Teach Them to Give {A Book Review: Raising Grateful Kids in an Entitled World}

In the season when we’re raising littles, we strive to disciple children who grow into giving human beings: the kind that make the world more loving and thriving.  I want that.

  My prayer for every day is that I am nurturing hearts that love others more than themselves in this little frathouse of boys.  May they be followers of Jesus, lovers of humanity, world changers.  May it be so.  That’s the goal.  

Everything deep within me is pointed toward that very hope but this often means that those three little guys cannot be my world.  They cannot be the very center of our home or the deepest desire of my heart.  They need a mother who prioritizes Jesus and runs hard and fast after loving this world as a disciple of the most-loving One.  

My boys need to see my longing for the heart of Jesus above the desire to grant all of their childhood wishes and innocent demands.  My children deserve better than to be the center of my world.  I love them far too much to give them my whole heart because I want them to know the world is much bigger than our little family.  We aren’t the main characters of our own little sitcom.  This world isn’t revolving around Team Stanford.  And goodness, focusing on eternity while cultivating meaningful childhood experiences and special family time is such an intentional balancing act.  This is the calling.

What an honor to be appointed to this beautiful, crazy, hard task of motherhood.  I certainly cannot navigate such a road alone.  I desperately need Jesus every minute of every day because I have this one chance to raise generous, loving, responsible grown-ups.  There will be no do-overs.  We are in the thick of parenting tiny humans.  

Sweet friends, we need to glean every ounce of wisdom we can from the mothers walking this road with us.  Whether they are two steps ahead of us or walking side by side, we must link arms and pick their brains about this motherhood thing.  We desperately need one another.  

In the whole, wide world, there are few women that I trust {both from my real-life circle and my favorite authors} the way I trust Kristen Welch pertaining to raising children with a world-view.  I am completely thrilled to participate in the launch of Kristen’s new book…a book that will make a debut in the coming week!!!

Next week, fellow moms.  Next week you can read these words and glean all the glorious wisdom too!  Kristen has a better handle on the matter than most of us, I tell you.  She is so intentional to cultivate a home that teaches gratitude and broadens the world view of her children.  She is walking beside us, yes.  She lives among us in the day to day and yet runs a nonprofit oceans away to walk alongside mothers and babies in Kenya, as well.  You can read more about Mercy House by visiting Kristen’s blog, We Are That Family and also the website for Mercy House Kenya.
  
 
 Kristen is a mother of three…well…four if we count her unofficially “adopted daughter” Maureen in Kenya.  {Maureen is not actually a child, but rather manages Kristen’s non-profit, Mercy House.  It’s both a beautiful story and an inspiring relationship.}  You may remember Kristen’s daughter, Maureen from her last book, Rhinestone Jesus.  Let me tell you, friends.  That book wrecked me, changed my little world, and redefined everything I thought I knew about discipling my children and loving others.  God used the words in Rhinestone Jesus and Kristen’s message to open my eyes where I had been incredibly naive before. (Thank you, Jesus!) You should consider reading Rhinestone Jesus, as well.   

What a blessing to read the heart of this incredible mother again in her newest book, Raising Grateful Kids in an Entitled World.  Trust me on this one, fellow mothers.  The newest book does not disappoint!  It’s bursting at the seams with life-giving truth for parents in the midst of the family years.  

As a mother seeking the heart of God, I am often reminded (and convicted) that my greatest goal as a mother must rest in shepherding and discipling the hearts of my children.  The love for Jesus and others must be prioritized first: above reading, soccer, sight words, basketball, telling time, and even church attendance.  Jesus is the goal.  

My heart was replenished for this task of parenting, as I gained creative suggestions and wisdom based on scriptural truth with every turned page of Raising Grateful Kids.  Kristen reminds us of the importance of family relationships around the table.  She prioritizes meaningful conversations above chasing the emptiness of entertainment and the American Dream, both so prevalent in our culture.

The book showers grace upon grace because Kristen’s words are more life-giving than a parenting book that tells us what to do and what not to do.  Her words aren’t legalistic checklists or full of hoops to jump.  The suggestions never feel heavy, but rather encourage us to examine our hearts.  I value a book that motivates me, as the reader, to think differently.  Kristen encourages us with the same intentional care she gives to her own family: to live counter-culturally for the sake of following Jesus.  She reminds us of the lesson Jesus taught first: to be in and not of the world.  In my life, I need other moms to come alongside me to remind me to seek the ways of Jesus above the empty desires of this world.

Again and again, the message of the book points to Jesus and loving others as He commanded.  We are reminded that the word no can often be the most loving and yet challenging phrase of parenting.  We are encouraged as we examine the way a loving no can lead to the biggest yes opportunities of life.  We want our families to say, “yes” to giving and caring for others.  I want my children to have a heart overflowing with gratitude and contentment.  May we be so full of His love for us that it pours into the lives of everyone God places us around us.  And when we run out of steam to continue in this way?  When the parenting gig makes us tired?  May we look to Jesus for His renewal of grace.  His mercies are new each morning and our strength?   It’s always come from Him.  Our true hope for this world is simply and fully Jesus.
The heartbeat of Raising Grateful Kids in an Entitled World is our contentment in Jesus.  Of all the parenting books I’ve read, this one is so very different.  It rises above a list of things to “get it right.”  This book places the focus on heart change and perspective.  We all need a little heart change, huh?  I hope you’ll do yourself this favor and will consider pre-ordering Raising Grateful Kids for your own bookshelf.  Add this to your parenting toolbox, sweet friends.  Let’s equip ourselves with the wisdom of mothers beside us, the ones who love Jesus above all else. You can preorder your copy of Raising Grateful Kids in an Entitled World here.  What a treat for your mailbox and your heart! 

To read more from Kristen Welch, visit her blog: We Are That Family or order the book that redirected my own heart, Rhinestone Jesus. 

Kristen Welch is the author of Raising Grateful Kids and Rhinestone Jesus.  She is the writer of a lovely blog, We Are That Family.  Kristen additionally blogs for Incourage and Compassion International.  She is the founder of Mercy House, a non-profit maternity home in Kenya.  I am thankful for the way she and her husband, Terrell raise their three children while ministering outside of their homes, giving evidence that the mission field begins in the home, but stretches to the children of God throughout the world.  Mothers, parents, and even whole families can be missional outside of the home.  What an encouragement!

May our mission fields begin, but not end with our children.  May our families work together to serve a lost and dying world. May we disciple the hearts of our children while they are in our homes.  May we teach them to give.  To God be the glory.

Happy reading! 

 From my heart to yours,    ~Courtney