Note: I received an advance digital copy of this book for review from Tyndale House Publishers and NavPress via NetGalley.
Book Review: Motherhood is Not Your Highest Calling by Vicki Courtney
NavPress, 2025
Summary
It’s not uncommon, even in the church, for women to hear that motherhood is their highest calling. Yet for many, that “calling” seems to fall short. Confusing and contradicting standards of what makes a good mother are everywhere–social media, churches, parent groups, friends, and sometimes, directly from ourselves. Motherhood is Not Your Highest Calling encourages readers to reconsider the notion that a woman’s identity is found in motherhood. Through personal experience, Biblical truth, and practical encouragement, Vicki Courtney encourages mothers to let go of the unrealistic expectations and embrace a “good enough” mentality that is rooted in who Christ says she is, not in how well she meets the world’s standards for motherhood.
Who Should Read This Book
I recommend this book first to expecting or new mothers, who are just on the cusp of this crazy, joy-filled, anxiety-inducing, rollercoaster ride called motherhood. However, any mom would benefit from reading this book. It’s never too late to be encouraged.
Short Review/Opinion
Pros:
- This book is highly practical, which I appreciate out of a Christian book. This is not to knock highly theoretical/theological books, I’m often left wondering “so what?” when reading books about Christian living. Motherhood is Not Your Highest Calling gives highly practical advice for mothers who are seeking to let go of unrealistic expectations for themselves.
- The practical nature of this book does not push out Biblical truth. Courtney effectively weaves in Scripture to support her argument that a mother’s identity is rooted in Christ.
- Vicki Courtney does not leave many, if any, stones unturned in her exploration of the ways mothers may struggle with their identity. She gives a comprehensive overview of her subject, addressing a wide variety of struggles for mothers, including social media, self-care, the comparison game, messaging from the church, and all the questions mothers tend to wrestle–all of them rooted in the fear that we are not good enough.
- Courtney writes with the wisdom of an experienced mother and grandmother. As an author, she comes across as extremely empathetic and accessible to her reader, creating trust in what she says.
Cons:
- My biggest disappointment with this book is that I felt the content did not meet my expectations that developed based on the title. While no author, editor, or publisher can meet every expectations of every reader, the title, Motherhood is Not Your Highest Calling, lead me to ask the question, “If motherhood is not my highest calling, then what is my highest calling?” I expected to read more about what a mother’s true highest calling is, when in actuality, the book was more an elaboration of it’s subtitle, “The grace of being a good enough mom.”
- What results is a practical book, and one that’s worth reading, but one that only skims the surface of what it means to be both a Christ follower and a mother. Ultimately, I think moms need less “you are good enough” messaging and more “Christ is enough” messaging.
Overall Impression
I often wonder if there has ever been a time that is more confusing for women when it comes to being a mother. For many–single women and those who struggle with fertility in particular–the idea that motherhood is their highest calling can lead to feelings of inadequacy, inferiority, and some may even wonder if they are outside of God’s will simply because they do not have children. Even for those who do have children, to place motherhood on a pedestal (as we are inclined to do) does a disservice to mothers. We all need to be discipled toward resting our identity in Christ.
Vicky Courtney’s book is a step in the right direction. While I felt that the book is more of an elaboration of its subtitle than the main title, Courtney writes with wisdom, empathy, and encouragement to moms who may feel discouraged and weighed down by highly unrealistic and unattainable expectations on mothers today. Motherhood is Not Your Highest Calling is a practical resource that teaches mom-readers to set aside these expectations in favor of resting their identity in Christ.
Photo by Liana Mikah on Unsplash
