A quick Amazon search for “Christian Parenting Books” will offer you more than 10,000 options for purchase. As any discerning reader will know, sifting through the books for truly grace- filled, gospel-centered resources could be next to impossible for busy moms and dads. With that in mind, Rooted wants to do some of that reading for you. We offer resources pages for parents, where you will find selections recommended by our staff and steering committee, and each year we read the newest selections on the market and award the most helpful ones our “best new book” designation. 2023 saw a bumper crop of great new parenting books- we hope this helps!
Honorable Mention
God is Still Good:Gospel Hope and Comfort for the Unexpected Sorrows of Motherhood by Katie Faris (Crossway)
As we raise our children, different seasons will bring different trials. For some moms, those seasons will bring deep sorrow. God is Still Good gives moms the freedom to grieve, and gently reminds moms of the importance of grieving through those painful seasons.
Katie Faris is a mom of 4 children, 3 of whom have a serious genetic conditions affecting their liver and lungs. While I can understand those who might feel apprehensive about reading a book from someone whose story seems so much more overwhelming and difficult than their own, I would highly encourage any mother in any difficult season to read this book and be strengthened and encouraged.
Katie Faris offers gospel hope to the mother who feels hurt by the unexpected challenges and sorrows of motherhood. Every parent faces suffering in one way or another. Faris reminds mothers that the trials of motherhood are real and valid, but furthermore, many of those trials are grief-worthy. She shares very vulnerably of her own pains of navigating her children’s difficult diagnoses. However, she boldly states that suffering is not her only identity:
“Nevertheless, the Lord regularly and graciously reminds me that victim is not who I am. My suffering is an overwhelmingly painful part of my story, but it’s not all of my story. And it certainly doesn’t define me or my children” (37).
The most encouraging part of this book is how it is saturated with Scripture. Each chapter closes with a prayer, a list of relevant scriptures to study, and reflection questions. God is Still Good reminds us why God is trustworthy and faithful, while offering practical help for the mom needing to remember God’s goodness.
Reading Faris’ book was a great encouragement to me. I cried, I got on my knees to pray, and I was challenged to love Jesus more deeply and cling to his words. I am grateful for beautiful books that ground us in the gospel and model for us how to navigate suffering with Jesus.
Midnight Mercies, Walking with God through Depression in Motherhood– by Christine M. Chappell (P&R Publishing).
I think most of us moms can all relate to the ups and downs of motherhood. I’ve never really struggled with debilitating depression the way the author, Christine Chappell, has:
“Motherhood is wearying by nature. But when layered trials, physical exhaustion, and a grieving spirit collide, weariness can slide into despair” (12).
Because Chappell shares her struggle with profound depression with such vulnerability and insight, I was deeply encouraged and drawn to the tremendous hope we find in our gentle and loving God even though I have not experienced the same suffering.
Chappell repeatedly stresses that our hope is found in God and through his Word. She points out that there were even biblical heroes like Elijah, who had a meltdown and wanted God to take his life. And what did God do? He didn’t punish Elijah. He didn’t end his life. Instead, he offered gentle and compassionate care.
She also understands that when we are facing our darkest moments, what we know about God is often on shaky ground. In those moments, turning to Scripture can hold us steady. “You are my strength, I wait for you to rescue me, for you, O God, are my fortress. In his unfailing love, my God will stand with me. He will let me look down in triumph on all my enemies.” (Ps. 59:9-10)
Chappell reminds us: “…God himself counsels hopeless and desperate people, the words he speaks are both well-timed and well-seasoned with grace and understanding.” (6). She closes her book by pointing us to the truth that God is with us through our trials, and he wants to provide rest. We need to take our struggles to him first.
Winners
Raising Confident Kids in a Confusing World: A Parent’s Guide to Grounding Identity in Christ by Ed Drew (The Good Book Company).
Ed Drew’s Raising Confident Kids in a Confusing World boldly challenges parents to think about the ways in which we show our children that their most important identity is found in Jesus. Drew’s personal stories and thought-provoking questions made me realize I need to be more observant in the behaviors of my children. In one section, he asks: “What are the circumstances in which they struggle to feel valuable” (53)? I realized that I could answer this question for only 2 of my 3 children.
Drew’s book is filled with grace, so reading it does not leave us discouraged. The truth is, we will never parent perfectly. However, God can use our fumbling messes to speak into our children’s lives. Drew encourages us to show our children that we don’t always have it together. It’s ok to model for our children that God is working on us too.
We must remember that the grand story of the gospel tells us that God offers redemption, hope, and purpose. The world tells us and our children, “you do you”, but in reality, “creating your own identity is elusive and it is exhausting. It leads us away from confidence and towards crisis” (17). Rather, “our kids need to know that the greatest story in the world is to be able to say, ‘I once was lost but now I’m found’” (57).
Drew closes the book by addressing the very difficult topic of sex and sexuality. He launches into this section by sharing an awkward moment when he was thrown into an unexpected conversation about sex and found himself wholly unprepared. He offers this advice from a doctor friend of his: “Parents are the experts. Don’t allow anyone ever to let a parent feel that there is someone more expert than they are at telling their children about these things. A parent knows their child’s personality, what they can cope with and their maturity” (119).
We, as parents, need these encouragements and someone to cheer us on as we tackle hard conversations. I’m so grateful for this book.
Wayward Children, Finding Peace, Keeping Hope (31-Day Devotionals for Life) by Stuart W. Scott (P&R Publishing).
I think most of us can agree that humans look for ways to escape and distract ourselves when we are facing difficulties. I can only imagine how hard the season of life can be when you have a wayward child.
Stuart W. Scott’s 31-day devotional helps us to recenter ourselves and surrender to God when wrestling with a wayward child. Right from Day 1, Scott opens with an abundance of Scripture to remind us of who God is. At the same time, he compassionately addresses the fears that can overwhelm parents who are trying to trust in God’s timing for a lost child. He then offers hard-to- swallow but wonderful practical reflections such as, “Without making your child’s salvation an idol, pray for your son or daughter faithfully, realizing that their story is not over yet” (30).
Wayward Children reminds us again and again that our only hope is in Jesus, and through our actions, we need to point our children to him. Scott also offers reflections at the end of each devotional to help us as parents slow down and give room for God to work in our hearts first. This devotional encourages us with Scripture and charges us to pray more fervently for our children.
My children are still young, but I found this devotional soul-satisfying. The book has challenged me to pray with less bitterness and more conviction, to think about the way I speak to my children on a daily basis, and finally, to rest in God’s grace that he has his perfect timing. I’ll close with this quote: “Real trust means we are willing to accept calamity as well as good through the filtering hand of God” (13). I pray we become parents who can cling to Jesus through the good and through the calamity and find rest in his grace.
The 2023 Rooted Book Awards Team included Chelsea Kingston Erickson, Tim Franks, Rebecca Lankford, and Tracy Yi.
