Join us today for Encouraging Word Wednesday, a book review and a giveaway!
I’ll never forget the moment I realized my children were watching and learning from everything I do.
I was preparing dinner, chopping vegetables and not paying much attention to what my small daughter was doing.
She, however, was paying complete attention to what I was doing and was following me step by step.
She went to her room and found her sliceable fruit and veggies and her little wooden knife and brought them to the kitchen and proceeded to follow every move I made.
I heard my husband chuckle then he looked at me and said, “You are is so much trouble.”
And, in that moment, I was reminded of the following words from the book of Ephesians:
“Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children.” (Ephesians 5:1)
And I learned something that night. I realized I don’t want my daughter to imitate me, but she will.
So I have to imitate Him.
It was one of many moments that have taught me about life as my children have learned.
And, it’s an example of the premise behind a lovely devotional book called Learnable Moments for Moms by Erin Greneaux.
The book contains 100 daily devotionals that focus on moments we learn even while we teach, saying “Rather than teachable moments, which we always look for with our kids, these are learnable moments. They answer the question, ‘How can I grow in my relationship with God in this unique season?'”
It’s the season of wondering “if laundry, diaper changes, and feedings are all that God has left for me to do for his kingdom.”
Erin’s emphatic answer is “No!”
She writes in the introduction that “God is not finished with you!…You are still capable of thinking deep thoughts, overcoming spiritual challenges, and seeing God reveal himself to you even in the midst of a cluttered sea of brightly-colored toys.”
I love that!
And, I really like her book, too. Each day’s devotional includes a short snippet from her life with two daughters, a Bible verse the situation brought to mind and a bit of practical wisdom to apply, as well as a prayer and a question for personal reflection.
I’ve always thought that becoming a parent gives someone new insight into the heart of God. After all, he is the good Father.
But, here’s the truth: having kids also teaches us about ourselves in relation to him because we are his children.
We whine and struggle and fight for our own way every bit as much as our toddlers do.
Often, teaching them gives us a glimpse of what He might be trying to teach us.
That’s what Erin’s book is about.
Learnable Moments for Moms helps us “discover God in the everyday.” Erin’s writing is clear and concise, and she shares each story with humor and grace.
This book makes a wonderful gift for a new mom or a friend who might be struggling to find time (or energy!) for in-depth Bible study during the long days of mothering little ones.
I’d like to give a copy to one of you, and thanks to Erin, I can! She so graciously provided a copy for me to review, as well as one to give away. I know you’ll enjoy it!
Please join us today for Encouraging Word Wednesday! Each person who links up will be entered to win a copy of the book. You can also enter by leaving a comment below!
Disclosure: I received a free copy of the book to review, as well as a copy to give away. I was not compensated in any other way, and the opinions above are my own.
