Everyday Heroism: 28 Daily Reflections on the Little Way of Motherhood

Allison Auth reviews a book of reflections for moms by Catholic Mom contributing writer Christine Hanus.

Everyday Heroism: 28 Daily Reflections on the Little Way of Motherhood

By Christine M. Hanus

In Everyday Heroism: 28 Daily Reflections on the Little Way of Motherhood, Christine Hanus shares delightfully amusing anecdotes of her challenges in raising (mostly) boys, combined with her wisdom gained from those experiences. Each short chapter concludes with a Scripture verse, quote, and prayer that perfectly sums up each reflection and encapsulates so well the point she was trying to make. 

The first set of reflections highlights the spirituality of Saint Thérèse of Lisieux and the Little Way, characterized by small acts of love. Christine does a great job showing how mothers perform heroic acts every day, and these acts can transform our hearts and souls. 

She then goes on to consider the aspects of the morning offering and spends several reflections on the themes of prayers, works, joys, sorrows, and sufferings of the vocation to motherhood. I particularly appreciated the reflections on joy, and the one on discipline was very convicting for me as well. It was also a good reminder that the corporal works of mercy are accomplished regularly in our household as we feed the hungry and clothe the naked. 

The Heroic Acts of Everyday Motherhood

Hanus drives home the point that motherhood is a tremendous undertaking and that performing little acts of love every day for our children is truly heroic. She gives ideas for daily prayer and how to invite God into the little, imperfect, and often messy moments of our day. Her chapters are a roadmap to growing in holiness one day at a time. 

I felt truly seen in my own cooking, cleaning, and parenting, all while trying to make sense of the hidden life of a mother. Hanus encourages the reader constantly that, “each duty, each hum-drum, menial task, can be used as an offering of ourselves to God.” It’s often easier to say I love you than to show it through our works, but that’s exactly what we do for our family and to God when we serve our family day in and day out. It’s not an easy way, but our suffering is transformative for ourselves and our children when united to Christ. After all, the “little” way that we are following is the path to Heaven. 

The determination to offer everything to God, especially when we feel he is not present to us, is truly heroic. Jesus experienced this feeling during his Passion and he continued trusting the Father. In his mercy, Jesus then sent us the Holy Spirit, so that we would have the strength to live the life he is calling us to. He also gave us the Sacraments, which are a sure well-spring of abundant graces. (116) 

I appreciated Hanus’ insight into kids’ antics and family life, knowing that she raised five kids (like myself). Now that her children are older, her words carry more weight as she has seen them grow into adults. She has the perspective to share that the little heroic acts truly are transformative. 

This is the liberating truth: A life offered to God is the only life that can bring us true freedom. When our days as wives and mothers become encounters with the living God, we begin to experience the kind of fulfillment that goes far deeper than a diploma on a wall, or the fact that we are forty-five and still have tight abs. What the world values is often ephemeral. But we know better. (149) 

Christine Hanus gives a gift to moms everywhere by helping them pause each day and consider the small, heroic acts of the “Little Way” of motherhood. From the laugh-out-loud stories of raising four boys (and one girl) to the spiritual richness of the wisdom gleaned from years of experience, there is something for every mom in this book. For any mother who wants to grow in holiness through their vocation, this book gives you a path forward. 

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Copyright 2025 Allison Auth
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