had 9 months to consider it. Yet, “all types of women come to the table of motherhood with an ideal in mind, and when we, or our experiences or feelings, fall short, we feel guilty. But God allows these unplanned feelings and experiences to come into your life to remind you of his grace.”
We may have expected the sleep deprivation, taken a leave from work to adjust, and prepared by reading all the books. Once motherhood arrives, and evolves, we see the impact the changes have had on us. Lack of sleep causes us to become short tempered, potty-training doesn’t go as planned and frustration rises, or the endless loads of laundry mount a weight on us when we’d rather be doing something else.
“At times, motherhood is so hard that it can make us feel inadequate and insecure, because we’re finally seeing how helpless and needy we actually are.”
It’s a challenge to our pride to face this, but in acknowledging our feelings for what they are, we are pointed to the source of our true help and refuge in our times of need.
Our Sanctification
The sacrifices we make as mothers is the venue that “God is actively helping us, teaching us, and training us. These are his means of freeing us from our own sinful shackles and providing us with more joy in this life.”
She writes that, “sanctification is the process of learning increasing dependence, not autonomy.” This is where we begin to see how much we value our individualistic natures. We want to do things on our own. The challenges we face are to “make us rely not on ourselves but on God who raises the dead” (2 Cor 1:9), and though it is a difficult, humbling process, we rest in the hope of who he is, and what he is doing in us through the daily tasks, responsibilities and joys of motherhood.
Our Resurrection
Motherhood presses us to the point of our insufficiencies and weakness, so that we would find life and strength in the only one who declares himself the Resurrection and the Life (John 10:10).
Liz writes, “your hidden sacrifices as a mother who seeks, in Christ, to live to the glory of God, are not unimportant or insignificant because underneath the nose-wiping, tears, and tantrums is a great glory resulting in eternal benefits.”
Do you believe that?
The tedious job of wiping bottoms, and cleaning up vomit are done as unto the Lord, and he is glorified in it. Whether or not we feel successful as a mother, we can trust and know that our purpose in raising these children, is making us more like him and carrying his presence into our homes and the lives of our family.
As much as we long for some version of success as mothers, we just won’t find it in relying on ourselves. Even though it’s our most natural tendency. This book is an important reminder for those of us who love and follow Jesus, and are learning the journey of motherhood in light of who he is.
“More often than not, I can’t say to myself, “Mama, you’ve got this!” And that’s ok – because I know someone who has got this.”
If you’re looking for a book on motherhood that will gracefully point you to your own weakness, and to your true strength through Christ, this one is for you. I give it 5 stars!
This desire, while it sounds like good intentions, is a dangerous drive for us mothers. We begin to rely on our own strength and our own smarts in this perilous journey toward a goal that is skewed from the reality of God’s purposes for us.
Because we realize, we can’t do it. We can’t rely on ourselves.
We fail. We sin. We are weak.
And we don’t like it.
We find a profound encouragement from Liz Wann in her new book, “The End of Me: Finding Resurrection Life in the Daily Sacrifices of Motherhood.”
Liz is walking the path of motherhood; she has struggled with the sacrifices of motherhood, and the battle of self-sufficiency, but she shares with us how arriving at the end of ourselves leads us to life.
In 7 chapters, Liz unpacks the difficulties we face in motherhood, the challenge of our persistent tendency to rely on ourselves, the reality of our own sin, and the path to life through Christ in our sanctification. She points us to gospel-centered truths.
Our Expectations
Perhaps you’ve dreamt of being a mom your whole life, or maybe you only had 9 months to consider it. Yet, “all types of women come to the table of motherhood with an ideal in mind, and when we, or our experiences or feelings, fall short, we feel guilty. But God allows these unplanned feelings and experiences to come into your life to remind you of his grace.”
We may have expected the sleep deprivation, taken a leave from work to adjust, and prepared by reading all the books. Once motherhood arrives, and evolves, we see the impact the changes have had on us. Lack of sleep causes us to become short tempered, potty-training doesn’t go as planned and frustration rises, or the endless loads of laundry mount a weight on us when we’d rather be doing something else.
“At times, motherhood is so hard that it can make us feel inadequate and insecure, because we’re finally seeing how helpless and needy we actually are.”
It’s a challenge to our pride to face this, but in acknowledging our feelings for what they are, we are pointed to the source of our true help and refuge in our times of need.
Our Sanctification
The sacrifices we make as mothers is the venue that “God is actively helping us, teaching us, and training us. These are his means of freeing us from our own sinful shackles and providing us with more joy in this life.”
She writes that, “sanctification is the process of learning increasing dependence, not autonomy.” This is where we begin to see how much we value our individualistic natures. We want to do things on our own. The challenges we face are to “make us rely not on ourselves but on God who raises the dead” (2 Cor 1:9), and though it is a difficult, humbling process, we rest in the hope of who he is, and what he is doing in us through the daily tasks, responsibilities and joys of motherhood.
Our Resurrection
Motherhood presses us to the point of our insufficiencies and weakness, so that we would find life and strength in the only one who declares himself the Resurrection and the Life (John 10:10).
Liz writes, “your hidden sacrifices as a mother who seeks, in Christ, to live to the glory of God, are not unimportant or insignificant because underneath the nose-wiping, tears, and tantrums is a great glory resulting in eternal benefits.”
Do you believe that?
The tedious job of wiping bottoms, and cleaning up vomit are done as unto the Lord, and he is glorified in it. Whether or not we feel successful as a mother, we can trust and know that our purpose in raising these children, is making us more like him and carrying his presence into our homes and the lives of our family.
As much as we long for some version of success as mothers, we just won’t find it in relying on ourselves. Even though it’s our most natural tendency. This book is an important reminder for those of us who love and follow Jesus, and are learning the journey of motherhood in light of who he is.
“More often than not, I can’t say to myself, “Mama, you’ve got this!” And that’s ok – because I know someone who has got this.”
If you’re looking for a book on motherhood that will gracefully point you to your own weakness, and to your true strength through Christ, this one is for you. I give it 5 stars!
February 20, 2022
It’s a short book but it’s not necessarily one that would be top of the list to pass on. I bought it hoping for more depth like “Treasuring Christ when your hands are full”, “glory in the ordinary” and even to some degree Rachel jankovic’s two books , but it’s more in the “Risen Motherhood” arena. It feels like reading a book I or a friend would have written in our current stage of life or themes that come up in conversations or blessings at a baby shower. More a conversation about looking to Christ while in the throes of it. Nothing that reaches out and grabs or pierces or greatly encourages, more of a gentle spur and redirecting when emotions that stem from the day to day with littles sprout up. for me personally (preference, not conviction) , I prefer to read books by people past the stage they’re writing about or people giving well studied truths that stretch me and convict me;
There were plenty of moments where it is easy to identify with the author and say “oh man, I feel that way daily” and all of the truths and themes discussed are things that are necessary reminders for us daily.
The book is easy to read and find snippets of encouragement. Just know that’s what you’re getting - someone walking through motherhood and writing encouragement as she sees the need for it in her own day, not a seasoned mother or even older woman who lived it , learned and/or has even mentored others through it
There were plenty of moments where it is easy to identify with the author and say “oh man, I feel that way daily” and all of the truths and themes discussed are things that are necessary reminders for us daily.
The book is easy to read and find snippets of encouragement. Just know that’s what you’re getting - someone walking through motherhood and writing encouragement as she sees the need for it in her own day, not a seasoned mother or even older woman who lived it , learned and/or has even mentored others through it
March 1, 2021
In a culture that tends to define the roll of women in regards to motherhood as something that they cannot live up to, this book encourages the weariest of mothers. Motherhood is understood in lite of the gospel and what Christ has done for us! This gives grace to the mothers stuggling with fears, anger, impatience, and the need to do it all because it shows that our loving Father is equipping us and growing us along the way. Our purpose in motherhood is to grow and disciple children(imperfectly) as He demostrates his love through giving us peace, obtained solely by His saving works and not ours!
March 23, 2021
How hard has motherhood been for you? In The End of Me, Liz Wann helps women find resurrection life in the daily sacrifices of motherhood.
Christ’s Power Rests on Weak Mothers
In 7 short chapters and just over 120 pages, Wann shares her own struggles and how they helped to lead her to Jesus. She seeks to help you replace the often-heard mantra of “Mama, you’ve got this,” with “Mama, you’ve got this because you’ve got Jesus.”
Wann reflects on her own pride as early as her first pregnancy. It was difficult and did not go as she had planned. She teaches us that Christ’s power rests on weak mothers. While preparation is good, we should also be prepared to run to Jesus when things seem to go wrong. Christ will take care of us.
Our Humility is What Brings Us Closer to God
As a husband and father, I was most moved by the chapters on finding glory in the mundane and how accepting limitations means true freedom and rest in Christ. God uses the little moments in the lives of mothers and their children to work and bring glory to Him. There is a humble strength in asking for help with the children and sharing the glorious burdens of motherhood. This book prepared me to love my wife and live with her in an understanding way.
In many ways, humility is the heart of this book. Wann states that our humility is what brings us closer to God. When motherhood is humbling, women have a unique opportunity to come closer and cling to Christ.
Motherhood is a Good and Godly Work
In a very special chapter, Wann tells four stories from women who have gone through darker seasons of struggling. Stories of postpartum depression, health crisis, autism, and chronic illness are shared. Wann calls us to look to Christ as our source of hope and comfort.
Dying to self and experiencing resurrected motherhood leads to a life of joy. This book will help you trust God’s goodness for ourselves and our families. We can experience the sweet relief and mercies that come with a new day. We can know that motherhood is a good and godly work. And we can worship the risen Christ with every child our Father God has given us to raise.
I received a media copy of The End of Me and this is my honest review.
Christ’s Power Rests on Weak Mothers
In 7 short chapters and just over 120 pages, Wann shares her own struggles and how they helped to lead her to Jesus. She seeks to help you replace the often-heard mantra of “Mama, you’ve got this,” with “Mama, you’ve got this because you’ve got Jesus.”
Wann reflects on her own pride as early as her first pregnancy. It was difficult and did not go as she had planned. She teaches us that Christ’s power rests on weak mothers. While preparation is good, we should also be prepared to run to Jesus when things seem to go wrong. Christ will take care of us.
Our Humility is What Brings Us Closer to God
As a husband and father, I was most moved by the chapters on finding glory in the mundane and how accepting limitations means true freedom and rest in Christ. God uses the little moments in the lives of mothers and their children to work and bring glory to Him. There is a humble strength in asking for help with the children and sharing the glorious burdens of motherhood. This book prepared me to love my wife and live with her in an understanding way.
In many ways, humility is the heart of this book. Wann states that our humility is what brings us closer to God. When motherhood is humbling, women have a unique opportunity to come closer and cling to Christ.
Motherhood is a Good and Godly Work
In a very special chapter, Wann tells four stories from women who have gone through darker seasons of struggling. Stories of postpartum depression, health crisis, autism, and chronic illness are shared. Wann calls us to look to Christ as our source of hope and comfort.
Dying to self and experiencing resurrected motherhood leads to a life of joy. This book will help you trust God’s goodness for ourselves and our families. We can experience the sweet relief and mercies that come with a new day. We can know that motherhood is a good and godly work. And we can worship the risen Christ with every child our Father God has given us to raise.
I received a media copy of The End of Me and this is my honest review.
March 9, 2021
This well-written, insightful book encourages overwhelmed Christian mothers to find hope and acceptance in the gospel, instead of trying to prove themselves through their own strength. Liz Wann explains that when she was a new mother, she didn’t want to admit that she needed help, because she thought that she should be able to do everything on her own. However, over time, she came to see that God would work through her weakness, and that Jesus knows what it is like to feel exhausted, worn out, and pulled in different directions. She encourages other women in the trenches of motherhood to draw close to God in the midst of their daily sacrifices, basing their sense of purpose in Him and not in how much they can accomplish.
The seven chapters in this book are short and accessible, and at the end of each one, Wann shares a brief prayer and includes a few blank pages for journaling. This is a great book for independent or group reading, and can help open up conversations about important issues. This book acknowledges challenges like postpartum depression, chronic illness, and parenting children with mental health issues or special needs, and in addition to sharing about her own experiences with the baby blues, and with her son’s anxiety, Wann incorporates stories from other mothers with more extreme situations. In all of this, she shows that gospel truths still apply when life is at its worst, not just in ordinary, everyday challenges.
This is a great book for Christian mothers. Even though Wann primarily gears her examples towards mothers of babies and young children, the gospel insights apply to anyone, and mothers who have older children and thought that life would be easier already may find this book just as helpful as a mom who is just starting out. Wann’s writing is honest, faithful to Scripture, and deeply reassuring, and because she acknowledges hard realities that many Christian books on motherhood ignore, this can be an especially powerful resource for women dealing with deep suffering in their homes. I found this book very moving, and highly recommend it.
I received a free copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
The seven chapters in this book are short and accessible, and at the end of each one, Wann shares a brief prayer and includes a few blank pages for journaling. This is a great book for independent or group reading, and can help open up conversations about important issues. This book acknowledges challenges like postpartum depression, chronic illness, and parenting children with mental health issues or special needs, and in addition to sharing about her own experiences with the baby blues, and with her son’s anxiety, Wann incorporates stories from other mothers with more extreme situations. In all of this, she shows that gospel truths still apply when life is at its worst, not just in ordinary, everyday challenges.
This is a great book for Christian mothers. Even though Wann primarily gears her examples towards mothers of babies and young children, the gospel insights apply to anyone, and mothers who have older children and thought that life would be easier already may find this book just as helpful as a mom who is just starting out. Wann’s writing is honest, faithful to Scripture, and deeply reassuring, and because she acknowledges hard realities that many Christian books on motherhood ignore, this can be an especially powerful resource for women dealing with deep suffering in their homes. I found this book very moving, and highly recommend it.
I received a free copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
March 9, 2021
Every mother feels a deep sense of their inadequacies for the task. Perhaps we felt it during their first sleepless night, or when they were first handed into our care, or maybe it was as far back as when we first found out about their coming-arrival.
Regardless of when, it’s clear the task of molding and shaping people made in God’s image feels insurmountable. Author Liz Wann gets this feeling, yet instead of leaning on the usual tropes of, “You’ve got this,” or “You can do it mama!” Liz offers us something much more substantial. She reminds us we are weak people, and in effect, we are going to be weak mothers. Yet it’s the realization of this weakness that gives us our greatest hope- a drive towards Christ’s never-ending strength.
This is the book I wish I had read before my three children came into the world. I identified with Liz’s own story of tarnished birth/baby dreams, and attachment difficulties, and it was good to hear someone talk about the realities of sin that affect motherhood in so many different ways. I really appreciated the addition of personal stories from other moms in various difficulties, showing that weakness and difficulty look different for each family, but the same God can carry us all.
Motherhood is a wonderful and noble calling, but I loved how Liz decided to focus not merely on the glory of our duty to try to motivate the reader, but instead drew the readers’ eyes up onto our Father. It is his glory, his strength, and his glorious life that he offers us amidst the everyday sacrifices that is the true object of our toil as mothers and image-bearers of Christ.
If you feel like a weak mother, unable to take on the task ahead of you, I’d encourage you to check out this book, lift up your eyes to our Savior, and remember that “Christ’s power rests on weak mothers.”
Regardless of when, it’s clear the task of molding and shaping people made in God’s image feels insurmountable. Author Liz Wann gets this feeling, yet instead of leaning on the usual tropes of, “You’ve got this,” or “You can do it mama!” Liz offers us something much more substantial. She reminds us we are weak people, and in effect, we are going to be weak mothers. Yet it’s the realization of this weakness that gives us our greatest hope- a drive towards Christ’s never-ending strength.
This is the book I wish I had read before my three children came into the world. I identified with Liz’s own story of tarnished birth/baby dreams, and attachment difficulties, and it was good to hear someone talk about the realities of sin that affect motherhood in so many different ways. I really appreciated the addition of personal stories from other moms in various difficulties, showing that weakness and difficulty look different for each family, but the same God can carry us all.
Motherhood is a wonderful and noble calling, but I loved how Liz decided to focus not merely on the glory of our duty to try to motivate the reader, but instead drew the readers’ eyes up onto our Father. It is his glory, his strength, and his glorious life that he offers us amidst the everyday sacrifices that is the true object of our toil as mothers and image-bearers of Christ.
If you feel like a weak mother, unable to take on the task ahead of you, I’d encourage you to check out this book, lift up your eyes to our Savior, and remember that “Christ’s power rests on weak mothers.”
January 22, 2023
Mom…….Read. This. Book!
Motherhood is certainly a chance to die to self, but Wann helps moms understand that its more than dying, it’s dying to experience the resurrection life of Christ.
I’ve not read a book that so clearly shows that sanctification is the process that we experience in real-time, the new life we have in Christ.
Fathers would do well to read this too. It caused me to think of ways that I can participate in helping my wife grow in Christ likeness.
Motherhood is certainly a chance to die to self, but Wann helps moms understand that its more than dying, it’s dying to experience the resurrection life of Christ.
I’ve not read a book that so clearly shows that sanctification is the process that we experience in real-time, the new life we have in Christ.
Fathers would do well to read this too. It caused me to think of ways that I can participate in helping my wife grow in Christ likeness.
February 28, 2021
“Our children need grace, but we need grace as well. The Spirit is using our parenting to shape and refine us, which in turn affects our parenting. It’s a circle of grace. We don’t see it now, but the process of being refined through the mundanity of motherhood will reap a harvest of fruit in our own lives as well as our children’s.”
The End of Me by Liz Wann is a winsome, insightful look into “finding resurrection life in the daily sacrifices of motherhood.” The author doesn’t claim to have all the answers, but she is consistently pointing to the God who does. She uses examples from her own life, and from other’s lives, to remind the reader that Jesus is an ever present, tangible help for the daily sufferings we all face as mothers. As she so accurately points out, “You’ve got this, mama, because you’ve got Jesus.”
She systematically reminds us that Jesus meets us in hard moments, that we can find glory in the mundane, and that rest is important and helps release burdens. She also reminds us that being weak and needy is part of the plan of God, and doesn’t speak to our failures but rather reminds us of our created state. She states, “Not feeling needy is actually when we are most needy” and points out the pride in thinking we can do it all ourselves.
Perhaps the best chapter in the book is titled “When Mom is Called to Suffer”. She reminds us that suffering is a part of the plan of God, and we are never alone in it. There is resurrection after Gethsemane. “God uses the ‘deaths’ in suffering to bring about spiritual life in us.” She then goes on to detail how we are to follow in the pattern of God, daily sacrificing ourselves for the great call God has placed on our lives. Lastly, she points us to the gospel hope we have in resurrected motherhood.
This is an easy to read, encouraging book that I would highly recommend for all mothers who find themselves struggling to remember why we do what we do. In the end, it is God who works in us, and the gospel that provides us hope, and Wann does a phenomenal job of reminding us of these wonderful truths.
The End of Me by Liz Wann is a winsome, insightful look into “finding resurrection life in the daily sacrifices of motherhood.” The author doesn’t claim to have all the answers, but she is consistently pointing to the God who does. She uses examples from her own life, and from other’s lives, to remind the reader that Jesus is an ever present, tangible help for the daily sufferings we all face as mothers. As she so accurately points out, “You’ve got this, mama, because you’ve got Jesus.”
She systematically reminds us that Jesus meets us in hard moments, that we can find glory in the mundane, and that rest is important and helps release burdens. She also reminds us that being weak and needy is part of the plan of God, and doesn’t speak to our failures but rather reminds us of our created state. She states, “Not feeling needy is actually when we are most needy” and points out the pride in thinking we can do it all ourselves.
Perhaps the best chapter in the book is titled “When Mom is Called to Suffer”. She reminds us that suffering is a part of the plan of God, and we are never alone in it. There is resurrection after Gethsemane. “God uses the ‘deaths’ in suffering to bring about spiritual life in us.” She then goes on to detail how we are to follow in the pattern of God, daily sacrificing ourselves for the great call God has placed on our lives. Lastly, she points us to the gospel hope we have in resurrected motherhood.
This is an easy to read, encouraging book that I would highly recommend for all mothers who find themselves struggling to remember why we do what we do. In the end, it is God who works in us, and the gospel that provides us hope, and Wann does a phenomenal job of reminding us of these wonderful truths.
March 4, 2025
A nice, encouraging book. Probably one I would come back to at different times in the motherhood journey to be encouraged and also gently challenged.
March 20, 2022
Should have read this a long time ago.. It's excellent for anyone who has had a hard time with motherhood.
February 28, 2025
“striving in my own strength leads to weary defeat, but pleading for His strength leads me to my joy. Finding rest as moms means coming to the end of ourselves to rely on the One who carries our burdens. When you humbly die to self-sufficiency, you can find the “resurrection” power you need in Him.”
The temptation to define our identity and what we do as mothers—rather than resting in the work that Jesus accomplished on our behalf—is a common one.
This book was exactly what I needed in this season of motherhood. I felt like the author was ME. I related so much to her and to her particular struggles in motherhood. Yes, motherhood is so. so. so. hard. But finally, after 15 months in, I am finally realizing that I have not grown as much in my faith than I have when I became a mom. I am 26 years old and I have grown more like Jesus in the 15 months of becoming a mom than in my first 25 years of life. I have truly learned what it means to be emptied of your strength and to cling to Jesus to feel His. What a gift that is.
Liz’s words were so encouraging and edifying to me as I’m still new to motherhood. Liz’s book provided practical Scripture-based wisdom for the everyday mom on how to die to self so that we may truly LIVE for Christ and LIVE for the gospel. This book unpacked how motherhood IS ministry, it IS Holy work. As mothers, we can die to our self and live for God every single day when we continue to give to others out of our abundant reserve that only comes out of life in the Spirit. This book taught me that finding rest as a mom looks like finding rest in the presence of Jesus. This rest looks like emptying myself of my self-sufficiency patterns and learning to throw my burdens on the one who was made to carry them for me.
As moms, when we are brought to the end of ourselves, it is an opportunity for us to be reflectors—reflectors of Jesus Christ to our children. It is not what WE do for our children on our own merit that will point them to the Gospel, but what CHRIST has already done for us and for our children.
Motherhood IS HARD. It is sacrificial on the daily basis. But this is okay. Because this is where we meet Jesus and become more like Him.
some of the excerpts that stood out to me:
“what I eventually figured out was that all those daily “deaths“ of motherhood were producing the life of Christ in me. I had come to the end of myself and of the self-sufficient idea that I was able to do it all. When I submitted to the truth that I wasn’t enough, that I couldn’t do it all, and that I was limited, that’s when I felt free to embrace motherhood’s daily struggles as a means of growth and godliness. Coming to the end of who I was, and seeing what motherhood was stripping me of, was a good thing because it drove me to Christ and the power that He supplies in every failure and weakness of motherhood. God works in and through our weaknesses. He is in the business of making all things new. It’s a process of turning back the decay of the fall and laying new seed for harvest. He’s killing the old—purging, refining—to bring back life. The Lord will keep doing this in us until we see Him face-to-face.”
“the struggles and sacrifices of motherhood can lead to life. We are taking up our “cross “, as Jesus took up His, because of the joy before us. We are laying down the expectations we had of motherhood; we’re admitting our weakness and bringing it to God as He uses it to show us more of His power and strength. Ultimately shaping us into people more like Christ.”
“The painful, hard periods of motherhood are an opportunity. It is a painful stripping of myself to open up paths yet unknown in following Jesus.”
“Our children need grace, but we need so much grace as well. The Spirit is using our parenting to shape and refine our children, but He’s also using our children to shape and refine us, which in affects our parenting. It’s a circle of grace. We don’t see it now, but the process of being refined through the mundanity of motherhood will reap a harvest of fruit in our lives as well as our children’s”
“We can come to Him again and again with our struggles, sin and failures knowing that His grace and mercy will never run dry.”
The temptation to define our identity and what we do as mothers—rather than resting in the work that Jesus accomplished on our behalf—is a common one.
This book was exactly what I needed in this season of motherhood. I felt like the author was ME. I related so much to her and to her particular struggles in motherhood. Yes, motherhood is so. so. so. hard. But finally, after 15 months in, I am finally realizing that I have not grown as much in my faith than I have when I became a mom. I am 26 years old and I have grown more like Jesus in the 15 months of becoming a mom than in my first 25 years of life. I have truly learned what it means to be emptied of your strength and to cling to Jesus to feel His. What a gift that is.
Liz’s words were so encouraging and edifying to me as I’m still new to motherhood. Liz’s book provided practical Scripture-based wisdom for the everyday mom on how to die to self so that we may truly LIVE for Christ and LIVE for the gospel. This book unpacked how motherhood IS ministry, it IS Holy work. As mothers, we can die to our self and live for God every single day when we continue to give to others out of our abundant reserve that only comes out of life in the Spirit. This book taught me that finding rest as a mom looks like finding rest in the presence of Jesus. This rest looks like emptying myself of my self-sufficiency patterns and learning to throw my burdens on the one who was made to carry them for me.
As moms, when we are brought to the end of ourselves, it is an opportunity for us to be reflectors—reflectors of Jesus Christ to our children. It is not what WE do for our children on our own merit that will point them to the Gospel, but what CHRIST has already done for us and for our children.
Motherhood IS HARD. It is sacrificial on the daily basis. But this is okay. Because this is where we meet Jesus and become more like Him.
some of the excerpts that stood out to me:
“what I eventually figured out was that all those daily “deaths“ of motherhood were producing the life of Christ in me. I had come to the end of myself and of the self-sufficient idea that I was able to do it all. When I submitted to the truth that I wasn’t enough, that I couldn’t do it all, and that I was limited, that’s when I felt free to embrace motherhood’s daily struggles as a means of growth and godliness. Coming to the end of who I was, and seeing what motherhood was stripping me of, was a good thing because it drove me to Christ and the power that He supplies in every failure and weakness of motherhood. God works in and through our weaknesses. He is in the business of making all things new. It’s a process of turning back the decay of the fall and laying new seed for harvest. He’s killing the old—purging, refining—to bring back life. The Lord will keep doing this in us until we see Him face-to-face.”
“the struggles and sacrifices of motherhood can lead to life. We are taking up our “cross “, as Jesus took up His, because of the joy before us. We are laying down the expectations we had of motherhood; we’re admitting our weakness and bringing it to God as He uses it to show us more of His power and strength. Ultimately shaping us into people more like Christ.”
“The painful, hard periods of motherhood are an opportunity. It is a painful stripping of myself to open up paths yet unknown in following Jesus.”
“Our children need grace, but we need so much grace as well. The Spirit is using our parenting to shape and refine our children, but He’s also using our children to shape and refine us, which in affects our parenting. It’s a circle of grace. We don’t see it now, but the process of being refined through the mundanity of motherhood will reap a harvest of fruit in our lives as well as our children’s”
“We can come to Him again and again with our struggles, sin and failures knowing that His grace and mercy will never run dry.”
March 1, 2021
I appreciate Liz's honesty and transparency in describing her struggles in motherhood. I know I tend to shy away from sharing my own struggles at times in fear of judgment and seen as weak. But the truth is, like Liz points out and quotes from scripture, we are weak made strong in Christ. And reading "The End of Me" reminded me that God, as I have seen and continue to experience in my own life, uses moments of weakness to bring me closer to him as I pray and plead with him to humble me, to strengthen me and to guide me, giving me wisdom as I train my little one and teach her God's word.
The Bible warns us of sin and it's consequences, but then The Lord encourages us, you know the 'ifs" in his word, the Psalms, his warnings and then reminders that he is with us and will never leave us nor forsake us.
"The End of Me" is a biblically centered book where the struggles mothers can face, the struggles in the mundane, the struggles in asking for help, in the busyness of life with littles, in our plans not going as planned, on how we sin against our children at times and have to repent continuously and the struggles of health challenges some parents have to face with their children are shared transparently (that many of us can relate to, but might not always share out loud). And then Liz encourages her readers quoting Scripture, as well as, sharing the experiences of other mamas and her own on how they've come to the end of themselves, layed down their lives before the almighty to allow Him to strengthen them and guide them in this life as mothers. And I found myself nodding in agreement and then feeling uplifted, being reminded of the freedom in Christ we have that he was made perfect for us and on Him we can lay our burdens and find rest.
At the end of each chapter, Liz included "simple action points that will help you to apply what you've been reading to your own life and heart" with a space for reflection and a prayer offered. Reflection helps to remember God's presence in our lives especially in moments of hardship and weakness. Reflection reminds us to be grateful. And the prayer is helpful if you don't know how to pray at the moment. Or if you need a starting point to begin to pray. What a sweet treat at the end of each chapter. I really appreciate it so much.
"The End of Me" is an excellent read. I highly recommend it.
The Bible warns us of sin and it's consequences, but then The Lord encourages us, you know the 'ifs" in his word, the Psalms, his warnings and then reminders that he is with us and will never leave us nor forsake us.
"The End of Me" is a biblically centered book where the struggles mothers can face, the struggles in the mundane, the struggles in asking for help, in the busyness of life with littles, in our plans not going as planned, on how we sin against our children at times and have to repent continuously and the struggles of health challenges some parents have to face with their children are shared transparently (that many of us can relate to, but might not always share out loud). And then Liz encourages her readers quoting Scripture, as well as, sharing the experiences of other mamas and her own on how they've come to the end of themselves, layed down their lives before the almighty to allow Him to strengthen them and guide them in this life as mothers. And I found myself nodding in agreement and then feeling uplifted, being reminded of the freedom in Christ we have that he was made perfect for us and on Him we can lay our burdens and find rest.
At the end of each chapter, Liz included "simple action points that will help you to apply what you've been reading to your own life and heart" with a space for reflection and a prayer offered. Reflection helps to remember God's presence in our lives especially in moments of hardship and weakness. Reflection reminds us to be grateful. And the prayer is helpful if you don't know how to pray at the moment. Or if you need a starting point to begin to pray. What a sweet treat at the end of each chapter. I really appreciate it so much.
"The End of Me" is an excellent read. I highly recommend it.
March 2, 2021
My sons are now sixteen and eighteen, but the days of bending over to care for their needs seems like it was just yesterday. The years I spent investing my life in theirs at the time felt like a mix of chaos, cherished moments and sheer exhaustion at the time. My mothering isn’t over, it’s just entered another stage, but those early years I needed to hear the messages Liz tenderly delivers in The End of Me.
When my oldest was a toddler and I was carrying around his newborn little brother a woman whose children were grown saw me looking tired one day at church. She pulled me aside and told me to go take a nap. I felt like a failure. I had so many plans for what I would do with my toddler. I’d teach him to identify colors, read him stories and teach him to sing Jesus Loves Me. But instead, I was exhausted from the screams of my newborn and the tantrum throwing of my toddler. This woman I looked up to didn’t give me a do-better speech, she took my kids and told me to rest.
Liz’s book calls moms who feel like they're failing because they're tired and don’t have the ideal circumstances they imagined, to let their pride, ideals and expectations die. And instead receive the rest and life that comes from trusting the resurrected Christ to be enough for our mothering.
Like the older woman who took me aside when my kids were little and bid me to die for an hour in a room with a pillow and the lights out, Liz calls moms of young children to learn from Jesus and embrace the rest we find in him.
Young moms need this message. We need each other in the church to help us raise our kids and to help us see our need for Jesus. Liz’s book serves young mothers of the church well in giving a primer on what dependence upon the power of Christ, not ourselves, looks like in motherhood.
Liz’s writing is clear and full of scripture. The End of Me is easy to read, and gives young moms who may have very little down time to read a book, a helpful and encouraging message in short chapters with room to reflect at the end of each chapter.
As a leader in our church’s ministry to children and parents, I plan to give this book to new moms. If you are a mom to young children, or you know a mom of young children, get this book. The End of Me is a welcome word of truth and hope to weary young moms.
When my oldest was a toddler and I was carrying around his newborn little brother a woman whose children were grown saw me looking tired one day at church. She pulled me aside and told me to go take a nap. I felt like a failure. I had so many plans for what I would do with my toddler. I’d teach him to identify colors, read him stories and teach him to sing Jesus Loves Me. But instead, I was exhausted from the screams of my newborn and the tantrum throwing of my toddler. This woman I looked up to didn’t give me a do-better speech, she took my kids and told me to rest.
Liz’s book calls moms who feel like they're failing because they're tired and don’t have the ideal circumstances they imagined, to let their pride, ideals and expectations die. And instead receive the rest and life that comes from trusting the resurrected Christ to be enough for our mothering.
Like the older woman who took me aside when my kids were little and bid me to die for an hour in a room with a pillow and the lights out, Liz calls moms of young children to learn from Jesus and embrace the rest we find in him.
Young moms need this message. We need each other in the church to help us raise our kids and to help us see our need for Jesus. Liz’s book serves young mothers of the church well in giving a primer on what dependence upon the power of Christ, not ourselves, looks like in motherhood.
Liz’s writing is clear and full of scripture. The End of Me is easy to read, and gives young moms who may have very little down time to read a book, a helpful and encouraging message in short chapters with room to reflect at the end of each chapter.
As a leader in our church’s ministry to children and parents, I plan to give this book to new moms. If you are a mom to young children, or you know a mom of young children, get this book. The End of Me is a welcome word of truth and hope to weary young moms.
March 9, 2021
The journey to become a mom brought me to the edge of collapse, or so I thought. When I welcomed one son and then another after years of battling infertility, I assumed motherhood would mark the end to some of the worst struggles of my life. What I didn’t realize was that this new role would push me in different and difficult ways far beyond what I could handle.
In “End of Me,” author Liz Wann greets moms at their breaking points. She describes being surprised by the hardships of motherhood, both the daily grind of cleaning up messes and supplying endless snacks, as well as the burden of more intense trials, such as caring for a child with anxiety. Instead of downplaying the challenges, Liz calls them what they feel like: death. Through this death, when moms hit the wall of our struggles and shortcomings, we get to meet Jesus and watch him bring us back to life.
Moms can relate to Liz’s weaknesses – not feeling an initial bond with your baby, wishing for more alone time, grappling with the guilt that comes when you lose your temper and yell at your kids, yet again. Liz reminds us that our mom fails are inevitable because we’re human and need God’s strength. We can quit thinking every aspect of our kids’ lives depends on us, and entrust them to the One who is truly capable of holding all things together.
While sharing truth about our need for spiritual discipline, Liz also talks openly about the dark side of motherhood. She doesn’t shy away from everyday monotony or extreme suffering, when moms face postpartum depression, chronic illness, or raising a child with significant medical needs. By pointing out the hard life Jesus lived – the weariness he felt and constant service he provided – Liz shines hope for the stretched-thin mom. Jesus knows and carries our burdens. He laid down his life to free us from our sin and suffering. As she writes, “When he is the ‘joy set before us,’ then all the ‘deaths’ are colored with his glory and light.”
Jesus transforms the deaths of motherhood into resurrection moments. That’s a comfort I’ll take with me the next time I reach my end.
In “End of Me,” author Liz Wann greets moms at their breaking points. She describes being surprised by the hardships of motherhood, both the daily grind of cleaning up messes and supplying endless snacks, as well as the burden of more intense trials, such as caring for a child with anxiety. Instead of downplaying the challenges, Liz calls them what they feel like: death. Through this death, when moms hit the wall of our struggles and shortcomings, we get to meet Jesus and watch him bring us back to life.
Moms can relate to Liz’s weaknesses – not feeling an initial bond with your baby, wishing for more alone time, grappling with the guilt that comes when you lose your temper and yell at your kids, yet again. Liz reminds us that our mom fails are inevitable because we’re human and need God’s strength. We can quit thinking every aspect of our kids’ lives depends on us, and entrust them to the One who is truly capable of holding all things together.
While sharing truth about our need for spiritual discipline, Liz also talks openly about the dark side of motherhood. She doesn’t shy away from everyday monotony or extreme suffering, when moms face postpartum depression, chronic illness, or raising a child with significant medical needs. By pointing out the hard life Jesus lived – the weariness he felt and constant service he provided – Liz shines hope for the stretched-thin mom. Jesus knows and carries our burdens. He laid down his life to free us from our sin and suffering. As she writes, “When he is the ‘joy set before us,’ then all the ‘deaths’ are colored with his glory and light.”
Jesus transforms the deaths of motherhood into resurrection moments. That’s a comfort I’ll take with me the next time I reach my end.
May 23, 2025
“All along the way we’ve seen motherhood as a pattern of daily death and resurrection. Because of how hard motherhood can be, it feels like a cross to carry. The death you are feeling is a death to yourself: your independence, parts of your identity, your time, your body, and so on. The hardships inherent in motherhood are like the initial death that a grain of wheat undergoes as it is buried in the earth. But the only way for the life of the harvest to emerge is for that very seed to die. Jesus was such a seed and now by his strength, and the power of the Holy Spirit, we can be a seed, like Jesus, every day as moms.”
Liz knows she is writing for moms of young kids by making this a short and accessible book full of scripture reminders and truths. In this unique season that feels so long, but is truly so short, this book is like a nice cool drink of water - nothing flashy or fancy, but a refreshing drink that satiates the parched soul of this season. I gleaned many quotes to keep coming back to and chew on.
“Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.” - Philippians 4:8 NIV
This book was full of these things and helped me to keep my mind on them. Definitely will be doing a book study with other mommas with this book!
Liz knows she is writing for moms of young kids by making this a short and accessible book full of scripture reminders and truths. In this unique season that feels so long, but is truly so short, this book is like a nice cool drink of water - nothing flashy or fancy, but a refreshing drink that satiates the parched soul of this season. I gleaned many quotes to keep coming back to and chew on.
“Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.” - Philippians 4:8 NIV
This book was full of these things and helped me to keep my mind on them. Definitely will be doing a book study with other mommas with this book!
March 1, 2021
Motherhood brings with it countless opportunities to discover the precious reality of Jesus’ words, that “whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses His life for My sake will find it” (Matt. 16:25). In a world where women are constantly urged to cling to their ambitions, bodies, and time, Liz Wann does a beautiful job of reminding moms of this heartening truth. Yes, motherhood will cost you. It may require the death of some goals, the changing of your body, and vast investments of time and effort. But on the other side of these deaths to self, God brings resurrection. Weak bodies find His strength. Grieving hearts find His grace. Surrendered hearts find His plan glorious. Buy this book. Read it while you’re feeding the baby or waiting out a piano lesson. With seven chapters at around 14 pages apiece, even busy moms will be able to squeeze it in, and they’ll find themselves greatly encouraged as a result!
March 8, 2021
I listened to this short read and was encouraged with the gospel specific to motherhood. While there wasn’t a whole lot of groundbreaking ideas here I did like that the author included some specifics for how to implement the ideas, talked about various stages of motherhood and even addressed single moms. This all reminded me how the gospel touches every moment of this motherhood journey.
A few ideas I want to remember:
“Repentance over perfection. Christ’s power rests on repentant mothers.”
“I pray for my children to see me for who I really am and look to Christ who is greater!”
“When God shines his light into my dark places it is to love me not shame me.”
“Motherhood gives me deaths to die daily to become more like him, to draw close to him and remind me of His death and my future resurrection.”
“Every act is raising up the next generation and bringing in His kingdom.”
A few ideas I want to remember:
“Repentance over perfection. Christ’s power rests on repentant mothers.”
“I pray for my children to see me for who I really am and look to Christ who is greater!”
“When God shines his light into my dark places it is to love me not shame me.”
“Motherhood gives me deaths to die daily to become more like him, to draw close to him and remind me of His death and my future resurrection.”
“Every act is raising up the next generation and bringing in His kingdom.”
February 6, 2021
I would be surprised if you were a mom and didn't feel at "the end of yourself" at times, if not regularly. In seven chapters, brief in length but full in Scriptural truth and practical application, Liz approaches varying topics of motherhood with the humility of a mom who has also been brought to the end of herself, again and again. Addressing topics like finding rest, tiring of mundane tasks, and experiencing suffering, Liz acknowledges the struggles moms regularly face. But rather than offering sweet-sounding platitudes of our own sufficiency, she goes deeper to acknowledge the inner heart issues that need uprooting so that the better seeds of God’s joy, hope, and peace can be sown. Maybe at the end of ourselves is exactly where we need to be to find more of God.
March 1, 2021
What an amazing breakout book from Liz Wann! I love her sincerity, transparency, and desire to guide me straight to the cross to find true hope in this life. Her chapters are a great mix of Scripture, memoir/narrative, application, prayer, and reflection. I really enjoyed the prayers at the end of each chapter and the space the book provided for me to write down my thoughts. I was especially encouraged by her chapter on the beauty of repetition which helped speak life and purpose into my everyday routine. Liz's words are candid, clear, and Christ-centered. I highly encourage mothers of all seasons to read this book and be refreshed as you find "resurrection life in the daily sacrifices of motherhood".
March 2, 2021
Every mom who is honest will admit that motherhood feels like too much. We can't do it all. We can't manage everything beautifully. We are tired. We feel hidden. We wonder if its worth it all, and we feel PRESSURE to do and be enough.
Liz reminds us of the beauty: We were never meant to be enough. There is so much freedom in not only not having to be, but knowing the One who is, and doesn't shame or condemn us for His own limits He's given us in our capacity and bandwidth. In Him? He gives us life and life abundant.
This book is so edifying and counter-cultural and a great reminder of the beauty of our weakness, and Christ's strength. I recommend it to every mom who is honest enough to acknowledge that she's not all she thought she'd be, or wishes she was.
Liz reminds us of the beauty: We were never meant to be enough. There is so much freedom in not only not having to be, but knowing the One who is, and doesn't shame or condemn us for His own limits He's given us in our capacity and bandwidth. In Him? He gives us life and life abundant.
This book is so edifying and counter-cultural and a great reminder of the beauty of our weakness, and Christ's strength. I recommend it to every mom who is honest enough to acknowledge that she's not all she thought she'd be, or wishes she was.
March 3, 2021
I'm sure the author of this book had no idea how challenging 2020/21 would be when they first put pen to paper! This was the perfect lockdown read for me as I attempted to balancing work and home schooling, struggled with the monotony of lockdown and grappled with pandemic parenting. I really valued the gentle encouragement pointing me to Christ as I read, and felt it had so much to give right now to so many other mums too. And I'm sure when this season is over I'll turn to it again and discover fresh truths anew. One to treasure!
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