I had no idea how to start this post. Mostly because I was making it too complicated.
Instead, God showed me to be simple.
Awhile back I read Love Does: Discover a Secretly Incredible Life in an Ordinary World by Bob Goff. It encouraged me in ways other books have not. I felt inspired, challenged, and loved through the pages of stories and biblical truth. I recommend it 100%.
And now Goff has partnered with his daughter to bring that same encouragement to kids!
I asked two of my kids if they would sit with me and read a bit. It made my heart happy when they said yes (the tween years are nothing if not unpredictable!)
As we snuggled up, and I read a chapter, we found that place of family, of together, of calm that we had been missing. It wasn’t anything magical about the book, but as I finished the first chapter we all felt it because they asked me to keep reading.
Carving out that sliver of time made me realize how much we had been longing for it.
It wasn’t perfect. There were things to be done. But it only took ten minutes. And those ten minutes brought a calm and connection that we had been missing lately.
So, we will keep reading. We will keep choosing imperfect moments to make our own kind of perfect. We will keep reading together because it makes our hearts happy.
If you’re looking for a book to share with your kids, Love Does for Kids is a treasure that just may lead to your own kind of magic.
Check out these great sites I’m linking up with: Literacy Musing Mondays, Purposeful Faith, Tea & Word Tuesday, Abounding Grace, Tell His Story, Porch Stories, Let’s Have Coffee, Worth Beyond Rubies, Moments of Hope, Tune in Thursday, Dance with Jesus, Fresh Market Friday, Faith ‘n Friends, Blogger Voices Network, Grace & Truth, Heart Encouragement
I love that book! I have read a few chapters on my own, but I look forward to reading it as a family. Love Does for kids is simple, but powerful!
It is great! Have you read the one for grown ups? It’s fantastic!
This book sounds wonderful, Rebecca. And I’m sure moms everywhere relate to this: “Carving out that sliver of time made me realize how much we had been longing for it.”
Sometimes we don’t know what we are missing out on until we experience just a moment of the thing we need.
It can feel so hard, and somehow we know something is missing. It’s only when I make it happen that it feels a bit like and exhale and being home.
We heard Bob Goff speak a few months ago and he was as fabulous in person as in his books! I can’t wait until my granddaughter is old enough for this book for kids. I didn’t know about it. Thanks for sharing, Rebecca!
I bet he’s great to hear speak! He seems like the kind of person I’d love to have over with his wife for a relaxed dinner just to talk about life.
Sounds like an incredible resource and opportunity for parents to connect and really live out the gospel with their children, Rebecca! Pinning this one for sure!
It’s truly lovely! Thanks for sharing!
This book (and your post!) are so hopeful!
And it’s true: parenting has it’s golden moments at every age and stage if we are willing to make room for them. My youngest guy is a senior this year, complete with license and his own car, so we intersect in different ways than we did when I was mum-taxi and caregiver. Even so, we laugh our fool heads off together over the dumbest things.
And we argue.
But now, knowing how much I miss the older guys, I’ll take the arguing as part of the package, because pretty soon he will be gone as well.
I see those years on the horizon for my crew and it is both exciting and terrifying. I’m trusting God will show me what I need in each season. He’s started through you 🙂
Oh, Rebecca, I LOVE Bob Goff and his book Love Does! I did not know about this kids version. How exciting! I’m ordering it for my grandson today! 🙂
Pinned (twice), tweeted and will share on the IE Facebook. 🙂 THANK YOU!
Thanks for linking up at InstaEncouragements!
Yay! Your grandson will love it! Thanks so much for the shares 🙂
That sounds like an amazing book. This should be at the top of our priorities as parents “Finding time for magical moments with my kids”! We try to read together 2 0 3 nights each week and every nighter we recap the day and pray together. They will only be young for so long…capturing that time is critical!
It is so important, and I find it harder as they are getting older. Asking God to show me how to connect with them each day.
The book is sweet and perfect for kids. I loved it when I got it for my granddaughters. And you are spot on with this >>> “Carving out that sliver of time made me realize how much we had been longing for it.” We need to carve out this time and read to our children for no other reason than to satisfy our longing to be with each other.
It makes such a difference! I am having a harder time now that they are tweens/teens, but I’m asking God to show me how to make it work!
It is great that you and your kids are sharing these magical moments! Sometimes the simplest things can draw us closer and bring a deeper bond. Yet it seems that we often fight against those things because of all the distractions and busyness in life. I still remember the preciousness of family devotions after dinner. The simple stories read and the discussions that took place were not “magical” either but they are forever etched in my heart. Thanks so much for sharing this!!
It’s so great that you can treasure those precious times!
This sounds like a very interesting book.
I think you’d love it!
It was. I also love Goff’s books for grown ups!