*I received this book from Bethany House in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. This post may contain affiliate links.*
I just finished 936 Pennies: Discovering the Joy of Intentional Parenting by Eryn Lynum and man, am I inspired. I know, another book recommendation, but I can’t stop! Reading is my hobby, comfort, and joy. And there are so many great, inspirational books out there, I just HAVE to share them!
This book is a must. It brought to light the fact that I only have about 936 weeks of parenting before I send my son out into the world. And though the days can be long, these weeks feel so short. Especially when I see them as a round number. 936 weeks- that’s it?
Eryn had the same realization, and she decided that she needed to be intentional about the short amount of weeks that she got to pour into her children, and she has helped me to see where I need to make some changes in my parenting in the process.
Parenting is hard. SO much harder than I imagined it could be. Sometimes I’m left emotionally and physically exhausted, overwhelmed, and anxious. Eryn says,
“I believe that one of the devil’s strongest strategies against parents is to uproot their peace, to leave them confused, hurt, fearful, and overwhelmed.”
I could not agree more!
I never thought about it being a spiritual attack- the emotional rollercoaster we take on as a parent. The fears, doubts, the judgement. Maybe they’re all to make us question whether or not HE is good. And all of that bad stuff can take over and make us miss out on all of the wonderful, great stuff about motherhood.
Postpartum anxiety stole so much of my joy when my son was a newborn. I feel like the pennies for those weeks were wasted. So, now more than ever- I want to spend these remaining 614 weeks that I have left enjoying, instilling goodness, and spending attentive time with my son.
So less time on social media. More time curled up together reading. Less tv time, more board games. Lots more chasing each other outside, and answering his seemingly endless amount of questions. Because I only have 12 years left until he’s an adult and time keeps slipping through my fingers.
This book was so inspiring, and has probably changed our lives. Seeing how little time I have left has motivated me to spend that time wisely. Because one day my house will be clean, I’ll have endless amounts of free time on my hands, and it will all seem too quiet.
What are some ways you try to be intentional in your parenting? Check out this book if you need some inspiration!
