Dr. Juan Sanchez introduces a powerful parenting book

Raising children can feel overwhelming as you try to navigate the many voices telling you what to do and not to do, but God has already given you everything you need to be faithful parents. In Reaching a Child’s Heart: A Practical Guide to Faithful Parenting (New Growth Press), Juan and Jeanine Sanchez encourage parents from their gospel-shaped perspective that children don’t need perfect parents—they need a perfect Savior.  “Parenting is hard. It’s the hardest and most humbling thing I’ve ever done. Quite often I felt like a failure. But my kids didn’t need me to be a perfect dad, and they didn’t need Jeanine to be a perfect mom. They need a perfect Savior, and they have that in Jesus,” Juan writes. “What they needed from us was an example of humility, faithfulness, patience, repentance, and love. They needed us to help them see the impact of the gos­pel in everyday situations. They needed us to be willing to teach them God’s Word and to show them the Father’s love.” After hearing from parents who are frustrated by their kids’ behavior and exhausted by the world’s wisdom, Juan and Jeanine wanted to sit down with parents and encourage them with God’s plan for raising children. As they share their own journey of parenting five children, the authors highlight the importance of a team-based approach to parenting. They emphasize focusing on children’s hearts, rather than behavior modification, and illustrate how daily faithfulness in the routine cares of life is never a waste of time. The authors start by sharing how a parent’s desire for their children should be the same as God’s: that they would reflect the image and glory of God. A parent’s job is to teach them God’s truths and hold them to God’s standard and when they fail, point them to Jesus, the One who gives a new heart and his empowering Spirit.  Reaching Your Child’s Heart provides a down-to-earth, practical guide for parents that will help them move from survival mode to joyful, Christ-dependent parenting. For every parent who may be exhausted and discouraged, they can take heart from the simple, biblical principles shared in Reaching Your Child’s Heart as the authors:    introduce a biblical and theological foundation for the role of parents, expose the dangers of child-centered parenting, offer practical guidance on establishing healthy patterns for children’s security and success, provide practical help for practicing gospel-based discipline,  guide parents in navigating the teenage years so that they may be enjoyed, include questions for reflection for individual use or group discussion.

Reaching Your Child's Heart: A Practical Guide to Faithful Parenting by Juan and Jeanine Sanchez (New Growth Press) Religion / Christian Living / Parenting