The words were sharp. Although I know brothers will disagree and words happen in the heat of the moment. These words followed a thread of similar words I had noticed over time. They were words that pointed to the condition of my child’s heart.
“I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have said it.”
But the words landed flat and my spirit sensed something was wrong. I couldn’t let the situation rest where it was.
“Buddy, your brother forgives you and I do, too. However, we need to talk about what’s going on in your heart to make these kinds of words spill over so easily.”
A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and an evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of. -Luke 6:45 NIV
It’s always been a matter of the heart for me. In all relationships. But most importantly, in my parenting. Because, friends, everything is about the heart. Reaching the heart of someone is when learning takes place.
It’s when you matter to each other.
It’s when wounds are healed and transformations take place.
Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it. -Proverbs 4:23
It is with the heart that we reach our children. And it is with the heart that we build relationships that have the strength to weather the storms of life.
It is with the #heart that we build relationships that have the strength to weather the storms…
Click To Tweet
So, when I was given the opportunity to read How to Win Your Child’s Heart for Life, by Melanie Redd, I was drawn in immediately by Melanie’s message of winning your child’s heart.
In her book, she outlines 8 strategies that will help you win your child’s heart for life. Her book is easy to read while still filled with strategies and resources. In a world with so much noise about the next best thing in parenting, Melanie simplifies it all into these 8 powerful but simple strategies.
- Make prayer a top priority in your home.
- Always be learning and growing as a parent.
- Seek out older, wiser friends who can give you insight and perspective.
- Quit barking at your kids!
- Teach your children when they are the most teachable.
- Choose your battles wisely!
- Make your home a place of laughter, joy, humor, and fun!
- Never stop loving and encouraging your kids.
My favorite strategy? Choose your battles wisely!
Between my eldest who is in the throes of the early teen years and my youngest with behavioral special needs, I have an ample supply of battles to choose from! My brain often feels overloaded from filtering whether an issue is
a mountain?
or
a molehill?
In this chapter, Melanie gives several qualifying questions and parameters to help determine the difference between a battle to fight or a battle to lay down. The qualifiers are spot on and once you go through them a few times, they will become part of your natural thought process.
When I read parenting books, I filter them through several sets of eyes. The eyes of an adoptive and biologic Mama with three remarkably unique children. One of my children is very typical other than some manageable ADHD. The other has, among other things, manageable but severe ADHD. My little has significant physical, mental, and behavioral special needs. I often feel that each child requires their very own set of strategies. So as I read How to Win Your Child’s Heart for Life, I was inspired by the fact that this book is one that will benefit any parent in any situation. It’s not a book that would give you specific strategies for working with a behaviorally challenged child, however it sets the stage for what needs to be the foundation for raising any and all kinds of children.
It sets the stage for a healthy family environment and puts you on the path to becoming the best parent possible whether your children have typical or special needs.
When I look back at that particular moment between my boys, I recognize several of Melanie’s strategies. When I sensed the condition of my son’s heart was not in a good place, I determined it was a battle I needed to face head on. We turned to prayer and I loved on them both even in the midst of the ugliness. And in those moments we did get to the bottom of a few things and found out there were some hurts growing in his heart. By talking with him, we brought to light what the enemy wanted to keep dark.
And the wounds began to heal.
If you want to reach your child’s heart and win it for life, this book would be a phenomenal place to start! It’s can find it on Amazon by clicking here!
What Matters Lies in the #Heart: #bookreview>How to Win Your Child's Heart for Life…
Click To Tweet
I can’t wait to see you back on Monday for #MomentsofHope!
I regularly link up with these encouraging bloggers!
If you are new here or just haven’t gotten around to subscribing to Searching for Moments, would you consider it? I’d love to get to know you better!!! And when you do, you will receive some free goodies from me!
The post All That Matters Lies in the Heart appeared first on Lori Schumaker.