The Middle Matters: Why That (Extra)Ordinary Life Looks Really Good on You

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 twenty 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

With her ability to laugh at herself and her mistakes, Lisa-Jo Baker continues to gather women around her into a community that is tired of hearing how things are supposed to be (perfect or easy) and passionate about hearing how things actually are (hard, scary, stretching, and wonderful). A former attorney, sought-after national speaker, and longtime community manager at (in)courage, Lisa-Jo is the best-selling author of Never Unfriended and Surprised by Motherhood. Her writings have resonated with thousands and have been featured on HuffPost Parents, BibleGateway, Fox News, Christianity Today, IF:Table, and more. She is the cohost of the Out of the Ordinary podcast and lives just outside Washington, DC, with her husband of more than twenty years and their three very loud kids.