“Motherhood is a profound threshold, one that scoops you up, swirls you around in its vortex, and then deposits you into an unknown country.” With these words Lauren Burdette centers us in the world of mothering: where our children and our selves are in constant flux, and the ways we knew to connect to God are often inaccessible. Yet God surely desires to meet us, right where we are.
In This Life That Is Ours, Burdette invites the reader to wonder with her about how to encounter God within this new land. Drawing from her experience as a spiritual director and mother, she speaks to both the challenge and the possibility of life being spiritual practice when our days are more chaotic than calm.
This book is for mothers of newborns, mothers whose children are adults, and every mom in between. It is for the mom who longs for spiritual connection. It is for anyone who walks with mothers on their spiritual journey, and anyone who wants to better understand the mothers in their lives. This Life That Is Ours is a companion for the spiritual journey.
Available now at your favorite local bookstore (mine is White Whale Bookstore in Pittsburgh) or you can order directly from the publisher.
Kind things people said about This Life That Is Ours:
“Lauren weaves her vocations of motherhood and spiritual direction in a profound way in This Life That is Ours. From the opening paragraphs, she hits on the authentic longings of a mother’s heart as we journey to find God not only in prayer but in homes that echo with voices of children. As I savored her every word, I remembered my own path of becoming a mother twelve years ago. Lauren’s real sharing of her life stirred deep reflection on my own journey as a mother that left me with a deeper appreciation of the holiness of my call and how much God has been at work in it all along. ”
“Lauren Burdette cultivates a warm intimacy with her readers as she accompanies us on a reflective pilgrimage through our experience of motherhood. Her simple meditations on different aspects of maternity run deep, carving out welcome space for contemplation amidst a calling that can seem more chaotic than calm. The result is this beautiful book that heals, renews, and allows us to “rest in the realities of motherhood.” This Life That Is Ours is for every woman seeking to integrate her lived experience of mothering into her spiritual practice, and the other way around. ”
“Lauren Burdette’s writing is winsome, inviting, and honest, and these meditations overflow with wisdom and grace. Reading This Life That Is Ours is like spending time with a trusted soul friend, and I have no doubt that’s what this book will allow Lauren to become for women who are looking for God and their truest selves as they explore the terrain of motherhood. Even as a father, this book has helped me reconnect with the grit and grace of the holy work of parenting.”
“In the thoughtful and accessible reflections she has crafted, Lauren Burdette affirms the sacred work of motherhood and invites us on a path of rest and formation—to step more fully into motherhood, authentic self and the messy embodiment of God’s love in the midst of family life. This book is a gift for mothers seeking greater connection!”
“Part devotional, part memoir, part spiritual field guide for mothers, Lauren Burdette has crafted a book that simultaneously offers both practical wisdom and contemplative insight into the journey of parenthood. This Life that is Ours is a warm invitation for mothers to see the challenging and often overwhelming task of parenting through new, transformed eyes. This book is a wise and trustworthy companion to accompany you on a journey deep into the heart of mothering and deep into the heart of the divine.”
“I used to think I was a calm and loving person until I had children. Lauren understands this and reminds us that it is in, not in spite of the mess and chaos of this sacred community that deep spiritual formation can occur. This gorgeous little book is a welcome traveling companion with short, spot-on meditations that help us connect to God and ourselves in the midst of what can be a disconnecting, lonely season. Motherhood IS spiritual practice as it offers the continuous ego-slap-down that can break us open and wake us up to the Kingdom of Heaven in our midst. Isn’t this what Jesus said little children do?
Lauren invites us with humility and wisdom to dance with her in the chaos that pushes us beyond our limitations and illusions of control. As a gifted spiritual director she gently guides us to embrace the messiness, tensions, mistakes and insecurities alongside the heart-piercing beauty and magical moments of motherhood; reminding us of God’s presence in and through it all, drawing us to become deeply ourselves, holy and held in a Divine embrace.”
“‘Your pilgrimage is your journey back home.’ This insight sets the tone for the rest of Lauren Burdette’s engaging book of reflections on motherhood and holiness.There is wisdom here for mothers, yes, but here’s a connecting point, too, for anyone seeking to support the mothers around us. Burdette points us to that place where we find our truest selves.”
“In a world that provides so many conflicting messages for parents, along comes Lauren’s book that invites, inspires and above all affirms your own parenting style and path. It reminds you that in the messy and chaotic life, moments of pure love, awe and wonder abound. You are exactly where you need to be.”