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271st out of 299 books
—
403 voters
My So-Called Life as a Proverbs 31 Wife: A One-Year Experiment...and Its Surprising Results
by
Sara Horn
Author Sara Horn always admired the Proverbs 31 wife, but when she became a busy writer and mother, she deemed this model to be dated and impossible. Or is it? Join Sara as she heads into a one-year domestic experiment and offers full access to see if this biblical model can be embraced by a modern woman--even one who can't sew.
With humility and humor, Sara sets out to pur...more
With humility and humor, Sara sets out to pur...more
Paperback, 208 pages
Published
September 1st 2011
by Harvest House Publishers
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I needed to laugh. I needed to remind myself why I reaching for chocolate wasn't the best solution (okay it is) and reading "My So Called Life as a Proverbs 31 Wife" was a laugh reliever to lighten up my day. Filled with wit and humor, if you ever find yourself having imaginary arguments with the Proverbs 31, at the same time, feeling guilty and yet thinking, Martha Stewart, begone, you will enjoy this humorous, humble and insightful look as the author pursues, study and discovers how far (or cl...more
I am not the target market for this book, as I'm not a devout Christian and didn't even remember Proverbs 31 until the line about rubies. But it was in a list of ebooks on sale at kobo.com and Horn's voice was engaging in the preview so I gave it a shot.
It was a quick and reasonably compelling read but I'm docking a few stars for whining, not enough follow through on some of the questions she struggles with (are women supposed to be the workhorses of the family? How do you make this biblical mod...more
It was a quick and reasonably compelling read but I'm docking a few stars for whining, not enough follow through on some of the questions she struggles with (are women supposed to be the workhorses of the family? How do you make this biblical mod...more
I will admit that when I first started reading this, I wasn't sure if the author was serious or if she was making fun of Proverbs 31. I soon realized that she was definitely serious, and her sense of humor is terrific.
After a sermon on the Proverbs 31 wife, Sara decided to see if becoming the Proverbs 31 wife was idealistic or possible. Over the course of a year, she attempts to learn to be a better cook and housekeeper and to be kinder and more patient. She chronicles her experiences. There are...more
After a sermon on the Proverbs 31 wife, Sara decided to see if becoming the Proverbs 31 wife was idealistic or possible. Over the course of a year, she attempts to learn to be a better cook and housekeeper and to be kinder and more patient. She chronicles her experiences. There are...more
When I began this book, I immediately saw the convenient short chapters (devotion-size) and planned to read a chapter once a day until I was finished the book. Well, after reading the first chapter, I had to read the second. Then, the second was so good, I had to read the third. This morning I was on page 70 something, got completely hooked, and couldn't stop reading. Rarely, if ever, has a nonfiction book caught my attention like that. (Not, that they weren't good, but just one chapter or secti...more
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Reading the title of Sara's new book instantly grabbed my attention. We all know that good ole Proverbs 31 woman. The perfect wife and mother, the one who hovers in the shadow of
our existence nagging us, I mean calling us to higher standards with her example. It is a love hate relationship with this biblical icon for most I believe.
As it she was for Sara Horn when she decided to face her head on and try to become more like the Proverbs 31 women in a year long experiment.
Sara names her mentor M...more
our existence nagging us, I mean calling us to higher standards with her example. It is a love hate relationship with this biblical icon for most I believe.
As it she was for Sara Horn when she decided to face her head on and try to become more like the Proverbs 31 women in a year long experiment.
Sara names her mentor M...more
My So-Called Life as a Proverbs 31 Wife by Sara Horn offers hope to every woman who has ever felt intimidated by that paragon of female virtue. Horn, the wife of a of a Navy Reservist, is a free-lance writer who has always taken pride in her work, which leaves her at odds with the Martha Stewart of the Bible in Proverbs 31 who cooks the meals, sews the clothes, keeps the house clean, harvests crops, sells property, makes money, and has her husband bragging up her at the city gate while her child...more
MY REVIEW:
This is one of those books that I had such mixed emotions about. First I liked it, then I didn't, then I did again. It's also a bit different than any other book I have read - not fiction, not really biography, not Bible study...more like reading someone's diary which in turns make you think about your own life.
I recommend this book for those who want another perspective on the Proverbs 31 Woman or for those who think that she's too old fashioned to apply to their lifestyle. While I do...more
This is one of those books that I had such mixed emotions about. First I liked it, then I didn't, then I did again. It's also a bit different than any other book I have read - not fiction, not really biography, not Bible study...more like reading someone's diary which in turns make you think about your own life.
I recommend this book for those who want another perspective on the Proverbs 31 Woman or for those who think that she's too old fashioned to apply to their lifestyle. While I do...more
Submissive. The word seems to raise the hair on the back of every woman's neck. Even men seem uncomfortable with the term, in general, because to want their wives to be submissive often comes across as chauvinistic and unfair, but to not want their wives to be submissive can make them seem as if they are not concerned with upholding a biblical mandate of man as the head of the house with wife as the submissive helpmeet.
So where to find balance? I picked up this book, "My So-Called Life as a Subm...more
So where to find balance? I picked up this book, "My So-Called Life as a Subm...more
Horn brings up a few good points, but the book is overall lacking, in my opinion. It's more like a diary than a book. Only once or twice does she bring up Scripture; most Scripture reference is how she remembers it in her head when she's writing in her diary. A few things were incorrect (e.g., King Solomon did not write Proverbs 31, King Lemuel did—or at least that's the consensus). Most of what she debunks are her own false assumptions about the Proverbs 31 Woman, most of which I either don't h...more
Apr 30, 2013
Ginny B
rated it
4 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Recommends it for:
engaged women, wives
I love Sara's honesty in this book! She shares the good and the bad, the struggles and successes, her thoughts on how the world views her choices and her desire to follow God as well as her confusion as to what submission really is.
Her writing is humorous and to be honest I can't imagine trying an experiment such as this while living with my in-laws and then adding my grandmother-in-law to the mix as well! She manages to keep it all together...mostly. She even shares how the changes she made le...more
Her writing is humorous and to be honest I can't imagine trying an experiment such as this while living with my in-laws and then adding my grandmother-in-law to the mix as well! She manages to keep it all together...mostly. She even shares how the changes she made le...more
I was disappointed in her experience of as a "Martha 31" wife. It seemed as though she was constantly complaining about one thing or another. I didn't feel that she actually accomplished anything until the epilogue when she quit her job to be a full-time mom. She berates homeschooling and wives who give everything they are to their husbands. Her feminist mindset is a lot worse than she realizes, I think. She mentions multiple things she dislikes about her husband throughout the entire book and I...more
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This book was okay. Personally, it was a little religious for my taste, I read this for a book club so it is probably not something I would have chosen on my own. I felt that all of the chapters started the same (I have been thinking about the Proverbs 31 wife . . . ) and I felt some aspects could have been more developed.
I did enjoy reading about someone else who struggles with balancing work, home, children, and hobbies (writing!!) as I have been feeling the same way. I think many times, we,...more
I did enjoy reading about someone else who struggles with balancing work, home, children, and hobbies (writing!!) as I have been feeling the same way. I think many times, we,...more
I guess this one is a little harder for me to review, because I'm probably not the intended audience. I'm not a wife, not about to be a wife, and not really sure I'm ever looking to be a wife. But, it's the story of a wife attempting to live out the Proverbs 31 expectations, as the title pretty much states. She takes the reader through a series of short chapters, each of which recaps an attempt to learn the virtues of the Proverbs 31 wife. With a good mix of humor, humility, and spunk, Horn disc...more
as much as I wanted this book to be a guide toward being a better momma and wife thru the things I do for my family, it wasn't. simply put, being a faithful daughter of Christ makes me a better mom and wife. and when I put my hope on Him, that's all I need.
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I really enjoyed this book. As a young single woman, I couldn't exactly relate directly to her experiences, but I was still able to learn a lot from following her journey and was thrilled to find another female author who seems to be wanting a lot of the same things out of her marriage as I imagine I would. She also had a great sense of humor which is always something I can appreciate. Her discovery or epiphany or whatever at the end was simple enough I suppose, but honestly I thought this book...more
Oh my goodness! You mean I'm not the only one that isn't the perfect Proverbs 31 wife? This book was such a refreshing take on Proverbs 31. Like the author, most times I read that notorious chapter I end up feeling like I should just beat my head against a wall because there is no way I will ever stack up. Most days it's all I can do to just keep my head above water and I'm not making any progress at all. Reading Sara's experiences with trying to be the perfect Proverbs 31 wife was so freeing fo...more
I'm sure that Sara Horn is a very nice woman and I feel badly about giving her book a low rating but here goes: I found her whining really annoying. I also found the fact that her husband is unemployed and not really working at finding another job very off-putting. You have GOT to be kidding me. She writes as if he's pretty damned casual about it. She finally takes a full-time job herself but it doesn't work out. Her husband is deployed with the Navy reserve so there's not much money coming in a...more
I think many women probably struggle with living up to, often unrealistic, expectations we set for ourselves and then feel guilt when we can't reach our lofty goals. This book is about a woman who "experimented" with trying to be a "Proverbs 31 Wife" doing her best to improve her relationships with her husband and child as well as God, trying to better her homemaking skills and juggle her writing career from home in order to become the "Martha Stewart of the Bible" or the Martha from the "Mary &...more
Sara Horn decides that her life would be better if she would only be like the Proverbs 31 Woman (Proverbs 31: 10-31). She sets on a year-long journey to see if she can become more like “Martha” everyday. With hilarity, honesty and a hint of sarcasm, Sara proves that the Proverbs 31 Woman isn’t all she’s proclaimed to be. If you’re like me and sick of trying to be something we’re not…then this book is absolutely perfect for you! The truth is that the Proverbs 31 Woman is not real. She’s a proverb...more
I had the privilege of meeting Sara Horn when she came to the base chapel to speak to a roomful of military wives (which she is one of.) We as a group had just finished going through her previous book, God Strong, and to meet the author of that fabulous study was quite an honor. She is a warm, gracious woman and the military connection is something that can't be duplicated by the "outside" world.
My So-Called Life as a Proverbs 31 Wife is not quite as good as God Strong. It reads like a log book...more
My So-Called Life as a Proverbs 31 Wife is not quite as good as God Strong. It reads like a log book...more
Proverbs 31 has long been upheld as the standard for the Christian wife. It has also been the source of much fear and trepidation among women who want to be good wives but do not think they have a chance when Proverbs 31 is the plumb line. Sara Horn puts these fears to rest. In My So-Called Life as a Proverbs 31 Wife, Horn tackles each phrase of Proverbs 31 and provides an interpretation suitable for 2011.
Readers will be relieved to find that this is not another book of rules to live by but rath...more
Readers will be relieved to find that this is not another book of rules to live by but rath...more
This book got me thinking about what my role as a wife really is. It has a surprise twist ending, but it is non-fiction. The author takes you into her world trying to become the perfect proverbs 31 wife. It seems so daunting for me to even think about it. This book is great for women who are trying to do it all, and that is not easy to do. The book is based on Proverbs 31 and the Fireproof series (great for marriages).
Good. Short chapters. Loved how she relates to her husband and has mastered "getting over herself" (the bad selfish parts we have). Encouraging and a fun boggy type read. I think she said in here about being friends with your spouse, although I can't find my highlight. This was the most revolutionary concept to me after years of marriage- very helpful and is my top goal for 2013.
I started reading this book a few months ago and just picked it back up yesterday. I found it fairly thought provoking. The basic premise is the author's interpretation of the "perfect" woman described in Proverbs 31 and how she stacks up. She is so endearing and down to earth, I really connected with her, and finished the book wanting to know what's going on with her now!
This was a quick and easy read, and I loved her honesty. I also appreciate that fact that she is a working Mom, and trying to work through this Proverbs 31thing through that lens, dealing with a lot of the same struggles that I do. A good read for Moms who need to be reminded that they aren't alone in being imperfect, and a good reminder and challenge of what matters most.
Enjoyed this a lot - laughed a lot, too! I like how it wasn't as much of a "10-steps-to-becoming-a-better-wife", but more of a biographical type book. There were quite a few instances I was able to relate to, too. Although I'm a pretty good cook, knitting is totally not my thing - and other things like that. I'd read it again in a while, just for the good laughter.
The joke in our house is that I could be more like the Proverbs 31 woman if I only had the maidservants. So, when I saw this book, I thought, "Hey, maybe this person has some better insight into all of this." And frankly, I'm a bit more than disappointed. The author's tone is whiny, complaining, and never seems to draw any solid conclusions. She seems to jump quickly from one thought to another without truly wrapping up the first one before moving on. The best conclusion she came to was, focus o...more
Quick, entertaining read. It wasn't what I expected - reads more like a diary. But it all comes together in the epilogue. I was looking for a more in-depth study of the scriptures and perhaps motivation for myself to become a proverbs 31 wife. Still a good read, regardless.
I loved this book. Couldn't put it down. So nice to read about someone else struggling to balance everything while wanting the family to be God centered. One I will defiantly be sharing with friends.
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“....The wife is the heartbeat of the home. She serves as the thermometer--if she's warm, so is the rest of the family; if she's cold, so is the rest of the family. And if she's an extreme temp--boiling or frigid--the family will follow suit. Calm or chaos comes from her.
I've resisted this responsibility often. It's much easier to point to my husband, the biblically appointed leader of the household, and to examine what I perceive are his flaws, his failures, his lack of whatever. But ultimately, I'm just denying what I really know--that I have a great role to honor and live up to in my marriage and in our home. The questions is, do I embrace it? Or do I run from it? My fear is that I've run from it for a while now. But I'm not running any more.”
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5 people liked it
I've resisted this responsibility often. It's much easier to point to my husband, the biblically appointed leader of the household, and to examine what I perceive are his flaws, his failures, his lack of whatever. But ultimately, I'm just denying what I really know--that I have a great role to honor and live up to in my marriage and in our home. The questions is, do I embrace it? Or do I run from it? My fear is that I've run from it for a while now. But I'm not running any more.”
“I'm learning what it means to focus less on me and more on God, because when I focus my attention on him, he enables me to focus my love and my patience on those who matter most to me.
If there's anything I have learned from going through this experiment--which really became much more a challenge of the heart than any kind of domestic diva contest--is that as a wife, as a mom, as a woman, and ultimately as a daughter of Christ, I have much influence. And I can use it for good and for blessing, or I can use it for harm and for cursing.
I want to be the wife who is a blessing to her family, who is praised and remembered, not for the activities or projects I checked off, but for the smiles I wore, the peace I shared, and the deep love of God I hope I instilled wherever I went....”
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5 people liked it
More quotes…
If there's anything I have learned from going through this experiment--which really became much more a challenge of the heart than any kind of domestic diva contest--is that as a wife, as a mom, as a woman, and ultimately as a daughter of Christ, I have much influence. And I can use it for good and for blessing, or I can use it for harm and for cursing.
I want to be the wife who is a blessing to her family, who is praised and remembered, not for the activities or projects I checked off, but for the smiles I wore, the peace I shared, and the deep love of God I hope I instilled wherever I went....”
