Many people look to their faith when tackling the challenges of child-rearing. This season, Christian publishers offer titles that combine biblical lessons with first-hand advice, on issues including raising a child with special needs and speaking with teens about sexuality.
BeDaditudes
Greg Popcak. Ave Maria, Mar.
Popcak, a marriage and family counselor, draws on his experiences as a father and incorporates the Beatitudes (blessings recounted in the Sermon on the Mount) into advice for modern men.
The Discerning Parent
Tim and Sue Muldoon. Ave Maria, Mar.
Tim, a theologian and professor, and his wife, Sue, a counselor and religious educator, aim to help parents foster open communication with their tweens and teens via the Ignatian spiritual tradition of discernment, or making decisions based on God’s will.
Different
Sally and Nathan Clarkson. Tyndale, Jan.
A mother and her son, who has been diagnosed with learning issues, anxiety, and OCD, share perspectives on life with mental illness, and offer thoughts on why such differences are part of God’s plan.
Getting Past Perfect
Kate Wicker. Ave Maria, Mar.
Journalist Wicker debunks myths and Pinterest-perfect notions about motherhood with teachings from Catholicism that encourage self-acceptance and confidence.
Hero
Meg Meeker. Regnery Faith, May
Meeker, a pediatrician, disputes society’s definitions of success for men and women, making a case for why fatherhood should be valued as highly as motherhood. Her previous books include 2006’s Strong Fathers, Strong Daughters, which has sold 435,000 print copies, per Nielsen BookScan.
If I Had a Parenting Do-Over
Jonathan McKee. Shiloh Run, Feb.
From the author of books including The Guy’s Guide to God, Girls, and the Phone in Your Pocket (2014; 11,000 print copies sold per BookScan) comes a personal reflection on fatherhood aimed at helping parents avoid regret. Chapter titles include “Let It Go” and “Press Pause.”
My Heart
Julie Manning. B&H, Feb.
Manning, who suffers from a life-threatening, incurable heart disease, shares how the condition transformed her into a mother who finds joy in putting her life in God’s control.
