Sally Clarkson - Giving Your Words: The Lifegiving Power of a Verbal Home for Family Faith Formation

Of the many lessons Ive learned from Sally and Clay Clarkson over the years, the single most poignant bit of wisdom Ive gleaned is this: in a world wrought with worry, aching for Truth, and full of so many things we cannot control, the place where we can make the biggest impact for good is within the four walls of our homes.

What a beautiful, grace-filled concept for a busy, often overwhelmed, perfectionist mama to heareven and especially as it sits contrary to what our busy, fast-paced world is telling us. There is often so much to do outside our homes that we forget the power we have within them. Home matters on a deeply spiritual and powerful level. It is there that bellies are nourished, spirits are soothed, and hearts are shaped. Home is where we are welcomed with a hug, a warm meal, a place on the sofa, and a listening ear. Home is where we can be truly known, where we can stop pretending and take off the cloaks of whoever we are trying to be outside those walls. Home is a sacred, special, spiritual place.

Giving Your Words digs even deeper into this concept, exploring the power of our words: of stories, questions, truth, encouragement, and so much more. In the pages of this book, we are reminded that while grand achievements and mountains moved are wonderful, it is imperative to turn our eyes toward that which may seem so simple, but is so important: our time spent in conversation with our children.

As a mom to three spunky, spirited children, I have seen the beauty that happens when we make space for bedtime conversations, little hearts pouring out worries as they drift off to sleep. Ive experienced the power of a question passed around the dinner table over bowls of spaghetti: What interests you and makes you curious these days? Answers pouring out from Triceratops to tea parties to Toni Morrison, hearts ablaze. Ive held sweaty pre-teen hands and listened as tender prayers are offered, Gods ear bent toward us. From fairy tales to future plans, words have shaped who my own beautiful children are becoming. And its my hope and prayer that they will take our words with them one day as they leave the nest.

All of Sally and Clays work, but especially this fantastic book, invites us to slow down, turn our eyes and hearts to God, and pay attention to the power our words have. I often think of the words we share with our children, at any age, as little nuggets of wisdom they carry with them in their proverbial pockets. These wordsreminders of their worth, of Gods love for them, of our love for them, of whats most important in lifeare with them wherever they go, through great experiences and hard ones. Theyre with them as they make decisions, as they experience hurt, and as they make sense of the world around them. What a beautiful thing to have to carry through the world with you.