Seven is a hard age. It is for me, anyway, from a parenting perspective. I am in the process of reading two excellent books on parenting. I will write full reviews when I have finished them, but in the meantime, I wanted to get this out ASAP.

Perhaps seven (or February) (or whatever age you are parenting) is challenging for you, too.

Parenting: 14 Gospel Principles that Can Radically Change Your Family by Paul David Tripp. This book is phenomenal. I seriously cannot tell you how just six chapters in, Tripp encouraged me to change my entire approach to parenting, and it has reset the tone of our days. Life is still hard: I am a sinner, desperately in need of grace, parenting another sinner desperately in need of grace. However, now that I recognize that fact, I have made a conscious attempt to change multiple facets of my parenting. And I am seeing that I am not laboring in vain.

Praise. God.

Run out and get this book. And then, gather a group of friends and discuss it. I have written study questions for it, and some of the moms from our homeschool community are discussing it together. We meet every other Tuesday night via video chat, and having camaraderie in this journey of parenting with grace is more helpful that I can put into words.

Missional Motherhood: The Everyday Ministry of Motherhood in the Grand Plan of God by Gloria Furman is also phenomenal. This is less of a “how-to” parenting book (thus far) than it is a “why” treatise. Every chapter or section I read just encourages me in my parenting. Reading parenting books as an infertile woman is interesting; I will probably never have another child. Christian authors just assume mothers will have multiple children. Mrs. Furman does not assume this, and I love her for this (and I cannot wait to do a full review of this fantastic book). She encourages women who “mother” in a variety of ways, which I find myself doing across different areas of my life.

I walk away from this book, each time, rejuvenated and ready to face whatever else the day may hold. You should absolutely take some time and read this book.

And just for fun, I am also reading Ashley Bell by Dean Koontz (science fiction), By the Shores of Silver Lake by Laura Ingalls Wilder (read aloud with the kiddo), and listening to $2.00 a Day by Kathryn J. Edin while I run.

What are you reading these days?