Recommended Resources
Our Favorite Ministries, Books, Movies, and More…
Christian Living
Focus on the Family Ministry www.family.org or 1(800) A-FAMILY
Focus on the Family is a global Christian ministry dedicated to helping families thrive. We provide help and resources for couples to build healthy marriages that reflect God’s design, and for parents to raise their children according to morals and values grounded in biblical principles. You can listen to their radio program daily on 89.5 FM.
FamilyLife Today www.familylifetoday.org
Created on the principle that the family provides the foundation for society, the ministry offers a wide range of tools to help families become stronger. Tools that help you communicate more lovingly and effectively. Tools that help you rekindle the romance. Tools that help you become the very best parent you can be. By offering tools for change, FamilyLife empowers people to live in love instead of in anger. And thus the world is changed, one home at a time. You can listen to their radio shows at oneplace.com.
The Purpose Driven Life by Rick Warren
“In this remarkable best-seller, Rick Warren will help you understand God’s purpose and plan for your life so that you can learn to live the life for which you were created.”
Parenting Resources
Shepherding a Child’s Heart by Tedd Tripp
This book comes from Pastor Tripp’s experience as a father and from God’s Word. This guide helps you develop goals as a parent and provides the Scriptural methods for accomplishing them.
The New Dare to Disciple by Dr. James Dobson
Now completely updated and revised to offer today’s parents up-to-the-minute wise counsel about love and discipline. You can raise confident, self-controlled kids—let Dobson show you how!
The Strong Willed Child by Dr. James Dobson
Dr. James Dobson, America’s foremost parenting expert, shares advice on shaping the will of the strong-willed child. Learn the strategies that succeed, those that fail, and the encouragement of knowing how that headstrong child can become a man or woman of great character.
Why ADHD Doesn’t Mean Disaster by Dennis Swanberg, Diane Passno, Walt Larimore M.D.
Why ADHD Doesn’t Mean Disaster provides a realistic, encouraging perspective from parents who have raised children with ADHD, as well as some who have ADHD themselves. Filled with insights, personal stories and sound medical expertise, this book gives parents facing the challenges of handling ADHD hope that breaks through the hype.
FaithLaunch: A Simple Plan to Ignite Your Love for Jesus by John Trent Ph.D., Jane Vogel
This book includes an informal 13-step journey – flexible for every family’s time constraints, fun family activities, open-ended questions and object lessons for kids, options for kids ages 4-7 and 8-12 to help you fine-tune your flight plan, answers to kids’ 31 Frequently Asked Questions about faith and God, and a CD with 3 Adventures in Odyssey stories to reinforce the lessons. Great for family devotions or family fun nights.
Money, Budgeting, Stewardship, Giving
Crown Financial Ministries www.crown.org
Crown Financial Ministries ®, founded in 1976, is an interdenominational ministry dedicated to equipping people around the world to learn, apply, and teach biblical financial principles.
Dave Ramsey www.daveramsey.com
Dave is a radio and tv talk show host, creator of Financial Peace University, author of The Total Money Makeover, and much more. He developed these principles for money management after going bankrupt. He learned from his mistakes and now he teaches, encourages, and lives God’s principles for financial peace.
The Blessed Life by Robert Morris
This book will transform your life for the better…For when God changes your heart from selfishness to generosity, every part of your life-journey is affected. This is a balanced and eye opening view of God’s stewardship principles. With humor, passion, and clarity, Robert Morris presents the secrets of living a blessed life both financially and spiritually.
The Total Money Makeover by Dave Ramsey
Is your “owe” starting to show? Shrink your waste line, bulk up your bank balance, and get into financial shape with money expert Ramsey’s comprehensive—and simple—plan for debt-free living. You’ll be fiscally fit in no time!
Marriage and Pre-Marriage Resources
Preparing for Marriage by Dennis Rainey
“Developed to help engaged couples prepare for the important task of building a Christian marriage. This resource provides engaged couples opportunities to develop good communication skills and deal with issues of personal expectations, family histories, role responsibilities, communication, finances and the traits of a biblical marriage.”
Before You Say I Do by H. Norman Wright, Wes Roberts
“This book provides the perfect opportunity to gain greater insights into your future mate’s expectations and time-tested principles for a satisfying lifelong partnership. Through interactive surveys, thoughtful questions, and real-life examples, your relationship will deepen as you uncover areas of harmony and potential areas of discord.”
5 Love Languages by Gary Chapman
In The Five Love Languages, Gary explains how people communicate love in different ways, and shares the wonderful things that happen when men and women learn to speak each other’s language.
Love & Respect by Dr. Emerson Eggerichs
“Based upon Ephesians 5:33 and extensive biblical and psychological research, Dr. Emerson Eggerichs reveals the power of unconditional love and unconditional respect and how husbands and wives can reap the benefits of marriage that God intended.”
Healing and Hope Resources
Boundaries by Dr. Henry Cloud, Dr. John Townsend
Having clear boundaries is essential to a healthy, balanced lifestyle. A boundary is a personal property line that marks those things for which we are responsible. In other words, boundaries define who we are and who we are not. Boundaries impact all areas of our lives: Physical boundaries help us determine who may touch us, mental boundaries give us the freedom to have our own thoughts, emotional boundaries help us to deal with our own emotions and spiritual boundaries help us to distinguish God’s will from our own.
Praying God’s Word: Breaking Free from Spiritual Strongholds by Beth Moore
Encourages everyone to overcome the spiritual strongholds in their lives by incorporating Scripture into their daily prayer. No matter how overwhelmed you may feel today, Moore boldly reminds us that nothing is bigger or more powerful than the Lord.
Homeschool Resources
Educating the Wholehearted Child by Clay and Sally Clarkson
This book answered so many of my questions about homeschooling. It is an extremely helpful resource. This book is available in Galloway’s Family Resource Room.
From the publisher: A tremendous source of comfort for new and experienced homeschoolers. Guiding you with seasoned advice and encouragement, the Clarksons show you how to combine discipleship and education to create a God-designed program—the home-centered, whole-book approach to lessons. …Your children will live and learn for Christ.
A Beka Book www.abeka.com
The A Beka Book approach to Christian education keeps learning lively, interesting, and memorable.
Sonlight Curriculum www.sonlight.com
Sonlight Curriculum is a Christian company specializing in literature-based homeschool curriculum programs. We provide complete materials so you can build the preschool or K-12 homeschool curriculum that best meets your family’s needs. Instill in your children a life-long love to learn. Prepare them to engage new ideas. Challenge them to impact the world.
Favorite Children’s Resources
Questions from Little Hearts by Kathleen Long Bostrom
Little Blessings “questions” books are known for their heartwarming text and delightful characters. Each question is answered using Scripture, fun poetry, and the adorable characters. The questions include: What is God Like? What Is Prayer? What About Heaven? Are Angels Real? The answers are theologically sound and thorough, yet child-friendly. For toddlers through early elementary.
Adoption Resources
Hope for Orphans Ministry – www.hopefororphans.org
This ministry has resources for families who are considering adoption.
Entertainment
Plugged In Website – www.pluggedin.com
This is a ministry of Focus on the Family. It is a great website that reviews movies, video games, Television programs, music and more. This site will help you determine which entertainment is appropriate for your family. It ’shines a light on the world of popular entertainment’.
