From work to looks to parenting, today’s society often seems to require us to be perfect in every way. Imperfection has become a thing, too, now. We encourage authenticity and imperfection in others, yet deep down most of us still want to achieve perfection. The desire to be perfect is actually a God-given urge. But there is a difference between perfect and perfectionism. In her book, Kim Hyland offers a manifesto of the imperfect woman to help us embrace the grace of God as we acknowledge our imperfections and limitations.

Striving for perfection is a weakness of mine, for sure. That is why I grabbed this book. Anything to speak sense into that striving that I tend to fall into again and again. An Imperfect Woman is truly a manifesto of the imperfect woman. In her book, Kim Hyland offers situations and circumstances where she has faced perfectionism. I could relate to these so often and I was so thankful for the grace she poured onto these pages.

So the content on this book was great. However, I had a hard time with Kim Hyland’s writing style as it was quite choppy. There were also a lot of quotes from the Scriptures. Now, having Scriptures is not a bad thing — no. But there were chapters, which consisted of pages and pages of Scriptures quoted. For a sermon, I think it would have worked. Yet in a book like this, it seemed to make whole thing very choppy. This is not a bad thing in it self, though. Just a matter of preference, I would think.

So if you are looking for a book that speaks to the person inside of you that is striving for perfection? This book might just be that.

"An Imperfect Woman: letting go of the need to have it all together" is a must-read for all women; I know I needed to read this and will need to be re-reading it several times I'm sure as a gentle reminder! Life is so hectic and busy and we as women feel like we need to carry the façade that we have it all together and are living this perfect life, in a perfect home with the perfect family, etc. However, all we are doing is holding ourselves up to standards that are not realistic and are taking our focus from living our life how God has intended and instead of relying on His grace and guidance we are trying to do it all. This book is just amazing. It flows so nicely and I found myself reading page after page, chapter after chapter as so much of it was exactly what I needed to hear. Also, I loved the questions that are included at the end of each chapter for personal reflection and/or group discussion. I highly recommend this book!

Enjoyed how she wrote about going the steps of faith. Her writing was smooth and beautiful. She gives me hope while I make my through my faith, will be on shelf. Highy recommend .

If you’ve ever struggled with being a perfectionist; had a problem comparing yourself negatively with other women; or had a “to-do” list to appear that you have everything together, this is a book you should read.

Kim Hyland writes in a candid manner about her struggles with those issues and how it affected her life as well as the life of her family. It was only when she began to see herself as God sees her that she could allow His overflowing grace in her life.

This is a well-written book filled with Scripture and encouragement. It was comforting and challenging. I look forward to reading more from this author.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher. I was not required to give a positive review. This is my honest opinion of the book.

I’m a big fan of brave women who are willing to admit they aren’t perfect. Kim Hyland is one of those brave women.

In her first book, she speaks about letting go of perfect ideals as a woman, wife, and parent. I enjoyed her humble perspective and her self-effacing humor. She even puts poems at the beginning of some chapters, which wins points for me as a poet. She tells story after story about how she let go of perfectionism and let God heal her.

The scene that stands out most to me in the book is when she took her young son to the doctor to have a tick removed. She had to help restrain her young son, along with a nurse, while the doctor extracted the danger.

Her young son looked up at her in fear and childhood ignorance. She knew what she was doing had to be done, even though his cries of “It hurts, Mama, it hurts!” over and over broke her heart. After the ordeal was finished, she held him and rocked him. He still said, “It hurt, Mama, it hurt,” over and over.

She realized that his cries were just like her cries to God. God sometimes doesn’t remove our pain. He may feel far away and unkind in our moments of suffering. But He’s there all the time, watching over us as imperfect women. He has a good plan in place, even when we don’t understand why the pain is necessary. He allows the pain for our greater good. All He asks is that we cry out to Him for help. He also wants us to tell him our hurts, even after they are over. He wants us to know Him in close relationship. Kim’s book affirms these truths in an honest voice.

Quotes I enjoyed from An Imperfect Woman:
- Abba is the Jewish word for daddy. This is the image of a beloved daughter who cries out in humility and weakness, but in power too because of the strength of her daddy.
- Why is it so easy to slip back into perfectionism? It is because we are made for Eden. Our hearts are forever longing to return to that place of perfection.
- Only Jesus can satisfy our hearts’ longing for perfection. But it takes a humility that is willing to forsake our pride and its many manifestations.
- As I tried so hard to live up to a constantly changing standard of perfection, I forgot my true end as a wife and mom: becoming a woman of peace who both enjoyed and reflected the love and grace of God to her family.
- Entrusting ourselves wholeheartedly to a sovereign God we can’t even see, much less comprehend, is a lifelong process. It’s hard, but it’s our surest hope for security.

Thank you to Netgalley for a free preview copy of this book.