It is with great pleasure that Recharge Wednesday features an interview with my friend Katie Reid about her awesome new book, Made Like Martha. Join us below and leave a comment to encourage Katie and for a chance to win a copy of her book. Linkup with us and share your latest blog with our audience!
In His wonderful love,
Patricia (one who is certainly Made Like Martha!)
- What drew you to write a book about the story of Mary and Martha? What is unique about your interpretation of this story?
If Martha had a fan club, I would be president of it. I so relate to Martha and her ultra- responsible ways. For years, this passage in Luke 10 bothered me. If nobody works, nobody eats, right? I really wanted Jesus to tell Mary to get up and help her sister out. But upon closer examination, I realized how much Jesus loved Martha and wanted her to know that too. He wasn’t asking her to neglect her responsibilities but to trust Him to care for her.
Made Like Martha is written for those who love checking things off their to-do lists and who may feel some angst when they read this account in Luke. It is written from the perspective of a doer for other doers (although Mary-types are enjoying it too…it is helping them understand their Martha-friends better).
- You make a fascinating comparison between Satan’s twisting of God’s words to Eve in Genesis and our interpretation of Jesus’s words to Martha. Tell us more about that.
This was one of the most exciting revelations God gave me during the book writing process. The blinders came off and I could see how we’ve been allowing Satan to discount our design by adding to what Jesus said to Martha, in Luke 10.
Jesus did not say that there was something wrong with being made like Martha. And He never asked Martha to be Mary.
Jesus pointed out one thing that Martha needed to work on but He wasn’t criticizing the totality of who she was. We don’t have to apologize for being doers because we are designed that way, on purpose. Let’s stop buying into the lie that correction equals rejection.
Good works should be our response to His love but they aren’t a means to obtain (or keep) His love. His love for us has been proven and settled once and for all, on the cross.@Katie_M_Reid Click To TweetI can’t wait to see modern Marthas freed to be the women He has designed them to be; fearfully and wonderfully made.
- What do you mean by “stop striving for what is already yours”?
Many of us are trying to earn God’s approval and favor, but as I mentioned before, we already have that if we are in Christ. I spent so much time and energy trying to prove I was worthy of God’s love. But when we realize we don’t have to strive for what is already ours, we walk taller and freer, knowing that our worth is not dependent on our productivity but cemented in Christ.
My brother is a few years younger than me; he has Down Syndrome. His worth is not based on how productive he is, nor is mine. We have worth because God says so, and it’s not based on how many items we check off our list. Now, our to-do list has value but it does not determine our value. We could never do enough to achieve our salvation. We are saved by grace and not works.
- You contrast a “hired help mentality” with a “beloved daughter” way of thinking. What is the difference? How do we live out that difference?
A hired help mentality is one that thinks it’s all up to you to take care of yourself, like your worth is based on what you do and you might lose what you have if you aren’t good enough.
A beloved daughter’s mentality is based in trust; knowing that love is not based on what you do but based on who you belong to. A beloved daughter knows she is adored even when she messes up.
1 Peter 5:7 in The Message reads, “Live carefree before God because He is most careful with you.”
Some of us have taken on things that were never ours to manage. In our ultra-responsible mindset we have placed extra weight upon ourselves, bogging us down with worry and exhaustion. As God teaches us how to live like a daughter instead of a slave we begin to cast off the heavy weight we have been carrying and place it upon His most capable shoulders.
God has works prepared for us to do—but our position in Him is not dependent on our behavior or performance. Isn’t that such good news?! @Katie_M_Reid Click To Tweet
Katie M. Reid encourages others to find grace in the unraveling of life at katiemreid.com. She is a devoted wife and mom to five children. She is a fan of cut-to-the-chase conversations over iced tea. Katie is also a national speaker, bible study facilitator, and author of Made Like Martha: Good News for the Woman Who Gets Things Done.
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LINKUP PARTY is open! Today, I feature an interview with my friend @Katie_M_Reid about her new book #MadeLikeMartha - Comment for a chance to win a copy! Click To Tweet
OH, goodness: “hired help” vs. “beloved daughter” gets at some many of the mental struggles that go on in my head about my own role in the Kingdom of God! Thanks, Katie, for taking on the challenge of unpacking the lovely life of my friend Martha.
Hi Michele!
Praying that message brings encouragement and freedom in new, amazing ways. Good to “see” you!
Katie, I’m so glad our position in Christ doesn’t change by our works. Instead, it’s stable and a sure foundation…no matter what. Love this, “He wasn’t asking her to neglect her responsibilities but to trust Him to care for her.” I’m so excited about the Martha’s this book is going to reach, including me. Mine is supposed to be here tomorrow. 🙂
Hi Karen! Thanks so much, friend. So grateful for our position in His hearts. What grace!
Yes, so important that we embrace how God designed us. In a team we need our thinkers and our doers. If we just have all thinkers, then we might get stuck on making any decisions and no doing gets done! Thanks for the review and for Katie to write a book that helps doers accept who they are AND how God loves them for just as they are.
Right on, Lynn! The world needs both types!
I am very much a Martha! And while I recognize at times I need to be a bit more like Mary to take time to rest, God absolutely made me to be responsible and productive. This sounds like a wonderful book!
Yay, Melissa! You are wonderfully made.
We need Marthas and we need Marys. The error comes when one is made to feel less than and too often it has been Martha, though if she didn’t cook no one would eat!
As always the wisdom is in the balance and it sounds like this book addresses that.
Yes! The world needs both. And for so long Martha’s have gotten a bad rap. Thankful for both my Mary and Martha friends!
I went after Mary in my studies, I was exhausted not sitting at His feet. It’s natural that some people are more go getters and we are to be doers, but not over doers, and people pleasing isn’t what He’s about either, that sense of having to, I suppose it does make you feel like forced labor or the hired hand, instead of just enjoying your life and family. What a freedom to be the beloved daughter, Mary was comfortable in His presence and Martha was trying to earn His love.
Hi Rebecca! Yes, such freedom in both types knowing they are beloved…whether they are sitting or serving. 🙂
I have seen several bloggy friends reviewing this book and it sounds amazing. Thanks for the lessons. laurensparks.net
Hi Lauren: Yay! And thanks so much. You can read the first chapter over here if you’re interested in learning more: https://www.katiemreid.com/made-like-martha/
I really relate to your last paragraph above Katie, I took on the responsibility of others far too much… above & beyond what was within the boundaries that was God’s will for me to take on…of patients, of family, of friends, of church, of ministry…..I have now learnt, through chronic ill health, to be Mary…. sitting at the feet of Jesus, trusting Him….
You’re most welcome to drop by for a cuppa,
Jennifer
Great review shared on Facebook
I enjoyed the review of”Made Like Martha” . I found it in a post shared by Noelle.
Katie, a sentence in your interview really struck a chord with me so much so that I wrote it in my journal and put an asterisk alongside it. I quote: “Let’s stop buying into the lie that correction equals rejection.” Wow! How true but I had never connected the dots before. Thank you for this insight. I look forward to reading your book, maybe even a free copy. 🙂
I was wondering … did you read #23 (the “Lifenotes” one) in the link-up list? I don’t know if it matters to you, but she is criticizing Christian Crisis Pregnancy Centers for tricking women into keeping their babies instead of giving them all their “reproductive health-care options”. She says she’s not advocating abortion, but she really is defending it. She uses “love others” as a way of basically saying that we shouldn’t add additional burden to an already-stressed woman by trying to convince her to keep her baby. She says “love others” is the greatest commandment. It’s not. It’s “love God.” Anyway, I don’t know if you disagree or agree with her, but I’m letting you know about this in case you didn’t want this post linked to your blog. Blessings to you!
Hi, Heather.
No, I did not see that post and do NOT agree with her views as posted. Thank you for bringing it to my attention. I would like to formally state that I firmly believe that the Bible is very clear that life starts at conception (Psalm 139) and that murder is a sin. Abortion IS murder and, although I do recognize that some Christians behave as haters towards those who commit abortion (very contrary to how Christ addressed sin), the greatest majority of Christians who counsel mothers against abortion do it out of love for God and life and without condemnation.
Thank you again for your participation and comment.
Blessings,
“Stop Striving for what is already yours.” THAT!! That right there, says it all!! Perfect!
I’ve already heard a lot of buzz around this book! Can’t wait to get my hands on a copy! 🙂