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“We are more like our children than unalike.”
Well, here it is folks: my much anticipated review of Parenting by Paul David Tripp! (Ok, maybe not much anticipated, ha, but it’s been a long time coming on my part so I’m excited to fiiiinally be writing this!)
I know that I have a tendency to rave about the books that I’m reviewing. That’s because, generally, if I’m reviewing a book for you on here it’s because I really liked it.
So, you may be tempted to roll your eyes a bit when I say how much I loved Parenting. But – believe me – I’m not exaggerating when I say that this is probably the best book that I have read on parenting. It is fantastic.
Parenting was my first read by Paul David Tripp and but not the last for sure. Several more of his books are now on my to-read-soon list.
Here’s a snippet from the back of the book:
What is your calling as a parent?
In the midst of folding laundry, coordinating carpool schedules, and breaking up fights, many parents get lost. Feeling pressure to do everything “right” and raise up “good” children, it’s easy to lose sight of our ultimate purpose as parents in the quest for practical tips and guaranteed formulas.
In this life-giving book, Paul Tripp offers parents much more than a to-do list. Instead, he presents us with a big-picture view of God’s plan for us as parents. Outlining fourteen foundational principles centered on the gospel, he shows that we need more than the latest parenting strategy or list of techniques. Rather, we need the rescuing grace of God—grace that has the power to shape how we view everything we do as parents.
Parenting is less a hands-on, practical book as it is a careful look at some important principles that will play a major roll in how we parent.
As an example, here’s the principle from chapter 6: “You must be committed as a parent to long-view parenting because change is a process and not an event.” And from chapter 14: “No parent gives mercy better than one who is convinced that he desperately needs it himself.”
The truths that Mr. Tripp presents in this book are so refreshing. He starts out in the introduction reminding us that as Christian parents we are to be ambassadors from God to our children, not owners of our children. This struck me because I honestly don’t often think of myself as an ambassador to my children. And though I would never say that I’m my children’s owner, that’s often my mentality when I make my children my source of identity and base my happiness off of their behavior.
I’d love to talk and talk about all the things I loved about this book (and if you’re in the area come on over and we can discuss it over dessert!) but for now I’ll share a few quotes that jumped out to me.
God calls us as parents to live with the heart of a first responder, ready to run toward difficulty to provide, rescue, protect, help, and heal . . . . First responders don’t take the needs of others personally, and they don’t get mad that their day has been interrupted. They know what they are trained to do, and they are ready and willing to do it each time the need arises. So it is with us as parents; every day that you have with your children will provide you with another set of opportunities to go out on another mission of mercy.
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God is working on you through your children, so that he can work through you for your children.
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You don’t consider those moments where correction is needed to be interruptions or hassles, but gifts of grace afforded you by a God who is at work in the hearts and lives of your children. So you’re not mad at your children for needing you; you’re happy for another opportunity to continue the process . . . . You are committing yourself to many mini-moments of change.
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When your Father sends you, he goes with you. This means that in every moment when you are parenting, you are being parented. In every moment when you are called to give grace, you are being given grace.
And finally, one of the most repeated phrases from the book: “We are more like our children than unalike.”
Parenting by Paul David Tripp is one of those books that I should probably re-read once a year, it’s that good. If you’ve not read it, pick up a copy now! I highly recommend it.
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