• Surprised by Motherhood

  • Everything I Never Expected About Being a Mom
  • By: Lisa-Jo Baker
  • Narrated by: Lisa-Jo Baker
  • Length: 5 hrs and 9 mins
  • 4.6 out of 5 stars (55 ratings)

Prime logo Prime members: New to Audible?
Get 2 free audiobooks during trial.
Pick 1 audiobook a month from our unmatched collection.
Listen all you want to thousands of included audiobooks, Originals, and podcasts.
Access exclusive sales and deals.
Premium Plus auto-renews for $14.95/mo after 30 days. Cancel anytime.
Surprised by Motherhood  By  cover art

Surprised by Motherhood

By: Lisa-Jo Baker
Narrated by: Lisa-Jo Baker
Try for $0.00

$14.95/month after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

Buy for $19.49

Buy for $19.49

Pay using card ending in
By confirming your purchase, you agree to Audible's Conditions of Use and Amazon's Privacy Notice. Taxes where applicable.

Publisher's summary

Most people who talk about motherhood start out by telling you how much they always wanted to be a mom.

Not Lisa-Jo Baker. She was 18 and growing up in South Africa when her mom died, and she swore she would never have kids. But then she fell in love with an American boy with cowboy-green eyes, married him, and now, a decade and two continents later, they have three. This is the unlikely story of how she got there.

Along the way, she has discovered three key things about motherhood. One, motherhood is hard. Two, motherhood is glorious. Three, motherhood is very hard. And while she wouldn’t trade it, she would throw out all the parenting advice that made her feel like she was somehow failing this test of womanhood. Because all the "what to expect" books in the world can never truly prepare you for the sheer exhilaration, joy, and terrifying love that accompanies motherhood.This audiobook is a reminder that being a mom isn’t about succeeding at some parenting checklist - it’s about what motherhood prepares us for while we’re busy preparing for it; how a new identity brings new meaning for our future and new appreciation of our past; and how there is wonder to be found in the daily merry-go-round of dishes, laundry, and tiny humans.

©2014 Tyndale House (P)2014 Oasis Audio

What listeners say about Surprised by Motherhood

Average customer ratings
Overall
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    42
  • 4 Stars
    8
  • 3 Stars
    2
  • 2 Stars
    3
  • 1 Stars
    0
Performance
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    38
  • 4 Stars
    3
  • 3 Stars
    0
  • 2 Stars
    3
  • 1 Stars
    0
Story
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    35
  • 4 Stars
    7
  • 3 Stars
    1
  • 2 Stars
    2
  • 1 Stars
    0

Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.

Sort by:
Filter by:
  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Thank you.

I just finished listening to this book...and I think it may have changed my life. Thank you Lisa Jo. Thank you Peter.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Refreshingly real and relatable

Beautifully written and read by the author. So refreshingly real. My only complaint? It ended too soon.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Encouragement is a Superpower

Would you consider the audio edition of Surprised by Motherhood to be better than the print version?

It's quite special to hear Lisa-Jo's beautiful South African accent.

What was one of the most memorable moments of Surprised by Motherhood?

When Lisa- Jo describe Jesus knitting through the night, weaving the moments of our life and the surprises together and smiling at the beauty of it all.

What does Lisa-Jo Baker bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

You can hear her deep love for her country, her family, and most of all her God. Listening to her story inspired me.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

No, because I didn't want it to end. I stretched the listening out over days.

Any additional comments?

Lisa-Jo’s book is a Mama’s coming of age tale. As a South-African woman-child, who lost her mother at eighteen Lisa-Jo vowed to never have children, yet Jesus in his great patience and wisdom walked beside her towards a man who loved her something fierce and next to her in a new role (one of many she filled) of “Mama” where He could show her the Father’s ferocious love for his daughter. Lisa-Jo’s words are poetic, oftentimes heartbreaking, always Shalom soaked. The truth in her story made me whole. While listening to her read, healing occurred in the deep places where my own hurts around motherhood hid behind lies. Seriously, I think I fell in love with both Jesus and my family anew after listening to, “Surprised by Motherhood”.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful