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  • The Middle Matters

  • Why That (Extra)Ordinary Life Looks Really Good on You
  • By: Lisa-Jo Baker
  • Narrated by: Lisa-Jo Baker
  • Length: 7 hrs and 23 mins
  • 5.0 out of 5 stars (2 ratings)
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The Middle Matters

By: Lisa-Jo Baker
Narrated by: Lisa-Jo Baker
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Summary

The best-selling author of Never Unfriended opens up about midlife and what it feels like to have outgrown those teenage jeans - but finally grown into the shape of our souls. 

“I want to give Lisa-Jo’s book a standing ovation.” (Aarti Sequeira, chef and TV personality)

Do you ever wonder how you woke up one day with all the responsibilities of a grown-up who secretly enjoys buying groceries in bulk, can no longer recognize the tween celebrities on the magazines at checkout, but is still surprised when a Starbucks barista calls you “ma’am” - because your inside self is frozen in time to about 20 years ago? So does Lisa-Jo Baker. 

In these intimate reflections on midlife, Lisa-Jo invites us to get a good look at our middles and gives us permission to embrace them - beyond what the media, the mirror, or the magazines say. Through gutsy, beautiful storytelling, she admits out loud what most of us are thinking about marriage, parenting, the bathroom scale, and how badly we all want to buy those matching Magnolia Market mugs. Her delicious stories come from not being afraid of who she is, because Lisa-Jo knows that the middle might be the best part of the love story of life, kids, faith, doubt, marriage, failure, wonder, and the muffin top - and that these are all good things. She’s not asking you to seize the day, just to make sure you actually see it for all its wildly ordinary glory. Welcome to the middle!

Praise for The Middle Matters

“What a thought-provoking collection of reflections and wisdom! Through personal stories about love, loss, and life in the middle, Lisa-Jo invites us to take a long look inside our own mind’s secret nooks and crannies, which aren’t nearly as dark, scary, or ordinary as we might think.” (Layla Palmer, The Lettered Cottage blog)

“With captivating wit, hard-won wisdom, and breathtaking honesty, Lisa-Jo has written a love letter to the delicious middle.” (Mandy Arioto, president and CEO of MOPS International and author of Have More Fun)

“With Lisa-Jo’s guts as our unfettered guide, may we finally learn the sumptuous truth of our years: that a grilled cheese sandwich without the middle is just toast.” (Erin Loechner, founder of OtherGoose and author of Chasing Slow)

“Thank you, Lisa-Jo, for reminding women everywhere how important it is to find meaning in the midst of the confusing middle.” (Joy Prouty, artist and educator)

©2019 Lisa-Jo Baker (P)2019 Random House Audio

Critic reviews

“I want to give Lisa-Jo’s book a standing ovation because it’s exactly what’s needed for this particular time, when our ‘ordinary’ lives seem so unextraordinary compared to what we see or hear on our phones. I’m beginning to embrace my middle, physically and metaphorically, and I’m finding the most extraordinary thing: The freedom and the joy I thought was missing in my life? It was there all along.” (Aarti Sequeira, chef, TV personality, journalist and author)

“What a thought-provoking collection of reflections and wisdom! Through personal stories about love, loss, and life in the middle, Lisa-Jo invites us to take a long look inside our own mind’s secret nooks and crannies, which aren’t nearly as dark, scary, or ordinary as we might think. Chapter after chapter, I absorbed the powerful reminder that ‘there’s a rich inheritance waiting for us to claim if only we could get over ourselves and get fully on board with the delight of championing what God is doing’ in our lives - even in our forties!” (Layla Palmer, The Lettered Cottage blog)

“No one writes about motherhood, marriage, and life as Lisa-Jo Baker does. Whether you are entering the middle, are in it, or are beyond it, you’ll find not only yourself in this book but wisdom and encouragement. The Middle Matters is a vulnerable, compelling read that I want to gift to every friend I know.” (Jessica Turner, best-selling author of The Fringe Hours and Stretched Too Thin)

What listeners say about The Middle Matters

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Like balm for my soul

Thoroughly enjoyed listening to Lisa-Jo Baker recount tales from her life. This was like balm for my soul, gave me hope and pointed me back to God repeatedly.

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A gem of a book

I absolutely loved this book! Some of the stories shared were familiar (huge podcast fan), but others were new. Even though I'm not a mother, the most profound chapters for me were the parenting ones. I learnt so much from them! And the faith chapters read like a love letter from God, reminding me that I am loved even with my doubts and fears. Thanks Lisa-Jo for this wonderful book. I will definitely return again and again.

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