Hollie's Top Reads

Since I'm closing out this week's topic of great parenting books, I must say way to go ladies!! What great resources for us all!! And the best news of all is that after my post you will have read the titles and authors of these books so much that you'll know the information without even having to write it all down. What a fine pick of books that you have now.

This is going to sound so funny, but before I got married I enjoyed reading parenting and marriage books, but now that I have my own child, I haven't done much reading in her first year. I love to read and am just now finding the time to enjoy this long-lost past time of mine. I'm definitely guilty of getting so excited over books that are hot off the press, so much that I dive in deep into about five of them all at the same time, so it seems. LOL! I find it rather humorous myself, for this scene plays out in pretty much every phase of my life. I just can't help it! Right now, I'm in the middle of several books that all have to do with parenting in some fashion or form. You should be familiar with these by now:

• Shepherding a Child's Heart (A-mazing) by Tedd Tripp




• Vaccines, by Dr. Sears (A MUST have--great resource)



• Deceptively Delicious by Jessica Seinfeld ('Nothin like parenting in the kitchen)
  
  
• The Maker's Diet, by Jordan Rubin (I can't TELL you how much I've learned thus far!)

The other authors mentioned the book, "Don't Make Me Count To Three," by Ginger Plowman. I would also like to recommend a little paperback informative folder/card that she sells to help apply how to "drive out foolishness bound up the heart of [your] child" (Proverbs 22:15). It's called, "Wise Words For Moms". It looks like a folder on card stock. I went to a Women's Retreat and the speaker gave everyone one of these. She talked about how she kept it on her fridge and when a discipline issue came up, she'd tell her son/daughter to go sit on the stairs and wait for her. She'd then give herself some time to cool off and then run to the fridge to review her card. It gave scriptures and advice to pinpoint exactly what discipline issue was at hand, thus helping to make that moment a God-glorifying, teachable moment of discipline. It was AMAZING hearing this woman talk about how she disciplined her children so calmly, yet assertively. She'd skim over it, grab her Bible that was on top of the fridge and head to the stairs, leaving the card behind. My only caution would be to not just read the Word with your children in just those discipline-moments, or else your children will start associating the Word of God with only discipline and being in trouble. Read to them from the Word at bedtime and in family devotions as well. For example, the first behavior listed on the chart is:
Child Behavior: Aggravating, Stirring Up Strife, Picking on Others."
Heart Probing(ask these to your child): 1. Are you purposing in your heart to promote peace, or are you stirring up trouble? 2. How can you show love and pursue peace in this situation?
Reproof (Put Off): Strife. One of teh seven things God hates is one who stirs up trouble among his brothers. Proverbs 6:19
Encouragement(Put On): Peace Making. God gives joy to those who promote peace. Proverbs 12:20
Additional Verses: Proverbs 10:12, 1 Peter 3:11


The following books have been HIGHLY RECOMMENDED to me by a very, very GODLY Mama(of four) that I trust to the core. They are definitely on my top-list.

• For Instruction in Righteousness. A Topical Reference Guide for Biblical Child-Training, Pam Forster
This Mama REALLY referenced this book a lot. It's full of Bible Stories for bedtime that reinforce discipline issues. For example, if your child wasn't sharing well, there would be a story in there FROM THE BIBLE concerning sharing, so you're able to share from the WORD of God in a way that makes sense to your child (through a story) concerning the VERY thing in which you are trying to shepherd your child.



• Parenting with Scripture, A Topical Guide for Teachable Moments Kara Durbin






• Seasons of a Mother's Heart, Sally Clarkson





• The Mission of Motherhood, Sally Clarson
  
  
  All of these books are definitely TOP PICKS and MUST READS!!
  
  
  In the past I read a book by Dr. Joe White and the one thing that impressed me the most(and there were many) that I still remember to this day (and I read it back in 2003) was that he talks about how he memorized scripture with his children starting at age two or three. I was SO impressed, being a scripture memory LOVER, that I made it a goal back then to memorize the Word of God with my children when I have them. Well, I'm here, and I can't WAIT to start teaching the Word to my sweet, baby girl! The book is called, "Faith Training, Raising Kids Who Love the Lord" by Dr. Joe White. I worked out Kamp Kanakuk underneath his leadership in Summer of 2000, and he impressed me a great deal.
  I haven't read this book since 2003, so I will definitely reread it, but at the time, I remember it being a great book, and one that I planned to reference when I had a family.
  
  
  

We would LOVE to hear your recommendations as well!! I need some more books to add to my list of four! Ha! Have a great weekend!!!