If you’ve ever had a baby, you’re all-too-familiar with what is often referred to as “The Baby Blues.” In Dena Dyer’s book, Grace for the Race, she gives moms the encouragement we need to keep on going, despite the ups and downs of motherhood.

Dena, who is also a blogger at Amazing Graceland, admits that after you have a baby, you may experience some weird emotions — and they can lead to depression. Even though you’ve just brought this new person into the world, you may start to feel like maybe that’s not good enough. You’re tired, so you can’t keep up the housework and laundry like you used to. It’s hard to get to the grocery store, so you learn to think tomato soup tastes pretty good for supper. You’re happy being a mom! So, why in the world are you crying?

Dena writes, “When we brought our firstborn home from the hospital, I felt happy – and scared out of my mind. I was still swollen with fluids, sore from a fresh incision…and hormonal. Like many newborns, Jordan slept during the day and cried all night…I was low on sleep and high on anxiety.” She describes her powerful emotions in candid detail and how she dealt with them. All I can say is God bless her for having the nerve to write about it. Thank you, Dena.

As for me, I now have a six-month-old baby girl, and I can’t understand at all why I’m feeling a little depressed at times. I have so much to be thankful for. But the feelings descend, weighing me down. Making me feel inadequate, like a loser. My tears come easily. At least when I write, I channel my negative emotions toward something positive. Maybe God can use my feelings to help encourage someone else. What a relief to read this in Grace for the Race:

One of my passions is to help women see that we’re in this race together. Let’s not judge one another for the decisions we make about working or staying at home, nursing or bottle-feeding, cleaning or hiring help, homeschooling versus public schooling. Instead, I pray that we moms will give ourselves, and each other, grace – grace that Anne Lamott describes as “the force that infuses our lives and keeps letting us off the hook…It’s the help you receive when you have no bright ideas left, when you are empty and desperate and have discovered that your best thinking and most charming charm have failed you.

So, if you’re a mom and you’ve ever felt like your most charming charm has failed you, then you’ll love Grace for the Race.

The book is divided into nine sections that relate to the various stages and emotions of motherhood: training well, warming up and stretching out, the first lap, using proper equipment, hopping over the hurdles, handing it off, in the final stretch, crossing the finish line, and on the podium.

Each chapter is short, a few pages of hilarious stories from Dena’s personal life. And she is such a great storyteller — I can totally relate to everything she’s describing. At the end of each section, she offers “Notes from the Coach,” which are easy-to-read scriptures from modern versions of the Bible that speak right to the heart.

I’m going to get some copies of this book to have on hand for baby shower gifts and for mom friends who I want to encourage. It’s so wonderful to read something where you feel loved and accepted for who you are, yet also challenged to be the best you can be for God. The author says:

If you’re like me, you probably feel ‘stuck’ sometimes. Every day, I look toward the top of Mt. Laundry, having just tackled Mt. Dishes. Taking a deep breath, I start the climb…When I feel overwhelmed in the midst of the endurance test called parenthood, it helps me to remember that I’m not alone — other climbers have gone before me.

Reading this book is like pausing a minute to sip a cool refreshing drink, then gearing back up for the climb, knowing that you’re never in this parenting gig alone.

P.S. I received this book from Mind & Media as a gift from the publisher.

I just wanted to tell you how happy I am that I’m starting a new book club this week! It has been a couple of years since I’ve been able to join a group. We’re going to meet at a church and study a new Beth Moore book. I don’t know which one yet, but all I have to do is show up with $12, and someone’s already ordered me a book. And the absolute BEST part? Free childcare. My infant daughter will be taken care of while I sit and chat with ladies about grown-up things!

So, I started thinking – what is it that makes a good book club? I know there are a lot of you ladies out there who enjoy your book clubs. Why? And what are you reading?

Here’s a quick list of Eight Ways to Create a Great Women’s Book Club:

1. Have a purpose.
Why is your club meeting? Are you just trying to get friends together, and a book is a good excuse? Or do you need some intellectual stimulation or parenting ideas? Knowing why you’re getting together will help you pick out the best book. For example, this will make a difference as to whether you’re reading fiction or non-fiction.

2. Pick a great book!
This is key to your group’s success. Maybe you’ll have a core group of members submit ideas of their favorites, and you can all vote. Or pick out something new and exciting you hear about!

3. Publicize your group.
Decide if you want your group open to new members and brainstorm ways to help women know about it. Put ads in your church bulletin or local newspaper. Call lists of organizations. If you’re really wanting to reach out to people, a book club is a great way to expand your women’s ministry.

4. What time will you meet?
If you meet in the daytime, you’ll be excluding the women who work outside of their homes, unless they can come during their lunch hour. If you meet in the evening, I suggest NOT holding it during the dinnertime hours of 5-7 pm. That’s when everything meets these days, and it’s so hard for moms to get a good meal on the table when everyone’s running out the door. I was in a nighttime group that met at 8 pm, which was convenient for women who could leave their children home with their husbands.

5. Location, location, location.
Where will your group meet? It’s always nice to have a home-like setting. If you can’t meet in someone’s home, be thinking of how you can make the group informal. I’ve been in groups that met in a church, as well as people’s homes. It’s important that people who are a little shy (like me) have an opportunity to feel comfortable.

6. Childcare.
I almost put this as number one. The book clubs I’ve belonged to in the daytime ALWAYS provide some kind of childcare. In fact, that’s why I’ve gone! It’s such a relief not to deal with the hassle of finding someone to babysit. Plus, many mothers are foregoing their incomes to stay home, so the expense of babysitting may prevent them from being able to come. My favorite book club was a group where we dropped off our children at one house (where we all pitched in to pay for babysitters), and went down the street to another house for coffee and book discussion. It was fun for the kids and a blast for the moms. (Oh, I miss that group! We’ve since moved away from that area.)

Don’t forget homeschoolers! I’m convinced there’s no more difficult job in the world than being a homeschooling mom. These ladies sacrifice so much to stay home and teach their children, and they need fellowship and encouragement. One church book club I was in provided a homeschool room where kids brought their books and schoolwork to complete while the moms went to the book club. The paid worker was a college student who enjoyed making sure the students got their work done, and they also got some playground time.

7. Fellowship opportunities outside the group.
Be sure you provide ways for the club members to get together on a regular basis outside of the group. One group I was in went to Burger King immediately afterward, so we could talk while our kids played on the playground.

8. Small-group time.
Lastly, if the group is larger than about ten people, be sure and allow a time where you can break into smaller groups for discussion. This also offers a great chance to share prayer requests and more personal needs.

A new trend today is online book clubs. I know Today’s Christian Woman has one, which might be good for women who just don’t have a minute to join a local group.