Morgan, an author and speaker who is best known to evangelical Christian moms as the CEO and president of MOPS (Mothers of Preschoolers) International, attempts a comparison between the Bible's definition of spiritual fruit as detailed in Galatians 5:22-23 and the edible kind. Morgan (Mom to Mom
; Meditations for Mothers
) tells readers "Fruit is the result of growth." Christians must invest their energies in rooting themselves in Bible reading and prayer by committing to daily appointments with God in order to bring forth spiritual fruit. Specifically, said fruit is made up of such qualities as love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Morgan is quick to remind readers that it is Jesus who accomplishes the miraculous task of transforming ill-tempered, short-fused moms into women who embrace their parenting role through God's grace. Jesus' words and actions, writes Morgan, didn't always come across as "nice"; he peeled away the outer facades of those he encountered and directed them to stop sinning, repent and live courageously. Despite its endearing premise, Morgan's basic primer on developing a fruit-filled life will be helpful only to readers who are newer to the Christian faith. More ripened believers will not find much to savor in this lightweight resource. (Sept.)
