Things I Wish I'd Known Before We Became Parents

Things I Wish I'd Known Before We Became Parents

by Gary Chapman with Shannon Warden 

About the Book
Dr. Gary Chapman has helped millions prepare for marriage.
Now he helps you prepare for kids.

Things I Wish I'd Known Before We Became Parents has one goal: prepare you to raise young children.

Dr. Gary Chapman—longtime relationship expert and author of the #1 New York Times bestseller The 5 Love Languages—teams up with Dr. Shannon Warden—professor of counseling, wife, and mother of three—to give young parents a book that is practical, informed, and enjoyable.

Together they share what they wished they had known before having kids. For example: children affect your time, your money, and your marriage—and that's just the beginning. With warmth and humor they offer practical advice on everything from potty training to scheduling, apologizing to your child, and keeping your marriage strong… all the while celebrating the great joy that children bring.

From the Preface: "Our desire is to share our own experiences, as well as what we have learned through the years, as we have counseled hundreds of parents. We encourage you to read this book before the baby comes, and then refer to its chapters again as you experience the joys and challenges of rearing children." — Dr. Gary Chapman

My Thoughts
This is a great, quick read for anyone about to become a parent or who has a young child. You'll probably read much of it thinking to yourself, "Of course that's true. Doesn't everyone know that?!" But it always helps to be reminded of the changes that are coming as a result of any life change. Dr. Chapman's writing style is personal and practical. He uses lots of illustrations, which makes for a quicker read. Each chapter includes several practical application type things, to help you answer the question "now what?!"  [4 stars]

I received a free copy of this book from the publisher. However, this is a fair and honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.

A Marriage Carol

A Christmas Carol is one of my all-time favorite Christmas stories. It really doesn’t matter to me if it’s the original version by Charles Dickens or the cartoon Mickey Mouse version or the more up-to-date version with Jim Carey. I just love the story. There is something about looking carefully at the past and the present, then looking toward the future, and taking note of what path you’re on. But also the redemption of the “Scrooge” character . . . none of us are lost causes.

I was thrilled at the chance to read A Marriage Carol by Gary Chapman and Chris Fabry. The authors focus their version of A Christmas Carol on a couple who is on the brink of divorce. Literally on their way to the divorce attorney’s office. Neither has committed a major offense. Instead, they have suffered a series of minor offenses, miscommunications, gradual disinterest, and basically have ended up living separate lives even though they are married. When they are involved in a car accident on the way to the attorney’s office, Marlee finds her way to a house at the top of the hill, which just happens to be a marriage retreat center. The couple who run the center take her on a trip through time to see what her marriage has actually been like.

While the idea of looking back and looking forward is not new, Chapman and Fabry do a great job of applying a classic story to a modern-day marriage relationship. Practical relationship helps are intertwined through the story. However, the story is not at all preachy. Rather, through Marlee's thoughts and her conversation with the couple at the retreat center, these truths seem to naturally flow through the story.

A short book, at only 128 pages, I quickly read this in one sitting.  I would recommend this for anyone who enjoys a wonderful Christmas story as well as for anyone looking for hope for their marriage.

I received a free copy of this book from Moody Publishers and Net Galley in exchange for my fair and honest review.

About the Book
Jake and Marlee, a typical couple, are about to call it quits.  Over time they have drifted apart; the sparks are dead.  Marlee is convinced she married the wrong man and Jake feels tied down to the wrong woman.  Jake is distant and tired of being controlled while Marlee is tired of being the only one trying  to the save their marriage.

They go to bed Christmas Eve, in separate rooms, each rationalizing...life is too short to be miserable...love shouldn't hurt like this...their marriage must end for happiness to return. 

But their lives are about to take a turn.  The ghosts of Marriage Past, Marriage Present, and Marriage Future reveal to Jake and Marlee how past choices, present realities, and their potential future might look if they do not change their "stories".
  
Jake and Marlee experience a Christmas gift that will radically change their thinking and cause them to look at marriage not for what they can get out of it but for what God can do in and through their marriage.

About the Authors
Chris Fabry is a graduate of W. Page Pitt School of Journalism at Marshall University and Moody bible Institute's Advanced Studies Program. Chris can be heard daily on Love Worth Finding, featuring the teaching of the late Dr. Adrian Rogers. He received the 2008 "Talk Personality of the Year" Award from the National Religious Broadcasters. He has published more than 60 books since 1995, many of them fiction for younger readers. Chris collaborated with Jerry B. Jenkins and Dr. Tim LaHaye on the children's series Left Behind: The Kids. His two novels for adults, Dogwood and June Bug, are published by Tyndale House Publishers. Chris is married to his wife Andrea and they have five daughters and four sons.

Gary Chapman, PhD, is the author of the #1 New York Times bestselling The 5 Love Languages. With over 30 years of counseling experience, he has the uncanny ability to hold a mirror up to human behavior, showing readers not just where they go wrong, but also how to grow & move forward. Dr. Chapman holds BA and MA degrees in anthropology from Wheaton College and Wake Forest University, respectively, MRE and PhD degrees from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, and has completed postgraduate work at the University of North Carolina and Duke Univeristy.

Putting God Back in the Holidays

Putting God Back in the Holidays by Bill & Penny Thrasher is another great resource for individuals and families alike! Five major holidays (Christmas, Easter, Thanksgiving, Birthdays, New Year's) and many "minor" holidays (MLK Day, Valentine's, Presidents' Day, St. Patrick's Day, Arbor Day, Halloween, Mother's / Father's Day, Memorial Day, Veterans Day, Independence Day, Labor Day) are featured in the book. Each section includes an explanation of how the holiday got started, ways we can make sure God is included in the holiday, and practical suggestions for keeping God as the focus with family, friends, kids, neighbors, etc.

I got this book before Thanksgiving, and I was excited to read this book in preparation of the holidays coming up! I didn't read in order, rather I started with the special days that were coming up. I was encouraged that this wasn't simply a bashing of secular holidays (or the secularization of Christian holidays). Instead, it was a sincere look at each day and wonderful suggestions of how we can keep all of our days Christ-centered. Some of the ideas would be very simple to implement. Others will take a little more time and planning. As we build new traditions in our home and as our family grows, this will be a wonderful resource for us!

4 stars

I received a free copy of this book from Moody Publishers in exchange for my fair and honest review.

About the Book
Instead of the joy-filled celebrations that we build up in our minds, the holidays (pick one, any one) can often become stress-filled, money-draining, joy-less days of the year that we just “want to get through.” And it is by our own volition that we have refused too many times to allow our holiday celebrations to be the spiritual experience they are meant to be.

This book has been conceived and designed over 30 years as Dr. Bill Thrasher has spoken to thousands of people, helping them realize the spiritual battle that surrounds their celebration of the holidays. Littered with practical thoughts, ideas, experiences, and stories, Putting God Back in the Holidays will help you and your family celebrate holidays and birthdays with biblical truth in mind.Instead of the joy-filled celebrations that we build up in our minds, the holidays (pick one, any one) can often become stress-filled, money-draining, joy-less days of the year that we just “want to get through.” And it is by our own volition that we have refused too many times to allow our holiday celebrations to be the spiritual experience they are meant to be.

This book has been conceived and designed over 30 years as Dr. Bill Thrasher has spoken to thousands of people, helping them realize the spiritual battle that surrounds their celebration of the holidays. Littered with practical thoughts, ideas, experiences, and stories, Putting God Back in the Holidays will help you and your family celebrate holidays and birthdays with biblical truth in mind.

About the Authors
Bill Thrasher is professor of Bible and Theology at the Moody Graduate School of Chicago’s Moody Bible Institute. He is a frequent speaker for churches and retreats across the country. His experience covers pastoral internships, campus discipleship ministry, singles ministry, and evangelism ministry. Bill and his wife, Penny, live in the Chicago area.

Penny Thrasher was raised in a home given to hospitality and feels privileged to carry on that tradition, especially in hosting large holiday celebrations. She contributed to her husband's book, Believing God for His Best -- How to Marry Contentment and Singleness. Penny is in her 17th year of home schooling and enjoys serving in their church, being part of a prayer group which supports missionaries, and mentoring younger women. Bill and Penny have three sons, Will, Michael, and David.

Check out an excerpt.

I wish I had read this before I got married!!!

Oh how I wish I had read this book before I got married. Really, before I ever started dating. Cindy Easley tackles a "taboo" topic ... submission in marriage. I picked up this book with a little curiosity, a lot of hesitation, and a hope that I would learn something. I'm so glad I did!!!

In Dancing with the One You Love: Submission in the Real World, Cindy Easley explains the biblical mandate for submission in marriage and then gives lots of real-life testimonies to how this plays out practically. Each chapter features a different woman's story: a military wife with a husband who's gone most of the time, a Christian woman who's been married to a non-believer for 40+ years, a woman who makes more money than her husband, etc. Each of these women shares her own personal struggles with submitting to the leadership of her husband, talks about how/when she knew that submission was something she needed to do to be obedient to God, and explains how that looks in the day-to-day of her marriage.

I loved that the author didn't choose "perfect" women. Each wife had and still has struggles. They were open with their lives and I appreciated the realness of what they had to say. Also, while some chapters give an extreme example, the author also mentions how other women may fit into the same category. For example, every woman isn't married to a military husband who is gone for a year or more at a time. But many women have husbands who travel with their jobs. The same principles apply whether he travels for a year or for one night.

I'm not sure why submission has such a negative connotation for women. However, I loved that this book explains things in a positive light without minimizing the scriptural basis or demeaning women. A win for all, in my book. ;)

I would highly recommend this book for ALL women ... married, single, engaged, with daughters, with sons. There's a great little study guide in the back that would be ideal to go through with a daughter, a friend, a small group, etc.

5 stars (out of 5)

I received a free copy of this book from Moody Publishers in exchange for my fair and honest review.

Hello, I Love You by Ted Kluck

Hello, I Love You is an extremely honest recounting of Ted and Kristen Kluck's two adoptions. They originally decide to adopt internationally because they felt called to it. So they raised money, went to Ukraine three times, and finally brought home their little boy. Years later, they decided they wanted to grow their family again - only to engage a long battle with infertility. They finally determined that they would adopt from Ukraine again.

Kluck describes in detail the process for both of their adoptions. His emotions spill out on the pages of the book. Bitterness, anger, fear, joy, sorrow, excitement, uncertainty. He also describes how the process of adopting, working through infertility, and adopting again changed his relationship with the Lord. He's also open with how the entire process affected his relationship with his wife - and how ultimately it brought them closer together.

There were times that I felt like he was just a big complainer, but he addresses the conviction that he felt about complaining/whining, his repentance, and how he and his wife worked through this difficult time together.

I enjoyed this book. The honesty was at times shocking, but helpful for understanding the entire process and how it affected Kluck, his family, his relationship with his church, his friendships, and his relationship with the Lord. Plus, hearing from an adoptive father provides a unique perspective, as most of the stories/blogs about adoption I've read are from the mother's perspective.

4 stars (out of 5)

I received a free copy of this book from Moody Publishers in exchange for my fair and honest review.