Welcome to my tour stop! Check out an interview with the author and enter the giveaway below...
By Lillian Penner
Christian Nonfiction
Paperback & ebook, 144 Pages
June 6th 2015 by Redemption Press
Summary
Culture tends to shape our grandchildren by what it presents as normal, which is very different from the normal in which we grew up. But through prayer and godly counsel, grandparents who love the Lord can stand in the gap and help their grandchildren and their parents navigate their world and cultural influences.
Being a grandparent is a blessing—the grandchildren are so sweet, and we love the hugs and pictures. But these days, many grandparents have the added responsibility of raising their grandchildren, while others are restrained from seeing their grandkids. Grandparenting [with a Purpose]: Effective Ways to Pray for Your Grandchildren will share some insight into these difficult issues. And no matter your situation, God gives grandparents a sacred trust—an opportunity to imprint another generation with the message of His faithfulness.
From cell phones to photo prayer journals, you’ll find tools and Scriptures to pray intentionally for your grandchildren and their parents. Regardless of how far they live from you, your prayers can bridge the distance between you and leave your grandchildren with an inheritance more precious than gold.
Interview
Would you tell us what inspired you to write GRANDPARENTING WITH A PURPOSE?
I was praying very general for my grandchildren and felt I needed improvement because I just prayer they would be well and safe. After research I found that praying Scriptures for my grandchildren gave me joy and satisfaction and I wanted to share my joy with other grandparents.
What are you hoping readers will take with them after they’ve finished reading it?
My prayer is that my readers will have tools and encouragement to pray intentionally for their grandchildren.
Did you find anything interesting, unique, or bizarre when you researched the book?
I found that praying Scripture was a wonderful way to pray because God’s Word is sharp and powerful and will not return void.
What is your favorite thing about the book’s cover?
I thought it important to feature different nationalities.
What part or aspect of this book do you love the most?
Sharing God’s Word to our everyday life and sharing tools to help grandparents to pray effectively.
What challenged you about writing GRANDPARENTING WITH A PURPOSE?
I heard years ago that if God gives you a passion, He wants us to share it with others.
Do you have any specific snacks you eat or music you listen to when you write?
Nothing specific
What advice would you give to aspiring authors?
Write what God lays on your heart and then go back to edit it. Don’t try to make it perfect the first time.
What has been the most rewarding thing about being an author?
When a grandparent tells me that my book has changed their mind about grandparenting. That they didn’t realize God wants us to spiritually influence our grandchildren and pray for them intentionally.
What are you working on next?
I am just going to working on my twice weekly blogs giving grandparents tools and encourage them to pray for their grandchildren as they navigate our post-Christian culture we live in today.
About the Author
Lillian Ann Penner is an author, speaker, and grandmother residing with her husband, John, in Portland, Oregon. They have been married for more than fifty years and have three married sons and nine grandchildren.
Penner is the national prayer coordinator for Christian Grandparenting Network (CGN), and she writes about her passion of intentional praying grandparents for CGN’s website. She is involved in leadership in the women’s Bible study, the fifty-five plus group in her church, and leads a Grandparents@Prayer group.
She has been active in church ministry for over fifty years, led an outreach ministry for young mothers, a mentoring ministry for women, and various other church ministries. She has participated in short term missions in Ukraine and volunteered with several Christian ministries.
She and her husband enjoy traveling, but most of all, enjoy spending time with their children and grandchildren.
More from Lillian
Finding Joy in Praying for my Grandchildren
What a joy it is to have that precious little grandchild come running into your arm with hugs and kisses. The six-year-old calling to tell you she lost her first tooth or your seven-year-old grandson excited about making his first goal in his soccer game.
In addition to senior discounts, grandchildren are one of the rewards of growing older. Mary H. Waldrip says it well, “Grandchildren are God’s way of compensating us for growing old.”
I now have nine grandchildren, ages ranging from sixteen years to thirty-eight years, four are married, and we have five great-granddaughters. As a long-distance grandmother for many years, I was not fully aware of my grandchildren’s immediate needs. I prayed that God would bless them, give them good health and protection. Ultimately, I became frustrated and felt something was lacking with my vague and general prayers. I asked God to show me how to become more deliberate in praying for them.
After reading books about grandparenting and prayer full of practical advice, I was encouraged to use specific Scriptures in praying for my grandchildren. The books motivated me to pray regularly for their emotional, physical, and spiritual well-being.
Best of all, praying God’s Word has enabled me to pray with His power, direction, and wisdom. As their grandparent, I can have a significant role in influencing their lives by praying for them during these turbulent years has given me fulfillment and satisfaction in praying for them.
The faith of our children is weakened in the classrooms; young adults raised in our hostile environment are walking away from God in record numbers. Hopelessness is prevalent, and our society is reeling from the opioid crisis, mass shootings, fatherlessness, divorce, and so much more.
Recognizing the urgent need for my grandchildren’s spiritual needs God gave me a passion of praying Scripture for my grandchildren. I felt God wanted me to share my passion with other grandparents so I wrote the book Grandparenting with a Purpose: Effective Ways to Pray for your Grandchildren about ten years ago. It has blessed and encouraged many grandparents. This past year I felt God wanted me to revise and expand the book, so I added the following chapters with a study guide for each chapter.
- I have found there are many hurting estranged grandparents today with heavy hearts, so I am addressing that issue in a chapter. Is your grandparenting Painful or a blessing?
- I include a section looking at a view of the culture our grandchildren and their parents are navigating today.
- God’s Design for grandparenting plus several additional chapters and Scriptures to Pray for Teens and Scriptures for Grandparents to pray for themselves.
The book retails for $14.99. However, it is available for a discounted price of $15.00, including shipping and handling costs in the U. S. for a limited time. A bonus of a Scriptural Prayer resource will be included with your purchase. The book is available in EBook format for $3.99 for those who would prefer the EBook format or live outside the U. S. to save on shipping costs.
This book will challenge you and give you resources for the spiritual battle with the enemy. It will show you how to be an intentional disciple-maker and prayer warrior to impact the next generation.
Tour Schedule
Wishful Endings, February 10 (Author Interview)
Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, February 11
Artistic Nobody, February 12 (Author Interview)
Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, February 13
Texas Book-aholic, February 14
Older & Smarter?, February 15
Abba’s Prayer Warrior Princess, February 16
Blossoms and Blessings, February 17 (Author Interview)
For Him and My Family, February 18
deb’s Book Review, February 19
SusanK. Beatty, Author, February 20 (Author Interview)
Inklings and notions, February 21
Library Lady’s Kid Lit, February 22 (Author Interview)
Vicky Sluiter, February 23
Tour-Wide Giveaway
To celebrate her tour, Lillian is giving away the grand prize of a signed copy of her book!!
Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter.
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