When I was invited to sign up to be on the team for the Lead Your Family Like Jesus Launch Team… my initial reaction was… oh man I don’t know if I can do that right now… I just launched my first self-published book also, and I am tuckered out. BUT, the title alone justified me looking into it. I thought to myself, I love this message already! This is a like-minded message! For those of you who know Isaac and I personally, you know He is a visionary leader focused on magnitude of mission and He leads me into action all the time.

I was drawn to this book simply because the main mission here at Leaving a Legacy is to empower, inspire and equip families with tools to truly engage their roles as leaders in their homes and communities. “We are all leaving a legacy, intentionally and unintentionally, right?!” This book is a great tool and resource to do all of those things which are so near and dear to my heart.

What can compare to having the wisdom from two men who have been married for 45 and 50 years and a woman who has been married for over 23 years share with you what they have learned about Leading their Families modeled after the way Jesus led.

I am actually going to incorporate two different posts on this book because it is so revolutionary for families today to be raising up the next generation intentionally. The guidance that Ken Blanchard, Tricia Goyer, and Phil Hodges offer in this book is priceless wisdom.

This book is now officially in my top five parenting books to recommend along with Shepherding a Child’s Heart, Give them Grace, Don’t Make Me Count to Three, and Revolutionary Parenting. Lead Your Family Like Jesus is different in that it incorporates stories {examples} of what leading your family could look like while giving the freedom for you to truly dream and make your own visions, goals and mission. Lead Your Family Like Jesus teaches with biblical examples as well as Titus 2 examples from the three authors personal lives. As leaders, visionaries and parents, they have taken what I have dreamed of trying to do here at Leaving a Legacy and made a very tangible book leading others in leadership training helping them to think long term and generationally! “It’s not a textbook, it’s a collection of stories and advise!” pg.4, Introduction

Here are a few of my favorite quotes:

“Any time you seek to influence the thinking, behavior, or development of another person, you take on the role of a leader.” Ken Blanchard

“In too many families love has been distorted to “you don’t love me unless you [fill in the blank],” rather than the unconditional loving that Jesus modeled. Self-promotion (pride) and self-protection (fear) have replaced love and vulnerability. We’re afraid to give our whole hearts to others because we don’t want to be hurt. Indifference moves in and intimacy is replaced with isolation.”

I especially love the concept of checking ones EGO as a parent! They actually offer a FREE EGO assessment here! I love the two distinctions between EGO {Edging God Out} & EGO {Exalting God Only}! Isn’t that awesome?!

“Is fear or pride motivating your parenting?” pg.25

In this section of the book they focus in on our heart intentions as parents! Love that! How many times do I share that in Redeeming Childbirth? The heart is ALL God cares about… not the performance! Amen! To really exhort and edify they offer some pinpointing questions in what they call the “So That” test to really get to the heart of the problem. I love this part… you just need to get the book.

“If you do not first seek the Kingdom of God, you never will seek it.” Soren Kiekgaard

“Pride-filled parents tend to be quick to judge, quick to take offense, quick to speak, quick to push blame away and pull praise closer.” pg.28

Here you can see Tricia Sharing about a fantastic part of the book putting “posit’s” on things… to help your perspective! Love this!

You can view more short clips of Tricia here!

I can’t get everything I would like to share on this topic out in simply one blog post so  come back and visit us again! To subscribe to Leaving a Legacy go here! In a few days I am going to share on part of the book that teaches how to create a vision for your family and what our Tolpin family vision is.

Can’t wait to see you again! May God be Glorified in Your Home and Your Relationships!

Lead Well,

Angie Tolpin

Check out other favorite parenting blog posts here:  Core

Christian Parenting Fundamentals, which includes our most popular post series “Refusing to Raise Cookie Cutter Kids.”

**I received a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.