Parenting from the Overflow by Teri Lynne Underwood

Several weeks ago my friend Teri Lynne invited me to read and review her book, Parenting from the Overflow. I was happy to do it because I love her and wanted to help any way I could. I also knew it would be a great book.

I wasn't wrong. Parenting from the Overflow isn't really a parenting book. I mean, how many of those are out there? A bazillion? Not that we don't need them, but this book is different. Read what Teri Lynne has to say about her book here.

As mothers, we are the model our children learn from (if that thought isn't enough to frighten you, I don't know what is!). If we live our lives trying to figure this parenting thing on our own, we're going to end up frustrated, confused, and exhausted.

Parenting from the Overflow shows that it's possible to parent from the overflow of what God is doing in our lives. If we're allowing the Lord to move in us as He wants to, then we will use HIS model to parent from.

Something Teri Lynne said in the book brought me to tears (and it was just in the Introduction!).

"But in the midst of all this parent-learning and child-rearing, 
I pray I never lose sight of the 'better part' . . . 
and I will never get 
so focused on being a parent I forget I am also a child.

My heart is set on being a child who first sits
 at the feet of her Father, 

who calls out for His guidance and leans on His Word. 
And as I focus on being the child He created,
I am certain of this:

He will give me the wisdom to parent the child 

He has entrusted to me."

(Parenting from the Overflow, Introduction, p. 9, highlighting mine)

Oh, that I would learn to sit at the feet of my Father and learn to parent the way He parents me! I long to be the daughter who looks adoringly at her Abba (translated from Aramaic as "Daddy") as He patiently teaches me from His Word.

Parenting from the Overflow is broken into three parts, the first using the Fruit of the Spirit in Galatians 5:22-23 to show the "Fruit That Overflows" from a life lived at the feet of the Father. The second part is filled with characteristics we will model to our children as we live out of the overflow of what He's doing in us. The last section is Bonus Content that has everything from how to resist "parenting publicly" (Facebook, anyone?) to learning how to get the most from your quiet time with the Lord and delving into Scripture.

All throughout the book there are questions and challenges she asks us to tackle. Some are easy to do...some, not so much. Which is one reason why I think this is such a great book!

I have not had the chance to really sit with this little book like I've wanted to. Almost every page had something in it that I wanted to really contemplate and "suss it out," as they say in Australia.  I can't wait to do that!

  

As part of the celebration of the launch of Parenting from the Overflow, Teri Lynne is graciously giving a PDF copy away to one Butterfly Genes reader! All you have to do to enter is leave a comment letting me know why you'd like the book. That's it! Easy-peasy. Of course, if you wanted to Tweet, Facebook, or any other kind of social-media-made-up-verb, go right ahead! I know Teri Lynne would appreciate the exposure!  

If you would like to purchase a copy, she has a PDF version for $5, a Kindle version for $5, and a  

print version for $8. How's that for a bargain! These are my affiliate links and by clicking and making a purchase you are being gracious enough to send a little commission money my way.

But even though I was given a copy of this book by Teri Lynne to review, and though I get a small commission from any book sold from my blog, this review and my opinions are all my own. I wouldn't support a book I didn't believe in, and I surely wouldn't put it on my blog. So trust me when I say this is something I believe in!

Now leave me a comment to enter to win! The giveaway will end Friday, October 26 at 11:59 p.m.