Customer Reviews

Martha to the Max: Balanced Living for Perfectionists

5 star:		(20)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
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1 star:		(0)

 

 

Boy, this woman is inside my head. Look in the dictionary under "Type A Personality," and you'll see my picture -- a stressed-out wife/mom/daughter/employee/volunteer/etc., etc., etc. Thankfully, Debi Stack understands people like me and has provided practical and FUNNY solutions for handling my perfectionistic madness! I really like the way she uses Martha of Bethany ("Lord, make my sister help me with dinner!") to put a non-threatening, spiritual spin on her insights.

I guess I should have known this was a great book. It's been endorsed by lots of famous Christian women authors and speakers, like Patsy Clairmont, Annie Chapman, Mary Whelchel and Bunny Wilson. They knew a good thing when they saw it, and you'll know it when you see this book, too!

There is a little Martha in all of us. In her book Debi Stack has made me realize that Jesus loved Martha too! He wants us to learn to set the right priorites in our lives and not be MAXED OUT. The book brings issues to light with humor and Debi backs up her thoughts with Scripture. Her thoelogy is sound. Her humor is pure delight! I can not wait to see what Debi will do in her next book. This book brings to light those attributes that the world views as virtues, but in reality keeps us running so hard and so fast that we forget how to slow down, and rest ourselves in the Lord. Do not miss this eye opening, rib tickling look at our Marthaness. You will be so glad that you did.

I LOVED this book! Debi Stack writes with laugh-out-loud humor with a very compassionate approach to perfectionists. As a life long perfectionist, I felt so much better after reading this book. She is reassuring and non judgemental in discussing and analyzing what perfectionists do and why. She shares from her own experience, as a recovered perfectionist, and also from the experience of other female perfectionists and her humor is enough to make ANY perfectionist lighten up! A very well written analysis of the Martha/Mary styles. Even if you are not a "Christian" this book will delight you and help you to overcome those perfectionist tendencies.

My mother picked this book out for me. I was shocked, is this how she viewed me...too busy, stressed out, maxed out?! Yes, this book is me to the tee and Debi has a humorous way of dealing with us Marthas. The book showed me how out of balance my life was. It made me stop and think about priorities. I now have permission to relax, let go and live a much more balanced life. If you are at the end of your rope and wondering how you can possibly balance it all...this book is for you! Come sit at the feet of Jesus and learn how to be more like Mary and less like Martha. Thanks Debi

This is a truly necessary book for any woman who finds she has perfectionistic actions and attitudes! What a relief and joy to discover that God made me this way - that he has a use for me - and that I can choose to loose the "over the edge" perfectionism and achieve a balance, love myself, my family and those that God has placed in my life! I am so relieved to know that I don't have to do it all and that I can enjoy life. Thanks Debi for the courage to plow through this area and come out victorious!

Okay, I admit--I'm not a perfectionist, at least not in the usual sense of the word. So, as a bona fide, card-carrying, clutter-oriented messie, I was surprised at how much I identified with the author's struggle. Perfectionist parenting and post project depression are common for many of us! Thanks for the reminder that an out of balance life doesn't honor the Lord, regardless of which side we fall on.

I gave this book FIVE STARS hands down! I love how this author hones in on the ever-challenging struggle us Christian women have between naturally being more like Martha in our own flesh vs. wanting to be more like Mary who willingly takes time to put God first and sit at His feet first every morning. After reading this book I see now that if I am surrendered to Christ and to walking in the Spirit over my own flesh....I can be the BEST of both Mary who sits at Christ's feet and listens and is taught and the BEST of her sister Martha who is more project and task oriented in the details of her day.

My favorite line in the book is on pg. 20 because it describes me and how I lived before reading this book: Debi writes, "Like Martha, I am tempted to perfect my own personal kingdom not seek the kingdom of God. Like Martha, I tend to view life as a series of projects, not a path toward knowing and serving Christ."

I am so pleased to boast that by applying many of Debi's ideas and with the Holy Spirit's help I regularly participate these days in THE GREAT SUPERNATURAL exchange of trading in my days dominated by walking in my flesh as a type A, O-C (obsessive-compulsive) Martha for a transformed life of walking in the Spirit (the best of Mary and Martha) as my new *normal*!

Like Debi before I was intentional and prayerful about living for God, I too was misguided for decades by admiring the unrealistic ways of such type A, O-C Martha perfectionists. But living this way wore me down and zapped me of contentment, zeal and joy! I thank God for Debi and her eye-openig and life-giving book and for her candid and transparent willingness to share her hard-earned lessons and battles so the rest of us may learn easier and quicker than she did! I enjoy Debi's humorous and honest approach willing to laugh at herself! I too use to judge harshly the type B's and viewed them as the lesser and very lackadaisical compared to us superior more competent classic Type A perfectionusts! Like Debi I skimmed over the scripture "Pride goes before destruction" and self-destruct I did which tends to happen when you live your way and not God's way!

But I am happy to report I am much closer to sharing Debi's motto these days of "PAMITP". . . what on earth is that you ask? Well it stands for Peope Are More Important Than Projects! This book is a MUST READ OWNER'S MANUAL for any Type A, O-C perfectionistic Martha's out there! It's chock-full of wisdom, laughs and a VERY easy and enjoyable read! God bless you Debi for sharing from your heart!!

As a recovering perfectionist, I needed the reminders Stack gave in this book. She uses a lot of scripture, and she has quite a few academic references, which will appeal to a different type of reader than some of the other available "mom" books. Her main message: busy women, let's follow in Christ's footsteps, put God first, and "just say no" to perfectionism.

This humorous, fast-read is open, honest and absolutely on target. The author directs her comments to women struggling with perfectionism but most of the comments could just as easily apply to men. I appreciated the biblical basis of her insights and suggestions. This book is a must for any Christian woman who finds herself feeling like Martha of Bethany - stressed and wondering who is going to help with all the work that needs to be done! There are practical suggestions on how to reorder your thinking without surrendering your personality.

Debi Stack has written a well-researched, user-friendly guide to assist all of us who struggle with the "Martha" mentality -- either in ourselves or in those we love. Bravo to Debi for blessing us with helpful suggestions, inspiration, biblical wisdom, and engaging humor.