Author H. Jackson Brown advises parents: “Live so that when your children think of fairness and integrity, they think of you.” Today on Home School Heartbeat, guest Elyse Fitzpatrick joins host Mike Smith to share some examples of how parenting with grace can make parents better representatives of the Heavenly Father.
Has Elyse Fitzpatrick inspired you to bring more grace into your parenting? Learn more about how the gospel of grace can inform your parenting. To learn more or order her book, Give Them Grace: Dazzling Your Kids in the Love of Jesus, follow the link.
Mike Smith:
We’ve been blessed to have Elyse Fitzpatrick, author of Give Them Grace: Dazzling Your Kids with the Love of Jesus, on the program this week. Elyse, to finish things off, would you give us an example or two of what parenting with grace really looks like?
Elyse Fitzpatrick:
Sure. Wesley was furious with his brother Hayden because Hayden had messed up his Thomas trains. Wesley was beating Hayden up when my daughter Jessica pulled them apart and said to Wesley, “You have to love your brother!” To which Wesley responded, “I can’t!” She said, “Of course you can’t! That’s why you need a Rescuer.” On another occasion, my granddaughter Allie had slapped two different little boys across the face within the space of about an hour. So after a time of discipline, Allie said, “I don’t deserve to be with the other kids.” Jessica told her that none of us deserved any of the good things God gives, like friends and family, but God loves mercy and loves to give good things to the undeserving. It was then that Allie burst into tears and said “God really does love me!” What Allie will remember about her sin and this time of discipline is the love and mercy of God, a God who loves little girls, even those who sin.
Mike:
Well Elyse, this shift toward parenting with grace could make such a difference in the lives of our listeners. And thank you so much for being our guest this week. And until next time, I’m Mike Smith.
