Breathing Room by Leeana Tankersley

No matter what you look like on the outside, Tankersley writes, if you are hurting on the inside, this book is for you. If you are holding your breath, holding it all together, this book gives you the encouragement to exhale.

Tankersley shares her own experience of coming apart on the inside. She had concentrated so much on the needs of her young twins she had forgotten about herself. She writes about the toxic voice that says you'll never be good enough. She rejected parts of herself, she tried to pray yet there were no words. She experienced depression and panic. She is honest about the ways she tried to satisfy the ache in her soul, tried to fix what she felt was broken.

She shares the lessons she has learned: sharing life with friends, making amends, stealing time for herself, reaching out for help, learning to mourn, and learning to pay attention to the moments of insanity. She arrived at a place where she gave herself permission to choose herself, to be a friend to herself, to laugh, to recognize the fullness. She discovered she could go to a space called her own to meet with God.

This book is an encouragement to mothers of young children. Tankersley went with her navy SEAL husband to Bahrain for his tour. She took her toddler twins and then gave birth to a daughter while there. There were times she felt like she was living at the corner of “Lost” and “Overwhelmed.” She adds some humor too, like the time she and her family were out to eat. Her brain was so completely tangled, when it was time to pay, she pulled a pack of wipes from her purse, opened the plastic lid and handed one to the cashier. Receiving a strange look, Tankersley realized what she had done.

Tankersley is a Christian and writes from that perspective. This book is not full of Bible verses or theological instruction. It is full of suggestions and encouragement born from experience. If you feel like you are sinking and need a lifeline, this is a good book to read. It would be a good book to give to a young mother who is overwhelmed with all that life and children can throw at her.

Leeana Tankersley holds English degrees from Liberty University and West Virginia University. Her navy SEAL husband is currently stationed in San Diego, where they livewith their three children. She writes about living on her blog, www.leeanatankersley.com.

Revell, 221 pages.

I received a complimentary copy of this book through the Book Club Network for the purpose of an independent and honest review.