Book Review: Ministry of Motherhood

This is review has been a long time coming.  From the moment I picked it up it brought light and encouragement.  I personally go through times where I'm just going through the motions in motherhood and I can imagine there might be other women who can relate to that, too.  This book The Ministry of Motherhood, by Sally Clarkson,  has been a God send!  

The book encourages us as mothers to do more than just "mother" our children, but raise them so that they will grow up to be strong and healthy in every area of their lives.  She talks about how the spritual and emotional maturity of her children would not just come about because she wanted it to or just by an example of her being good.  But that the "effective spiritual, emotional, social training in the lives of her children would have to be intentional and planned."  And so she writes of how she and her husband began to plan and talk about gifts that they wanted to give their children that would last all their lives.  She uses the acronym G.I.F.T.S. to help herself remember the spiritual priorities as their children grew up.

 In the five parts of her book she covers how she and her husband worked to instill Grace, Inspiration, Faith,Training, and Service into the lives of their children.  She gives examples from the Word of how Jesus taught and loved his own disciples.  She points out different ways that Jesus showed and taught these G.I.F.T.S. to them.   Also, she shares her own experiences from her life with her family and tells how she would use everyday opportunities to teach them these G.I.F.T.S.  She never claims to have it all together or that she a perfect parent.  She is real and open. 

This book encouraged me to be intentional in my parenting.  That our children are gifts and we shouldn't let them go to waste.   The things that we teach or don't teach them now will be with them for a lifetime. Also, that we should put a plan in place with a vision that equips our children with these GIFTS for a lifetime. And that motherhood is an important job that is often taken lightly and even more often lightly esteemed.  It is a ministry opportunity unlike any other and we should look at it as our first mission field.   

*I received this book for free from Waterbrook Multnomah in exchange for an honest review.

Book Review: How We Love Our Kids

I was really excited to get this book in. It took me a little while to finish it. I have to have quiet to read and there is very little quiet in house full of boys. Thankfully I found time this afternoon during nap time to finish and I'm glad I did...


When I finished reading How We Love Our Kids I was encouraged to be a better parent. I caught some insight on my flaws and how to overcome them. The book covers 5 different love styles of parenting, what those parenting styles look like as children, and unique qualities to look for in our children. I did have a little difficulty pinpointing my own love style of parenting, but when I looked over the Parent Toolbox in the back of the book it helped me better understand. It also talked about how understanding your children's feelings, validating them, and then helping them communicate their feelings is vital to their success as adults. It gave a great list of "soul word" to help describe those feelings in the Parent Toolbox.

My favorite part of the book came in the final chapters. These chapters go over the seven gifts that every child needs from their parents and how to give them. The gifts are Insights, Comfort, Power, Frustration, Confession, Laughter, and God. Each of these last chapters explain what they are and how to apply them in our families. Also, what can happen if these gifts aren't received. The final chapter covers the gift of God and was the best way to tie the book up. It talks about how we as parents have an important job in reflecting God's love to our children and how God has set up a blueprint for parenting. Milan and Kay Yerkovich pull it all together by pointing to God's word, stating that God is love and how he relates to us in 3 primary ways bringing about results only He can bring. I think I like this chapter the most because of this exert...

"God is our perfect model for parenting. If we imitate God's love as detailed in 1 Corinthians 13, we will see our kids, seeking to know them for who they are, always trying to understand and meet their deepest needs. We'll initiate relationship by entering their world and walking toward the miracle and the mess, even when our kids don't appreciate it. We'll teach them to manage the consequences of their actions, but always with the loving goal of repair and restoration of relationship. And we'll seek to find the balance of offering justice in love. At times parenting will require great sacrifice. We'll have to give up some of our freedom, endure losses, and sometimes grieve, but we must never give up trying to break down barriers that separate our kids from love. This is what God does."

This last chapter energized me as a parent. It reminded me that being a parent isn't a job...it is a ministry probably one of the most important ministries there is. We set the pace for these little ones and is not something to be taken lightly. What an incredible responsibility and gift! I am very grateful to have had the opportunity to read this book.

***I received this book for free from Waterbrook Multnomah in exchange for an honest review.

Book Review: Prayer Walk by Janet Holm McHenry

So I was so excited to get this book in. I ordered it right before our move and received it a week after we got here. However it has taken me far too long to get this post up. I blame it on the lack of internet here at the house. So I'll get right to it...

It is definitely that time of year when people are priming themselves for a change. Prayer Walk is good book to start the New Year with. Janet Holm McHenry leads her readers through her own experience with prayer walking. She writes about her dealings with depression, weight, and the overall blahs in her life and how the Father lead her to overcome those things by committing to walking and praying every morning. In her book, she talks about how she began to pray for her community as she walked and the awesome changes she saw as result. She hits the basics of how to prepare yourself, so that you're less likely to hit that snooze button when morning comes. She talks about how to pray, how to stay focused, and how to make time for prayer walking. I was encouraged and can't wait to give prayer walking a try.

~I received this book for free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group for this review.

Mercy Come Morning Book Review

I finally finished Mercy Come Morning by Lisa Tawn Bergren. It was previously released as Christmas Every Morning. The story is about Krista Mueller a college history professor who has made a life for herself far from everyone who loves her. But when Krista recieves news that her mother, who has been battling alszheimers for many years, is in her final days she rushes back to her hometown in New Mexico. Upon arriving Krista is faced with old feelings of bitterness and unforgiveness for her mother who is quickly fading. Krista is also met with the possiblity of rekindling her first love for an old friend, Dane McConnell, who has been caring for Krista's mother. She begins to sort through her mother's past as well as her own and in the process sets things in motion for healing for the relationships in her life...
There is a bit of mystery that pulls you into the story as Krista searches through her mothers letters seaking out answers from the past. I liked how Lisa Tawn Bergren mixed the present and the past together with such ease. She tells a story of how important it is to forgive and not let bitterness steal away time, just how Alzheimers steals away the time and memories of the people who are afflicted with it. The characters in the story were genuine. I did have a hard time liking the main character, Krista, until a little later on the book when things begin to unfold. All in all it was a good read.

“I received this book for free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group for this review”.