A funny, intelligent, relevant exploration of living out your faith while juggling home and career. The Christian community tends to operate under the assumption that the only women attending church are traditional stay-at-home moms. But in truth, more than 75% of mothers with school-age children work outside the home. Chasing Superwoman gives these working mothers what they’ve been craving—a funny, intelligent, relevant exploration of what it means to live out a vibrant faith amidst the many demands placed on their time and energy. Chasing Superwoman provides a much needed dialogue (not a formula) about the complex spiritual struggle of the working mother, plus a lot of laughter and encouragement for working women to embrace their busy life and trust God’s grace for getting it all done.
I adored this book. Do I think the author is trying too hard to do and have it all? Sure. I just related to her so much, you know, minus the whole having three kids thing. I only wish she would have talked more about her WHY and what drives her. She clearly respects her mother and has an awe for her two grandmothers, but chose a different path. In spite of not understanding her drive to work like she does, I absolutely LOVED the way she described the different women in her life that help to remind her of what's really important, God and family. I think all Christian women could benefit from reading this book, if for no other reason than to understand a different perspective.
Who is Susan M. DeMickele? She is constantly changing hats and capes as she settles into her different roles of Lawyer Mommy, Devoted Mommy, Tired Mommy, to name a few. The working mother of three small children, she has grappled with the challenges of holding in her lunch during an important meeting while suffering from morning sickness, listening to a church leader and other church members equate "working mother" with the apocalypse, and suffering from the judgmental stares.
Susan is also an entertaining writer with a steel trap memory. She describes, in hilarious detail, her attempt at playing Super Mommy by taking her pre-school son, two year old and newly potty trained daughter, and 5 week old baby on a four hour airplane trip to see her sister. The result was nothing less than amazing and unclothed. I laughed because it wasn't me. I also laughed because my steel trap memory now sports purposeful Swiss cheese holes. I just can't go there.
Susan is me, the working mother. Like the author, I want to be a devoted mother and spend all my intelligence and time on my children. But like the author, I felt the gentle tug of the parable of the talents as it spoke to me and taught me that I had other gifts to share.
Working mothers are often judged a little differently than the mother who stays home with her children. I happen to enjoy my career very much yet when I broach the subject with mothers who stay at home, I feel like I need to apologize or justify. "What does your husband do," they might ask, assuming I work out of financial need. He's a social worker. I get the sympathetic, "Oh," and the look saying, "So you have to work. Then that's okay."
But then I haven't told the truth. He is a social worker but he's a supervisor. He's been in his current job a long time. But more honestly, I work because I feel called to do so. But like the author, I don't know how to articulate this to PTA mafia. Why don't I volunteer in the classroom? Because I work. Why do I work? Money? Greed? Power? Financial security? Yes, some of that is true, but more importantly, my husband and I spent a good deal of time praying about the decision of being a working mother. The parable of the talents seems appropriate here.
The author shares the same struggles I have had that frankly, make me cringe. Like the secret rules of the public school system, celebration of birthdays, volunteering in the classroom, guilt, making sacrifices, childcare issues, breastfeeding in public, eating in public, and keeping some talents a carefully guarded secret.
Each chapter begins with a title and then a scripture. The author then ties together her life as a lawyer and her life as a mother with her journey back to His loving arms. This book is a must-read for any Christian mother who works.
We've all heard about "Superwoman" who holds an exciting, important and lucrative job while being well-known (in a good way) at her kids' (that's plural by the way) school, active in her church and having a terrific homelife, never hading to sacrifice one thing for another. I don't know about you, but I've never met her. However, Susan DiMickele, the author of Chasing Superwoman: A Working Mom's Adventures in Life and Faith may be close.
This book is a humorous reflection on what it means to be a mom today; particularly a mom with a demanding job. She talks about the conflict between her two personalities--Lady Lawyer and Devoted Mommy. We hear her stories about teaching Sunday School, and about the trip to Disney World, the highlight of which for one daughter, was a day spent at the hotel pool. She tells us about how God speaks to her despite how busy she is.
Those who are working moms will related to her daycare dilemmas and all moms will cheer for her when she managed to get her children what they needed at school. While not criticizing those moms who have chosen to stay home with their kids, or those who have less-demanding jobs, DiMickele makes the point that it is possible, though difficult to have a job like hers (trial attorney) while doing a good job raising children.
I'd like to thank the B&/B Media Group for sending me a review copy of this book, and I'd like to apologize for not getting a review up sooner. I'm not superwoman, and I misplaced the book.
Chasing Superwoman is written to identify with career-oriented women who are also moms. Attorney, Susan DiMickele, writes about her attempt to juggle a high profile career and motherhood. To be completely honest, I felt exhausted reading this book and often found myself wondering “WHY does she put herself and her children through this?”
One thing is for sure – she’s definitely trying to have it all. I honestly don’t know how she does it, pushing herself (and her family) at such a fast pace. This frenzied kind of lifestyle would not be my first choice, but for those who are happy living in the rat race, it will probably seem very normal. I did not see much “balance” (or "margin" if you will) in this author's life and how she found time to even write this book – I will never know!
As much as I wanted to see the humor in all of this, I found myself feeling sorry for the author and her family, wishing she would slow down and enjoy the fleeting time she has with her children. I realize that this is a very sensitive “hot” topic, and apparently so does the author. She makes references to not receiving a lot of support for her lifestyle choices from the church (as a whole) and hopes that will change. She also sees a need for some organized support groups within the church body to meet the needs of working moms.
My favorite part of this book? The author includes her mother’s recipe for pasta sauce which looks fantastic!
Entertaining and engaging, but not really helpful. If you're just looking for someone to commiserate with the challenges of working motherhood, but not get to anything really helpful, then you would enjoy this book. But I suspect you don't have time to read a book like that.
This is in the "books that should have been an article" category. More of a long rambling diary entry that a book. Most chapters are extended by detailed story's that keep going and I'm not sure why. I kno some people might connect with this book so I'm glad she wrote it, but honestly? This book made me 100% not want to work and have kids. She sounds stressed and like she's running everywhere at top speed all the time? I'm not sure if that's sustainable, and certainly wasn't encouraging to me in my motherhood walk. It was also hard for me to relate to the different "capes" it sounds like her life has to be very fragmented with separate identities of sorts. This is not the type of authentic integration of self I want for myself. Kudos though for tackling the difficult task of being a Christian women working full time and momming as well. I wish there were more books like this, albeit written a bit better.
Most of us get tired of walking and want someone to carry us or at least give us a ride. But a river is different – a river allows you to float. It doesn’t mean that you’re not prepared for what’s ahead or that you don’t shape your children’s environment, encourage their faith, and help them make good choices. It just means that you can float with the current and allow the Spirit to carry you on the journey, knowing that it’s okay to let go. (p. 202, Chasing Superwoman)
Endowed with the ability to “swim upstream” regardless of the current, a superwoman would not let anyone see her flinch. She always has a plan. Unfortunately, many women thought they could be like her, and they just fall flat on the face. The truth is, only God is big enough to handle everything.
In her book, "Chasing Superwoman," Susan DiMickele offers insights and encouragement for today’s working woman of faith. With a loving family and a thriving career, she candidly talks about her struggles in trying to balance both. Every chapter seeks to break the myth that faith and working mothers do not make a good mix. From her testimonies of being unable to say no to unrealistic demands at work to finding time to nurture the spiritual growth of her children, she is clear about how buying into the lie that a lady can be a “superwoman” is nothing but a formula for failure.
Writing from the perspective of a single Christian woman, there are four segments in this book that I can totally resonate with: 1. What motivates you to work? 2. How can women benefit from the story of Eve? 3. Does multitasking exist? 4. Can I truly approach faith like a river?
Why Do You Work? Working mothers have lots of answers when their children ask them why they work. Canned answers usually include payments for the bills or career empowerment, but DiMickele cites a passage that simply trumps all these excuses. We should “work with all our heart because it’s for God.” (Colossians 3:23, emphasis mine). God has creatively fashioned us to operate in our gifts and abilities. There is absolutely no reason why we cannot deliver our very best. This verse is also a stark reminder of how futile toiling is if we do not have the right motives in serving the Lord.
Can Eve Teach Us a Lesson? When working women revel in their careers, there are occasions when they are questioned if they are living out God’s plan. DiMickele emphasizes the importance of focusing on the qualities of a Proverbs 31 woman rather than Eve’s curse. A rereading of those verses would tell us that a wife of a noble character is in fact an epitome of a working woman. Eve’s account should be a rich resource on how we can learn from her mistakes instead of using them against women.
Is it wise to multitask? Jesus is completely divine. He perfectly accomplishes things one at a time. When it comes to managing our time and activities, we always fall short of following His example. Sharing a sermon of a pastor, DiMickele reiterates that as Christians, we will never run out of time. Through Jesus, we have the gift of eternal life.
Can floating be reasonable? DiMickele details why we should not confuse our identities with what we do. A working mother has a fair share of disadvantages with stay-at-home moms, for if it were all about performance, no one would ever be qualified. As God’s children, we do not have to earn anything. We are accepted just as we are. Grace, however, does not permit us to be entangled with sin. It just gives us the freedom from our fleshly controlling nature, thus propelling us to become the best person that we can be.
Although I am aware that it takes children to make a mother, my single-blessedness does not exempt me from having this “superwoman” attitude. This heroine is self-seeking, elusive, and stubborn. She has difficulties getting out of the wilderness, and gets frayed upon realizing that she only accomplished little.
This book has turned out to be a blessing for me. I can finally retire from self-management, and have the confidence knowing that my worries are taken in stride. Let us be practical by trusting God more than living like our superheroes.
Finally - a book has come along that talks pragmatically about the demands of mommy-hood, the workplace, and the desire for faith - and our conflicting feelings about all of it. In Chasing Superwoman: A Working Mom's Adventures in Life and Faith, Susan M. DiMickele talks about her life as a busy attorney and devoted mother to three children, who is trying to keep all of the balls in the air and raise children with a sense of religion.
Running a busy consulting practice helping nonprofits and being a devoted mommy to a five-month-old baby, a caring stepmom to three older kids, and a loving wife - I have a lot of demands on my time. And oh boy, have I been stuck in a desert trying to find some water. Like DiMickele, I know what it's like to juggle a blackberry, a baby, and client needs.
I was surprised to find a book like this in a Christian bookstore - its honest voice was refreshing. And all too often - the Christian church has soundly condemned women for working outside the home and alienated itself from families. DiMickele addresses the pain churches have inflicted on working mothers (and fathers) with honesty and sincerity.
Scheduling nightmares, client demands, and the real-life logistical challenges in caring for 3 young children are discussed in the book and will resonate with readers juggling their own work/family equations. The author uses her experiences at the intersections of faith and life to offer her own thoughts and ideas. She does not offer silly platitudes or a self-help program. Just her real-life experience - with the caveat (in an oh-so-lawyerly way) that when someone else says they have all the answers to work/life balance, she gets suspicious.
DiMickele readily admits that she doesn't have a consistent quiet time, nor does she haul her children to church 3 days a week, but she does try to integrate faith into their lives on a daily basis through prayers, one-on-one talks, and Sunday School.
Her humor is evident, and I caught myself laughing out loud a few times. But what impressed me the most about this book was its honesty. She spares no punches in discussing her desire to work, and her love for her children, and the struggle to reconcile the two within a faith-based approach to life. Ultimately, she concludes that it is having faith and surrendering a desire to control the outcome, that offers peace.
For those contemplating how faith practice fits into the demands of a busy career and parenthood, this book offers situations you can identify with and helpful tips.
I was so hoping for more in this book... I actually read 3/4 of this book last year but gave up on it for a reason I didn't remember until I started rereading it this week. The author, a mom of 3 [Devoted Mommy] and lawyer [Lady Lawyer], writes of her real life struggles that we working moms can very much relate to, but it just feels like she's complaining the whole time. I like the brutal honesty, but it gets overwhelming at times and really confusing as what the point of the book was. It also feels like she just throws in her Christianity at random times throughout the book, not really letting it permeate her life/writing.
Until the last chapter (Chasing Superwoman), I was ready to give the book 1 or 2 stars at most. However, she finally got to what I feel like is the "point" of the book on p 213. "Devoted Mommy doesn't have to choose between my family and my job, but sometimes it just feels that way. God is big enough to handle both... I had put God in a box. My box. I had bought into the lie that a godly, spiritual mother doesn't work outside the home. I had bought into the other lie that a successful career woman gets ahead only by sacrificing her family."
She continues on p 215, " I think I might crack if my entire identity rides on my performance. As much as I pretend to be Superwoman, my daily life...confirms that it's just not possible to do it all. This is where grace comes in. As a child of God, I don't have to earn anything. I am holy, blameless, forgiven, and even redeemed by the blood of Jesus. This doesn't give me a license to screw it up; it just gives me the freedom to be the best wife, mother, and lawyer that I can be."
I also appreciated the analogy of our Christian life/activities being like the current of a river. We can either fight the current (God's plan for us) which is going to take us where it will whether we like it or not or we can surrender to the waters current and enjoy floating. p.201, 217
Chasing Superwoman by Susan M. DiMickele is a fun, lighthearted book about the author’s life as a working - and religious - mom. Even though it is an easy-going read, she does uncover deep issues in an honest manner.
The book begins with an introduction and a first chapter that introduce the author to her readers, and covers what it means for her to try to be superwoman. Following are chapters on working as a lawyer, life as a mother, daily duties, involvement with school, participation in church, shopping experiences, family role models, and food. Then she discusses more deeper issues, such as: lack of relaxation, contentment, and time, as well as her role as a good mother, and what chasing superwoman is like.
I recommend this book to moms, working women, and readers who wish for a cheerful and realistic read that will make them laugh and think. DiMickele does a wonderful job at capturing her readers’ attentions by moving at a quick pace and providing lots of action. You will be happy you took the time to read this book.
Although written in the voice of "Lady Lawyer," this book will speak to any woman in a professional job who is raising young children. The main plot is DiMickele's striving for balance between work and home, but there is a subplot that I appreciated which I have not seen addressed before: how does she do good, and get spiritual benefits, in her secular, hard-hitting job? DiMickele does not give answers; this is not a self-help book. But she builds camarederie and you will find yourself thinking "yes! exactly!" I know DiMickele through professional connections, and her voice comes through as I know it: with humor and grace.
I follow the author's blog and have been looking forward to reading this book, but was hoping for more encouragement and advice. Instead, the book is more of a casual memoir documenting the difficultly of balancing a demanding law career with the rest of life. I felt tired by the author's fast-paced life and even discouraged that apparently it's NOT possible to do everything. The author is refreshingly honest, which I do very much appreciate, but in the end I just got the sense that she can't be superwoman and perhaps no woman can adequately balance career and family and faith to any level of satisfaction.
I read the kindle version of this book. It is written by a Christian attorney who is also a mom. She wanted to write a book that dealt with the spiritual issues of being a working mom. I enjoyed how she divided her life into "Lawyer Lady" and Devoted mommy. I enjoyed the unique perspective she brought to the spiritual life of the working mom. She dealt with "mommy guilt" and lack of time issues as well as her love and calling of her career.
I wavered on rating between 3-4 stars. 4 stars for style & quality of writing; 3 for practical advice. I did enjoy the read, but didn't find any new value for me. What I did find was an empathetic ear. And my advice to her would be: it doesn't have to be as hard as she makes it sometimes!
Nice, light read. I found the writer extremely relatable as a working Christian mother. Leads readers to find contentment and self acceptance in what is instead of criticizing what we are not doing. Written as a humorous, personal narrative.