I got this email from a follower recently and it encouraged me so much that I asked if I could share it with you all…
Dear Crystal,
I have read and looked forward to your daily MSM email every night for the last few years and I have read two of your previous books. It has really helped me save a lot of money over the years and I really appreciate what you do.
I Had No Interest in Reading Your Book
I want to be honest with you, though. I had absolutely no interest in reading your new book, Love-Centered Parenting, when you talked about it in your emails.
My only child is on the autism spectrum, just graduated high school last year and recently turned 20 years old. I felt like you had nothing to offer me when it came to parenting advice and I also felt like I was “done” with needing parenting books since my son was 20 years old.
I Didn’t Feel Like I Could Take Advice From You
I also didn’t feel like I could take advice from someone who to me seemed “perfect” with perfect kids, a perfect marriage and just in general seemed to have the perfect life.
But then I saw you post about a tv interview and was able to watch it and I was absolutely shocked that one of your children was labeled a bully several years ago. I could hardly believe what I was hearing.
I am VERY familiar with psych hospitals as my son was in and out of them several times when he was younger and my heart truly went out to you. I have a trial of Scribd this month so I decided, what could it hurt, I will listen to your book.
Your Book Was Not At All What I Expected
I binge-listened for the past 3 days and just finished. I now have FIFTY TWO bookmarks that I have to go re-listen to and write notes.
It was SOOOOOOOOOO GOOD and not what I was expecting at all!!! You did a FABULOUS job and I know your Heavenly Father is incredibly proud of the book that you put out.
My son is not wired like me AT ALL and we argue so much because he wants to show me his electronics projects or whatever he is working on (hyper focus with high functioning autism) and I just get so bored and honestly don’t care about it sometimes.
He is so needy and needs my attention a lot and it’s overwhelming sometimes, but your book really made me think hard about the state of my heart and how I react to him.
I’m going to try hard to lean in and love and be thankful that he wants me to be so involved in his life. I am going to go grab a journal right now and start writing all of the nuggets of wisdom down before my trial ends in 2 days.
Thank you SO much for writing Love-Centered Parenting! And also I really think you sold yourself short at the beginning of the book when you said it was for parents of little ones. This is a book that ALL parents can learn from no matter what their age. – A grateful follower
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Reading letters like this makes me feel so humbled. I am so thankful for God is using the message of Love-Centered Parenting to change hearts and homes!
By the way, if you want to read or listen to a copy, it’s available on Scribd, Audiobooks.com, and most libraries have the hard copy or offer the audiobook on Libby or Hoopla. You can also get a copy on Amazon or ChristianBook.com.
photos from WordsWisdomWhitney, Bethany House Nonfiction, and GracefullyLivingNY
I finished loved centered parenting and I have never read a book that fast, never felt so convicted and hopeful at the same time and kinda didn’t want it to be over. Lol. I could not put the book down. It was such an easy read and it will change my life forever. It is like someone took all the negative thoughts I had every felt about myself and put them in a book then showed me how to change them. It reminded me that there are so many mom’s out there feeling the same exact thing and why is that!? Because the devil is a liar. That’s all he has is a lie and he tells us all the same one. God’s grace and love for us is so big. We just have to believe it ourselves and forgive ourselves. Crystal really hit the head on the nail and I am so so so glad I read it. Thank you for being obedient to the Lord.
I’m so humbled by your comment and so grateful! God is good! Thank you for your kind encouragement! I’m over here cheering for you!
I agree when you said this book was for parents of littles. I have gained SO much and I have 3 olders, 14,13,11 and a newborn. I think the main thing for me is that I have learned so much about myself. There are so many parts of this book where you write about yourself and I literally feel like that IS me. Thank you for your openness, honesty and for following the lord’s leading in writing this book. I have read many parenting books and this one addresses right where it needed to for me, MY HEART.
I’m so humbly grateful! Thank you for your encouragement!
This just touched my heart. NONE of us has a “perfect” family. We all fall short of God’s glory, imperfect parents raising imperfect children, not to glorify US, but to train them up in the way THEY should go, and to point them towards their need for our Savior. Wow, how we lose sight of the journey sometimes (I sure do.)
My son is also 19, also has autism. While he functions well (has tackled Latin, debate, holds a job, etc.), he is low-normal IQ. I hurt deeply when I picture his future without his dad and I in it, and yet, all I can do is pray and trust in God’s ways and in His love for my son.
I have not read Crystal’s parenting book, but now I think i need to. Thank you for that.
God bless you, both, and all moms who are trying their best in spite of all their own shortcomings.
I’m so grateful this was an encouragement to you!
Love this!!
Crystal your recent podcast on positive thinking really challenged me!
So much so I am asking myself how can I think different about our construction/remodel home project that is not going as planned.
I’m so grateful that the podcast was an encouragement to you!