There aren’t many things in life that can grow your character like parenting. To have mini versions of yourself walking around your home, daily exposing the things you dislike most about yourself is quite a unique experience. A whole gaggle of them, well, you get the picture…
And yet, God has called us to the task!
Throughout my years of parenting, I have read endless books on the subject. I did not at all feel equipped or prepared to be a mother. With every page I turned, I hoped to find that one tidbit of advice that could finally make me feel like I’ve got it all under control. Some formula, some reward system that would be a guarantee to the perfectly raised child who would be forever grateful to their mother for their perfect upbringing. (Insert all your eyerolls and sighs…)
The last couple of years I had given up this task, feeling every book just made me feel more confused and helpless. (Maybe that was just entering the world of raising teens!) There just wasn’t a self-help book that could provide a magic pill of happiness!
It was about this time last year that I received an email advertising a new parenting book being released. It was called Parenting: 14 Gospel Principles That Can Radically Change Your Family, by Paul David Tripp. I would normally have skipped over it thinking I didn’t have time for it, but we were getting close to starting another year of meetings with our Moms and Munchkins group at church and I thought it looked like a great resource to purchase and give away a few copies to the moms. It was a cheap introductory price so I went ahead and bought one for myself as well, just in case.
When I read the intro I was already in tears. I have read more parenting books on the market than I would probably ever like to admit, but this one is like nothing I’ve ever read before! It has drastically changed the way I view parenting and really even living the Christian life! There’s one major premise that I needed thrown in my face, I am a sinner raising sinners.
My three greatest takeaways…
- I am still a work in progress and I am more like my children than different. I have a lot of character to develop myself!
- Feeling inadequate is not only normal, but it’s the point. Parenting should cause me to run to Jesus!
- Every conversation and interaction with my children is a chance to point them to the cross. God, in His infinite wisdom and grace, cares about every moment we spend molding their hearts and gives us those opportunities daily.
Even if you aren’t in the traditional role of Parenting, I recommend reading this book! If you are a foster parent, a teacher, Sunday School worker, or a daycare provider you can benefit from this! Honestly, if you interact with other humans in any way, there’s no harm in reading it!
Here are a few purchase options for you:
If you purchase and read it, come back and give me your opinion!
May you be blessed,
Sarra
tenand2 