This book is full of encouragement and wonderful advice for parents for their kids/family.

This is a book I know I will come back to again and enjoyed the God centered themes/convos to have with my kids in the future.

If you're looking for a book to learn/ come back to a book that will help you be the best parent/s you can for your kids this is one of those books to grab!!!

*Recv'd a copy via Netgalley and review is my own.*

Could not recommend this book more. Not only do the authors seem genuine and heartfelt in both their parenting and their writing, but they also cover topics that are oftentimes so difficult for parents to talk to their kids about. It took me a while to get through the book, only because I was digesting it in pieces along the way. Each "crucial conversation" came with lots of real life examples as well as a sample conversation, but most importantly a gospel message of redemption in each conversation. Wow.
And the conversations I was looking forward to (or thought I needed) the most were good, don't get me wrong. But it was actually some of the conversations that I didn't expect to get as much out of (forgiveness and siblings/friendships) were the ones that hit me the hardest. They were things I wasn't specifically seeking out when I picked up this book, but the points made spoke to me in such deep ways that I wasn't even expecting or didn't even know I needed.
And that what happens with the best books, am I right?

One of the most challenging life events is none other than parenting. Kids try parents in so many different ways. When young, they wear down parents physically. When they get into trouble, they create headaches. When they do not do their homework or necessary chores, the parents would have to either discipline them or show them tough love. When they turn teenagers, their emotional changes could drive parents up the wall. Yet, there are plenty of rewards for bringing up children. They give us joy and lots of memorable moments. Like what Proverbs 29:17 teach us, "Discipline your children, and they will give you peace; they will bring you the delights you desire." Indeed, parenting requires a full range of skills that include discipline, devotion, dedication, determination, and delight. They are given to us for a reason and this reason is to love them well, that they may also love others well. Parenting is not for wimps. Well said. For there are no "fail-safe" methods. Neither are there easy equations to fill or formulas to follow. Most parents learn on the job. They experience the highs and lows. They encounter different behaviors at different times. They frequently need help at critical junctures of their children's growth. The authors of this book are experienced parents willing to share with us a guide to facilitate better communications and conversations with our children. Called the "3-Circles" tool, it helps parents initiate, navigate, interact, and sustain crucial conversations with their kids.

Circle #1: God's Design to remind us that we have been created for a purpose
Circle #2: Brokenness to show us how sin had damaged the world and the way we live
Circle #3: Gospel that redeems us and gives us hope that the good and righteous life is possible.

Time and again, the authors reiterate that parenting is not a formula but an opportunity to wisely bring up children. If parenting could be reduced to simple "right values, perspectives, and techniques," and together with all the right attitudes, life will truly be much easier. Unfortunately, parenting is like an ocean of possibilities and even the most well-equipped ship will be vulnerable to unpredictable weather conditions. The best way ahead is to stay biblical, remembering the need to acquire and apply biblical wisdom, with God's help. The key emphasis is that we need God's wisdom and Word to guide us, and not become overly dependent on worldly knowledge and human wisdom. The Bible is much better equipped to help us deal with "off-script" moments. Moreover, when we recognize that there are many complexities in life that are beyond our comprehension, it keeps us humble, that we can learn. Relationships are complex, and with people of complex backgrounds trying to interact, the whole combination could be most challenging. The authors then apply this model to various situations surrounding gender, sexuality, marriage, technology, alcohol and substance abuse, friendship, bitterness, and so on. On each topic, we are introduced to God's design, followed by the brokenness because of sin, and the way the gospel redeems. They even share tips on how to deal with people who are not "committed to God's Design."

My Thoughts
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Initially, I thought the book would cover topics on how to parent children and young adults. Gradually, I realize that takes a more apologetics angle, using the three-circles model to explain the need for wholesome conversations. I suppose that is the way it was intended as the book is about "crucial conversations" that parents need to have with their children. The urgency is high because more of our children are exposed constantly to the ways of the world. Anyone who thinks that the Scroggins had overdone their emphasis on the Bible or gospel need to think again. The world has already done more than the same thing in throwing all kinds of information at our children. Take sexuality for example. The government, schools, and many public institutions are telling largely a lopsided view of the sexuality matter. It is high time to take back the mike from time to time to provide our children a biblical perspective. Our children are at risk. With the ease of technology and the increasing autonomy given to young children, the time is short and urgent for parents to teach their kids in the way they should go. Lest they turn away from the Lord.

Many parents depend on Sunday School teachers at Church to provide Christian teaching for their children. This is a dangerously inadequate approach. Given that our children are exposed to the world almost seven days a week, just an hour at Church once a week hardly seems sufficient. This book equips parents (even teachers) to deal with common topics mentioned above. The authors ask an interesting question: "Will the next generation know God?" Instead of letting our guilt haunt us in the future, parents ought to constantly equip themselves with knowledge and skills to strike up and sustain good conversations with children. This book certainly provides us some good resources to do just that. For the uninitiated, the authors also provide "sample guides" on how we can conduct such conversations.

One thing that the Scroggins could have expanded on is how to deal with objections that children might pose. The older they get, they would argue, talkback, or even dumb down the Bible. That also means that parents will need to learn not only the what's of conversations but also the hows.

Jimmy and Kristin Scroggins have been married for 26 years and have 8 children – James (Reilly), Daniel (Mary-Madison), Jeremiah, Isaac, Stephen, Anna Kate, Mary Claire, and Caleb. They have served at Family Church since Jimmy became the lead pastor in July 2008. Under Jimmy’s leadership, Family Church has grown to a network of neighborhood churches in South Florida. The Scroggins family is passionate about Family Church’s mission to build families by helping them discover and pursue God’s design.

Rating: 4.25 stars of 5.

conrade
This book has been provided courtesy of B&H Publishing and NetGalley without requiring a positive review. All opinions offered above are mine unless otherwise stated or implied.

What an amazing book for parents with kids of all ages. We can all use a little more help when it comes to parenting and the stories and tips in the book are so good!

A book that any parent wished they had read. It was very eye opening on how to start some.conversation with your children. I would recoment for.every parent to read this

Wise and well-equipped parents will try to become fluent in the biblical concepts of God's design for every area of life ahead of time, so that we will be able contextualise each difficult conversation topic our kids bring up. Full Circle Parenting provides practical, street-level theology with real-world examples in areas like gender and sexuality; alcohol and substance abuse; navigating today's technology; and relationship issues.
Parenting isn't for wimps, and this guide to crucial conversations is a valuable addition to any Christian parent's arsenal.

Those who are famliar with the 3 Circles conversation guide for sharing the Gospel will find something familiar, yet challenging in Jimmy and Kristin Scroggins' newest release, Full Circle Parenting. They use the 3 Circles as a pathway to help parents walk with their kids through all kinds of difficulties, conversations and tense times.

I found the book to be challenging, though helpful, thought-provoking, but truth-filled. Readers will find a basic guide for conversations as well as a discussion about God's design for parenting, but following chapters show how those conversations might play out in specific situations, like with alchol or substance abuse or friendships. The Scroggins help parents grasp the biblical message regarding a variety of issues that might come up, and then how to have grace-filled and truth-filled conversations.

Perhaps the most important premise of the book is this: whether you like the 3 Circles pathway or not, it's key that parents have open communication with their kids. The Scroggins give various examples of what that can look like as parents navigate the crazyiness of our world today. This is a book I'll probably keep on the shelf to pull out and refer to regularly as I seek to have open, honest, candid, truth-filled, and grace-filled conversations with my kids. And, it's probably a book I'll be referring others to as well.

Note: I received a copy of the book from the publisher in exchange for this honest review. The opinions expressed are my own.

This book gives hands-on ideas to approach your kids in sensitive areas such as technology, relationships, sexuality, alcohol.
The christian perspective (god’s design, brokenness and gospel) brings a highlight on the discussions you have in your family. “A sample guide for crucial conversations” gives a useful direction and inspiration for parents.
I would strongly recommend it to school-aged parents.

Full Circle Parenting is based off of the 3 circles evangelism tool. If you’re not familiar with that, it is a way of sharing the basics of the gospel story by using a diagram of three circles: 1) God’s design 2) Brokenness and 3) Restoration. In this book, parents are encouraged to keep this framework in mind as we engage in “crucial conversations” with our kids. Topics covered in this book include sexuality, technology, substance abuse, and friendship. While sample conversations are included, this book is less a step-by-step how-to manual for every possible scenario and more a guide to help parents think intentionally about communicating to our children the goodness of God’s design.

Some notable quotes that I appreciated:

“Parenting is challenging because there are no fail-safe parenting formulas. If it were as simple as A2 + B2 = C2, then everyone would eventually figure it out. But parenting doesn’t work like that. There are no formulas to help us solve parenting problems. Rather than a formula, we need a guide—a guide to help us work through crucial conversations with our kids. This is what the 3 Circles is designed to do.”

“Our child is taking a risk every time they bring hard-to-handle topics to us, and we want to encourage them to keep doing so.”

“We want to parent in such a way that our children feel safe coming to us to confess when they have messed up. We want them to feel safe because they know we will readily forgive. They need to know that our love doesn’t hinge on their behavior.”