Erin Hawley - Living Beloved: Lessons from My Little Ones about the Heart of God

Motherhood is a divine classroom where God teaches mothers about Himself while moms teach their children about God. Author Erin Hawley is an attentive student, plumbing the joys of what it means for us to be dearly beloved children of the living God. With grace and gentleness, insights and discovery, Living Beloved invites mothers to enter into the Sabbath of being beloved. Share this sweet gift with the mothers in your circle of influence.

PeggySue Wells

Mom of seven and bestselling author of 28 titles, including Bonding with Your Child through Boundaries (with June Hunt)

If you are a mom with young children, put this book by your Bible and read it! If you are a mentor of young moms, use this book in a study with them. If you are a grandmother, give this book to all your daughters! With humor and honesty, Hawley combines biblical stories with real-life mom experiences to give us a treasure chest full of new insights about Gods personal love, a fresh awareness of what our children can teach us, and the sweet companionship of a friend who gets me!

Susan Alexander Yates

Speaker and author of And Then I Had Kids: Encouragement for Mothers of Young Children and Character Matters! Raising Kids with Values That Last

I believe this beautiful book has the potential to change your life as it carries a powerful message, not only for mothers, but for every girl with a desire to grow in their understanding of Gods amazing love for them.

Debbie Lindell

Lead pastor of James River Church and author of She Believes

This is not really a book about parenting as much as it is a book about child-ing. Filled with personal stories and insightful research, Erins intelligent writing style captures deep theological truths that will transform how you think of God as your Father. Although written particularly to young mothers, as a pastor I recommend this book for everyone.

Dave Cover

Pastor of The Crossing

By the end of the first page of Living Beloved, I was breathing a sigh of relief and solace: this is a safe place. There are no comparisons here, or expectations, only an opportunity to find rest and identity in Gods grace. Erin weaves the stories of childhood and motherhood truthfully, inviting us tired mamas to remember that we are children, perfectly loved and nurtured by the parent-heart of God.

Catherine McNiel

Author of Long Days of Small Things: Motherhood as a Spiritual Discipline

So many of us are moving through this life in survival mode, just trying our hardest to make it through each day. Weve become a generation of do-it-all moms, multitaskers to the max. What a beautiful reminder Erin Hawley has given us to pause, ponder, rest, and purposefully recognize the numerous lessons the Lord wants to reveal to us about Himself and His steadfast love through our children and motherhood.

Julie Manning

Author of My Heart

Living Beloved: Lessons from My Little Ones about the Heart of God

2018 by Erin Hawley. All rights reserved.

A Focus on the Family book published by Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188.

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All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise marked, are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. Copyright 2001 by CrosswayBibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Scripture quotations marked ampc are taken from the Amplified Bible [paraphrase], Classic Edition, copyright 1954, 1958, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1987 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. (www.Lockman.org). Scripture quotations marked MSG are taken from THE MESSAGE, copyright 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene H. Peterson. Used by permission of NavPress. All rights reserved. Represented by Tyndale House Publishers, Inc. 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. (www.Lockman.org).

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ISBN 978-1-58997-032-8

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To Elijah and Blaise. The two of you have brought so much joy, laughter, and light into my life. I am so very thankful to be your mom and for the privilege of seeing the childlike in you. I love you.

I remember with perfect clarity the moment I knew I loved Erin. We were working together at the time office mates, actually, in a small office with high ceilings and two substantial desks pressed together in the center of the room, facing each other, so that every time I looked up for a year I saw her.

Though it didnt take me a year to know about Erin. We started on the job in early July, and it was an afternoon in the middle fall, maybe October: Our employer, a federal judge, had invited us to join him on a patio outdoors in the autumn sun, and we were gathering up plates and forks and a cherry pie someone had made to take out with us. I had plates in one hand and the pie in another, and as I started toward the door I bobbled the pie. And before I could say a word, Erin instantly, without a seconds hesitation, reached out and took my hand.

There was something about that touch. It said something to me in that moment, to my heart an offer of help, but also of solidarity, of standing together; a touch that said Im here when youre weak, Im here in your need. Ive loved Erin ever since. And cherry pie.

In these pages, Erin comes alongside you to steady, to encourage, to inspire. She shares from her own life what she has learned as a mother about the loving heart of God. And she draws out in ways only a mother can what that mighty love amounts to. She helps us see that Gods love invites us to be cherished children, beloved sons and daughters, defined by a passion that beat for us before we were born and makes us all that we are.

I cant help but think, in reading Erins pages, of the apostle Pauls conviction that God had set him apart from my mothers womb and called me by his grace. Erin helps us understand how true that is for each of us, loved by God before we have done a thing, loved for who we are as His. May the Lord help you experience that love in new ways through these pages.