Customer Reviews

Shopping for Time: How to Do It All and Not Be Overwhelmed

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Overwhelmed? Frustrated? Unhappy with the direction life seems to be taking you? The almighty to-do list rules many lives and many women are miserable because they just do not know how they are going to get it all done. Regardless of your present life season, all women can relate to feelings of not being able to get it all done. One can find dozens of time management books full of good advice for maximizing one's time. So, what makes Shopping for Time different from all the others? These women have learned "from God's Word that it is possible to deal with life's demands without becoming overwhelmed, miserable, and exhausted. We can surmount the numerous responsibilities that threaten to wear us down. More than that, we can actually do all that God has called us to do...A fantastic claim, we know. But it's true. We can accomplish everything God has ordained for us to do in this life. (Hint: It's probably not half of what's on your to-do list.) And we can do it in a peaceful, joyful manner and get sufficient rest besides."

The Mahaney women invite you to pull a chair up to Carolyn's kitchen table for their weekly Q & A. The Feta cheese and French fries will be flying as will some valuable wisdom and encouragement for whatever season of life you find yourself in today.

Every woman knows that a good day of shopping begins with proper planning. Women spend time searching out coupons and special sales, making lists of what to buy and who to buy for, noting which stores to shop and which ones to avoid, marking the days for the biggest sales, memorizing which seasons certain items are on sale, and most women who love to shop know exactly which racks have the biggest mark-downs. They know exactly where to go and when so that they do not waste any time. Yet when it comes to how we spend our lives, we miss some of the best deals because we fail to plan wisely. Too often, poor planning in our everyday lives carries a hefty price tag. Women must learn how to shop for time the way they shop for the best bargains.

The theme of this book comes from Ephesians 5:15-16, which reads, "Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil." Carolyn & Co. show how to wisely plan your days according to your particular season so that you do not misuse the time God has given you. They do not make it complicated or rigid; they offer five sound principles that will work for any woman regardless of her age or stage. They are:
1. Rise early
2. Sit still
3. Sit and plan
4. Consider people
5. Plan to depend

Each step builds on the one before it. The first step to becoming a savvy time shopper is joining the 5:00 AM Club. That doesn't necessarily mean one has to rise at 5:00 AM. "Early" looks different for each woman. It simply means that a woman rises before the rest of her family in order to sit still at Jesus' feet and prepare herself for service. You won't find any condemnation in this book if you do not rise at 5:00 AM. You will find compelling, encouraging, and practical reasons for rising before the rest of your family, or roommates as the case may be.

The second step is sitting at Jesus' feet. In this chapter, the Mahaney women offer encouragement for your quiet times. They believe it is imperative that women learn to spend time with God, so they provide some very good ideas and sound practices for becoming more consistent in the daily discipline of Bible reading and prayer. Again, you will not find any condemnation here, however, you will find a loving reminder that consistent quiet times do not earn us favor with God nor do our inconsistent quiet times cause us to fall out of His favor. As with the other books written by Mahaney women, the writing is centered on one person, Jesus Christ. Even in a book about time management, God's grace through Jesus is emphasized.

The third step is to sit and plan. This chapter explains how to have a personal retreat. If you've read Feminine Appeal, then you're already familiar with this term. The personal retreat is a special time a woman sets aside so that she can evaluate, pray, and read her Bible in order to create an action plan for living out her priorities, such as: growing in godliness, loving her family, serving in the church, fellowshipping with other believers, evangelizing non-Christians, attending to her work, and caring for her physical health. Each woman will have her own list of priorities, but the principle remains the same. According to the Mahaney women, to sit back and let life take you wherever it wants to go is a plan to continue making the same mistakes and leads to a foolish use of the time God has given.

The fourth step is to consider people. While on a personal retreat, in addition to considering your priorities, you must consider your relationships. The Mahaney women provide biblical wisdom regarding the many kinds of relationships women have: from family relationships to friendships to mentor/mentee relationships to relationships with those who need to hear the Gospel.

The fifth step is the everyday plan to depend on God. The main point to remember about this step is to remember to depend on God's grace for every day. In this chapter, the Mahaneys share some important tips for effectively managing daily life. This chapter also includes their combined wisdom regarding the busy seasons of life like when you welcome a new baby, move, start a new school year, or Christmas.

What good is all of this planning? With dozens of good things vying for our time, planning helps women know when to say, "Yes," and when to say, "No." The Mahaney women believe that the Christ-centered planning of priorities, relationships, and every day life will help women know how to decide where, when, and with whom they need to devote their time and energy so that they live fulfilled, fruitful lives for God's glory. "In the end, our highest goal each day is not flawless execution of our plans or increased productivity. It's our relationship with God, walking in dependence upon him throughout the day." It is a life carefully lived that is worthy of the Gospel.

"It's our prayer that this book will help you become a wise shopper of time in every season of your life, so when you pass from time into eternity, you can know the intense and indescribable joy of our Savior's pleasure and commendation. We look forward to meeting you there and hearing how God, by his grace, helped you to make the best use of your time here on earth."

This book reminded me that God's grace is there for each new day, and God will provide the necessary energy and strength to accomplish what He has called me to accomplish. Also, it reminded me that as a Christian, I have the responsibility to plan the wise use of the time He has given me to use for His glory. Shopping for Time is perfect for any woman, especially those women who want to say goodbye to frustration, misery, and feeling tired all the time. The time management (or life management) principles offered are timeless and Christ-centered. Christian women from about age 17 on up will enjoy reading and benefit from the wisdom presented by the Mahaney women.

Carolyn Mahaney is one of my favorite authors. What I enjoy so much about her books is how consistently loyal she is to the Biblical text and how personal and practical she responds to those passages in her writing. Her two other books-Feminine Appeal, a book about Titus 2 and Girl Talk, a book for moms and daughters about Biblical womanhood-have been instrumental in my personal growth and ministry.

So, when I saw this book pop up on my Amazon suggested products page I was excited, especially because Caroyln wrote it with her three grown daughters who all contribute to the GirlTalk blog. I didn't want to even waste time waiting for it to come in the mail so that same week I visited the local Christian bookstore and bought it and after reading this review, I hope that is what you will do too!

Shopping for Time helped me think through my days and how I spend my time and I easily saw how I need to readjust a few priorities, step-it-up in some areas and completely overhaul others. I know that I don't always manage the time God has given me with the intensity and purpose that I ought to, so as I read this book I began to see that even though I thought, "I'm doing my best" managing my time, I really wasn't.

What I enjoyed most about this book were the five practical tips to help me evaluate and accomplish the things that God has called me to do as a Christian woman. Too often we are harried, frazzled and overwhelmed as we run around trying to get done all that we think we need to do each day. This book is not a "system" or 5-step plan to life success. It is simply the disciplines the Mahaney women have exercised over the years that have greatly maximized their usefulness for the Lord. Here is a glimpse at the 5 Time-Saving-Tips:

Tip #1-Rise early, they propose that you join the "5 AM Club" to reap benefits both for your spiritual life and the good of your family.

Tip #2-Sitting at Jesus' Feet, making reading and studying God's Word, prayer and meditation top priority.

Tip #3-Taking a Personal Retreat, a time to study God's Word, read pertinent books to where you are in life, devise solutions to some of our problem areas and make goals and plans that are thought out and Biblical for the upcoming months.

Tip #4-Consider People by evaluating relationships carefully. Do your friends sharpen you? Do you have a mentor and are you a mentor to someone? Are you reaching out to others by being a friend? Are you evangelizing those who need salvation?

Tip #5-Plan to Depend: being productive in daily life. One thing in this chapter that has really helped me is what they call the "15:4 rule." Fifteen minutes of planning in the morning, saves four hours of your day. When I read this chapter I started doing this the next morning and have found each day to be so productive because I wasn't wasting time trying to nail down what I needed to do next.

I hope reading these five ideas that you have some ideas about how you may need to change your schedule tomorrow! This book is simple, easy-to read and short, only 94 pages! What made this book so helpful is that it's not about teaching us how to perfectly execute our daily plans, but to make sure our heart is wholly God's, focused on Him and His priorities, relying on Him to accomplish each task and being intentional about living every day for His glory!

"There is no such thing as simply a busy month or a busy year. It's a busy life, pure and simple...[But] we can actually do all that God has called us to do" (p. 13).

Sound far-fetched? Absolutely it does - it did to me! I've read stacks of books, just trying to learn what my schedule should look like, what my to-do list should look like...and on and on. Shopping For Time has been one of the simplest, most concise, and clearest helps in this process. "We wouldn't dream of going to the grocery store without a shopping list, or buying a car without haggling over the sticker price, or purchasing new shoes without checking the price tag, but we throw away our time as if we had an endless supply" (17).

In a sweet, conversational style, the Mahaney girls paint with appropriately broad strokes a picture of a life that is joyfully submitted to God's to-do list. This short (under 100 pages) book clearly, helpfully, and gently offers five tips on how to "shop for time," and it recognizes some things that many other time management or "Godly woman" books barely touch on or miss altogether:

The authors explain that we need to rise early (remember, flexibility!), sit at Jesus' feet, plan, consider the spheres in which God has placed us, and humbly recognize our dependence on God to be productive. The main thing this book has going for it is flexibility. What's required to act wisely will look different across the spectrum of women who're reading the book. What works for one won't work for all in exactly the same way. There are different seasons in each life, and application of these principles will look different during each one. Managing time wisely for the glory of God isn't something that can be done haphazardly. Your effort will depend on how complicated your life is, but there will be effort. Motivated rightly, though, our lives can be fruitful and joyful expressions of our love for the Savior and delight in serving Him.

"In the end, our highest goal each day is not flawless execution of our plans or increased productivity. It's our relationship with God, walking in dependence upon Him throughout the day. ...This book will help you become a wise shopper of time in every season of your life, so when you pass from time into eternity, you can know the intense and indescribable joy of our Savior's pleasure and commendation" (90, 94).

This book is a quick, pleasant, easy read. However, the information offered is nothing new and oversimplified. Other Christian authors, Vicky Courtney and Joanna Weaver for example, have written books on similar subjects that cover the topic more in depth and more practically. Also, I was fortunate enough to download the Kindle version for free. If I had paid for my Kindle version, I would have been very upset. The number of typographical errors and repeated text errors was very annoying (the worst in any Kindle book I have downloaded yet).

This book speaks right to the problems Christian women have with feeling like they have too much to do. Its answers are practical and just what you need. It does not mess around with lots of little tips (only some of which apply to any one person), but has just a few priority points that you can start implementing right away. I highly recommend this book.

I recently finished the new book, Shopping for Time: How to Do It All and NOT Be Overwhelmed, by Carolyn Mahaney, Nicole Whitacre, Kristin Chesemore, and Janelle Bradshaw. I've been reading their blog for a few years, and though I often find myself relating more specifically to the writing and experiences of one of the ladies more than the others, I love the unique styles, personalities, and perspectives of each one. They are daughters, sisters, (pastor's) wives, and mothers.... So, when I heard about this book, I was excited to read it, and learn from their combined wisdom and experience.

Regardless of the season in which you find yourself (single, newly married, mommyhood, empty nest, widowhood), these ladies realize that each one holds its own special challenges, and is full of demands on our time and energy. And, they understand that life is busy. But, they are able to offer wisdom and guidance through the overwhelming busyness because they view these demands (the real and the self-imposed) through the lens of Scripture. They start out by saying, "We can accomplish everything that God has ordained for us to do in this life....And we can do it in a peaceful, joyful manner and get sufficient rest besides." (pg. 13)

When I first got this book, I showed it to a friend. She looked a little skeptical as she read the title..."How to do it all? I don't know about that." Probably anticipating this reaction, the authors say, "These tips are not our attempt at Christian-coated time management principles. Rather they are biblical, life-tested practices we trust will encourage and assist you to bring glory to the Savior through every season of your life." (pg. 26) Using biblical principles as their foundation, alongside the wisdom of their individual experiences, they offer 5 tips to help women apply the words of Ephesians 5:15-16, "Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil."

Rise Early: The subtitle of this chapter is "Joining the 5 a.m. Club." My first thought when I read that was, "Seriously?!" But, as I read, I became convinced. They offer this disclaimer, "the point of this chapter is not that really godly women get up at 5 a.m. Nowhere in the Bible will you find such a principle. Therefore, nowhere in this book do you we make that claim." (pg. 28). They also allow for the fact that "early" will look different for everyone. So, if 5 a.m. is not biblical, then why this chapter? "Hands down, the most important reason to rise early is to make meeting with God a priority. Secondarily, however, this practice has great potential to serve your family." (pg. 34) Rising early, whatever that may mean, allows us to give proper time and attention to our most important priorities - our relationship with God, and our relationship and service to our families.

Sit Still: This is the most important chapter in this book, and one of the best I read on the topic of personal devotions, or quiet times. Understanding that "we're doers, not sitters, by nature. We awake each morning, our minds whirling with all we want to accomplish that day. We bound off to complete these urgent tasks. But we must sit before we do. In order to effectively shop for time, we must first sit - sit at Jesus' feet." (pg. 40) We are encouraged to meet with the Lord, regularly, and consistently, in order to obtain guidance, wisdom, and peace from His Word for all that we must accomplish. Yes, life is busy. But, before anyone begins to think that their particular circumstance merits excuse in this area, the authors offer this admonition, "Please don't assume that because you're a mom with young children, it's fine for you to meet with God sporadically. All of us...need to choose the best portion along with Mary...." (pg. 45)

Sit and Plan: This chapter addresses the necessity of being careful how we walk (Eph. 5:15), by taking time out, and getting away, to prayerfully evaluate, and assess our priorities. "If we simply allow each new season to come along without charting a course, we could easily be sidetracked by urgent yet unimportant activities. We could wear ourselves out repeating the same mistakes and dealing with the same problems over and over. And we could potentially miss the truly significant opportunities each season has to offer." (pg. 52) They offer ideas for a personal retreat in order to plan for better effectiveness in areas that may be lacking, or needing improvement. While getting away may seem like the last thing an already-too-long to-do list will allow, "The pressures of life are, in fact, the very reason we need to sit and plan. (pg. 63)

Consider People: God's Word clearly shows us that, when it comes to relationships, our most important are those with our Lord, and our families. Because these ladies have dealt with these (important) relationships in other books (and on their blog!), this chapter deals specifically with friendships - both the kind that must be cultivated and maintained, as well as those that may need to be reevaluated, and possibly removed from our lives. They offer help in evaluating our current list of friends in light of Scripture.
- Do we have friends who will sharpen and mentor us? We should.
- Do we regularly reach out to those in need of friendship, or salvation? Or, would we rather stick with the familiar, even if that means making unwise choices in where, and with whom, we spend our time?
"We must prayerfully evaluate our relational priorities in the light of God's priorities." (pg. 69)

Plan to Depend: "By consulting this tip, we can make out good intentions a reality, avoid a solution-dispensing lifestyle, and avail ourselves of God's grace each and every day." (pg. 80) In this chapter, the authors suggest (or, rather, "highly recommend") developing a daily planning system. You will see as they share their personal planning styles, they are not suggesting a one-size-fits-all system. But, you may find one that you can closely relate to, and use to inspire your own system. "While a daily planning system and smart planning will enable us to make the best use of the time in the ordinary course of daily living, we know life doesn't always conform to our plans...So what do we do when life messes with our plans?" (pg. 85) Whether interruptions, busyness, trials, or just the ordinary routine of everyday life, we need to depend on God each and every moment - realizing that we are completely unable to handle even the most routine tasks apart from God's help and strength.

While some of their tips might seem a bit overwhelming (especially when you seriously consider "Joining the 5 AM Club"!!), they really are far from it. Each one offers biblical principles, personal experience, encouragement, and a welcome sense of humor, as these godly women help their readers understand the need for implementing biblical principles into the busyness of our everyday lives. They close with this reminder from Matthew Henry,

"It ought to be the business of every day to prepare for our last day." (pg. 94)

The Christian woman's life is one of delicate balance...whether struggling greatly or just needing to tweak your priorities for the new season of your life....this book is great!

It is written in a warm and fun and personable style and is a relatively easy and short read which is perfect for those who are trying to get "the most bang for their buck" so to speak.

I plan to reread the book often and have already given it as gifts to other women.

I have so enjoyed this book... I have been a blog watcher of the Mahaney Ladies off and on for the past few years and I enjoy their open honest bibilical assessments. Sometimes they are hard to swallow (in my own sinfulness) but through prayer God has used many of their encouragements to convict and lead me to change. I just finished going through this book with the ladies from my church in our Titus 2 Tuesday meetings. What a time of challenging and practical application! I am excited to be reenvisioned to use the time God has given me... I whole heartedly endorse this book!

...the book fell a little short of 12.00 for me. If it had been about 5.00 I would have said it was worth your money and time. Luckily I borrowed mine from a friend. My main issue, as with many Sovereign Grace books, is that there seems to be a focus on a formula of so much time in the Word, at a particular time of day. I strove to get up early for years, with two small children and only ended up exhausted, miserable, with depression and anxiety problems increasing. I let go of my "formula" and began to practice studying God's Word when my kids were taking naps, or playing, and my life completely changed. Also, every time I set my timer to get up a little early, I wake up my husband in the process. Don't they wake up their husbands too? And my husband is a heavy sleeper. I am not saying that you shouldn't strive to be with God before you start your day. But to make getting up before your family, a central protocol that is supposedly necessary to implement their suggestions, didn't work for me. I have found that if I start my day with prayer, and a few minutes devotional while my children are snuggling and my husband is showering, is sufficient to set my heart on Him. Then I do the serious longer prayer and study when they are playing outside or, if your children are younger, napping.

My copy of this book is almost worn out, I have passed it around many times. Everyone loves the perspective, and even though the 5am club is a bit hard to grasp for some, it really puts your day in perspective. Love this book and all the good info inside.