I wanted to share a bit more about our family's journey toward raising our kids the way we believe God would have us. We have in no way arrived and as I mentioned in the prior post on the subject I am always reticent to give advice because I do not in any way have perfect kids. But no one does or will this side of heaven and it is just plain pride if we wait until we think we are doing well to share what we are learning with others. So in the spirit of I am not going to keep some of the treasures of wisdom I have found to myself here is a list of some of the other (besides the No Greater Joy publications) books that have been a help to Mike and me. These books are not listed in order because I would not know how to order them. I think reading all of them (and more), measuring man’s words against the Word of God and asking the Holy Spirit for wisdom is the only path that can lead to good parenting.
Withhold Not Correction by Bruce A. Ray. This book did a really good job laying out the Bible’s instructions to parents. I appreciated not only that groundwork but also the way Ray gets down and practical. When you have several small children, a book, which stays in the head and in theory, is not helpful!
Family Practice: God’s Prescription For a Healthy Home Edited by R.C. Sproul, Jr. I just finished the book and thoroughly enjoyed it! It a compilation of contributions by some really great authors including Elisabeth Eliot, Gary Ezzo, R.C. Sproul, Douglas and Nancy Wilson, Edna Gerstner, and Judy Rogers. The book is divided into three parts: Fathers, Mothers, and Children. Great wisdom and insight.
Don’t Make Me Count to Three by Ginger Plowman. The best part about this book is how Plowman illustrates using scripture in your discipline in a very pedestrian way. Immediately after reading this book I was inspired to hide even more scripture in my and my children’s hearts and bring it out when instructing them. I have been very thankful for this instruction.
Standing on the Promises: A Handbook of Biblical Childrearing by Douglas Wilson. A good friend once told me this about Wilson: “he has a way of getting inside an idea and looking at from many different angles.” And I think this is true. This book gave me some new insight into my calling as a parent of children of the covenant. I really appreciated the wisdom offered in this book. However, I did take it slow because he is smart man and I am a slow reader!
This list is not in any way exhaustive. It is just a list of what books come immediately to mind when I think of what has helped Mike and I to change from our worldly thinking when it comes to parenting. Mike and I both worked in a daycare for a few years before we got married. We had been indoctrinated in the “time out” and “let him just express his emotions” sort of philosophy of child raising. We had a really easy first baby but once he hit about 13-15 months (like all my kids) sin started to really rear its ugly head! And we needed help and instruction. I read a few books that just seemed like fluff and they really did not help at all. Plus I knew the Bible had good instruction for us so I needed to hear from teachers who only taught from Biblical principles. These are the books that took us to that level.
If you have books that have been an asset to you in this area please share. I have found that it is helpful to me to always have one parenting book on my nightstand that I am working my way through to keep on the right course.
Have carrying out this great task to which you have been called as parents!
~Amy | 