Elyse Fitzpatrick - Answering Your Kids Toughest Questions: Helping Them Understand Loss, Sin, Tragedies, and Other Hard Topics

2014 by Elyse Fitzpatrick and Jessica Thompson

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 2014

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 978-1-4412-6399-5

Unless otherwise indicated, Scripture quotations 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 RSV are from the Revised Standard Version of the Bible, copyright 1952 [2nd edition, 1971] by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Cover design by Dual Identity

Mom? Why do people die? What is adultery? As a mother of seven children who range in age from toddler to adult, Im always interested in grace-filled, Bible-based answers to the tough questions of this life. Elyse and Jessica do a beautiful job of balancing truth with grace, while offering parents practical, solid answers to topics that many parents cringe over. Ill be looking at this great guide again and again, not because it contains all the answers, but because the authors humbly point parents back to the only source of truth thats ever existed: the Bible.

Heidi St. John, author and speaker

I love this book! I will recommend it again and again. It is street-level theology for children that drips with the gospel of Jesus Christ. Parents, read it, live with it, share it daily with your children, and not only will they learn and grow, you will, too.

Paul David Tripp, president, Paul Tripp Ministries

These hard questions arent randomchildren wonder about these issues, and they impact our everyday lives. Now talking about these questions doesnt have to be overwhelming for lack of resources. Im so thankful for Elyse and Jessicas hard work, precision, and focus on Christ in this book.

Gloria Furman, author of Glimpses of Grace and Treasuring Christ When Your Hands Are Full

Jessica and Elyse have done it againoffering the good news of the gospel to moms and dads overwhelmed by their inadequacy. This is a scripturally rooted and profoundly wise guide for parents who desire to weave gospel truths into the answers to their kids toughest questions. I highly recommend this book. It takes the pressure off parents to have all the perfect answers, reveals the radical nature of Gods grace, and weaves the scarlet thread of redemption through every answer.

Jeannie Cunnion, MSW, author of Parenting the Wholehearted Child

Elyse and Jessica have written a must-have book for parents and those involved with ministry to children. It provides helpful, gracious, wise, and faithful answers to some of the most difficult questions children can ask about the Christian faith. My wife and I use this book with our daughters, and we are thankful for the work that went into it and the heart behind it.

Justin S. Holcomb, Episcopal priest, seminary professor, and coauthor of Rid of My Disgrace : Hope and Healing for Victims of Sexual Assault and Is It My Fault ? Hope and Healing for Those Suffering Domestic Violence

Martin Luther once said he measured his ability as a preacher by his ability to communicate the gospel to the young. This book is filled with such gospel truth, so simply articulated. No one has helped me connect the gospel to parenting more than Elyse Fitzpatrick and Jessica Thompson.

J.D. Greear, PhD, author of Ready to Launch : Jesus - Centered Parenting in a Child - Centered World and Stop Asking Jesus Into Your Heart

When I have a tough parenting question, Elyse and Jessica are my go-to friendsnot because they have it all together, but because I know that their wisdom will be driven by none other than the gospel. This book is just what I need, and its just what you need, too!

Kimm Crandall, mother of four and author of Christ in the Chaos : How the Gospel Changes Motherhood

This is a great book to help answer the big theological questions of little children.

Pastor Mark Driscoll

To all the moms and dads who are trying to reconcile the heartache and brokenness of this world with what they know about their loving God.

Elyse

To my gospel community: Cody, Kei, Wayne, Keri, Mark, Katie, Anthony, Phoenix, and Derek, I couldnt have done this without you. You all taught me what true community looks like during the process of writing a book.

Jessica