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Lee Ann Mancini’s marvelous Raising Kids to Follow Christ is a book that I wish I’d had in hand years ago. Thanks to Lee Ann and The BlogAbout Blogger Network, I finally do have it–and I also have a copy to give away to one reader! Keep reading for more about this encouraging and equipping book, and what you’ll find in it.
About Raising Kids to Follow Christ
From the publisher:
“Do you want your child to love God for a lifetime? Children have open hearts and minds and are craving a connection to God. It’s up to us to show them how to be a follower of Christ.
The beauty of raising our kids to have a relationship with God is that we can be a light in the darkness we all face and show them how to be a light of who Jesus is in their lives. Even if faith is something new for your family, you aren’t too late to start building a strong faith foundation.
No matter where we are as Christians, it’s always encouraging to have someone who is further ahead in the parenting journey offer what’s worked for them, what hasn’t, and point us to what God says about how to parent our children. This is what Lee Ann does in her new book.
Raising Kids to Follow Christ: Instilling a Lifelong Trust in God (Whitaker House, February 20, 2024) by Lee Ann Mancini offers parents resources they need to nurture children in faith. This parenting resource offers:
- Developmental apologetics for children to adults
- Parenting strategies and techniques from God’s word
- How to model Biblical truth with your children
- Upgrading your parenting style from discipline to discipleship
- Fun ways to connect your child’s heart to Christ”
My own thoughts and experiences about this book
I’ve read many books about parenting. Yet I found that Lee Ann Mancini’s beautiful Raising Kids to Follow Christ really stands out in its gentleness, wisdom, and desire to help parents share a life of faith with their children. She shares both foundational principles for those who’d like to bring their children up carefully and lovingly via God’s Word; but also, gives specific tips, ideas, and Scriptures for how one can do so.
What are the key ideas or goals that you think are important in raising children and living in a family? I found that my own goals dovetailed with those that Lee Ann presents in her book, where she shares the “whys” of parenting with an eye to faith. But she does a remarkable job of taking the reader from having that overall “big” vision, into considering goals which will define parenting practices, to daily ideas which can help parents share Jesus with their little ones (or even their not-so-little ones!).
These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. Impress them on your children…when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.”
Deuteronomy 6:4-7, The Holy Bible, New International Version
I love that the ideas and viewpoints that Lee Ann shares in Raising Kids to Follow Christ are practical and based on the loving God that we meet in Scripture; the triune God the Father, God the Son (Jesus), and God the Holy Spirit. It shares, as from a wise mentor, parenting practices which will not only reveal Jesus in and for our families, but also the reasons why these will do so.
And as Lee Ann mentions early in her book,
Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock.
Matthew 7:24-25, The Holy Bible, New International Version
Do you have a wise and loving mentor, who can help and guide you when challenges in parenting arise? Some of us do, and others do not. But regardless of which you are, Lee Ann Mancini and Raising Kids to Follow Christ will come alongside you to show you the whys, whats, and hows of teaching our little ones in the faith. I recommend this book with 5 stars. There’s so much in it for parents in every season of life!
About the author
Helping parents build a strong foundation of Christ in their children is Lee Ann Mancini’s life mission. She is an award-winning author and executive producer of the Sea Kids series available on Answers.tv, Pure Flix, Prime Video, YouTube, Right Now Media, and SeaKidsTV.
The Raising Christian Kids Podcast is an online avenue for parents to get up-to-date resources to live out with their children. Lee Ann and her guests talk about everything from helping your children become better listeners and healthier eaters to dealing with stress and anxiety, understanding grief and loss, methods of discipline, understanding various portions of Scripture, and much more.
Some of my favorite passages
This book is chock-full of meaningful, impactful words for us as parents (or even grandparents). Here are some that touched me deeply!
- “You Are Their First Teacher. Whether homeschooling or not, parents are their children’s most impactful teachers, and our goal as Christians is to influence our children to have a lifelong love for the Lord and serve others.” (p. 90)
- “The Psalms tell us the importance of our little ones: Through the praise of children and infants you have established a stronghold against your enemies, to silence the foe and the avenger.” (Psalm 8:2)…The authors of Children Matter state, “We might think of a child’s belief and love for Jesus as the embryo of faith, a most crucial reality, a beginning but real relationship with God.”” (pp. 93-94)
- “We know some days don’t go as planned. There are moments of anger, sadness, and stress when faced with an illness, death, insufficient money, or any negative life issue. Our children are watching closely to see how we act and react.” (p. 95)
- “What outcomes do we want in our lifetime–both for us and for our children? Good results rarely just happen. We need preparation and resources to help us make wise decisions…most importantly, how to raise our children.” (p. 96)
- “I thank God that He can restore whatever has been lost, as it’s never too late to start transforming their hearts and minds. I will repay you for the years the locusts have eaten—the great locust and the young locust, the other locusts and the locust swarm–my great army that I sent among you” (Joel 2:25; p. 19)
- “We have been given great gifts–our children, created in the image of God. It is our responsibility to train them well, to the best of our God-given abilities and talents, day by day and moment by moment, based upon the Word of God.” (p. 169)
Do get a copy of Raising Kids to Follow Christ. In it, you’ll find wise words, Scriptures you can take for yourself, encouraging ideas, and verses you’ll want to pray. It’s a handbook, a guidebook, a devotional for parents (in some ways), and most of all, a reminder of our sacred calling as parents, and the precious gift of our children.
Enter to win your own copy of Raising Kids to Follow Christ
You can enter to win a softcover copy of Lee Ann Mancini’s Raising Kids to Follow Christ! Just click on the highlighted link below that says, “Enter here!” That will take you to a Giveaway Tools entry form, where you’ll be able to enter to win in a variety of ways. US entries only; must be 18 and older to win. Giveaway closes on 4/20/24. One entrant will be selected to win. Best wishes!
Enjoy! –Wren
Disclosure: I received a copy of this book from the author. All opinions expressed here are my own honest ones.
finchnwren 