Book Review: Giving Your Words by Clay and Sally Clarkson
In the fight to be really good moms, we are often on the lookout for ways to improve our relationships with our kids. To encourage them, help them grow, show them how to treat others with kindness, love God and follow Him. But what if there was one really simple (although not easy) way we could help our kids grow their faith?
In their new book Giving Your Words: The Lifegiving Power of a Verbal Home for Family Faith Formation, popular authors Clay and Sally Clarkson lay out a plan for parents to help their children build a strong foundation of faith.
Through the power of words–actual spoken ones–we can shape the minds and hearts of our kids and encourage them to grow their faith and relationship with the Lord.
Giving Your Words Review
I first became curious about the Clarkson parenting style when I read their daughter Sarah’s book Book Girl several years ago. In it, she makes long lists of books she read as a child that helped shape who she became as an adult.
If you’ve followed the Clarksons at all, you know that all four of their children are amazing, intelligent adults who have done some really great things. They are all published authors, some have doctorate degrees and one has written musical scores for movies.
And they all hold a strong faith that their parents passed on to them from a young age.
Now, I don’t exactly aspire for my boys to do any of those things–except to hold onto their faith. That is my greatest desire for them in life. Long before reading Giving Your Words, I wondered what the Clarkson secret was for raising successful, happy children who love the Lord.
I was so encouraged to find the answer on the pages of this book!
In our modern, digital world, we don’t communicate with our kids nearly as much as we should. Probably not even as much as we communicated with our own parents. Screens are everywhere, and they often keep us from actually talking with our mouths.
Clay and Sally lay out the reasons why verbal communication with our kids is so important, and how it builds the foundation they need in life. I had never even considered all the times in the Bible that God refers to literal communication, but I found myself with my highlighter close in hand to mark the references so I can remember them in the future.
Then, they show just how important words were in Jesus’ ministry and how He taught His disciples important principles. If it mattered to Him, it should matter to me, too.
In the second part of the book, the Clarksons give examples of the words we should be using every day with our kids. While they do talk about the importance of Scripture, it’s more than that. We need, as parents, to have a relationship with God that we can share with our kids.
Recommendation
If you’re like me, and long to raise kids who are strong in their faith, but you aren’t sure where to start, I highly recommend this book.
Giving Your Words is more than just guidance and wisdom, it’s practical advice for making your words count with your kids. There is advice for helping them grow their imaginations, speaking blessings over them and encouraging their faith–even when that means listening to their doubts.
This is a book you’ll want to read with a highlighter, and your Bible nearby. Maybe a notebook, too, since you’re going to come away filled with ideas.
I want to be a good mom, but the truth is, I sometimes get a little bit annoyed with my boys. They talk A LOT. But I didn’t realize just how important it is to keep those doors of communication open. To encourage them to talk to me now, while they’re young, so that they will still talk and listen when they get older.
Words are God’s gift to us. After reading Giving Your Words I see things differently, and I approach conversations with my kids differently. I want to use my words to create a lasting legacy of faith and wisdom in my boys’ lives.
