Melinda Means - Mothering From Scratch: Finding the Best Parenting Style for You and Your Family

2015 by Melinda Means and Kathy Helgemo

Published by Bethany House Publishers

11400 Hampshire Avenue South

Bloomington, Minnesota 55438

www.bethanyhouse.com

Bethany House Publishers is a division of

Baker Publishing Group, Grand Rapids, Michigan

www . bakerpublishinggroup . com

Ebook edition created 2015

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any meansfor example, electronic, photocopy, recordingwithout the prior written permission of the publisher. The only exception is brief quotations in printed reviews.

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data is on file at the Library of Congress, Washington, DC.

ISBN 978-1-4412-6507-4

Unless otherwise indicated, Scripture quotations are 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

Scripture quotations identified ESV are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version (ESV), copyright 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved. ESV Text Edition: 2007

Scripture quotations identified NLT are from the Holy Bible , New Living Translation, copyright 1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Cover design by Paul Higdon

Authors are represented by The Blythe Daniel Agency.

Melinda and Kathy have put together this resource to help you both identify and embrace your own personal mothering style. Its practical, refreshing, and a message every mom needs to hear!

Jill Savage, founder and CEO of Hearts at Home, author of nine books, including No More Perfect Moms

I would have benefited from a book like this so many years ago.

from the foreword by Suzanne (Suzie) Eller, speaker and author, The Mom I Want to Be

Motherhood is hard no matter what way you slice it! I love the heart Kathy and Melinda have to encourage and equip mothers to do it well!

Jennifer Maggio, chief executive officer of The Life of a Single Mom Ministries and award-winning author

Authors Melinda Means and Kathy Helgemo are relatable, practical, and compassionate. Feed your heart, mind, and soul with the wisdom found in Mothering From Scratch .

Lori Wildenberg, co-author of three parenting books, including Raising Little Kids with Big Love and Raising Big Kids with Supernatural Love

Instead of living frustrated from always falling short, Melinda and Kathy free us into the power of mothering as our truest, God-created self.

Amy Carroll, Proverbs 31 Ministries speaker and author

Mothering From Scratch helps moms enjoy the journey of their own personal recipe for parenting and find freedom in knowing that there are no cookie-cutter familiesso there are no cookie-cutter solutionsand thats okay.

Stephanie Shott, founder of M.O.M. Initiative

Melinda and Kathy give moms permission to experiment in freedom from the fear of doing it wrong in order to create a unique parenting recipe for success. This book is a must-have for every mother.

Heather R. Riggleman, blogger, speaker, mom, and author of Mama Needs a Time - Out

Mothering From Scratch offers strategies and stirring questions to help busy moms fully enjoy all that God has for them.

Gayle Wright, ministry outreach lead, MOPS International, Inc.

This book comes alongside like a mentor chef, whispering, Give it another stir, Let that lesson bake awhile, and Its okay to begin again from scratch.

Laurie Wallin, life coach and author, Get Your Joy Back : Banishing Resentment and Reclaiming Confidence in Your Special Needs Family

Mothering From Scratch provides each one of us buried deep within those trenches of motherhood with the inspiring and freeing realization that were not alone. A must-read!

Jenny Lee Sulpizio, author of Confessions of a Wonder Woman Wannabe and For the Love of God

Kathy and Melinda have a gift of encouragement and authentic transparency that will speak to any moms heart. Mothering From Scratch is food for a mothers soul.

Joanne Kraft, author of The Mean Mom s Guide to Raising Great Kids and Just Too Busy : Taking Your Family on a Radical Sabbatical

Its not just a feel-good book, its a catalyst to letting God heal those wounded places in us so we can be the best moms to our children.

Carey Scott, speaker, author, and life coach, CareyScottTalks.com

Like good mentors, both authors are vulnerable and transparent regarding their own failures and imperfections.

Janet Thompson, speaker and author of seventeen books, including the W OMAN TO W OMAN M ENTORING resources and Dear God , They Say It s Cancer , www.womantowomanmentoring.com

I loved reading a fresh, honest perspective on mothering while receiving encouragement, new ideas, and reassurance that I was the best person to mother my kids.

Michelle Myers, wife, mom of four, blogger, and MOPS coordinator, www.sunshineandhurricanes.com