Book Review

(insert the screeching sound of me setting up my soap box, here)

Let there be no illusion, I'm not a book worm (which I'd wear with a badge of honor), but I wish I were. On the other hand, I try hard to make things I read meaningful, edifying or simply worth my brain cells and time. The latest book I read, suggested by a friend, met all the above criteria.

This book has really rocked (is still rocking) how I will move forward with people whether it be my children, my husband, or anyone. In fact, I'm still trying to grasp what I read and how to apply it and I will (must) re-read this book, soon.

I initially picked up the book to hone my parenting skills, but it was so - so - so much more. The official book description explains it best:

Building a Grace-Filled Marriage and Raising Creative, Contented, Capable Children Without Legalism or Manipulation.

Christian parents want to do things right. They put their best efforts toward having a Christian marriage and raising Christian kids. But many end up tired, discouraged and feeling like failures. Why is that?

From both his professional and personal experience, Jeff VanVonderen shows that the primary cause comes when Christian husbands, wives and parents focus on a spouse or child's behavior, then set out to apply pressure, make rules and control attitudes and responses. When people spend their lives trying to transform or "fix" their spouses and their kids, the natural result is exhaustion, depression and the hopeless sense of wanting to bail out of it all.

Here is a message about how God's grace can transform relationships within a marriage and family. The first step is learning the simple difference between God's job and ours. God's part is to fix and change. Our responsibility is to depend on the Holy Spirit, serve our families and help to equip them to be all they can be. Healthy relationships between husband and wife, between parents and children, are possible only when the filter of God's grace is placed over the processes of marriage and parenting. The Christian family's ultimate goals of harmony, obedience and full potential can be arrived at without using legalistic and manipulative methods.

In the end, I'm suggesting you run (not walk) to get this book. I'd let you borrow mine, but it's too dog-eared and marked up...oh, and Joel is reading it now :)