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.

Reading books by Lisa-Jo Baker is like having a good friend over for tea while you sit and chat about what's on your heart.  

"The Middle Matters" is a perfect example of her down to earth, relatable style. I don't know her personally, but while reading, I'm often saying "me, too" or "wow, I'm not alone". 

The book is written in easy to read, essay format.  You can easily bounce from part one to part 8 and then back to part 5. I personally love this format. It made the book feel more like she was emailing me a note helping me through stages of life.  I recommend The Middle Matters to any woman in the middle of life, middle of parenting babies to teenagers to adults.  This book is relevant to those in the middle of doubting faith to strong in faith.  

I did receive an advanced copy for my honest review.  This is my honest review, and I would highly recommend this book.

I wish I could give Lisa-Jo Baker's new book TEN stars, but five will have to do. This collection of essays about loving the middle years of our lives is breathtakingly gorgeous.

I cried my way through these pages, nodding my head as she met me right where I am. Trying hard to see the beauty in a photo instead of focusing on my double chin. 

Remembering the frustration and struggle of nightly homework with my youngest daughter, worrying that she wouldn't receive a diploma but only a certificate of completion. Crying and remembering how proud I was when she graduated at the top of her class.

These pages are soaked in grateful tears, and I urge you to read every word. Let them seep into your heart and take root. Because every day of our lives really matters. It's too easy to forget that...Let Lisa-Jo remind you.

Thank you to Netgalley for allowing me to read this book in exchange for an honest review. 

I can see from looking at other reviews that this is a hit or miss book. Some people say that it seems to be targeted towards a certain audience and I guess I liked it more than they did because I AM that audience. But I also don't agree. What she has to say does not necessarily apply to just a certain age group or a certain religious group or a certain any kind of group. She is talking about what SHE has learned being the person she is and obviously she is that age group and that religious group...the words that come out of her mouth are words that we all need to hear every now and then and I know I needed to hear them right now. She talks about important things that maybe we all sometimes forget . I know I do...sometimes the little things slip through the cracks because we don't think they are important or at least not as important as other things happening in life at the moment. But sometimes it really IS the little things that matter. This is a book of hope and faith and by the time you are done with it, you kind of wish she was a friend you could just call up whenever you needed some quick advice. 

I would recommend this to any female, regardless of age. You might not know it, but you need to read books like this whenever you get the chance.

The Middle Matters by Lisa-Jo Baker is a collection of essays pointing to the importance of things that seems so very ordinary in the middle of our life, but Baker, would argue are really the most extra-ordinary things. As I am creeping ever closer to my own middle years, Baker feels like a big sister letting me in all of the secrets of making this time of my life the best it can be. I loved it! Her stories made me laugh and cry. Her writing in honest and she is not afraid mention or expose things other may choose to gloss over. Her writing is conversational and earnest, as she just wants her readers to know how to make the most of the middle years. I will be coming back to this book again and again when I need encouragement and a reminder of what life in the middle should be like

Baker shares her thoughts through her personal stories and relationships. You will get to know a close-up and personal look at her family, with extended details.

This is a feel-good book that will likely not grow you or challenge you in your relationship to God. Baker makes subtle references to her church and just a couple of Bible verses are referred to.  My concern in this is that Baker is teaching her readers that they don’t need to read the Bible to grow in a deeper relationship with God.  We need the wisdom from the Scriptures to foster a deeper relationship with our Savior and we need the wisdom from Christian authors to encourage us to dig into our Bibles more.

I write this review with disappointment. I had hoped for much more truth and wisdom in succeeding in my middle years. Unfortunately, I did not find that in Lisa-Jo’s newest book.

I was on a launch team for The Middle Matters by Lisa Jo Baker, . The review is my honest opinion. 
Lisa Jo  is such a gifted writer. This was the first book I have read of hers. 
I loved the way the book flowed, it doesn’t matter the age we are, we all are in a middle of something, I am older , my children are older than  Lisa  Jo’s yet I still found this book touching. If we focus on our past or try to reach for the  future we will miss the middle, and the middle is where we can grab ahold of the precious everyday interactions, and the precious memories that will be remembered. Lisa speaks from the heart and doesn’t hold back, we all can relate to that. You will laugh, and I even had a good happy cry. 

A quote from the book.
 As Oswald Chambers wrote, “embracing the every day versions of ourselves; it is ingrained in us that we have to do exceptional  things for God – but we do not. We have to be exceptional in the ordinary things of life and holy on the ordinary streets- among ordinary people – and this is not learned in five minutes. “ 
I recommend this book.

In delightfully well-crafted and organized essays, Lisa-Jo puts her arms through the pages of her book to give her readers a hearty hug as they navigate the many roles women wear today: mom, wife, friend, daughter, citizen of the world. My favorite thing about Lisa-Jo is that she has lived many of the worse-than-mundane difficult life circumstances that face ordinary folks: debt and the accompanying shame, big moves, difficult kids, grief, and she allows those things to be what connects her to her audience. Reading The Middle Matters, I felt like I was sitting on the couch of a mom just a season ahead of me, receiving judgment-free advice and encouragement. It's impossible not to connect with her. 

Lisa-Jo encourages us to embrace the ordinary moments of our day-to-day, recognizing the good ones as miracles and the hard ones as meaningful. The personal stories she shares, although specific to her, transcend the ordinary experiences we all face in our chauffeuring, our fights with our spouse, our small groups, our difficult relationships. 

I recommend this book to any mom heading into the middle years, in the thick of them, or just past them. Lisa-Jo's essays will change your perspective and help you be grateful for more than you can imagine. I especially appreciated her lessons on handling mom guilt and keeping a humble attitude in the face of fame. I'm inspired by her willingness to fail in order to grow and connect with others. 

If I have to be critical of anything, it's that this is a book for the privileged, for people who get to choose to make a comfortable life. I could never give this book to my neighbor whose husband is incarcerated, to my Muslim refugee friend, or to anyone in the midst of terribly painful circumstances. While every word is true, every word is not for every person, or even every believer. We must learn to be grateful for the ordinary moments, but believers shouldn't be afraid of extraordinary just because it might also mean "uncomfortable." Lisa-Jo doesn't necessarily confuse ordinary for comfortable, but I think a reader hoping to avoid suffering and maintain a comfortable American life might use it as an excuse.

Lisa-Jo is the galpal every girl wishes she had.  I love the truth and relatability in her writing. Her wisdom and humor are so refreshing. As a woman who is faster approaching the middle but still feels like a little girl on the inside, this book really hit home for me in so many ways. I also love how Lisa-Jo points women to God and helps us to remember that even with our flaws, we are still loved and adored by our Father.  This book is a must read for all women, especially worn out mamas in the middle.

I’m only a few chapters in, but I am loving the book. Lisa-Jo has a way of writing that makes me completely comfortable in admitting my flaws. She is very relatable, like I’m reading a letter from a close friend. I’m anxious to continue reading and learning how to navigate this middle ground I’m in.

As a Mom who also lost her Mom to cancer as a teen, and as a woman who was hesitant to become a mother, this book resonated with me deeply. It's hopeful, encouraging, and Lisa-Jo shows great insight and compassion as she cheerleads women in this specific stage of life. It's entertaining and a subtle mentorship at the same time. She is vulnerable and honest, and her dependence on Jesus and love for Him also shines through, weaving a wonderful story of how motherhood is a spiritual work that impacts generations, as well as a physical act of love.

Lisa-Jo talks about all aspects of life in the middle years. She covers her experiences regarding body image, marriage, parenting, hospitality, failures, sports practices, friendship, and faith. 

It was encouraging to hear her stories. I'm not quite to the middle but it's nice to see what's coming and have a positive perspective to draw from.

I really enjoyed this book as a wife and mother approaching middle age far too quickly. This was a quick read for me and I could relate to so much of it. This is one I’ll be sharing with other women friends, especially fellow moms who need to know they aren’t alone in how they feel at the mid stage of life.

I did not finish this book....while it had a great beginning i got little tired of reading all about author over and over again.

Another great book by Lisa-Jo Baker! As a middle child myself and a mom of 3 boys, there was so much insight and truth in this book. I highly recommend!

I absolutely love Lisa Jo Baker. This wasn’t my first interaction with her. This book is amazing!! And I can relate to everything that Lisa wrote about here. The middle does matter. We do need to realize as we get older, priorities change, body changes and our needs. Lisa shares her experiences and wisdom along with God’s word with her humorous wit. I laughed and I even tested up, cause it felt like she was talking straight to me and I needed to read this book.

I am not middle aged yet,  but this story touched my heart!!! Im a mama of three and just reading about how it didn’t get easier, it just gets different really resonated with me. It made me feel so much less alone and that’s never a bad thing.

This book is so full of hope, and wonderful-ness. I laughed, and cried, and enjoyed every page. Lisa-Jo talks very candidly about her life, and her walk with Jesus. It's the kind of candor that I'm striving for as I get older. 

From talking of making lasting friendships, and peace with your body, to how she navigates tough situations with her kids - she makes me realize that I am not 100% alone on the days when it feels like I'm failing.

I admire her realness, and I loved this book.

(I've included a link to my scheduled blog post, which will go live when the book has been published.)