Create Anyway: The Joy of Pursuing Creativity in the Margins of Motherhood by Ashlee Gadd Book Review

 

In Create Anyway, Ashlee Gadd has written a book about motherhood and how creativity can still occur even though you are still a mom. She is the founder of Coffee + Crumbs, a website, blog, and community featuring stories about motherhood. She shared how she was once working at a marketing job and then she quit to pursing writing and photography. She explained how she struggled from loneliness. Her husband worked a lot of works and had to commute and this left her alone a lot with just her son. She finally realized the importance of granting yourself permission to ask for help, eat cereal for dinner, to have time alone, and much more. She went into detail about how in the beginning God created and how He made us in His likeness. He invites us to be active participants in His Kingdom. 

 

 

 

In the book, she looked at some of her big what if’s questions and a big issue she faced was rejection. She admitted to wanting to control the desire outcome and to know how everything will turn out before you take a big jump in life. She explained how she would lose subscribers when she would send out newsletters. She was rejected in her writing submissions. She has gotten one-star reviews. She encouraged mothers to get out of the boat and to show courage and take a leap of faith. 

 

 

 

 

One of my favorite chapters was about breadcrumbs and ladybugs. She explained how a breadcrumb can be an idea, meeting the right person, an answered prayer, or kindness from a stranger. I liked how she shared a personal story about ladybugs and how these became a big sign in her life at different times. These were inscribable moments that help redefine her life. She also enlightened readers on ladybugs and how their outer wings relay to God’s spirit hidden within us. This is an incredible example and a great metaphor of how creativity works. 

 

 

I would recommend this awesome book about motherhood to all mothers who are seeking a book that was written just for them to help them to discover their creativity side. I liked how she included personal stories from other women throughout the book. I also immensely enjoyed how the book included creative exercises and a journaling prompt in each chapter. One of my favorite activities was creating something that won’t last. These could encompass painting on the sidewalk with your kids or building a sandcastle. This reminded us that no matter what we may go through nothing is a waste of time or effort, we can find hidden meanings that God may have for us. 

 

 

 

 

"I received this book free from the publisher, Bethany House/ Chosen for my honest review.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

If you would like to purchase a copy, check it out on Amazon.com:

 

 

 

https://www.amazon.com/Create-Anyway-Pursuing-Creativity-Motherhood/dp/0764240048/