Rachel’s upbringing in the faith is different from most, because she was raised in an intentional Christian community, where she still lives. Don’t let her unique experience stop you from reading this encouraging look at being your best for God, structured around the story of the woman at the well.

The value of anyone’s spiritual journey, especially if it is undertaken with a sincere desire to come closer to God, should never be questioned. However, not every such journey merits a published memoir. While No Such Thing As Ordinary: Unlocking Your Extraordinary Life through Everyday Encounters with Jesus, by Rachel Balducci has much to recommend it, only a very narrow audience will find it worthy of a read.

Balducci, host of a talk show on Catholic TV, author and social media influencer (with more than 9K followers on Instagram), chronicles her quest for deeper purpose, meaning and fulfillment in mid-life as wife and mother. This “personal journey” is organized around a compelling scriptural metaphor (Woman at the Well), explores important spiritual principles (Trust, Healing trough Truth, Conversion) and spotlights sacred, grace-filled practices of the Catholic faith (Eucharistic Adoration and spiritual direction). The author’s voice is often authentic and sometimes wise, such as when she writes “God opposes the proud, and he give his grace to the humble. It is a step in humility to turn our gaze from ourselves to God,” and “Surrender is about starting to look at yourself not from the outside in but from the inside out. Surrender is a major paradigm shift, not a quick transformation.”

But at other times, the author’s observations seem naïve and tone-deaf, such as when this mother of six children, admits that, yes, Jesus might be the “something missing” in a woman’s life, but another child might also fill that hole. Despite the title, most of the content is quite ordinary: the writing is largely expository and the anecdotes mundane. For example, the author’s husband and father to her brood is mentioned only in passing; her children are mentioned by name and age in service to a life-story timeline. As such, there is little between the covers to set this book apart from the ghastly gaggle of “girlfriend” guides by white Christian women clogging the market of spiritual non-fiction these days.

There is no doubt an audience for another Be-Happy Mommy book by a social media darling, especially among traditionalist Catholics with large families who seek validation of their choices and roles. However, many more mothers crave well-crafted prose, sophisticated humor, compelling characters, thoughtful insights and advice about managing complex family situations that challenge faith, such as abuse, addiction, divorce, and grief. They seek advice from a fellow traveler, someone who has experienced and understands the many trajectories, seasons and permutations of a mothering life. They thirst for spiritual memoir that confronts as well as comfort, both spiritually and intellectually.

Balducci does acknowledge that her personal and motherhood challenges are commonplace and any spiritual doubts minor, but before dispensing advice to others, another admission seems necessary: any authority she offers as a guide has as much to do with privilege as it does authentic spiritual vision. Precious few mothers yearning for more beyond the next diaper change have the position, affluence, education and good fortune of a loving marriage, conditions necessary for the author’s success story that pivots from motherhood to a media and teaching career. Fewer still have husbands who gift trips to Italy for 40th birthdays, along with audiences with the Pope, the subject of her concluding chapter. “It will blow your mind the things God will do,” she writes. No kidding.

Balducci’s advice to find God in the ordinary is encouraging, and her advice to “let Jesus into all the parts of my heart and soul” is sound. But the assertion that “I’m armed with the tools I need to take a stand for life—every life. And so are you,” will hardly ring true for every mother.

A wonderful book of finding peace and purpose in the day to day craziness of life.
Drawing from Jesus’s conversation with the woman at the well in the Gospel of John, Rachel Balducci shares how one can seek deeper meaning and peace to quench that thirst we all feel. Using examples from her faith journey, as well as from spiritual directors she has worked with over the years, Balducci provides a very approachable, and useful guide to quieting the voices of doubt and criticism that plague so many of us.

Feeling stuck in life? Wanting more? Feeling like you should feel closer to God than you do? This book hit on three important aspects of my life that I was looking for guidance in. Rachel made me realize I was going about things the wrong way, looking for something I shouldn’t necessarily be looking for because it wasn’t really what I needed at this moment in time, what I need is for Jesus to quench my thirst before I can truly understand what I am thirsty for, and to get there I need daily time spent in prayer - I need to make it a point to spend time with him everyday and pray so I can have a connection with him and feel fulfilled. If you’re feeling stuck in life, this is a great book to help you get to a point where you are unstuck.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thank you to Ave Maria Press and NetGalley for the advanced copy of this book!

This book is something every woman needs to hear. Rachel’s willingness to be vulnerable helps you see you are not alone. Her encouragement is heartfelt.

I have long felt that God has big things for me to do. It’s so good to hear that the opportunity for that is not over. It’s also great to hear that doing daily life in love is a big work for God. Rachel’s reminders that God can work wherever you are, whenever you’re ready, is inspiring.

I will post this review to Goodreads today 1/26/22. I will post to retail sites and Instagram on the date of publication, 3/11/22.

Perfection is never a prerequisite for deeper relationship with Jesus. - Rachel Balducci

No Such Thing as Ordinary is a book that I think will resonate with many women, regardless of the phase of life they may be in. We all have something to offer to Jesus regardless of how busy or not we find ourselves in our daily lives. Jesus can use us in the most mundane tasks or the most extraordinary tasks, the key is in the offering our tasks to be used.

Ms. Balducci uses the story of the woman at the well to illustrate how Jesus can use us in all circumstances. She drives home the point that even if our lives do not match what we thought they would look like, nothing is wasted. We can find contentment and fulfillment by focusing on the here and now and what our particular phase of life gives us to offer back to the Lord.

Contentment is not found in the world, or by listening to the world telling us what we need to do, the things we need to have, and the ways to accomplish all of this. Contentment can be found when we realize and accept that where we are at any given point in time is not a mistake. God has us right where he wants us in each moment of the day and is waiting to meet us there if we only open our hearts and ask him to. When we realize that who we are rests in our identity in Christ, our priorities and purpose will become exceedingly clear.

I am so grateful to have been given a copy of this book to read. It is so very easy to get caught up in thinking I should be doing something different or my life, which doesn’t look like I thought it would when i was in college, is an example of me wasting time because I am not using my degrees the way I thought I would. Instead, when looked at differently, through the lense of being right were God wants me to be, I see how He is using me and meeting me in my daily life. Nothing is wasted with God and He truly can use all things for good.

Thank you to Ave Maria Press, Rachel Balducci, and NetGalley for a copy of this book in exchange for a review. All opinions expressed here are entirely my own.

"Times in life of great thirst and struggle often start us thinking that something other than what we are doing right now is the thing that will bring true happiness." --Rachel Balducci

I have been praying about this exact thing. Why am I constantly looking to the next thing? And when I reach that goal, or purchase that item or experience that great experience, why do I still feel so empty? These thoughts have been really weighing on me and this book is exactly what I needed to read!

Rachel shares her journey as she explores these feelings and struggles in relation to the story of the woman at the well. Rachel is so open about what she was feeling and the journey she ultimately took that led her to a much deeper and meaningful relationship with Jesus. This isn't a step-by-step how-to book, but Rachel's vulnerability in sharing her story, the experiences she had, the people who influenced her, and the things she did to make changes in her life, make me feel like I now have the knowledge to address my emptiness and to start going deeper in my relationship with Jesus.

I absolutely loved this book. It is one that I will refer to over and over again and one that I will definitely be gifting to friends. I am following Rachel's lead and I can't wait to see where it leads me!

The Promise (Descr from Publisher):

No Such Thing as Ordinary will help you discover the passion and adventure in your life while empowering you to see how God uses daily, here-and-now moments to draw you to him in an extraordinary way.

The Expectation (mine after reading the promise, etc):
I am kind of an odd duck. I not only march to the beat of a different drum.. It's a drum to a completely different band marching on a completely different field. So, this book just drew me in by title alone. It's like I have a permission slip - it's ok to not be "ordinary" & I hope this encourages me to be open to God working through me in extraordinary ways... in spite of myself and in spite of my very ordinary life.


Favorite/Summary Quote:

“Each of us has a deep thirst for something more that helps us push past a willingness to be mediocre.”


What I connected with:

Expectations exceeded!!!

If I had been highlighting in an actual book, I’d need new highlighters. There is nugget after glorious golden nugget in this book. I laughed. I cried. I connected with her struggles of the day in day out of being a wife & mom.

She said something about burnout forcing her surrender & that is EXACTLY where I’m at right now. And “I’m tired and need a nap.” I’m there, too. Surrender is simple in some ways but scary. The author made this far less scary.

I can’t say enough about this wonderful book!


What I struggled with:

I really didn’t struggle with anything other than I really want a hard copy of this book in my hands! In my personal library. Sometimes I felt like there was some repetition, but it wasn’t annoying at all. It was weaving an established, familiar thread from earlier in her book to a new one. This was a fantastic experience!


What I learned:

That I desperately need to surrender to my overwhelming thirst for God in the stillness & quietness of prayer & I can be assured that God not only will show up, He’s already there waiting on me… expecting me. .. knowing that I am coming.


How I was transformed:

I read this book in one sitting because I just couldn’t put it down. I have some peace I didn’t have before over a decision I made recently to walk away from hustle & grind & shut out the noise, heal the burnout and focus only on what God wants in my life through daily adoration. I have affirmation & confirmation & some great motivation and inspiration for doing this in my life starting now. I have no reason to wait. This can be now. This is life changing for me.

I will recommend this to friends and family. I will buy this book as a gift for new brides & new moms. I wish I’d had this book 15 years ago! I definitely want a hard copy of this book!

No Such Thing as Ordinary: Unlocking Your Extraordinary Life Through Everyday Encounters with Jesus is an exquisitely-written book that serves as a trustworthy spiritual companion.

Author Rachel Balducci weaves together personal anecdotes to create a work which illuminates the beauty of a journey with Jesus. She explores the God-sized hole which exists in every human heart and how it can be filled only through a personal encounter with the Lord.

Invoking the example from Scripture of the woman at the well, Balducci shows how we thirst for the living water that God provides. We are satiated when we meet Him in the ordinary circumstances of our lives.

Balducci is a gifted writer who has poured her soul into this spiritual work. She also offers great hope to readers everywhere. As she eloquently states, "We were made for more than our dreams. We were created to aim for far more--for going after a happiness and freedom that can only come from a deep union with God."