Review ~ Bible Promises for Parents of Children with Special Needs by Amy E. Mason

 Tyndale House Publishers

As the parent of a child with special needs, does your heart ache with questions, confusion, or discouragement? Do you ever feel that you have no margin in your emotional reserves or sense a gaping need for encouragement, rest, and refreshment? Caring for someone with autism, Down syndrome, ADHD, emotional or behavioral disorders, or physical disabilities can be all-consuming. Bible Promises for Parents of Children with Special Needs can help you claim God's promises for your everyday life. You'll become more aware of God's passion for you and your child through this handy guide that speaks directly to the unique journey of special needs parenting. These promises are for your comfort. Claim them as your own. Pray them over your family and over your children. Let them guide you into the presence of Jesus and the security that only he can provide.

 

My Review

4 STARS!!!

Amy Mason has taken Scripture verses and applied them to emotions we experience as we walk this road of parenting a child with special needs. Adding a short commentary at the end of each one to encourage and uplift parents and/or individuals, I found myself entranced by the accuracy of her words.

As a grieving parent of a child who had special needs and was taken home to glory in 2012, for 28 ½ years I experienced every emotion I can think of, from fear to guilt to joy to grief. I am always curious when I see a book like this since I do not remember there being anything resembling it when my daughter, Amy, was born. Little did I realize when I began reading Bible Promises for Parents of Children with Special Needs, it would become a stepping stone in my own healing process. I do not think at the time I was raising my daughter that I could even identify some of the things I felt but I sure recognized them as I read through this book. I can even identify a few of them in present day circumstances with a child of mine that is not special needs, so I would say this little gem  can be used by anyone.

You can tuck it right into your purse or tote bag and it will be handy for any time of day, especially when you are sitting for long hours in a medical clinic or hospital bedside. It would also make a great gift for someone you know who is walking this long and sometimes lonely road, and it has an encouraging post for that emotion as well.

I appreciate Tyndale House Publishers sending me a copy for review purposes. No compensation has been received.

~God bless you~

My Journey Through Grief Continues

…and will really never end. Losing a child is not something a parent ever gets over. There is no magic moment when we say, "Hey, I'm done grieving!"  In fact, the same holds true in the loss of a parent or sibling or spouse. But I'm speaking about the loss of a child; specifically my loss of Amy.

Sorrow has become my constant companion and can take many forms. It can feel like a thousand pound weight on my chest that literally takes my breath away, at other times it’s been a shadow of darkness inhibiting daily life, or sometimes it's a hitch in my heart each time I remember her.  But it's there. Every day. Especially on birthdays and holidays.

Whatever shape grief is taking in your life, I understand it isn't pretty. I understand your need to withdraw. To run. To hide. Even if it’s all on the inside, because we must look normal on the outside. No one mentions our loss. No one says our daughters name. No one asks how we are doing. It’s been three years, after all. Surely we’ve gotten over that and moved on. Nope. Not gonna happen. Not in this life anyway.

So the reason I am writing this today is because I want you to know I’m thinking about you. I know how bad it hurts. And I’m hurting with you and for you. I’m acknowledging  the pain always present in your heart and mine. The next two days are going to be tough but we can make it. Because I know one thing to be true. We are parents who fought the fight for and with our child. We don’t give up when the going gets tough. We fight! With every breath in our grief stricken bodies, we fight. And we win. Every day that we get out of bed, put one foot in front of the other, and keep going, we win. We are warriors!

Here’s a few quotes I found on Griefnet.org that I really like. –

"It has been said, 'time heals all wounds.' I do not agree. The wounds remain. In time, the mind, (protecting its sanity), covers them with scar tissue and the pain lessens. But, it is never gone." — Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy

The best tribute you can make to a loved one is the life you live after the death.— unknown  
                       

Have courage for the great sorrows in life, and patience for the small ones; and when you have laboriously accomplished your daily task, go to sleep in peace. God is awake.— Victor Hugo

My words probably aren’t eloquent as these others but they are just as heartfelt. I sincerely wish each one of you grieving parents (or spouse, sibling, child) a Blessed Christmas!

May the hope we have in Christ be alive in your hearts today and give you peace.

Rivendell Resources grants anyone the right to reprint this information without request for compensation so long as the copy is not used for profit and so long as this paragraph is reprinted in its entirety with any copied portion. For further information contact: GriefNet

Grace happens.

Review ~ Motivate Your Child: A Christian Parent's Guide to Raising Kids Who Do What They Need to Do Without Being Told by Scott Turansky, Joanne Miller

We need a parenting revolution!

Most parenting approaches end up encouraging children to ask the wrong questions about life: What's in it for me? Are you going to pay me for that? What's the minimum I need to do to get by?

But God's Word gives us a better way to parent, one that builds strong internal motivation in children. When parents change the way they parent, kids change the way they live. This practical book explores a theology of internal motivation and then gives parents real-life solutions to equip their kids for life.

You'll learn . . .

- how to parent in ways that build internal motivation so that kids don't have to rely on you to get things done.

- the four promptings of the conscience and how to coordinate your parenting to take advantage of them.

- ways to energize your spiritual training with fun and creativity.

- how to help children respond to mistakes instead of blaming, defending, or justifying.

The greatest gift you can give your child is strong moral and spiritual development--this book shows you how. Every chapter includes practical examples of families applying the Bible to their current issues. Join the revolution!

Learn more from the authors, Dr. Scott Turansky and Joanne Miller, RN, BSN, @ National Center for Biblical Parenting website - http://www.biblicalparenting.org/

There are tons of resources for parents on this site including a Biblical Parenting Podcast! 

Motivate Your Child: A Christian Parent's Guide to Raising Kids Who Do What They Need to Do Without Being Told by Scott Turansky

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

When I first started reading Motivate Your Child I wasn’t really sure what to expect. It’s been a long time since I read a book on parenting. My main reason for requesting this book was because I have read and reviewed a few of Dr. Turansky’s wife’s Christian fiction books, and through blogging have gotten to know her. I admire her godly and compassionate spirit when she talks about her husband and family, and that’s what ultimately led me to want to read this book. 

That being said, I have been undeniably convicted about my own parenting skills, or lack thereof, as I read Motivate Your Child. My parenting was/is based on a combination of  how I was parented and what I didn’t like about it. For the most part, I thought mine was a sound method. We all make mistakes, but wow, when reading this book I could see all the places that I failed miserably. Wait. I still see some of those things and I don’t like what I am seeing. It’s too late for me to go back and start at the beginning, as mine are all grown, but I have begun implementing with our 18 year old who still lives at home the “What’s your plan?” rather than  “Please do this or that” method that I had been using. So far, it actually seems to be working.  He is taking his responsibilities more seriously and getting to them sooner rather than later. We still have a ways to go as it's easy to fall back into old habits. But, isn’t it the goal of every parent to raise conscientious and responsible adults that don’t have to be told what to do and when to do it?

I can see where training them early on to want to willingly and joyfully participate in household activities such as taking out the trash, picking up their toys or making their bed without being bribed or constantly instructed, is a more effective and loving way to parent. This book deals with heart, or internal, motivation and how to instill in your children the proper motivation for doing things without being continually harangued, which causes frustration in both the parent and child. 

Parenting is a lot of work no matter how you go about it but in order to use the method laid out in this book, you had better be prepared to devote yourself 110% to being a hands on parent! Which, I hope if you have children, you are willing to do so. Not only is there a lot to teach your children but there are wonderful skills to acquire as a parent. I do believe I can use some of these with my grandchildren, so maybe it isn’t too late for me after all.

Motivate Your Child is not a complicated read. Make sure you have a highlighter handy because you will find yourself needing one. I believe any parent can glean from this book whether they are Christian or not. The principles laid forth are timeless. I plan on passing it along to my daughter, who has four little ones of her own.

I received a free copy of this book through The Book Club Network and Thomas Nelson Publishers in exchange for my honest opinion of the book. No compensation has been received.

  Meet the authors on their blog, too!

 This short video explains the importance of parenting.See more videos on the National Center for Biblical Parenting.   




                                                                  ~ Have a blessed day ~