Christina Fox - Like Our Father: How God Parents Us and Why that Matters for Our Parenting

In Like Our Father, Christina Fox equips and encourages parents in the glorious task of leading children to know and love God. Each chapter has a rhythm: biblical principles directly from Scripture, which lead to reflection on how those principles shape our practice, which leads to application of those principles to real challenges. The chapters close with questions for further discussion, and a helpful prayer in light of the character of God. Before you wade into the ocean of how-to guides, read this book that reminds you of Who is parenting with you.

STEPHEN T. ESTOCK

Coordinator, PCA Discipleship Ministries (CDM)

Christina Fox is a wise mother, a gifted counselor, and a dear friend. Every time I pick up one of her books, I know it will be filled with the kind of biblically sound teaching and practical application that has served so many of her readers through the years. If you are a parent looking to learn from our perfect, heavenly parent, Christina Fox is sure to be a trustworthy companion and helpful mentor.

MEGAN HILL

Editor for The Gospel Coalition; author, Patience: Waiting with Hope

Our Father, who art in heaven, help me parent these kids! Every parent knows that in order to raise healthy, loved, and spiritually mature children, we need a parenting coach. In Like Our Father, Christina Fox reminds us we already have oneour heavenly Father! Youll walk away from this book with a fresh awe for the way God has lovingly cared for you and deep wisdom to help you raise your children rooted in His love. This is a parenting book I will read and reread.

ERIN DAVIS

Writer, Bible study teacher, and mother of four boys

Christina Fox doesnt just offer a parenting how to manual, but instead paints a beautiful picture of how our heavenly Father parents us, slowly shaping us into a conduit of His love and grace as we learn to parent our own children in His strength. Lay down the heavy burden of needing to know how to be the parent you long to be and soak in the pages of this book, which will draw your eyes upward to know and rest in the One who has everything you need.

SARAH WALTON

Coauthor of Hope When It Hurts and Together Through the Storms

This book surpasses parenting how-to guides, giving us practical wisdom to nurture kids in gospel truth. Christina Fox faithfully points us to the perfect parent: God Himself. Get ready to see what it means to imitate our loving Father and proclaim His beloved Son to our children, fully relying on His abundant grace.

BARBARA REAOCH

Author; former Director of the Childrens Division at Bible Study Fellowship International

In a world full of prescriptive strategies that dont go the distance, Like Our Father offers an invitation to discover the why of parenting instead of the how. Understanding the multidimensional glory of God as Father shapes both parent and child toward the ultimate aim of parentingbeing more conformed to His image.

KAREN HODGE

Coordinator of Womens Ministries for the Presbyterian Church in America (PCA) and author of Transformed: Life-taker to Life-giver and Life-giving Leadership

Simply put, Like Our Father is an excellent resource for parents who want to understand how our status as adopted sons of God helps us parent our own children. By inviting us to experience how God parents us, and then demonstrating how our sonship informs raising our children, Fox teaches readers how to image Gods father-love in our families. Parents will fall more deeply in love with our heavenly Father and with the children He has graciously given us to raise.

ANNA MEADE HARRIS

Editor-in-Chief, Rooted Ministry blog, and cohost of the Rooted Parent Podcast

2022 by
CHRISTINA FOX

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form without permission in writing from the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles or reviews.

Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are from the ESV Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version), Copyright 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations marked (NIV) are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version, NIV. Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. www.zondervan.com The NIV and New International Version are trademarks registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by Biblica, Inc.

Published in association with Don Gates, THE GATES GROUPwww.the-gates-group.com.

A version of the section Our Unchanging Father was previously published at the authors website, christinafox.com.

Edited by Amanda Cleary Eastep
Interior design: Kaylee Dunn
Cover design: Erik M. Peterson
Cover illustration of leaves copyright 2020 by milezaway / Shutterstock (1243120687). All rights reserved.
Author photo: Your Spirit Photography

All websites and phone numbers listed herein are accurate at the time of publication but may change in the future or cease to exist. The listing of website references and resources does not imply publisher endorsement of the sites entire contents. Groups and organizations are listed for informational purposes, and listing does not imply publisher endorsement of their activities.

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Names: Fox, Christina, author.

Title: Like our father : how God parents us and why that matters for our parenting / Christina Fox.

Description: Chicago : Moody Publishers, [2022] | Includes bibliographical references. | Summary: Instead of focusing on parenting techniques, Like Our Father is about who God is, who we are in light of that, and how Gods character gives form to our parenting. Christina Fox invites you to explore the Scriptures and discover the goodness of the God who makes us His own-- Provided by publisher.

Identifiers: LCCN 2021051746 (print) | LCCN 2021051747 (ebook) | ISBN 9780802424426 | ISBN 9780802477439 (ebook)

Subjects: LCSH: God (Christianity)--Fatherhood. | God (Christianity)--Motherhood. | Parenting--Religious aspects--Christianity. | BISAC: RELIGION / Christian Living / Spiritual Growth | RELIGION / Biblical Meditations / New Testament

Classification: LCC BT153.F3 F69 2022 (print) | LCC BT153.F3 (ebook) | DDC 231/.044--dc23/eng/20211118

LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2021051746

LC ebook record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2021051747

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To my parents, who first introduced me to my Father in heaven

Friend,

Thank you for choosing to read this Moody Publishers title. It is our hope and prayer that this book will help you to know Jesus Christ more personally and love Him more deeply.