Age of Opportunity: A Biblical Guide to Parenting Teens, Second Edition Author: Paul David Tripp | Language: English | ISBN:
0875526055 | Format: PDF
Age of Opportunity: A Biblical Guide to Parenting Teens, Second Edition Description
- Series: Resources for Changing Lives
- Paperback: 291 pages
- Publisher: P & R Publishing; 2 edition (June 1, 2001)
- Language: English
- ISBN-10: 0875526055
- ISBN-13: 978-0875526058
- Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.5 x 0.8 inches
- Shipping Weight: 12 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
I recently read this volume in my role as a biblical counselee, as my wife and I sought pastoral advice on how to deal scripturally with our rebellious teenage daughter. Having heard the author speak, both live and on tape, I knew that we would receive powerful medicine straight from the Scriptures, and I was not disappointed.
"Age of Opportunity" was written for hurting parents of teens by someone who was himself a hurting parent of teens, to give hope and help in the struggle. Paul Tripp knows exactly what it's like to be down in the trenches doing battle with our rebellious offspring, and he paints his pictures in stark, real-life terms. When he writes, he does so from first-hand experience, but with a godly wisdom and a deep humility born of many years seeking after the heart of God -- who is Himself the greatest of fathers and who knows what it's like to handle rebellious children.
The book opens with a call to stay in the fight, to shed the world's "if I can only survive until they reach age 18" mentality. God has uniquely positioned and equipped every Christian parent to model Christ and shape the hearts of their children. The real battle starts when we get a correct perspective on our role as parents, and who our kids are in the sight of God.
From there, the author backs up the dump truck and unloads heaps of great scriptural advice on how to recognize where your teen is spiritually, and how to go for the real prize -- his or her heart. We can regulate or suppress their outward behavior until we're blue in the face, but if we don't go for our teen's heart we really accomplish no permanent change. The goal is less to steer them away from the world, and more to steer them toward a hunger for Christ.
Although I do not have any teenagers in my house, I thought it would be better to read this book too early, instead of too late. I believe I was right. This book reminds me a lot of Tedd Tripp's book, Shepherding a Child's Heart, but with an emphasis on teens and how to relate to the teenage populace.
I truly enjoyed the honesty and also the way in which Dr. Tripp directs us as parents at the heart instead of our children instead of fixing mere actions. Usually, we as parents believe all is well if our children would just obey us, whether they are obeying us for the right reasons or not is a totally different question. Paul's book sets up so the parent gets to the teen's heart so that they obey based on their love of the glory of God rather than merely trying to follow rules that are set up. What this will do is drive critical thinking in the teen so that they can make decisions for themselves in different situations and will not need to know, "did my mom and dad say specifically I couldn't do this or that?" Instead they will strive to seek the Lord's will and ask, "In what way does this decision either glorify God or take away from it?"
The book is set up in three parts:
Part I: Clearing the Debris
In this first part Dr. Tripp is really trying to lay the foundation of the family and how God desires it to be set up. He speaks to those involved (parent and teen) and also speaks to the parent understanding the teen so that the next parts of the book can fall into place. I sincerely appreciate the chapter on "Whose Idols Are in the Way?" Dr. Tripp drives home the importance for us as parents to seek out our idols and destroy them so that our discipline and time with our children becomes godly, instead of reactionary.
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