Blue Like Play Dough: The Shape of Motherhood in the Grip of God (Paperback)

~ (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Review

Praise for Blue Like Play Dough

“I couldn’t put Blue Like Play Dough down. Tricia’s love of God comes through on every page as she shows what motherhood is like when God wields his rolling pin and smoothes the rough edges of her life. Before you know it, your heart will be putty in God’s hands, too.”
–Ginger Kolbaba, editor, Today's Christian Woman

“With fresh, disarming honesty, Tricia Goyer gives us a glimpse into the challenges of motherhood and womanhood as we know it oh-so-well. She then gently nudges us to remain pliable in the hands of the One who is deliberate in His plans for us.  A surrendered life is a beautiful life. Thanks, Tricia, for giving us an authentic picture of what that sort of life looks like.”
–Robin Jones Gunn, best-selling author of the Christy Miller Series and the Sisterchicks series

“A hopeful book that moms will relish, Blue Like Playdough is an honest, peel-back-the-covers look at the creative way God shapes us through childhood and parenthood. Tricia Goyer explores her own weaknesses along the journey, revealing her desire to serve the God who forms strength and joy and perseverance within her. A compelling, fresh read.”
–Mary E. DeMuth, author of Authentic Parenting in a Postmodern Culture

“I didn’t even know I needed to read this book until I found myself weeping as Tricia’s story reached right into my mothering heart. Part memoir and part self-help, Blue Like Play Dough is a must read for every mother who has ever doubted her purpose. An honest, hopeful read that will hearten moms no matter what stage of motherhood they are in.”
–Tina Ann Forkner, author of Ruby Among Us and Rose House

“Tricia’s story reveals a great truth: that as God uses us to grow our kids, he grows us in the process too.”... --This text refers to the Kindle Edition edition.

Review

Praise for Blue Like Play Dough

“I couldn’t put Blue Like Play Dough down. Tricia’s love of God comes through on every page as she shows what motherhood is like when God wields his rolling pin and smoothes the rough edges of her life. Before you know it, your heart will be putty in God’s hands, too.”
–Ginger Kolbaba, editor, Today's Christian Woman

“With fresh, disarming honesty, Tricia Goyer gives us a glimpse into the challenges of motherhood and womanhood as we know it oh-so-well. She then gently nudges us to remain pliable in the hands of the One who is deliberate in His plans for us.  A surrendered life is a beautiful life. Thanks, Tricia, for giving us an authentic picture of what that sort of life looks like.”
–Robin Jones Gunn, best-selling author of the Christy Miller Series and the Sisterchicks series

“A hopeful book that moms will relish, Blue Like Playdough is an honest, peel-back-the-covers look at the creative way God shapes us through childhood and parenthood. Tricia Goyer explores her own weaknesses along the journey, revealing her desire to serve the God who forms strength and joy and perseverance within her. A compelling, fresh read.”
–Mary E. DeMuth, author of Authentic Parenting in a Postmodern Culture

“I didn’t even know I needed to read this book until I found myself weeping as Tricia’s story reached right into my mothering heart. Part memoir and part self-help, Blue Like Play Dough is a must read for every mother who has ever doubted her purpose. An honest, hopeful read that will hearten moms no matter what stage of motherhood they are in.”
–Tina Ann Forkner, author of Ruby Among Us and Rose House

“Tricia’s story reveals a great truth: that as God uses us to grow our kids, he grows us in the process too.”
–Mary Byers, author of Making Work at Home Work and The Mother Load

“The best hostesses make you feel welcome in their home, a part of the family. Likewise, the best authors make you feel welcome as you visit them in the pages of their books. Tricia Goyer does that in Blue Like Play Dough as she invites you to come into her life and hang out with her family, and she doesn't apologize for the messiness of family life. Instead, with refreshing vulnerability and transparency, she shows us all that it’s okay to be imperfect in the hands of a God whose love for his own is perfect.”
–Nancy Kennedy, author of Girl on a Swing and Lipstick Grace

“Tricia’s book is a masterpiece on motherhood–sculpted by her hands–shaped by her love for God.”
–Margaret McSweeney, Pearl Girls ™: Encountering Grit, Experiencing Grace

“Blue Like Play Dough had me nodding, laughing, crying, dog-earing favorite pages, and saying, ‘Wow, I’m not the only mom who feels that way? I’m not weird?’ Honest, gut-wrenching, and funny–this is the kind of book every mom needs to read and keep on her shelf–like a long-time friend–there to walk beside you, drink coffee with you, encourage you. Loved this book!”
–Kimberley Woodhouse, author of Welcome Home: Our Family’s Journey to Extreme Joy

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 208 pages
• Publisher: Multnomah Books (July 21, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1601421524
• ISBN-13: 978-1601421524
• Product Dimensions: 7.8 x 5.1 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (27 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #542,165 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Must Read for All Moms, July 27, 2009

By	Susan Stitch (Missouri) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

There are many books written about the difficulties of parenthood, but most try to give advice designed to make the reader try harder to fit into some predetermined mold of a 'perfect' parent. This book, instead, frees a mom to open her soul so God can create the uniquely perfect person he destined her to be.

Like most mothers, Tricia talks about her insecurities as a mom, "I worried that I disciplined my kids too much. Or maybe not enough. That I fed them the wrong foods or allowed their brains to be filled with too much mindless entertainment. I worried I wasn't the helpmate my husband deserved or the friend and church volunteer I ought to be." But with God's Word she realized that she wasn't perfect, but she was loved; that her life wouldn't start once she got it right -- she was in the midst of it today.

The more she leaned on God, the more he molded her into the woman she was meant to be. It wasn't always easy or fun, but it was more rewarding and adventuresome than she could have imagined. In one of the most honest and authentic books I've read, Tricia helps all mothers learn that God's gentle kneading, or even those times when he smashes us flat as a pancake, will result in undeniable proof of his love.

While reading this book I felt that Tricia had reached into my soul, found my insecurities, doubts, and fears, and bared them in a way that allowed me to accept God's prodding.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Blue Like Play Dough, July 27, 2009

By	Cindy Loven "~LovenGod~" (Arkansas) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Blue Like Play Dough
The Shape of Motherhood in the grip of God
Tricia Goyer
2009
Multnomah
Non-fiction/Christian Living/Parenting

Tricia Goyer has brought us her story, her story of being an unwed mother, who later married, and raising her three children, her story of her fears and insecurities, and her story of how God ministered to her, through her and molded her just like play dough.
A busy homeschooling mom of three children, a writer, a volunteer at church and with a crisis pregnancy center Tricia often found herself overwhelmed, overworked and overloaded. She learned that relief from all the stress of all her many hats she wore came through her relationship with God. When she slowed down and made time for God, God made time for all the other things to be accomplished.
Laugh, cry, snort, and feel sympathy pains as she shares experiences through her lessons, and her examples and life stories. Feel the pain, as she deals with aging grandparents and the loss of her grandfather, relish in the joy of a trip to Disney World with grandma, and learn the joys of taking life one day, one step and one event at a time. A wonderfully written book, Tricia has shared her heart with us, through the pages of Blue Like Play dough, it was a fascinating read, that I could not put down until I finished it. 197 pages [...]

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful mommy book..., July 22, 2009

By	Martha A. - See all my reviews

Need a real life dose of realism in a humorous way? Trisha takes the life that we live as mothers and talks about how life really is and how often we feel like we are smoothed by the normal push of mothering. Life is messy! Trisha is very transparent in this book, using real names and all...since I live in the same area as her, I realized how this is a somewhat autobiographical book of real dose of reality. She talks about the tough things, abortion, dealing with parenting as a teen, parenting teens, parenting toddlers, marriage issues, housecleaning all in a way where you feel like you sat down to a cup of coffee or tea with a friend and she shared her story with you. Check out the above paragraphs for when you buy the book. It is a great little book that I think any mother will enjoy! You will find yourself challenged and encouraged as well chuckling as you relate to her mothering exploits.