Jeannie Cunnion - Parenting the Wholehearted Child: Captivating Your Childs Heart with Gods Extravagant Grace

Jeannie helped me, through the pages of this book, to understand that my goal cant be to raise kids who make me proud. Rather, my goal needs to be to help my kids cultivate a relationship with Jesus, who can captivate and shape their hearts.

Lysa TerKeurst, New York Times bestselling author

Rarely do I ever find myself agreeing with everything I read in a book. But this is the book I wish Id written. Jeannie has given parents a profound gift within its pages.

Kathie Lee Gifford, cohost, Todays fourth hour

A parenting book that will set you free. Over and over Jeannie reminds me that everything I need and long for I already possess because of what Jesus has done for me.

Tullian Tchividjian, Pastor, Coral Ridge Presbyterian Church

Filled with grace, wisdom, and practical advice, this book will offer comfort in your parental failings and guide you into a Spirit-led, Christcentered family life.

Amy Julia Becker, author, A Good and Perfect Gift

Moms, grab some girlfriends and read this book together. Youll come away knowing that God isnt just crazy about your kids; hes crazy about you too!

Jodie Berndt, author, Praying the Scriptures for Your Children

Funny and tender, this book is an invitation into the chaos that is motherhood. A useful toolkit, full of grace and wisdom.

Karen Spears Zacharias, author, Mother of Rain

In this lovingly scripted parenting manual, Jeannie bestows a compelling message on parents and children alike as she reminds us that we are unconditionally loved (and liked!) by God in Jesus Christ.

Kimm Crandall, author, Christ in the Chaos

An essential guide for parents who passionately want to lead their children to the heart of God, and who want to raise children who love Jesus with their whole hearts.

Kathryn Slattery, author, My Friend Jesus

Reading Jeannies writing is like having coffee with a wise friend who truly loves you. Parents of young children will laugh often as they follow her path through biblically supported best-practices for raising great kids.

Jocelyn (Jill) S. Woolworth, LMFT

A much-needed contribution to the world of parenting resources. Jeannie opens up her life so that parents who are looking for a practical way to guide their children can find comfort, encouragement, and appropriate challenge.

Meredith Dancause, Adult Life Pastor, Mars Hill Bible Church

Every parent who reads this book will discover deeper personal freedom and grace-based tools with which to love their kids in a whole new way.

Francie Winslow, MOPS coordinator, speaker, writer

A breath of fresh air for those of us in the parenting trenches. Jeannie provides the tools we all can use in teaching our children about grace and Gods love for us all.

Christy Kyser Truitt, award-winning author of Southern fiction

Jeannie shares how we, in our imperfection, but with Gods grace, can raise children who know whose they are and who are filled with the knowledge of Gods endless love for them.

Kris Faasse, Director of Adoption Services, Bethany Christian Services

The best book on practical Christian parenting I have ever read. Cunnions approach to Christian parenting is practical, accessible, psychologically sound, and developmentally sensitive.

Hillary R. Bercovici, Senior Fellow, Trinity Institute

Thank you, Jeannie, for opening wide the floodgates to the unconditional love of God and for laying out for us an honest, practical, grace-centered antidote.

Drew Williams, Senior Pastor, Trinity Church (Greenwich, CT)

This inspired book helps parents protect children from the achieve-aholic treadmill by building a foundation of Gods unmerited love and wisdom into their childs life.

Michael Lee Stallard, author, Fired Up or Burned Out

This book offers freedom to burdened moms. Jeannie has beautifully explored profound principles and broken them into doable pieces.

Courtney DeFeo, owner, Lil Light O Mine

With a deep understanding of unconditional love, Jeannie makes the word wholehearted come alive as an honest, vulnerable, and extraordinary way both to parent and to live.

Patti Callahan Henry, bestselling novelist

Jeannie Cunnion shows how the good news of the gospel applies to bringing children up and has created a tremendous resource for parents.

Jessica Thompson, author, Exploring Grace Together

ZONDERVAN

Parenting the Wholehearted Child

Copyright 2014 by Jeannie Cunnion

ePub Edition March 2014: ISBN 978-0-310-34085-0

Requests for information should be addressed to:

Zondervan, 3900 Sparks Drive SE, Grand Rapids, Michigan 49546

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Cunnion, Jeannie, 1975

Parenting the wholehearted child : captivating your childs heart with Gods extravagant grace / Jeannie Cunnion.First edition.

pages cm

Includes bibliographical references.

ISBN 978-0-310-34084-3 (hardcover)ISBN 978-0-310-34085-0 (ebook)

1. ParentingReligious aspectsChristianity. 2. Child rearingReligious aspectsChristianity. 3. Christian education of children. 4. Christian educationHome training. I. Title.

BV4529.C85 2014

248.845dc23 2013037385

All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from The Holy Bible, New International Version, NIV. Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Scripture quotations marked AMP are taken from The Amplified Bible Copyright 1954, 1958, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1987 by The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved. Used by permission.

Scripture quotations marked MSG are taken from The Message. Copyright 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002. Used by permission of NavPress Publishing Group.

Scripture quotations marked NASB are taken from the New American Standard Bible. Copyright 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission.

Scripture quotations marked NKJV are taken from the New King James Version. Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations marked NLT are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright 1996, 2004. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations marked NLV are taken from the Holy Bible, New Life Version, Copyright 1969 by Christian Literature International.

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Published in association with the literary agency of Wolgemuth & Associates, Inc.

Cover design: Brand Navigation

Cover photography: Masterfile

Interior design: David Conn

Printed in the United States of America

14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 /DCI/ 20 19 18 17 16 15 14 13 12 11 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

To my amazing parents, Bonnie and George Callahan.
Thank you for giving me the indescribable gift I most desire to give my own children the unconditional love of Christ.