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I am WAAAAAY overdue for a blog post and since I talk a lot about books on the interwebs, I figured why not do a blog post about some upcoming book releases? There are some books releasing in the next couple of weeks I think you should check out and if you’re even slightly interested in any of them, I would HIGHLY suggest preordering and claiming the bonuses each author designed to accompany and compliment the book material. Here are 3 books releasing in April you should know about:

Parenting Beyond the Rules by Connie Albers (affiliate link)

First up, releasing on April 1st….(see what I did there? lol), this book is nothing to joke about. It is the best book I’ve seen in awhile about parenting teens. I recommend it for anyone who has kids who are teens or who are approaching the teen years (aka you have a kid who’s 11? READ IT). It is never too late to start repairing or laying the groundwork for relationships with your kids. If they’re already a teen and you have some relationship repairing to do, read it. If your kid isn’t quite a teen yet, prepare for the work ahead, the work to keep your kid’s heart tuned towards listening to and connecting with you, the parent. Aka READ IT.
Here’s a couple excerpts:“Why so much attention to keeping your teen’s heart? Because from it flows the issues of life. The heart of a teen is a special place to be invited into. Around the teen years, our children become much more aware of the changes they are experiencing, and many of these changes scare them. They crave having someone to talk to. They want to know they can trust you with their deepest fears. They must be certain that you will not mock them, make light of their feelings, or try to fix everything. When you have their heart, you have influence. Even if they don’t agree with you, they know you love them and want what’s best for them. This provides the security they desperately need to grow and mature into the person God crated them to be.” **Note from (Amy’s) experience: she is correct, they crave having someone to talk to. And if your kids don’t talk to you, they’ll find someone else to talk to. And that person or that group of people will have your teen’s heart, not you.

“Parents forget that teens need a little extra time and attention. Too often, we rely on our successful parenting during the younger years to carry us through the teen years. While our parenting laid a strong foundation when the children were younger, that work doesn’t end when we reach the teen years. The message many parents hear (and some believe) is to step aside and let teens figure out life on their own. Or, like Mark, they think that it’s just a phase they’ll outgrow. But the opposite is true. Good parenting doesn’t always equal easy parenting during the teen years.”

Connie doesn’t have any preorder bonuses, but you can read more about the book and some endorsements for it here: https://conniealbers.com/parenting-beyond-the-rules/

Glorious Weakness by Alia Joy (affiliate link)

Second, releasing on April 2nd…are two books. The first, by Alia Joy, is one I haven’t been able to get a sneak peek of, but I’ve been hearing enough about it on the social media that it has piqued my interest (and I preordered it). I will suggest having Kleenex near you when you read it because that was apparently what she sent out with the book to her early readers. You can read more about it and also claim a free audiobook version if you fill out the form with your order number at http://aliajoy.com/glorious-weakness/ BY APRIL 1.

The Next Right Thing by Emily P Freeman (affiliate link)
The other book releasing on April 2nd is this gem that I HAVE gotten an early peek at….and why should you read it? Emily said it best when she stated “Whether you are in the midst of a major life transition or if you simply suffer from the low-grade anxiety that daily life can sometimes bring, you always have decisions to make, big or small. As long as we live, we’ll be making decisions. Like you, I want to make good ones. If you’re facing something and you don’t know where to start, maybe doing the next right thing will be a welcome beginning.” Each chapter ends with a prayer and a ‘practice’ – aka, an action to take or a question to answer. Emily has preorder bonuses that are valued at $129, including an audiobook version, an online course, and behind the scenes interviews. Take your order number to http://nextrightthingbook.com/ to claim your bonuses before April 2nd.

Free to Focus by Michael Hyatt (affiliate link)

Ok, your bonus 4th book I’m going to tell you about today releases on April 9th. I hear quite a bit of talk nowadays about being distracted, about how technology wears us down and wastes our time. About how we work more and enjoy our lives less. About how this leaves us with less margin for rest and the things that are important in our lives. I’ve read many of Hyatt’s books over the years (I remember when “Your Best Year Ever” was just a free webinar…before it was a book and an exclusive course that only opened membership up during certain times of the year) and this one doesn’t disappoint. Hyatt’s way of communicating clearly and in an organized way makes you repeatedly think “why didn’t I think of that?” while reading his advice and tips. Info about all the bonuses you get (including additional perks for ordering 10+ copies) can be found at https://freetofocusbook.com/ which is also where you go with your order number to CLAIM your bonuses before April 9th.

Comment below with any questions or if you’ve enjoyed anything else by these authors. Let’s talk books…and Happy Reading, friends!

Amy

This post is part of the weekly Five Minute Friday link-up! where we write for 5 minutes with no editing, no over-thinking, and no worrying about perfect grammar or punctuation.

Many of us don’t remember when we were very small, when we were toddlers exploring and learning about the world. But we’ve all been there. We all learned one way or another not to touch the hot stove. Not to run with scissors. Not to place our hands on the door jamb as someone is closing the door. Ouch! Most of us had guides, or parents, showing us the way to avoid pain, injury and hurt. Lovingly telling us “No” when necessary. Expanding our boundaries ever so slightly as we grew so we could learn what it meant to be responsible for our own selves.

Most of us had parents who were our guides as we grew up. But not all of us did. I thankfully fell into the first group. But what about you? Were you part of the second group who had to fend for themselves? Who either didn’t have anyone to guide you into adulthood or had someone but you stubbornly didn’t listen to them – you had to learn everything the hard way? I think often about the chasm that exists between these two groups as I’m raising my four children, one of whom will be out of the house sooner than I had expected 18 years would go.

Our kids have been relatively easy, but we’ve definitely had some challenges along the way. The world would love to have me read this self-help book or that parenting book to gain ideas on how to guide my kids who would rather learn the hard way than listen to the wisdom we’ve gleaned in our 40+ years on this earth. Believe me, you don’t realize how dumb you are until you have teens in the house! I didn’t grow up receiving guidance from God or a church family at all, but in my 20’s I found the wisdom, forgiveness and salvation offered by both. My kids are growing up with faith as one of their guides and I wonder “Will it help them make better choices than I did when I was growing up?”

Even as adults, we still need guides. Wait…ESPECIALLY as adults, we still need guides!! Adulting is so very hard. We can look to God for wisdom, to those who’ve gone before us for advice, and to those around us for encouragement. We don’t need to keep touching the stove and burning our hand to learn what hot is and that we should be careful around it. Who is your guide and how can you listen to them better?

parenting

3 Books Releasing in April

Who is Your Guide?