Life is messy.  No one knows this better than Lynne Spears, mother of famous daughters Britney and Jamie Lynn Spears.

I must admit, when I learned that Thomas Nelson had published a book by the famous pop singer’s Mom, I was puzzled.  I had believed what too many viewers believe of the reports in the media.  I was tired of the Britney stories and weary of her outrageous behavior.  I never stopped to think about her mother and family. 

The fact is, I think most people view celebrities and their families as somehow different from “regular folks.”   What I learned from the book, however, is that Lynn Spears is not unlike myself in many ways.  As a seasoned mother of adult and teen children, I have some of the same notes in my “woulda-coulda-shoulda” files she that she has.  I have my own regrets.  Any mother worth her salt has them.  And Lynne Spears is no different.  (And lest you are quick to judge either me or Lynne, your precious cherubs have most likely not hit their teen and adult years yet!)

In this book, Lynn Spears is courageously vulnerable in and honest.  Without whining, she explains how the unexpected, whirlwind path to fame affected her relationships with her children, and reveals the deep pain of her mother-heart.  Outside of celebrity, regular life still goes on.  Just what prepares any of us to know how to manage the beast of fame and fortune?   Certainly Lynne’s simple, Louisiana upbringing on a dairy farm had not. 

“Through the storm” Lynne reminds us to trust our gut mother-instincts even when everything and everyone around us is telling us not to.  She reminds us that we are not alone when our children hurt us, disappoint us, and worry us.  When we feel ashamed for our children or ourselves, God is there with His grace to carry us through.

I highly recommend this book for any parent with a struggling teen or adult child.  It will encourage you to stay strong and trust God to make it to the other side of the pain and hurt where there may be scars, but overcoming makes it worth it all.