With Mother’s Day swiftly approaching, it is the perfect time to pause and reflect on the women who characterize the word “Mother” for each of us. As a tangible symbol of some of the many facets that mothers everywhere represent, a delightful little gift book has been published by Revell, and written/compiled by Amber C. Haines and Seth Haines, just in time for the special day. Looking like a little handmade scrapbook, the content of “The Mother Letters: Sharing the Laughter, Joy, Struggles, and Hope” is the truly precious part. As the back cover explains: “After Amber Haines had given birth to three boys in three years, her husband Seth realized the day-to-day details and drama of child rearing were overwhelming her. He secretly began collecting letters from other mothers across the world and gave these ‘mother letters’ to her as a gift.” Obviously, this book is the result.

Inside this little volume is a collection of over forty letters written from one mother to another. For the most part, the stories are written from the perspective of new and young mothers, though there are several exceptions. Some of the letters are humorous, some are heart- achingly tragic. Several letters span numerous pages, and others are only a few lines in length. Each one is unique. And yet, they all are bound by the thread of love that is motherhood.

If you are a mother, or if you know a mother, or if you HAVE a mother, this book will touch your heart, make you laugh, and likely make you cry. Most importantly, though, this book will open your eyes to the reminder of the unfailing love and never-ending sacrifices that every mother makes throughout her entire life. While younger mothers will find inspiration and hope through shared stories, older mothers will be reminded of the early childhood years when the whole “mother thing” was a brand-new adventure. At the same time, daughters who aren’t yet mothers will see, through the eyes of numerous women, the same challenges their mothers faced when they were very young.

Although this book was not perfect, and could not possibly cover every aspect of motherhood, it does an admirable job at serving as an important reminder. It reminds us, regardless of our age and circumstances, to stop for a moment and think about what the word “mother” truly means to us, individually. After we’ve done this, though, we can’t just carry on. We need to find our mother and tell her, in the words of Amber Haines, “In the image of our Creator… mothers are artists. Your story is a powerful reflection of glory… I hope you’ll believe it.” Happy Mother’s Day!

I am grateful to have received a copy of this book from Revell Reads, free of charge, in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.