God has given us different gifts for doing certain things well.  So if God has give you the ability to prophesy, speak out with as much faith as God has give you.  If your gift is serving others, serve them well.  If you are a teacher, teach well.  If your gift is to encourage others, be encouraging.  If it is giving, give generously.  If God has given you leadership ability, take the responsibility seriously.  And if you have a gift for showing kindness to others, do it gladly.  Romans 12:6-8

After reading this verse today I feel inspired!  I know we all go through hi’s and low’s with our walk with Jesus and times when we may feel luke warm.  My goal for all of us Savvy Mommas is to love Jesus like crazy!  An easy way to do this and to show others the love that Jesus has for you is to do exactly what this verse calls us to do.  Use your gifts that God has given you, and use them well!  I would hate to be face to face with Jesus as I enter heaven and know that I didn’t give it my all while I was here on earth.  I know He has given each and everyone of us a talent of some form.  So instead of sitting around and being jealous because my friend is really good at one thing, I am going to find the gifts that God has given me and use them.  God calls us to be a light for others and this verse just inspired me to step up, be bold and do things better than I have been doing them.  Hoping the verse speaks to you in a way that you will see your gifts, use them and thank God for what He has given you!

author: Dr. Tim Kimmel

genre: Marriage & Family

        As an information junkie, becoming a mother meant reading every recommended parenting book I could get my hands on. Then I decided they were making me crazy and swore them off. I was through with the guilt I inevitably felt with every turn of the page, tired of the feelings of ineptitude that haunted the ending of each chapter, and finished with the uneasiness that lingered when the suggestions offered did not gel with my experience. I decided—ENOUGH!–my Bible and my mom would be my resources.

        Then I stumbled upon Dr. Tim Kimmel’s Grace Based Parenting. Intrigued by a book that unabashedly claimed a place for tenderness and mercy in parenting, I took it home and dove in that night. To my delight, I found, in plain words and with great reliance on Scripture, a revolutionary plan for parenting: follow God’s lead. The premise is simple. God raises us with a profound, life-changing grace. It is His grace that frees us, empowers us, and ultimately saves us. Shouldn’t we then pass it along to our children, creating for them the same kind of foundation we find in our heavenly Father?  

      Kimmel believes that the goal of graced based parenting should be to meet the three “driving inner needs” for our children—for security, significance and strength. This is accomplished through a “delivery system” that allows them the freedom to be different, vulnerable, candid and to make mistakes. With careful use of Scripture and entertaining personal anecdotes, Kimmel helps to make clear both theological and philosophical ideas.

       Lest you think grace based parenting “allows children to make their own decisions at the expense of moral absolutes,” Kimmel argues that any grace absent of truth is not grace at all. He makes a clear case for discipline and consequences. Just as God disciplines us because He loves us, grace based parenting demands that we discipline our children in love.

        My only complaint—I wish Dr. Kimmel had given me a few more concrete suggestions for the daily implementation of grace based parenting.  Since this is more of a parenting philosophy than a set of step-by-step instructions, he does not spend as much time giving examples of what to do in specific situations.

         That said, Kimmel’s book did encourage and challenge me, helping me to realize that while I walk on clay feet, God’s example of mercy, grace and truth in my own life can be a great guide to raising my little loves.

Savvy Mommas is proud to introduce Sharla Bell to all of our readers.  Sharla will be giving us great insight on books she has had the time to read.  The reason we chose Sharla to do the book reviews is because of her complete passion for writing, reading and sharing what she learned.  She graduated from Texas A&M with a B.A. and M.A. in English and taught high school english for 10 years.  She also has been a writing tutor and has a true passion for helping children.  In her spare time Sharla teaches a 9th grade bible study through her church and is highly involved in her 2 boys schools and extra cirriculur lives.  Sharla will be bringing great insight to all of us Savvy Mommas and recommend books she finds are worth are time to read.  We hope you enjoy what Sharla has to share with us and pick up the books she recommends.