This week, More Reason To Write welcomes Jennifer Slattery as she talks about the command of intentional parenting and introduces us to her upcoming novel, Beyond I Do. Jennifer writes Missional Romance for New Hope Publishers, a publishing house passionate
about bringing God’s healing grace and truth to the hopeless. Her debut
novel, Beyond I Do, is currently available for preorder at a 26%
off discount. You can find it HERE. Jennifer also blogs at JenniferSlatteryLivesOutLoud.
Drawing Nearer To Our Children's Hearts Through Creation Walks
I’m not a fan of
parenting horror stories. My what-if brain doesn’t need any help. What I need
to hear, rather, is not what can or has gone wrong but rather, what I can do to
parent well.
Though I know
there’s no guarantees when it comes to children, I’ve learned every story goes
haywire when left on its own. But one that’s crafted with love, patience,
consistency, and truth? Now those are the kind of stories memories are made of.
If you’re a parent,
you’re probably familiar with Deuteronomy 6:6-9:
“These commandments
that I give you today are to be on your hearts. Impress them on your children.
Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you
lie down and when you get up. Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on
your foreheads. Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates” (NLT).
This passage is more than a command. It’s an invitation to
draw near to our children on a heart-to-heart level as we share the deepest
part of who we are—our faith. It is an invitation to connect, to explore, and
to rest in our relationship in the hands of our Father.
When our daughter was young, we spent hours strolling
through the neighborhood, hand in hand, crunching fallen leaves, and picking
flowers. Everything enchanted her and evoked innumerable questions.
As she explored God’s creation, I used the opportunity to
introduce her to the Creator. We talked about the different colors before us. I
told her of God’s love displayed in each chirping robin and fragrant flower.
Her eyes would light up with childlike wonder, and her gaze would drift to the
sky.
She’s sixteen now, and while many of her peers are pulling
away from their parents, she and I continue to enjoy long, leisurely strolls.
They’re cherished times between her and I. Times where she unveils her heart
and shares some of her deepest dreams and fears. And like when she was a
toddler, it isn’t long before our conversation turns spiritual. For us, talking
about God comes naturally. It’s part of our relationship’s DNA.
Fourteen years ago, I had no idea what a beautiful tradition
our creation walks would start. Not only have these special moments
strengthened her faith; they’ve melded our hearts together as well.
Beyond I Do:
Marriage . . .
it’s more than a happily ever after. Eternally more. Ainsley Meadow’s encounter
with a woman, her child, and their abuser sparks a passion that threatens her
engagement. Will seeing beyond the present unite her and her fiancé or tear
them apart? Raised by a hedonist mother, who cycles through jobs and
relationships like wrapping paper on Christmas morning, Ainsley falls into a
predictable and safe relationship with Richard, a self-absorbed socialite
psychiatrist. But as her wedding nears, a battered woman and her child spark a
long-forgotten dream and ignites a hidden passion. One that threatens to change
everything, including her fiancé. To embrace God’s best and find true love,
this security-seeking bride must follow God with reckless abandon and realize
that marriage goes Beyond I Do.
***
Beyond I Do is available for preorder at a 26%
off discount. Visit with Jennifer online at JenniferSlatteryLivesOutLoud.
