Untamed by Glennon Doyle (The Dial Press) &
Fierce, Free, and Full of Fire: The Guide To Being Glorious You by Jen Hatmaker (Thomas Nelson)
August 24, 2020
Dear Mr. Hemingway,
I am coming at you today Mr. H. with a whole lot of girl power. I hope all your “masculinity” can handle it 😂. I am talking about the fabulous Glennon Doyle and Jen Hatmaker! These two motivational ladies are the “QUEENS” of self love and all things good in the world. They know how to navigate the murky waters of religion and sexual identity. With empathy, they champion those who struggle. They are “momming” hard with all the rest of us, sharing their triumphs and challenges with their kids every step of the way. They believe in the power of relationships and the people around us. But most importantly, they want to live their most authentic lives. Both women have the gift of connecting with their audience. When I read their words or listen to them speak, it feels like I am in a room with one of my closest girlfriends. They are inspirational, compassionate, and downright hysterical. Let me move forward now and tell you about their latest books!
I have been following Glennon Doyle forever. I have read her previous books, Carry on, Warrior: The Power of Embracing Your Messy, Beautiful Life, and Love Warrior: A Memoir. I have listened to many of her interviews and podcast appearances and basically feel like she could be my next-door neighbor. In her latest book, Untamed, Glennon once again invites her readers into her life sharing intimate details of her family and her mission for equality and all things good in the world. She shares with us her divorce from her husband (and father to their three children) and her love story with her wife Abby (ummm…greatest woman soccer player ever….just saying). She talks about the importance of knowing who you are and how the relationship you have with yourself is your foundation, your home base in the world.
What I love about Glennon is that she embraces the awkward questions revolving around sexual identity, politics, sobriety, parenting and more. She understands that so many of us are trying to figure out the hard stuff. Let’s face it, life can be messy at times. It’s having the guts to ask edgy questions that bring clarity to oftentimes difficult issues that moves us closer to the truth. Glennon welcomes these conversations and nourishes them with her heart and soul. She shows her readers how to take on the gritty issues…She firmly believes that “We Can Do Hard Things”. She is so right…We totally can do hard things. I can do hard things and so can you. I felt so well balanced after reading Untamed. Such a much needed pick me up during these strange pandemic times. I hope you enjoy Glennon’s book as much as I did.
Let’s move on to the lovely Jen Hatmaker. So Jen is another powerhouse woman that I have also been following for many, many years. I am a fan of her Podcast, For The Love and an even bigger fan of her personal journey as a woman of faith and a motivational speaker. Here is the thing about Jen. She does the work. She doesn’t just talk, talk, talk. She examines, explores and researches the tough topics. She is not afraid to try new things and she embraces failure. Her latest book, Fierce, Free, and Full of Fire has everything you need to know about owning your space and not having to justify to ANYONE who you are. Jen encourages women to stop hiding, pretending or posing as someone else. It is all just too exhausting. Our one and only life is ours and we need to live it well and live it truthfully. When we do that, guess what happens…we flourish. One thing that is awesome about her book is that it is not preachy. Jen makes it very clear that even though our journey’s may look similar, each of our endgames are different.
Jen is the best girlfriend to her readers. She shares the importance of our friendships and “vibrant relationships” in our lives. She shares her personal exploration with religion and God and all the hiccups along the way. She shows her readers how to examine their own faith (if they want to…again, no pressure) and figure out what is right for them. Jen speaks about her friendships and faith with absolute honesty. That is what makes her shine.
Jen is no stranger to the everyday challenges of being a woman. Weight issues, self-esteem, wrinkles, loneliness and raising kids…Jen dives right into these issues with experience and of course, a whole lot of humor. Her book inspires me to be the best version of myself. While I continue to nourish my relationships with my friends and family, I will most importantly be taking care of my one true self. That feels pretty incredible to me. Enjoy this treasure during these unprecedented times.
Well my friends, Glennon Doyle and Jen Hatmaker are two women that not only speak their truth, but are vibrant with fantastic wisdom that so many of us women can truly appreciate. There is something for everyone in their books. Whether all or even just parts of their writing resonate with you, I hope you embrace their positivity and love yourself.
Until next time!
Your Biggest Fan!
Kelly
P.S. I did a combination of reading both books and listening to them on audio. I am not going to lie, both authors narrate their respective books so it is almost like listening to a super long fabulous podcast. I loved both books on audio. Jen adds extra commentary and clips from relevant podcasts, which enhance your listening experience of her book. If you are an audio lover, be sure to check out Libro.fm. I am a huge fan. Your purchases go directly to the local bookstore of your choice. How cool is that?
Click on the Book Pics below to purchase.
