This is a collection of essays about midlife - in marriage, in parenting, accepting your body, etc. That set up made this feel like a Jen Hatmaker book (complement) with less humor (not necessarily a criticism). While I didn't laugh as much with this one, I felt almost every essay related to me to some degree just by the virtue of being in that target age range and season of life. And several of these left me in tears.

There are faith references throughout, but few Bible references, specifically (again, not a criticism - just a statement of fact). I enjoyed this, I would read sections of it again, and I would definitely put this on a book group list because I think the format lends well to use in a group setting.

"The Forties are the love story of life in the middle-in the middle of kids, faith, doubt, marriage, failure, wonder, and the muffin top, And all of these are good things."

In my opinion, the quote above from The Middle Matters sums the book up perfectly. The intended audience of this book is definitely women in their 40's Lisa-Jo Baker does an excellent job meeting women where they are. She is very honest, transparent, and relatable in the book. As a woman in my early 40's, I found myself laughing at a lot of her stories I could relate to and celebrating this stage of life that is unlike any I have experienced before and will experience later in life. The middle really does matter!

*I received a complimentary copy of this book from WaterBrook & Multnomah Publishers through Net Galley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

I really enjoyed Lisa-Jo's essays in The Middle Matters! Even though I'm past (way past!) the middle of parenting as an empty nester, there was so much enjoyment in reading how she paddles/races through life when the whole household needs to go in different directions. I appreciate her teaching to look to find the extra in the ordinary days. It is easy to read as you are waiting at a ball game (we are a non-sports family), or for music lessons, or one just before bed!

I received an early copy of this book in exchange for a review.

Lisa Jo writes like any good best friend and big sister. She will lay out the good, the bad, and the ugly while simultaneously cheering to the end. Whether it’s sharing tears and toasts about parenting (read Sobbing in my Minivan over Honor Roll) or promoting body positivity (read The Love Story of Turning Forty) or talking through faith and friends (read all the essays from parts 7 and 8). I know I will turn to LisaJos words again and again as I navigate my own journey. She never grabbed my attention with anything like stunning prose. But her down to earth style is perfect for the everywoman.

May this work have a fruitful life around the world.

In this middle season of my own life, this book is the book I had no idea I needed! Through a beautiful collection of essays, Lisa-Jo Baker vulnerably shares the things that have been on her heart and gives us permission to lay down our collective facades and do the same. Her voice rings true for many of us who find ourselves in our middle 40's wondering who we are now, who we'd like to be and how we want to move forward. In her sharing the questions she asking, the peace she's making with things that have troubled her and the things mom, marriage and faith that bring her joy, she encourages us all. Lisa-Jo lets us know that okay to break up with the need for the perfect image and embrace exactly who we are in this moment. And that's something I don't think we can hear enough.

After reading Lisa-Jo’s first two books, this one will be a real treat. It’s like you are sitting on the couch with Lisa-Jo and she is chatting with you. She gives you a glimpse into her childhood and family life then and now. She also encourages you to keep on keeping on as you struggle through the “middle” of your life. You are not the only one who is going through certain trials and difficulties in life. Lisa-Jo has been there and done that, too. But this isn’t only written for married ladies in their middle. Single people, newly weds, empty nesters, college students, men and women can all benefit from this well written easy to read book. I loved this book from beginning to end and everything in between. Thank you, Lisa-Jo, for writing good clean should-searching books.

My anticipation for this book was high and after receiving an early copy from #Netgalley and being involved with Lisa Jo Baker on her launch team my faith in her honesty and transparency was reaffirmed. This book was not what I expected which made me love it even more.

Lisa Jo's words flow from her heart as if she is pouring it out to wives and moms all over the world to hear truth and remind them they aren't alone. She has a talent for pulling your deepest hurts and heart broken mom feelings to the surface and guiding us to Jesus and His comfort and His truth. These tough things aren't survived alone and His plan isn't always clear but His love is constant and giving ourselves grace and taking each moment to learn that these ordinary mom/wife situations are THE moments we will hold closest. The mundane aren't just that; they are the priceless gold. I cried, I laughed, if I hadn't been reading in a doctor's office waiting room I would have shouted Amen at the top of my lungs. This book is a warm hug from a friend that the reader will treasure for it's ordinary truth.

If you liked Surprised By Motherhood you'll love The Middle Matters!
The Middle Matters is a continuation of the behind the scenes truth of Lisa-Jo Baker's life. While many are critiquing this book saying it is ONLY for women in mid life (40 something's) I found I was able to relate as someone still in my 20's - as we are all in the middle of something!
Written as a collection of essays, The Middle Matters is similar to a choose your own adventure book. Readers can start at any one of the sections and move through the book however they like. Lisa-Jo speaks with candor and honesty about the nitty gritty areas of life most often left out of conversations, but the one's we wished we could stop having internally with ourselves. This book is a reminder that we don’t need to wait for that magical moment when our lives feel or seem perfect, there is something to appreciate in each ordinary day.

I received an advanced digital copy of the book from Waterbrook and Multnomah in return for my honest review.

While reading this book, I was reminded of these song lyrics "...why don't you just meet me in the middle? I'm losing my mind just a little..." I know the song isn't about midlife, but those particular lyrics definitely fit this stage.

Lisa-Jo Baker has written a meaningful and honest look at what it looks like to be in the middle of life--in the middle of "your muffin top", of marriage, of parenting, of your home, of your failures, of your kids' sports, of your friendships, and of your faith. Baker's vulnerability about her own life will help readers to come alongside rather than just read for entertainment. She gets it, so I felt less alone in my middle, and other reading this book can feel the same.

The parts that rang the most true for me were the ones about marriage, parenting, and failure. I actually liked the parts about failure the most, because it helped me to realize that no one, not even people we admire and think have it all together, is immune to failure. When I can see that no one's life is perfect, and those snapshot social media moments may have been immediately preceded by a rip roaring fight with their spouse, it makes me more willing to dig into and participate in my own life rather than giving up because I think I can never achieve the perfection of others.

There were a few sections that, at 50 with college aged kids, brought back memories but aren't exactly where I am in life. I am probably a bit older than the book's target audience, yet I still found a large amount of content to relate to, so the book was overall a great reading experience for me.

If you feel like you might be losing your mind (just a little, or more, I won't judge) in your middle, The Middle Matters is the ideal book for you. You'll probably shed a few tears along the way (I certainly did) but it will help you to know that you're not alone.

I loved the way LIsa Jo made me feel not alone in the middle times. Every day life matters to those around us and in the years to come. Remember every day is important and a gift.

After seeing a few bloggers write about The Middle Matters, I was excited to receive an ARC from NetGalley. I was expecting something a little more inspirational/spiritual, but the book is really a collection of essays that focus on family. Each chapter reads like a blog post, with anecdotes about parenting fails and childhood wins. Since I am not a parent, I didn't feel like I was the target audience for this book, and would have appreciated stories that were a bit more universal. However, this is a great read for moms who need reminders that parenting is hard and that they are probably doing okay.

Oh boy. I'm just going to say that unless you are a 40-something, happily married, mother of boys and girls, woman of faith and belief in God - don't read this book. That's terrible, I know, but this book was written towards such a specific audience that if one doesn't fall into those specific categories, there's really not enough substance to carry you through the whole book.

And I do mean that you have to be all of those things; because she links them all together so much, I don't think you can appreciate what she is saying from only one or two of those perspectives. As a single woman who loves Jesus, has nieces and nephews and is nearing the 40's ... I just could not relate to 95% of what she was writing, specifically because of the way she wrote and who she was writing to.

This is an amazing book for moms in the middle of life and to know we are not alone. . Each time I sat down to read this book it was like sitting with the author and listening to her stories and nodding my head in agreement. Well written and enjoyable.

My emotions were all over the place during "The Middle Matters," by Lisa Jo Baker. I haven't read her work before, but after this, I am seeking out whatever else is out there.

Written in essay format, "The Middle Matters: Why That (Extra) Ordinary Life Looks Really Good on You" is a collection of the author's thoughts on multiple issues, from sports with kids, finding true friendships, navigating middle aged marriage (!) to finding our faith in seasons of doubt.

Every time I thought I had found THE chapter that most applied to my life at the moment, I found another that was even closer to what I was facing. I can't say for sure that Lisa Jo doesn't have spies around, because she hit THAT close to home, but I really felt like this book spoke to me right where I am for this season.

I would recommend this book for any woman who is approaching the "middle" portion of their lives. To realize this time is not a stopping or slowing down point, but a wonderful place of acceptance and acknowledgement is very freeing. Lisa Jo delivers this message in a thoughtful, supportive way. She writes as if she is that friend who has been where you are and still pushes you to walk with your head held high to be the best YOU for this season of life.

I don't think you can find an essay in this collection that won't touch your heart, make you laugh, or make you weep. Lisa Jo has her own unique style, rife with honesty and vulnerability. This book will remain nearby, as I have quotes I would love to retain for future reference. Take this title down and order, because I know you will love it as much as I do!

I was excited to be a part of the early readers group, thanks to Penguin Random House. I was not required to leave a review, yet honored to be able to! This book has really spoken into my life.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC of this book to review!

Rating (on a scale of 1 to 5, 5 being excellent)
Quality of writing: 3
Pace: 3
Enjoyability: 3
Insightfulness: 2
Ease of Reading: 4

Overall rating: 3 out of 5

I love this book!!!! Honestly this was the book I needed right now. Lisa-Jo Baker has really brought it all together with this book. She fills the pages with stories parents will all find some connection to.
A great reminder to slow down and savor what life has given us in the moments. I can see myself in so many of these stories Lisa-Jo has shared.

There are absolutely enough words to say how much I loved this book. The words of wisdom. The words of understanding. The words of church.....and friendship....and "ugh! Yes!!"

Read this if you're in "the middle" or near "the middle". If you have little kids or big kids. Read this no matter what your job is in this wild part of life.

I quickly joined The Middle Matters Launch team because I was intrigued by the book’s description. As a woman nearing her middle years, I was hoping to get some advice from someone who had already lived what I knew I would be facing in a few short years.

The Middle Matters is a collection of short stories with intriguing names The Scale Is Not the Boss of You, Parenting Is Do-Overs Times Infinity and Your Front Door Is Your Superpower.

The stories were authentic and well-written. After reading the book I think I can write a decent biography on the author. She created a desire for you to find your community and embrace your family and love the heck out of them and yourself.


But a lot of the time I felt like a voyeur who was reading someone’s journal or the very personal letters they had written for their family and friends. I didn’t learn how to embrace my age or how to find joy in my parenting or my marriage as I hit the saggy middle. I know what Ms. Baker’s doing in her middle and why she thinks it matters, but I’m not able to translate it into my own life.

Know God: Ms. Baker writes about her faith and how she felt Jesus welcomed her back into the church after she had been away too long. She writes about frank conversations about God and religion with her family and other people in her circle. She issues an invitation for you to get to know God for yourself so that you begin to understand and accept that God not only loves you, He likes you.

Know yourself: This entire book was about a woman who knows herself very well and is not afraid to share the messy parts of her life so far. She talks about her relationships with the confidence of someone who knows who she is and is comfortable in her own skin. It’s something to aspire to.

Run your race: The Middle Matters is divided into eight sections such as: Why the Middle of Your Muffin Top Matters, Why the Middle of Your Parenting Matters, Why the Middle of Your Failures Matters, and Why the Middle of Your Faith Matters. Each section talks about a different aspect of a person’s life. It provides an opportunity for you to zero in on the different areas of your life and challenges you to think about why it matters.

Favorite Quotes from The Middle Matters
The middle is worth remembering while you are actually living it, because you won’t pass by this way again.

Even on the days I am tired or frustrated or desperate for an hour to myself. I am aware that the God who made me gave me purpose and loves me, not because of what I do, what I weigh, or how I look, but because of who I am, and this is a miracle to me.

Your kids are not the boss of your feelings. God loves you because of who you are, not what you do.

The thing about beauty is that it’s always there; it just looks different for each of us. But it’s always there, waiting to be called out.

Parenting is always like finding yourself back at the beginning. Just when you think you’ve earned your PhD in newborns, your baby is a toddler and you’re back to the basics of what that means. Then you graduate out of that stage, finally feeling you’ve got things figured out, just in time to hit the elementary-school years, where you’re back to the drawing board.

Sometimes surrounded by all my Bibles and Bible studies and study books and commentaries and Christian self-help, I forget that I believe in a God who doesn’t just love us, rescue us, redeem us . . . but in one who likes us. He likes us.

I received a free copy of The Middle Matters from the publisher through NetGalley. All opinions are mine.

I just finished this book for the second time. I read it a couple weeks ago while I was attending my work conference. Throughout the book I kept waiting for the teachings about how to live in the middle. I feel like I
Missed a lot the first time around because I thought it was a how to book vs a memoir, so I decided to read it again. The second time around I really enjoyed the stories! This book is now headed to Swaziland with our global
Team to reach one of my best friends who is a full time Missionary. I’m sure she will
Enjoy it even more than I did!

Lisa-Jo Baker is a successful writer who observes everyday life from her vantage point as a 44 year old Christian wife and mother. Her writing style is humorous and her stories are relatable for many women. Unfortunately I was not one of those women.
The decade of my life from ages 38 to 48 was the worst of my life. I went through huge marital problems that ultimately led to divorce and then was a single working mother for 7 years. I got remarried at age 48 and now, at age 61 am still happily married. My two children are both college graduates and are out on their own, but the marriage problems and divorce had significant, lasting impacts on them. I could not enjoy Baker's book, because the situations she describes in her life bring back many unhappy memories from my life
If you are a happily married, Christian mother between the ages of about 30 and 50, you will probably enjoy this book. It could be somewhat encouraging for you to enjoy your life now. If your life does not fit this demographic, then, like me, I suggest skipping it.
I received a complementary copy from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.