Hiding from the Kids in My Prayer Closet

Finding grace and laughter when motherhood gets real

Soon after Jessica Kastner became a mother, she wondered if she was the only mom who found pretend play more boring than watching playdough harden and who dreaded yet another friend’s Instagram post of homemade deliciousness.

In Hiding from My Kids in the Prayer Closet, Kastner shares her experience as an “unmom”—a mom who loves her kids more than she loves the daily experience of mothering. She helps readers laugh at the ridiculous, delight in the unpredictable, and enjoy being the mothers God made them to be.

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Meet Jessica Kastner  an award-winning journalist and a contributor for the Christian Broadcasting Network’s CBN.com, Beliefnet.com, and the Huffington Post’s Christianity blog. As Connecticut’s coordinator for Straight Ahead Ministries, she shares God’s message of hope by leading Bible studies in juvenile detention centers. When she’s not on the trampoline with her three boys in Connecticut, Jessica shares her unapologetically “real” commentary on the Christian life at www.JessicaKastner.com

My Take:

This book was a bit different than what I expected. I was thinking more of a devotional, maybe Bible study type book about the challenges of raising kids and praying more for them. NOT!!  I guess the title just grabbed me as often I would love to "hide" from my kids in the "prayer closet". Instead this book is more a collection of humorous stories and tales about being an "un-mom" - mom. That is a mom who doesn't enjoy the usual mommy stuff but does love her children. I am not sure I fit into that particular category exactly, as I got married very young and raising a family has been my life. And I actually do enjoy being a mom, trying to do the Pinterest mommy stuff, albeit I may not be good at some of it.  But there are definitely times when I could use a "break" from my kids and the "mommy-ing" part of my life, and would love to hide in my prayer closet. 

Jessica's book was full of humor - some of which I didn't particularly get because I must not be up to par with "outside-of-the-home-life" in general, movies, TV shows or other things she uses to compare life with kids too. So, obviously, some  of the humor was lost on me. She also offers encouragement for those moms who are struggling with being a mom. Jennifer pregnancy was  not "planned" and she seriously considered abortion. Her book is an encouragement to be the mom God designed you to be, to accept help and support from others, and to endure the challenges of mother-hood, and realize that one day it will be worth it, even if in the moment you just want to "scream". I can totally see that there are many women who will be able to relate to this book!

I would recommend this book to those women who just don't feel cut out to be a mom, those women who enjoyed the single side of life, and now feel overwhelmed with their new mommy status and the sacrifices they have to make for their little ones. 

I was blessed with a free copy of this book by the publisher and Litfuse Publicity book to read.  I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions are my own.