Loving the Little Years is a delightful book. That may seem a strange comment on a book that deals with life with such candor. It's all here: the fights in the back of the car, the dirty diapers, sinks full of dishes, runny noses, exhaustion--all the stuff of having five young children. It is a fresh and honest book, because it faces the problem of sin (both in kids and in parents). It is filled with profound insights into living wisely as a Christian parent. It has all the things I look for in a parenting book the focus is nurture, not just control; the motivation and empowerment is grace and not efforts. This book will help any mom (or dad for that matter) with loving the little years. --Tedd Tripp, pastor and author of Shepherding a Child's Heart Insightful, encouraging, honest and practical and a great deal of fun to read. Rachel is a blessing to her husband and her little ones. Now she is also a blessing to me and mine. May this book bless you and yours as well. --R.C. Sproul, Jr. Mothers of little people have one of the most challenging and important jobs on earth. But it is a humble job. Rachel Jankovic is a woman who lives out her story with humility, grace, and a houseful of humor. And with five exuberant children, ages five and under, you can be sure she knows what she is talking about. -- --Nancy Wilson, author of Praise Her in the Gates and The Fruit of Her HandsAbout the AuthorRachel Jankovic is a wife, homemaker, and mother. She received her bachelor's degree in Liberal Arts Culture from New Saint Andrews College, but mostly reads cookbooks now to avoid story grip (being highly susceptible). In 2003, she married her husband Luke, and they have seven children who know how to party: Evangeline (11), Daphne (9), Chloe (8), Titus (8), and Blaire (5) Shadrach (3), and Moses (2 months). Rachel loves color, fabric, yarn to knit with, kids to laugh at, and laundry (not so much). what is the best book to read 2019 Loving the Little Years: Motherhood in the Trenches
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful. Quick and Practical Read to Encourage the Mom "in the trenches"!! Enjoy!By 4merryvilleI have read this book several times for encouragement. I've also bought two copies: I've given both away to encourage other moms and now and looking to buy a third copy. The author practically approached raising little ones with a lifelong relationship with Christ as the end goal. I have 4 little ones under 8 and find myself struggling day to day with my own attitude and heart. This book helped me look at myself first and then at helping my precious ones, who are not so precious at times (okay, a lot of times) during a given day.I loved her approach for dealing with fights over toys and the like; we modified it for our family and we see some headway (little by little). When my kids fight over a toy, we address their attitudes to each other first and then the toy. A lot of times, the toy is either forgotten or they find a way to share. This alone, has been one of the biggest helps from the book. It is encouraging to see them "get it" - they feel contrite and want to make it up to their sibling. We still have plenty of arguments and disagreements, but my husband and I continue to insist that their relationship with each other is more important than whatever thing they fancy right then. I think that also cuts down on the fighting for our benefit or attention, because they know we are going to say they need to fix it with each other themselves (unless it's big and we need to step in to help solve it).For me, I needed to be reminded about being fruitful. That is one of the reasons I went looking for my copy, only to remember I had given it away. The author uses the illustration of a fruit tree overloaded with fruit on the branches and some have fallen to the ground. She says something like, bearing fruit doesn't mean that each fruit is destined for greatness, but some pieces are not for any specific purpose other than "being fruitful". It is okay spend time and energy on something that may not serve some great purpose, but is enjoyable. I think she mentioned baking or sewing. I needed to hear that. Coming from working outside the home with productivity being quantified to the nth degree, I needed to hear, it's okay to do something that's not huge in the scheme of things.I say all of that to say, I have been encouraged greatly by this book and I continue to come back to it because is simple and practical. I have told many of my friends and other moms about this book too. It's definitely worth your time to read (and it's a quick read too)! Enjoy!0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. Wise, Thoughtful, Practical, and Short!By Amdru FishI love this book. I first purchased this book after reading "Mom Enough: The Fearless Mother's Heart and Hope." Rachel Jankovic knows her stuff. She keeps her chapters short (no more than 5 or so pages) yet each chapter is filled with wise advice followed by practical examples on how to act on that advice. As a new mom, I need the break down. Even when I am sleep deprived I feel like this book feeds a part of my soul and reminds me of what motherhood is all about. I am reminded that the good and the bad all have a purpose and that my kid is not the the embodiment of my own virtues and vices, rather, they are their own creation that needs to be encouraged, developed, corrected, and loved. This is a book you will want to read at least once a year. It is worth every cent.0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. Perfectly writtenBy Emily JonesI highly recommend this book to all parents, especially moms. Whether you have 2 children or 10, the author perfectly explains our place in the world as a parent. Life changes drastically after having children. A part of who you are is left behind but that's ok. Embracing who you become as a team and a family unit is what God wants from you. This book covers everything from body image to making time for yourself and time for your marriage to prioritizing chores and embracing what your life has become. Most importantly child rearing with more grace and less authority. Excellent read!