Teresa Tomeo’s spiritual writing has a style all its own; she’s funny without being shallow and she doesn’t hesitate to tell it like it is. Best of all, you don’t need a degree in Sacred Theology to benefit from her books.

I enjoy Teresa Tomeo’s books for women because she blends the lives of the saints with our everyday lives. Last summer I interviewed her about her devotional, Walk Softly and Carry a Great Bag. This week, Word Among Us Press will release her new book, Girlfriends and Other Saints–just in time for Mother’s Day.

But what sealed the deal for me with this book was Tomeo’s examination of the story of Martha and Mary in the chapter titled, “Can We Talk?”

We often leave Martha right there in the kitchen with her sister and the Lord, seeing it as an “aha” or “gotcha moment” for all the anal-retentive and obsessive-compulsive types in our lives. We tend to maximize and celebrate Mary’s actions and minimize or criticize Martha’s words. But have we ever stopped to ponder the fact that Martha was being very honest with the Lord? Don’t we all want to admit that at times we have felt the same way as Martha did with the “Marys” in our own lives?…Martha needs to be taken out of the box and reexamined, especially when we see her interacting with Jesus in other, much more dire situations.

Could it be that Martha’s deep faith and trust in God…was what had allowed her to be so brutally honest with Jesus as she was busy preparing dinner? Can we talk? Well, Martha certainly could, because when it came to talking to the Lord, she didn’t hold back. Jesus used her honesty and comfort level in these situations to share some deep insights into the love of God. (33-35)

I am one of those people who particularly identifies with Martha in that famous story. There are stories of saints all through this book; you’ll definitely find one or more saints whose stories resonate with yours.

So if you take away just one message from this book, I hope it’s this: that the saints are there for you. There are one or more of them with whom you can identify, a saint that understands your personality as well as your plight. Let’s do our best to embrace the saints, both in heaven and on earth, all the holy men and women that God puts in our path to help us enjoy this life as we travel to our final destination (from Conclusion page 131)

Girlfriends and Other Saints would make a terrific Mother’s Day gift for the mom in your life, or for your best girlfriend.

The Fine Print: I was provided a copy of this book from Teresa Tomeo Communications for the purpose of this review. I was not compensated in any form for the review. Opinions expressed here are mine alone. Amazon links are affiliate links; thank you for supporting my website by purchasing through my Amazon links.