What do you think?
Rate this book
Risen Motherhood: Gospel Hope for Everyday Moments
Motherhood is hard. In a world of five-step lists and silver-bullet solutions to become perfect parents, mothers are burdened with mixed messages about who they are and what choices they should make. If you feel pulled between high-fives and hard words, with culture’s solutions only raising more questions, you’re not alone.
But there is hope.
You might think that Scripture doesn’t have much to say about the food you make for breakfast, how you view your postpartum body, or what school choice you make for your children, but a deeper look reveals that the Bible provides the framework for finding answers to your specific questions about modern motherhood.
Emily Jensen and Laura Wifler help you understand and apply the gospel to common issues moms face so you can connect your Sunday morning faith to the Monday morning tantrum.
Discover how closely the gospel connects with today’s motherhood. Join Emily and Laura as they walk through the redemptive story and reveal how the gospel applies to your everyday life, bringing hope, freedom, and joy in every area of motherhood.
But there is hope.
You might think that Scripture doesn’t have much to say about the food you make for breakfast, how you view your postpartum body, or what school choice you make for your children, but a deeper look reveals that the Bible provides the framework for finding answers to your specific questions about modern motherhood.
Emily Jensen and Laura Wifler help you understand and apply the gospel to common issues moms face so you can connect your Sunday morning faith to the Monday morning tantrum.
Discover how closely the gospel connects with today’s motherhood. Join Emily and Laura as they walk through the redemptive story and reveal how the gospel applies to your everyday life, bringing hope, freedom, and joy in every area of motherhood.
6 pages, Audiobook
First published September 3, 2019
2061 people are currently reading
8814 people want to read
About the author
Emily A. Jensen
13 books127 followersEmily Jensen and Laura Wifler are in the trenches of motherhood, right alongside their readers. With a combination of accessibility, relatability, and solid Biblical knowledge, Emily and Laura have a knack for simplifying complex Biblical truths, revealing how they relate and apply to everyday life. As the co-founders of the Risen Motherhood ministry, and co-hosts of the chart-topping podcast, God has consistently and powerfully used the voices of these two moms as a vehicle to captivate women around the world with the gospel. As sister-in-laws, Emily and Laura both live in central Iowa with their families.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,085 reviews
April 28, 2020
Had some good reminders, but on the whole, this was a pretty mediocre book on mothering within a Biblical/Christian context.
PROS:
-Content was Biblical, almost to the point of feeling like rehearsing Sunday School answers, but still... being solidly Biblical beats a lot of pop "Christian" books.
-Format (Creation, Fall, Redemption, Consummation) was novel.
-While each chapter opened with an example from the author's life, the book avoids excessive story-telling about the authors' lives.
CONS:
-This book only speaks to moms-of-littles or (maybe?) moms-to-be. There is nothing in here for moms of kids in other age groups (moms of teens, grandmothers, spiritual mothers who have no biological children, etc.)
-This book also seems to be for only stay-at-home moms which cuts out a lot of Western women.
-With that in mind, this book is only for Western women because the problems they discuss are pretty much first-world problems (postpartum body image, self-care, food choices, schooling choices... things people from some countries would love to have the luxury of "worrying" about).
-Format, while novel, felt repetitive by about 2 chapters into the 14 chapters of the main section and boring/skimmable by the last few chapters.
-Super buzzword happy: self-care, soul-rest, Spirit-led, gospel-centered, etc.
I had not listened to the Risen Motherhood podcast or followed the authors on social media/in writing before reading this. I assume if you are a fan of Risen Motherhood you will like it. Otherwise, this book doesn't bring much to the table on the discussion of being a mother and a Christian - so maybe read something that actually packs a punch like Idols of a Mother's Heart by Christina Fox (which could be given to ANY believer, whether a new or old Christian or whether a mother or not) or Parenting by God's Promises by Joel Beeke (which actually discusses what godly parenting should look like and how to rely on a faithful God within one's parenting).
PROS:
-Content was Biblical, almost to the point of feeling like rehearsing Sunday School answers, but still... being solidly Biblical beats a lot of pop "Christian" books.
-Format (Creation, Fall, Redemption, Consummation) was novel.
-While each chapter opened with an example from the author's life, the book avoids excessive story-telling about the authors' lives.
CONS:
-This book only speaks to moms-of-littles or (maybe?) moms-to-be. There is nothing in here for moms of kids in other age groups (moms of teens, grandmothers, spiritual mothers who have no biological children, etc.)
-This book also seems to be for only stay-at-home moms which cuts out a lot of Western women.
-With that in mind, this book is only for Western women because the problems they discuss are pretty much first-world problems (postpartum body image, self-care, food choices, schooling choices... things people from some countries would love to have the luxury of "worrying" about).
-Format, while novel, felt repetitive by about 2 chapters into the 14 chapters of the main section and boring/skimmable by the last few chapters.
-Super buzzword happy: self-care, soul-rest, Spirit-led, gospel-centered, etc.
I had not listened to the Risen Motherhood podcast or followed the authors on social media/in writing before reading this. I assume if you are a fan of Risen Motherhood you will like it. Otherwise, this book doesn't bring much to the table on the discussion of being a mother and a Christian - so maybe read something that actually packs a punch like Idols of a Mother's Heart by Christina Fox (which could be given to ANY believer, whether a new or old Christian or whether a mother or not) or Parenting by God's Promises by Joel Beeke (which actually discusses what godly parenting should look like and how to rely on a faithful God within one's parenting).
May 28, 2021
This is a good book. I feel kind of bad giving it 3 stars because there is nothing that is harmful or untrue. It's all about the message of the gospel and that's a good thing. I would have benefited tremendously if I had read this when my firstborn was a baby. I was so anxious about every little thing and this book would have helped give me a better perspective. Probably a good read for new, young moms. However if you are a more seasoned mom or you are dealing with topics heavier than food choices, then it will fall short.
I would love for them to have included a chapter on the gospel and post partum depression, or the gospel and miscarriage, or the gospel and anxiety or infertility. The topics they address are very light hearted, and their analysis is basically, "the choice you make doesn't really matter, only the gospel matters." Which... is true, I guess. But the choices you make for food, school, traditions, actually do matter. The gospel matters, and the choices we make as mothers also matter.
I wish the whole book would have been an expansion of the last two chapters. I recommend this book for a discipleship opportunity with a new mom, or if you are struggling in the day to day decisions of motherhood. Otherwise, it didn't live up to the hype for me.
I would love for them to have included a chapter on the gospel and post partum depression, or the gospel and miscarriage, or the gospel and anxiety or infertility. The topics they address are very light hearted, and their analysis is basically, "the choice you make doesn't really matter, only the gospel matters." Which... is true, I guess. But the choices you make for food, school, traditions, actually do matter. The gospel matters, and the choices we make as mothers also matter.
I wish the whole book would have been an expansion of the last two chapters. I recommend this book for a discipleship opportunity with a new mom, or if you are struggling in the day to day decisions of motherhood. Otherwise, it didn't live up to the hype for me.
August 19, 2019
A fantastic book. There is no book that can replace the truth of the Bible, and I am so grateful that this one doesn't even try. Instead, it turns you to look into the Bible for the hope and truth we need. One of my favorite things about this book, is it doesn't matter what "level" Christian you are. Its truth that apply to us in the day-to-day, whether you're new to faith or old to faith. Its an easy to read, doesn't repeat itself (you know those books that say the one thing, and then just reiterate it 3 more times to get the point across). The flow of the book: Intro, Cultures Message, The Gospel Message (Creation, Fall, Redemption, Consummation), detailed ending and simple discussion questions that are easy but very thought provoking.
November 18, 2019
I hate to be the minority vote, but I did not love this book.
I often felt discouraged and "defeated" by the implications and conclusions that tend to focus on our inability, inadequacy, etc. as a result of the Fall. There is always the juxtaposition of the hope of the Gospel and Christ's power, sufficiency, etc. (true, of course). But there is little nuance, and often a sense of skepticism (even shaming at times), for the mom(s) who may aspire to higher ideals, higher expectations, etc., let alone those who may have it a little more together than is sometimes portrayed as even possible.
This dovetails out of the Creation/Fall/Redemption/Consummation model of the chapters, which, though based on solid Biblical truth, are not only wearying due to redundancy (and, again, focus on our fallenness) but also largely philosophical and often superficial (and, again, lacking nuance). I would have appreciated more real-life, down-to-earth examples of how the Gospel can actually make a practical difference in the "everyday moments," and more thoughtful application.
In short, Risen Motherhood did not rise to my expectations for hopefulness or helpfulness. Sure, perhaps it comes down to differences of philosophy/perspective. There's no doubt the authors are sincere and well-intentioned—but they're not Sally Clarkson. And if you, like me, fall on the idealist side of the spectrum (or not), there are other books you may find more encouraging and useful
I often felt discouraged and "defeated" by the implications and conclusions that tend to focus on our inability, inadequacy, etc. as a result of the Fall. There is always the juxtaposition of the hope of the Gospel and Christ's power, sufficiency, etc. (true, of course). But there is little nuance, and often a sense of skepticism (even shaming at times), for the mom(s) who may aspire to higher ideals, higher expectations, etc., let alone those who may have it a little more together than is sometimes portrayed as even possible.
This dovetails out of the Creation/Fall/Redemption/Consummation model of the chapters, which, though based on solid Biblical truth, are not only wearying due to redundancy (and, again, focus on our fallenness) but also largely philosophical and often superficial (and, again, lacking nuance). I would have appreciated more real-life, down-to-earth examples of how the Gospel can actually make a practical difference in the "everyday moments," and more thoughtful application.
In short, Risen Motherhood did not rise to my expectations for hopefulness or helpfulness. Sure, perhaps it comes down to differences of philosophy/perspective. There's no doubt the authors are sincere and well-intentioned—but they're not Sally Clarkson. And if you, like me, fall on the idealist side of the spectrum (or not), there are other books you may find more encouraging and useful
December 31, 2020
My thoughts about Risen Motherhood are basically the same as the podcast. While presenting great truth about the gospel and seeking to faithfully apply it to motherhood, there’s just something I don’t like about the way it’s presented. I certainly believe that Wifler and Jensen have good hearts, they are seeking to do something so great in encouraging mothers. And I am encouraged by what they have to say, and I have been challenged about how I live as a wife and a mother.
But, I just can’t latch onto their style. The pull quotes with artwork are overdone, some paragraphs are too intentionally written, chapters get repetitive as they try to put the gospel into daily life. It seemed like they are trying to address every issue and every extreme viewpoint on said issues, leaving me with whiplash and confusion about what to do. Again, it’s all noble, but not something I respond to. The situations and issues were too specific, they put too much emphasis on a mom’s busy life of many children and so many demands (what about a mother with one child and a quiet life?). I certainly found Missional Motherhood more compelling.
But, I just can’t latch onto their style. The pull quotes with artwork are overdone, some paragraphs are too intentionally written, chapters get repetitive as they try to put the gospel into daily life. It seemed like they are trying to address every issue and every extreme viewpoint on said issues, leaving me with whiplash and confusion about what to do. Again, it’s all noble, but not something I respond to. The situations and issues were too specific, they put too much emphasis on a mom’s busy life of many children and so many demands (what about a mother with one child and a quiet life?). I certainly found Missional Motherhood more compelling.
August 22, 2019
"But deep down we still have this lurking feeling that we're missing the mark, and we don't know how to cope with it. So we joke and eye roll about our child's behavior. We post our mom-fails to social media. We let the mess by messy without bothering to clean it up. We tease the moms who seem more balanced or accomplished. When in doubt, we carve out more "me time" or escape into exercise, food, work, or social media. We lower the bar until our guilt is quieted." (16)
For every mom who has ever felt like she wasn't good enough, couldn't handle it, or was just overwhelmed. Laura and Emily beautifully offer the only hope that will ever meet us in our motherhood: Jesus. Written with real life experiences, grace-filled truth, and deep trust in the power of God to redeem us in the little everyday pains and joys of motherhood, this book is life-giving. It is rooted in God's word and his character, and filled with practical applications for the very real needs we face day in and day out. I am confident I will return to it many times in my years of mothering, and am eager to give this hope-filled book to fellow mommas.
For every mom who has ever felt like she wasn't good enough, couldn't handle it, or was just overwhelmed. Laura and Emily beautifully offer the only hope that will ever meet us in our motherhood: Jesus. Written with real life experiences, grace-filled truth, and deep trust in the power of God to redeem us in the little everyday pains and joys of motherhood, this book is life-giving. It is rooted in God's word and his character, and filled with practical applications for the very real needs we face day in and day out. I am confident I will return to it many times in my years of mothering, and am eager to give this hope-filled book to fellow mommas.
December 9, 2019
I wanted to love this book because of the message. I felt like the every single chapter took a motherhood issue, described in great detail how the writers tried excel at it on their own, fell short, and were redeemed by Christ. But there is no practical application or in depth scripture study on any of the issues that the authors list. This book felt monotonous and left me hungry for more. I’m surprised that it only has excellent reviews.
September 19, 2022
This was exactly the book my mama heart needed right now. After leaving social media and really starting to invest in my family, I thought things would be perfect. Are they? No. Are they immensely better? Yes x 1 million. But I daily need the reminder to apply the gospel.
To how I parent.
To how I friend.
To how I volunteer.
To how I wife.
It’s easy to see the gospel as something separate in our lives - instead of seeing it in everything we do. That’s why this book was fresh air to me. We need the gospel in all our moments. 🤍
To how I parent.
To how I friend.
To how I volunteer.
To how I wife.
It’s easy to see the gospel as something separate in our lives - instead of seeing it in everything we do. That’s why this book was fresh air to me. We need the gospel in all our moments. 🤍
January 23, 2025
With dragons being as popular as they are right now, I thought this quote was fitting and I really enjoyed it, too.
“Jesus is our great dragon slayer. The cross. Our victory.”
I enjoyed listening to the audiobook. It’s read by the authors themselves.
Practical tips and questions at the end of each chapter to make you think and also check in with yourself and where you’re at with your journey with Christ and motherhood.
I appreciated the chapter that talks about control and how we can’t control everything for our kids. And we shouldn’t feel the need to control everything. I didn’t notate which track this was on, but it was a good one!
“Jesus is our great dragon slayer. The cross. Our victory.”
I enjoyed listening to the audiobook. It’s read by the authors themselves.
Practical tips and questions at the end of each chapter to make you think and also check in with yourself and where you’re at with your journey with Christ and motherhood.
I appreciated the chapter that talks about control and how we can’t control everything for our kids. And we shouldn’t feel the need to control everything. I didn’t notate which track this was on, but it was a good one!
October 20, 2022
I really liked the premise of this book - that is, that the gospel can and should be applied to every aspect of our lives. But the execution fell short. It's so repetitive, for one thing, and it's clearly written by and for moms of littles (which, fine, I fall into that category ... but I'm sure the gospel applies when you're parenting teens, too). More importantly, I wanted more depth (talking about not getting the birth story you want or not obsessing over your postpartum body or not judging others for how/what they feed their kids is fine, I guess, but what about how the gospel applies to PPD or loss or discipline issues or infertility or, or or?), and better gospel application than "the most important thing is that Jesus died, and one day he'll come back and all these hard things will be over." It's not that those things aren't true. But I'd love to have seen less minimizing of the choices we make (because they DO matter!) and more recognition of the idea that the gospel can and should inform and guide and live within those choices.
I don't mean to be unkind in this review. I think the authors' hearts are in the right place, and based on the slew of positive reviews and the popularity of their podcast (which I haven't listened to), they're meeting a need. There's nothing wrong or harmful in the book, and I'm sure many will find it encouraging and beneficial. But it just wasn't for me.
I don't mean to be unkind in this review. I think the authors' hearts are in the right place, and based on the slew of positive reviews and the popularity of their podcast (which I haven't listened to), they're meeting a need. There's nothing wrong or harmful in the book, and I'm sure many will find it encouraging and beneficial. But it just wasn't for me.
February 22, 2025
If you are looking for a fluffy, feel good, shallow book with almost zero theologically sound content, this is the book for you!
"You're a good mom, you're doing the best you can, everything is gonna be okay if you just believe."
There ya go! That's the book. Now you can save a few hours of your life and a library borrow.
To be fair, there were a couple of chapters towards the very end of the book that had some redeeming content, but even that content was fairly surface level with very little practical application.
Sigh. Why do we want this feel good fluff when the scriptures will be so much more satisfying to our hearts, minds, and souls?!
"You're a good mom, you're doing the best you can, everything is gonna be okay if you just believe."
There ya go! That's the book. Now you can save a few hours of your life and a library borrow.
To be fair, there were a couple of chapters towards the very end of the book that had some redeeming content, but even that content was fairly surface level with very little practical application.
Sigh. Why do we want this feel good fluff when the scriptures will be so much more satisfying to our hearts, minds, and souls?!
February 23, 2025
I love how the book is divided into themes/topics. I will definitely be rereading different chapters as I encounter them in motherhood!
October 16, 2025
Wow! Never has a book met me right where I’m at. Definitely for mothers at least a few years in not to discourage new moms or expecting moms, this still totally can be for you! But definitely was able to connect more having a toddler in the house. Anyways read it :)
December 17, 2020
3.5
This is definitely one of the better books of this genre I've read, and it was an excellent choice for a (virtual) book club pick for Christian moms due to its format. Each chapter is designed around a different topic related to motherhood, like community, traditions, body image, etc. While the layout got a bit repetitive (Author presents the issue with a story from their lives, author shows how that issue relates to Gospel, author gives encouragement) it was nice to have a concrete subject to focus on and talk about each week.
I would fault this book in 2 ways, and these are specific to me of course. The first is that I don't want to be friends with the authors and feel like I am a very different person than they are. They give these impossible examples from their life sometimes like, "My husband was working 80 hours a week this week and I was crafting a handmade puppet show for our 6 children while taking care of my elderly mother and after making a 4 course dinner my kids were arguing before bed and I told them that if they kept arguing I would not let them watch TV before bed. And that was wrong of me. I sinned so badly in that moment." What? Their "approachable life examples" feel like humble brags.
The authors also say things each chapter about how "culture pressures us as moms to do xyz."
"Culture says that we should have picture perfect babies dressed in organic cotton onesies."
"Culture shames us if we feed our baby from a bottle."
"Culture says we have to have perfectly trimmed Christmas trees and sing hymns every night."
"Culture says our hair and make up have to be perfect every day or we are lazy."
Who are these girls hanging out with?? They need to seriously step back from Instagram.
The other way I would fault this book is that it reads very specifically to moms who stay home. Any attempt to make it more approachable for moms who work outside the home feel like a throwaway courtesy nod.
This is definitely one of the better books of this genre I've read, and it was an excellent choice for a (virtual) book club pick for Christian moms due to its format. Each chapter is designed around a different topic related to motherhood, like community, traditions, body image, etc. While the layout got a bit repetitive (Author presents the issue with a story from their lives, author shows how that issue relates to Gospel, author gives encouragement) it was nice to have a concrete subject to focus on and talk about each week.
I would fault this book in 2 ways, and these are specific to me of course. The first is that I don't want to be friends with the authors and feel like I am a very different person than they are. They give these impossible examples from their life sometimes like, "My husband was working 80 hours a week this week and I was crafting a handmade puppet show for our 6 children while taking care of my elderly mother and after making a 4 course dinner my kids were arguing before bed and I told them that if they kept arguing I would not let them watch TV before bed. And that was wrong of me. I sinned so badly in that moment." What? Their "approachable life examples" feel like humble brags.
The authors also say things each chapter about how "culture pressures us as moms to do xyz."
"Culture says that we should have picture perfect babies dressed in organic cotton onesies."
"Culture shames us if we feed our baby from a bottle."
"Culture says we have to have perfectly trimmed Christmas trees and sing hymns every night."
"Culture says our hair and make up have to be perfect every day or we are lazy."
Who are these girls hanging out with?? They need to seriously step back from Instagram.
The other way I would fault this book is that it reads very specifically to moms who stay home. Any attempt to make it more approachable for moms who work outside the home feel like a throwaway courtesy nod.
August 17, 2019
This is a fantastic book! If you only read one book on mothering ever let it be this! It’s non judgmental and rooted firmly in scripture: you will learn not someone else’s views on parenting but how to use scripture to establish your own opinions and practices in mothering. You will laugh and cry along with Laura and Emily but most of all they will point you to Jesus and you will leave this book seeking more of Him.
January 4, 2020
Excellent read! I cried throughout the book. So much truth. And so much encouragement. I will be recommending this to all my sisters and mom friends.
January 22, 2020
I think to understand where I'm coming from with this review, you need to understand what I look for in a book designed to help me grow spiritually. This book isn't one I'd be likely to pick off a shelf and be excited to read on my own. A friend of mine wanted to read this together so I did. When it comes to books to help me grow, I look to be challenged both spiritually and intellectually. I look for thoroughly researched and well-footnoted discussion that pulls from biblical, historical and contemporary sources to (hopefully) create a holistic picture of the concepts. I look for books that speak to me as a whole person - not to my mom side or my wife side or my employee side - because I want to be a fully integrated (as opposed to compartmentalized) human. I know there are women out there who really want to lean into and be encouraged in their role of being a mother. I’m just not her. I know I'm not alone, so I'm writing this review to help other women like me know what they're getting into, not to criticize a book written for a different kind of mom.
The good:
1) Many of the truths discussed could be applied to a person’s whole life. I found myself marking through “mom” a lot and putting “person.” I liked that I could get out of the mom compartment.
2) The authors tackle each theme with an overarching narrative: creation, fall, redemption, consummation. This is helpful because it does what the authors intended - it takes every day life and puts it into the context of the Gospel: what God intended in creation, how sin marred the plan, how Jesus redeemed the plan, and how eternity fits into the picture. I found their identification of what "culture" says about each topic to be helpful in identifying where I've allowed myself to believe lies about how much control I have.
3) The authors heavily reference Scripture. Full credit where it's due, 99.9% of the footnotes in this book are references to Scripture verses, and that's a really good thing because it confirms that they're not making this stuff up. It also likely makes the book approachable for new believers - no complicated theology or cumbersome historical context - just straight up Scripture applied to motherhood.
The not-great*:
(*To be clear, nothing in this book was bad, and many of my criticisms come from the fact that this book isn't my cup of tea - see my paragraph above.)
If you're new to Jesus and want a starting point to applying biblical truths in your everyday mom life, this is a great book for you. For believers who've been around a while, retelling ourselves the Gospel is vital, and this book will give you another way to do that. It may not be for every person, but what book is?
The good:
1) Many of the truths discussed could be applied to a person’s whole life. I found myself marking through “mom” a lot and putting “person.” I liked that I could get out of the mom compartment.
2) The authors tackle each theme with an overarching narrative: creation, fall, redemption, consummation. This is helpful because it does what the authors intended - it takes every day life and puts it into the context of the Gospel: what God intended in creation, how sin marred the plan, how Jesus redeemed the plan, and how eternity fits into the picture. I found their identification of what "culture" says about each topic to be helpful in identifying where I've allowed myself to believe lies about how much control I have.
3) The authors heavily reference Scripture. Full credit where it's due, 99.9% of the footnotes in this book are references to Scripture verses, and that's a really good thing because it confirms that they're not making this stuff up. It also likely makes the book approachable for new believers - no complicated theology or cumbersome historical context - just straight up Scripture applied to motherhood.
The not-great*:
(*To be clear, nothing in this book was bad, and many of my criticisms come from the fact that this book isn't my cup of tea - see my paragraph above.)
If you're new to Jesus and want a starting point to applying biblical truths in your everyday mom life, this is a great book for you. For believers who've been around a while, retelling ourselves the Gospel is vital, and this book will give you another way to do that. It may not be for every person, but what book is?
November 3, 2020
Oh how I wish I had the Risen Motherhood podcast during my early years of motherhood. I'm slowly catching up with all the older episodes. This book was just wonderful. I left feeling encouraged. In each chapter they tackle topics such as marriages, mundane moments, and schooling choices. Then in each chapter they address the cultures message and then the gospel message. In the gospel message you see that topic through the lens of creation, the fall, redemption, and consummation. Then there's discussion questions at the end.
This book was just so practical. I definitely got a lot out of it. I highly recommend it to all mothers.
This book was just so practical. I definitely got a lot out of it. I highly recommend it to all mothers.
November 25, 2019
Such wonderful exposition of the gospel applied to different aspects of motherhood. Asking my husband to read it because it can so easily be applied to “parenthood” and dads need it too!
June 11, 2025
Encouraging, engaging and relatable.
August 18, 2019
Risen Motherhood Review
Risen Motherhood by Emily Jensen and Laura Wifler is written as if you are having a discussion with your best friend. A conversation about life, love, parenthood, and how your relationship with God fits into all of the above and more.
Often times in motherhood, the journey can be lonely. The questions of “What is the purpose?” and “Will this never end?” are just a couple that cross through a busy mom’s mind as she is working day in and day out to take care of her family, frequently doing repetitive duties. Some of these awesome moms are also working outside the home and others are taking care of a loved one who is ill, in addition to mothering.
I love this book because Emily and Laura help point us back to God through every instance mentioned in the book (our attitudes, our marriages, food, relationships, self care, schooling, and more). Each chapter points us back to the Gospel story of Adam and Eve, showing how the subject of each chapter relates to Creation, the Fall, and Redemption according to the Gospel.
There have been so many moments in my 7 years of motherhood (a few of those years as a single mom) where I’ve just simply felt that I couldn’t go on, that I had no purpose, that there was no purpose in the repetitive every day motions I was going through, and often wondered, why bother?
My child, that’s why bother. Raising my daughter to love and fear the Lord is the most important thing I’ve been put on this Earth to do. Risen Motherhood helps to point us back to that most important work. Showing how each moment of every day and every situation is God worthy and purposeful.
I hope that every person who reads this book is filled with the hope that can only be found at the feet of Jesus. That every person who is at the end of their rope in parenting can have the peace that passes all understanding wash over them as they read this book and apply it to their individual needs and lives. That each weary soul will reach out for Jesus and cling to him as they start and complete each day of raising their kids while cleaning the house, working their job, caring for their ill family member, running errands, working the side hustle, or remembering to take a moment for themselves.
We can be a Risen Motherhood through the grace of Christ Jesus.
Risen Motherhood by Emily Jensen and Laura Wifler is written as if you are having a discussion with your best friend. A conversation about life, love, parenthood, and how your relationship with God fits into all of the above and more.
Often times in motherhood, the journey can be lonely. The questions of “What is the purpose?” and “Will this never end?” are just a couple that cross through a busy mom’s mind as she is working day in and day out to take care of her family, frequently doing repetitive duties. Some of these awesome moms are also working outside the home and others are taking care of a loved one who is ill, in addition to mothering.
I love this book because Emily and Laura help point us back to God through every instance mentioned in the book (our attitudes, our marriages, food, relationships, self care, schooling, and more). Each chapter points us back to the Gospel story of Adam and Eve, showing how the subject of each chapter relates to Creation, the Fall, and Redemption according to the Gospel.
There have been so many moments in my 7 years of motherhood (a few of those years as a single mom) where I’ve just simply felt that I couldn’t go on, that I had no purpose, that there was no purpose in the repetitive every day motions I was going through, and often wondered, why bother?
My child, that’s why bother. Raising my daughter to love and fear the Lord is the most important thing I’ve been put on this Earth to do. Risen Motherhood helps to point us back to that most important work. Showing how each moment of every day and every situation is God worthy and purposeful.
I hope that every person who reads this book is filled with the hope that can only be found at the feet of Jesus. That every person who is at the end of their rope in parenting can have the peace that passes all understanding wash over them as they read this book and apply it to their individual needs and lives. That each weary soul will reach out for Jesus and cling to him as they start and complete each day of raising their kids while cleaning the house, working their job, caring for their ill family member, running errands, working the side hustle, or remembering to take a moment for themselves.
We can be a Risen Motherhood through the grace of Christ Jesus.
June 8, 2023
5/5
Emily and Laura write in such a practical, challenging, convicting, and meaningful way that completely points to the gospel and God's Word. I needed this book in this new season of motherhood. They speak to the gospel in application with our friendships, marriages, traditions, church body, service, and every aspect of our lives. They did a phenomenal job of reaching every part of our lives as moms with such humble postures.
I walked away from this book with many nuggets of wisdom and I will be frequently referring back to this book for encouragement. I highly recommend this book to anyone who is in any season of motherhood, or wanting to be a mom someday!
Emily and Laura write in such a practical, challenging, convicting, and meaningful way that completely points to the gospel and God's Word. I needed this book in this new season of motherhood. They speak to the gospel in application with our friendships, marriages, traditions, church body, service, and every aspect of our lives. They did a phenomenal job of reaching every part of our lives as moms with such humble postures.
I walked away from this book with many nuggets of wisdom and I will be frequently referring back to this book for encouragement. I highly recommend this book to anyone who is in any season of motherhood, or wanting to be a mom someday!
July 3, 2023
Fantastic! I cannot recommend this enough to moms of littles… or not-quite bigs. I have read many Christian parenting books and this one absolutely is my new favorite. The authors were not telling me all the things they do right that I should do as well, but were gracious and wove scripture and the gospel into each chapter without being preachy. Usually I walk away from books like this feeling guilty and less-than, but I feel nothing but encouragement after reading this. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
January 7, 2020
Yes, yes, exactly and Amen! Gosh I love a book that focuses on the Gospel. This will be perennial reread for me because there is much to think about and digest even in short easy to read chapters.
April 24, 2020
I appreciate how this book points you back to the gospel and Jesus as our only source of strength, hope and joy during the many seasons and issues that Motherhood brings. I especially enjoyed the chapters on self care and Bible study.
May 19, 2022
What a lovely book! Emily and Laura provide a great framework for what it practically looks like to rely on and rest in Christ throughout daily life. I'm sure I will return to this book in the future!
March 26, 2025
“Jesus is the only person who reconciles the tension between our responsibility and our inability.”
This is a very sweet and encouraging book. While not overtly practical (no how-tos for discipline, training, etc), this book is a well-written reminder of how the Gospel applies to different areas of motherhood. There is freedom and help in Christ! I recommend this one for moms in the trenches who need the Gospel pounded into their brain and for new believers who are learning to apply the Gospel to every day life. I will definitely be revisiting this one.
This is a very sweet and encouraging book. While not overtly practical (no how-tos for discipline, training, etc), this book is a well-written reminder of how the Gospel applies to different areas of motherhood. There is freedom and help in Christ! I recommend this one for moms in the trenches who need the Gospel pounded into their brain and for new believers who are learning to apply the Gospel to every day life. I will definitely be revisiting this one.
June 10, 2023
So good!
What I felt in this book was community. We are not alone as Moms. We cannot be alone! We must reach out to other Moms and also be willing to be reached out too.
The Gospel affects every little insignificant little monotonous daily ritual. It’s the drive that must keep us going.
What I felt in this book was community. We are not alone as Moms. We cannot be alone! We must reach out to other Moms and also be willing to be reached out too.
The Gospel affects every little insignificant little monotonous daily ritual. It’s the drive that must keep us going.
October 3, 2025
Not the worst. I think the book had great intentions and some nuggets of truth yet the execution just really fell flat. I felt I had to wait until the last two chapters to actually read a practical call to Kingdom-minded, truly “risen” motherhood.
In all, I commend them for working to get the “gospel into every area of motherhood”. It is indeed a topic that us moms need to work on. But I’d have to recommend “Loving the Little Years” & “Fit to Burst by Rachel Jankovic over this.
Oh and also maybe “Paradise Restored” by David Chilton for some more robust worldview 😉
In all, I commend them for working to get the “gospel into every area of motherhood”. It is indeed a topic that us moms need to work on. But I’d have to recommend “Loving the Little Years” & “Fit to Burst by Rachel Jankovic over this.
Oh and also maybe “Paradise Restored” by David Chilton for some more robust worldview 😉
January 19, 2020
At first my response was, "oh great, another Mom/parenting book" but boy was I wrong. This book was so much more! Encouraging, convicting, full of good gospel truth and more! My heart is full!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,085 reviews