"EVERYDAY MOMENTS: Discovering Christ in the Details of Motherhood," by Jessica Poe, Cedar Fort, $11.99, 133 pages (nf)
Jessica Poe, a blogger, mother of three and member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, knows very well that "seeing" the divine role of motherhood is often difficult among the mounds of laundry, sticky little fingers and messy houses, or with the personal heartaches, disappointments or sorrows that accompany life experiences.
In her debut book, "Everyday MOMents: Discovering Christ in the Details of Motherhood," Poe shares her passion about the divinity of motherhood while acknowledging that it can be challenging.
Poe shows that by remembering the divine within and taking a moment to step back from a situation and pray to the Father above, the simple and often mundane acts of motherhood can lead to rejuvenation and divine teaching moments, not just once here and there, but throughout the day.
Poe accomplishes this by describing the typical day of a mother through small vignettes that weave through each chapter. Every chapter covers an hour of a typical day chronologically, from the moment she wakes up to the moment the children fall asleep at night.
All chapters are accompanied by "Your Turn" sections that encourage the reader to ponder about her (or his) day or provide tips to watch and enjoy every moment. Poe also includes personal journal entries filled with stories from her life with her three children, sharing her mistakes, joys and moments when she learned lessons from heaven above.
Using the Book of Mormon, Bible and quotes from LDS general authorities, Poe shows how even the smallest experience can teach a lesson and help mothers enjoy motherhood and the journey of life in "Everyday MOMents."
Lauren McAfee is an assistant librarian at a public library. She manages the social media platforms, writes grants and assist with other outreach efforts in the community.