Ditch those books!

What's one thing these popular books all have in common???

They're all written by men.

So what? 

What's that have to do with anything?

Have you ever considered whether or not God has given these men authority to give you this advice? Women, especially. Do you listen to these men? Does God really care if you use these books to go to these men for advice on how to care for your children?

1 Corinthians 14:35

If they [women] desire to learn anything, 

let them ask their own husbands 

Are those authors your own husband?

No. They're someone else's husband, aren't they?

In fact...

1 Timothy 3:12

Deacons must be husbands of only one wife, 

and good managers of their children 

and their own households.

The men who write these books are to be husbands to only one wife and managers of children in their own households.

Is he your husband? Are your children in that author's household?

Then has God given that man...the husband of another woman...the authority to manage your children?

No.

But it's not like that? You're not really letting that man manage your household?

If you obey the words of God in His book, the Bible...are you not being the hands and feet of Jesus...allowing Him to work through you?

Then if you are diligently obeying the words/advice of Michael Pearl, James Dobson, Ted Tripp, or Gary Ezzo through that man's books...then are you not being that man's hands and feet, and allowing him to manage your household through you?

I know you want to say no but if you can be honest...this is what you're doing.

And, have you ever stopped to wonder why God would tell you not to ask other men what to do with your household?

Another common factor of the books shown above is the attitude toward and treatment of children. Is it possible God knows taking advice from men who are not your life partner, your husband, could be bad for your household?

Just look at Creation...

Romans 1:20

...since the creation of the world, His [God's] invisible attributes, 

His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen,

 being understood through what has been made...

In most cases in Creation, the females innately know how to care for their young, and often end up needing to protect the young...from the father.

Another common factor of the books shown above is the cold attitude toward and harsh punitive treatment of children. All those men are in favor of leaving a baby to cry alone in the middle of the night, and all insist on spanking.

Romans 1:19-20

...that which is known about God is evident within them; 

for God made it evident to them...

so that they are without excuse.

For the most part...women cannot sleep through the sound of a crying baby the way a man can. And women...very often...will turn spanking over to the man, "Just wait till your father gets home!" because women are not wired to harm their children.

If women listened to their instincts...and to the men who they chose to be partners in life with...about the well-being of the children in their own households...and had no input from these other men via their books...most women would hold their children close, respond to them, cuddle them, sleep with them, and never hit them.

In other words...most women would never do the things advised in any of those books...and would instead...do exactly what they are supposed to do with their children...

The things that have been happening in this last century to children have resulted in the world we see around us right now.

This is why God said...

Titus 2:3

Older women likewise are to be reverent in their behavior,

 not malicious gossips nor enslaved to much wine, 

teaching what is good, so that they may encourage the young women 

to love their husbands, to love their children, 

to be sensible...

And, why does this verse say older women are to do these things? 

"...so that the word of God will not be dishonored."

If you care about what the Bible says about raising kids...you will ditch every one of those books written by men...and at least start listening to the advice of your heart...

1 John 3

...if our heart does not condemn us, 

we have confidence before God.

If the book you're reading, written by some other woman's husband...has you aching and crying...standing outside your crying baby's door, not responding...your heart is condemning you. 

If the book you're reading, written by some other woman's husband...has you brandishing a kitchen tool against your child's body and doing so makes you feel unpleasant...your heart is condemning you.

Stop reading books by other women's husbands.

Stop letting other women's husbands manage your households and children.

Listen to your hearts.

Consult older women who have happy, successful children.

Discuss things with your own husbands.

And most of all...imitate how your Heavenly Father has parented you.

Start doing these...so that the Word of God will stop being dishonored in the church...and by extension...we will begin to see the Word of God honored in the world...

After you ditch the books written by other women's husbands, you could give one of these a try...and if you log onto Amazon and check any of these out...there are plenty of trails to other books written by women...that will not lead your heart to condemn you...