Book Spotlight: "Create Anyway" & Thoughts On My First Book Club

On July 14th, 2023, my mom gifted me this book for my twenty-third birthday and I decided to start a virtual book club.

I didn't know what the heck I was doing, I just knew I wanted to read a really good book with some fellow mamas.

In my perfect world, ladies would gather in my living room every Monday night to talk about the week's reading. We'd sip cocoa and everyone would bring their slippers!

But alas, the friends of mine who I knew would love this book lived scattered across the world. We were all nursing or rocking babies in the evening, or much too busy to commit to a regular meetup. Not to mention I live in a tiny renovated basement with barely enough space for my family and I, much less hosting large groups!

The excuses piled up for months before I finally decided ENOUGH!

I opened Instagram and without thinking for too long, I posted these words:

"I am going to lead a virtual book club, with this gem! Who would like to join?! 

Who: Current or soon-to-be mamas! If you are an artist in any capacity or have a creative hobby (think photographer, writer, teacher, seamstress, baker, potter, decorator, gardener, painter, anything!) and desire to integrate creativity into your motherhood in a faith-filled way, this is for you!

What: We will read one chapter per week of “Create Anyway” by Ashlee Gadd. There are 19 short chapters in all! At the end of each chapter are two activities that we will complete on our own, and then share about with one another, in the chat! One is a creative exercise, one is a journaling prompt! Expect light reading each week and a chunk of time to complete the activity & journaling! (These will not be expensive, time consuming, or stressful! These are designed to help mamas find joy, so trust me, it’ll be good!) 

Where: Virtually! We will communicate via a group Instagram DM!

When: We will start on August 1st, so you have plenty of time to get your hands on a copy! (Purchase or borrow!)

Why: This book highlights the beauty of a mother who creates, alongside her children, despite her circumstances! It has impacted me greatly and I would love to inspire other mamas with it as well! God sees us in the modern trenches of motherhood and meets us there, often times in artistically fulfilling ways, if we let Him! The daily motions of motherhood can be a sweet offering of praise and devotion to God, sometimes we just need a little encouragement or guidance! 

Pray about this! And then comment below (or send me a DM) to commit! If you have any questions, let me know! We will have fun, inspire one another, hold each other accountable, create beautiful things, and give lots of grace & encouragement!"

For almost six months, I journeyed through Ashlee Gadd's book with fellow mamas from around the world! One friend wasn't able to purchase a copy in her country so I took photos of the pages each week to send her. Another friend was moving and managed to keep her copy unpacked and nearby during the transition! I had never been a member of a virtual book club, so I had no frame of reference for how to lead one well. I did not do it perfectly, by any stretch. But I just DID IT. And I had FUN! I drew up assignment sheets every week and tried to remember to send them out every Tuesday. Initially, there was a buzz of chatter in our group chat! Everyone submitted responses to the creative prompts each week, and it was a dream!

After a while, I dropped the ball with assignment sheets each week and conversation started to fizzle out. As we neared the end of the book and only a few ladies were still caught up, I let everyone off the hook and encouraged them to finish the book at their own pace. It was easy for me get caught up on how imperfectly I led the group, but I chose to lean into the joy instead. I learned so much, and am eager to lead another group! I was proud of myself for taking Ashlee's message to heart when she challenged us to put our fears, insecurities, doubts, and excuses aside and create something beautiful in the (albeit small) margins of motherhood. All for the glory of God, too!

I'm not sure what I loved more- Ashlee's wit and encouragement, the stunning film photographs, or the compelling quotes laced throughout the book! There was so much to love about this book and I highly recommend it to busy moms who are craving creativity because the chapters are short and easy to apply right away. You can read it quickly, or slowly, and like me, keep it front and center on your bookshelf for easy reference when you just need an artistic kick-in-the-pants!