I want to share a new book that releases today! A Family Shaped by Grace, written by Gary Morland, is a must read!
As a new mom, I remember being told to look at my toddlers carefully, because when they became teens, I’d see the same attitudes and faces again in their grown up form. I did not believe such things. And although I have not experienced hardship in the teen years as some, they are still kind of… tumultuous. Teens are navigating a new world where peer relationships gain power over parents, and the testing of their own choices become paramount.
We really didn’t know what to expect. We had been quite intentional with our children. We were surprised at how hard young adult minds were to parent.
When the waters began to get rough, we did what many parents do. We put on thick skin. We threatened. We restricted. We argued. We found ourselves manipulating with our affections. We criticized. A dance began between our child’s growing independence and our authority. I did not like it.
But what I discovered, bit by bit, was this transition process is all about trust. The beauty of trust is, when we relinquish the responsibility of outcomes in our lives, we begin to settle into ourselves and enjoy our family right where they are. Changes happen because we become a safe place to land.
“When you find security and peace in the unchanging sufficiency of Jesus, suddenly you find yourself unoffendable, with no need to keep score (since you can’t lose).”
I share with you this incredible resource I wish I had years ago, but in God’s perfect timing, I have now. I cannot express how wonderful this material has been. Truly refreshing. Gary’s analogies and practical encouragement for families has given me renewed hope for walking in grace and gaining momentum in our story. Gary invites us to accept our family, our role and our limits.
The book is so practical that it makes the work of family manageable. And this book isn’t just for parents. Gary shows us how God loves our families more than we do. Because of this, “the burden of making things happen is on the Lord.”
“He knows your family and you and your situation better than you do. He can do anything he wants and can be trusted to do what is right.
Slow, read, and let the words of Gary Morland breathe life into your family.
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