Author: LaVerne Farmer

ISBN-13: 987-4243-2323-4: ISBN-10: 1-4243-2323-1

“In recent years, Hollywood has made [a] portrayal of housewives as self-absorbed adulteresses whose main agenda is maintaining their social position in their community…NOT!

These extremes may be someone else’s reality, but as born again believers we do not ascribe to this propaganda. We have a higher calling.” LaVerne Farmer makes this statement on the first page of her Christian guidebook for mothers—specifically for stay-at-home moms.

Farmer, a pastor’s wife and mother of four, is founder of Motherhood Evangelisms, Inc. Her bible-based guidebook has two parts: “Perceptions” and “Recipes.” “Perceptions” addresses common complaints of stay-at-home mothers: feeling unsatisfied, overwhelmed, lonely, unfulfilled and desperate.

Farmer counters these with faith-based philosophy, stressing bible study and prayer. She aligns herself with the reader (“We must realize that we are designed to rely on God”), and gives an example of one of her struggles, but the book is lacking in personal anecdotes that would give the book a more personal connection with the reader.

It is more admonitions than any personal testimony, and she rushes from point to point at times. On one page, for example, she covers praying, humility, obedience, and focus on God. As much as I wished for the subject matter to be expanded and the pace to slow, I also found many sentences to highlight. This section of the book was over way too soon though, and is less than half as long as the second part: “Recipes.”

Here the book turns into a daily devotional. The “Recipes” are affirmations: each page presents a bible verse at the top, and underneath are ways to apply it.

 One could say the title should have been “You Are Not A Desperate Housewife,” because this portrays the exhorting tone of the book more accurately, and because Farmer doesn’t take us into her life as a housewife, as I had hoped she would.

The good thing is that Christians will find this book to be accurate and legitimate in portraying Christian ideas. To someone new to the Christian faith, this book might be confusing, since it assumes the reader has knowledge of the bible.

 Overall, the message is worthwhile. Farmer is reaching out with care and encouragement, with what every mother needs to hear now and then: that they do matter, and there are others who have the same struggles.

The above review was contributed by: Sonia Reppe: Sonia holds a B.A. in vocal performance, gives voice lessons in the Chicago area and spends most of her time reading and taking care of her daughter, husband and cats.

Click Here To Purchase From Amazon I Am NOT A Desperate Housewife: A Homeland Security Plan For Desperate Times