If you are like me, you watched quite a bit of Olympics coverage recently. There is something fascinating about watching people do their best. I especially enjoy watching the coaches and parents. They put as much effort in their own ways into helping the athletes succeed. This summer while watching the games, I wondered what the church would look like if Christian parents thought of themselves as coaching their kids to the most important goal and reward possible – getting to Heaven.
Perhaps if parents learned what made coaches and athletes successful and put the same effort into helping their children develop strong Christian roots, we wouldn’t lose so many young people. Maybe our kids would grow to become mighty men and women of God.
I was interested when offered a chance to review a book written for parents who want to raise successful athletes. Win! by Emily Pavot interviews coaches, athletes and parents to find out what goes into the making of a successful athlete.
A few years ago, it became clear my husband’s parents (who were almost as old as my grandparents) would no longer be able to live in their home out-of-state. That was the beginning of a couple of extremely difficult years trying to homeschool our daughter, while my husband tried to work a demanding job – all while caring for his parents who we had moved into a nearby assisted living facility.
When I was a child, the only Christian books for children were mainly ones that retold Bible stories. If you haven’t checked out all of the new Christian picture and chapter books for kids, I would encourage you to take a look at your local Christian bookstore. Many of the books are comparable to secular books, but address character in the light of God’s will for your children.
Our family was introduced to the Harris brothers about the time the first edition of this book came out several years ago. Our then young teen daughter loved reading the book and realizing she wasn’t the only kid on the planet who made God, serving others and sharing their faith priorities in their lives.
Let’s face it. Sometimes the only way to get through a tough day is to laugh. I love to laugh and remember reading the old Erma Bombeck books about motherhood when I was little. So, I was interested when given a chance to read the book