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Review: Grandparenting with Grace by Larry McCall


When I conjure up the picture of perfect grandparents, I think of people who invest and play with their grandkids. The sort of old folks kids see as people who will spoil them and be fun. Wouldn’t it be fantastic to have grandparents like this?
In  Grandparenting with Grace , Larry McCall goes deeper than my imaginations by thinking about what scripture teaches regarding grandparenting. He writes about ultimate issues, namely the salvation and growth of children and grandchildren and then practically suggests how to be intentional, Christ-focused grandparents. 

A Biblical View of Grandchildren
 
Created in God’s Image 
For grandparents to do this, they need to see grandchildren as God does. They are made in his image and made to depend on him. Grandparents can be involved in their lives to guide them to find and see that God has the answers to the questions and challenges of life.

In Need of a Savior
Understanding who they are from a biblical perspective, means that grandchildren need Jesus as their Savior. They need to be born again. As grandparents guide them, they will want to model a lifestyle of repentance and forgiveness and protect them from harmful influences. Larry McCall gives suggestions about how to guide grandchildren into thinking biblically about themselves and life around them.
He then moves on to emphasis the importance of working on the relationships with the grandchildren’s parents and communicating and agreeing with them about how to relate to their children. 

Intentional Grandparenting
God’s purpose for grandparents is that they pass the faith on to their grandchildren. To be able to do this, grandparents have to be intentional in relating to them. This will mean building relationships, praying, and modeling a Christian lifestyle. For this work of the Lord to occur in their hearts, grandparents have to be praying people.
Wisely, Larry McCall provides suggestions about how to intentionally grandparent in today’s culture. This includes when they live long distance, when there has been divorce, when there are step children in the family, when the grandparent is the primary caregiver, and when there have been broken relationships. In closing, Larry McCall emphasizes that grandparents are called to leave the legacy of faith, love, and dependence on Jesus. 

Personal Reflections
This is the first book I have read about grandparenting. It wisely looks at God’s purpose for grandparenting, who grandchildren are by nature according to the Bible, and then moves on to make practical suggestions about how to be intentionally involved in grandchildren’s lives in order to achieve God’s purpose. I was thankful that some family set ups in today’s culture were explored and wise suggestions were made. The book draws us out of the prevalent view of grandparents being there to spoil their grandchildren, to practically teach grandparents about how to intentionally relate as God has called them. It is a book I would highly recommend to any grandparent.


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