Book Review| 936Pennies: Discovering the Joy of Intentional Parenting 

There are 936 weeks between your child’s birth and age 18. How are you spending them?

In her book 936 Pennies, author Eryn Lynum beautifully illustrates the importance of counting time and how to utilize the simple tools of pennies and jars to transform our parenting and make the most of the time we have with our children– no matter where we are on the timeline of our parenting journey.

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Jars of pennies

Is it possible for these items to transform our parenting? Can such simple objects truly influence how we invest the time we are given with our children?

Yes!

The idea Lynum presents is to take a jar and fill it with 936 pennies–one penny for each week of your child’s life from the time they were born until they reach age 18. Each week, we are to move one penny into a different jar to represent each week as it passes. This intentional act of transferring pennies lets us pause and reflect on how we invested our time with our children that week.

Lynum doesn’t just present us with lofty, sweet ideas that are impossible to attain. Rather, she shares the real struggles that are a common thread in our parenting journeys. She writes about our heart issues of anger, selfishness, fear, shame, and feelings of inadequacy. These issues are often the source of our less-desirable parenting moments.

However, she does not leave us wallowing in our shortcomings and failures.

936 Pennies is full of practical ways to move beyond our shortcomings, stop viewing our children as inconveniences, and be more present in the “holy calling” of parenting. Lynum graciously encourages us to connect with our children by intentionally deciding to invest our time with them wisely. She invites us to stop faking interest and instead, to enter fully into our children’s worlds. 936 Pennies motivates parents to set aside addictions to screens and constant busyness, and instead focus on lingering in nature, providing opportunities for laughter, and spending intentional face-to-face, hand-in-hand time together. By purposefully parenting in this way, we can begin to give our children some of the greatest and most life-changing gifts: deep connection and an “everlasting foundation”.

Does this sound a little overwhelming and unattainable?

Do you feel like your efforts aren’t enough?  Lynum relates: “It’s easy to feel wholly unworthy of investing these pennies.”

Additionally, the author humbly admits that she doesn’t have all the answers, nor does she claim the penny jar as the magic tool. Rather, she draws us to the One who does have all the answers and points us to the perfect parenting handbook: The Word of God. The truths found in Scripture are sprinkled liberally throughout 936 Pennies, gently convicting, encouraging, and motivating us to parent in a better, more freeing way– through the grace of the One who is always enough.

Perhaps that is the greatest lesson that counting these pennies teaches us: Jesus is enough when we are not. –Eryn Lynum

No matter where you are in your parenting journey, whether you’re the mom with the brand new baby– all those weeks and shiny pennies still stretching out in front of you, or the parent with children half-grown–pennies nearly spent, or an adoptive parent of child with lots of pennies that have fallen through the cracks– this book is for you.

Yesterday is done, tomorrow is a new opportunity. Today is what we have right now, so let’s invest it well. –Eryn Lynum

Giveaway!

The message of 936 Pennies resonated deeply within my soul. I laughed, cried, and sighed with relief many times throughout the book. A short review cannot do the book justice. I highly recommend it to all parents and think the book would make a meaningful baby shower or “gotcha day” gift!

I’m pleased to offer my readers a chance to win an autographed copy of 936 Pennies:

For a chance to win, please comment below! (**EDIT: Giveaway now closed)

The contest will run from February 14- February 21, 2018. Winner will be randomly selected and announced in the comments on February 21, 2018! Only open to U.S. residents, 18 years+ 

Check it out here:
Affiliate link: If you purchase through this link, I may receive a commission at no expense to you!  **936 Pennies can also be purchased through Barnnsandnoble.com, lifeway.com, walmart.com, target.com, christianbook.com, and www.936penniesbook.com

• Published by Bethany House Publishers, ©2018, ISBN 978-0-7642-1978-8, $14.99 www.bethanyhouse.com 
• Includes Questions to Reflect On
• Paperback; 256 pages
• I was provided a copy to review and one to give away, free of charge. All opinions are 100% my own.

Please share the giveaway with your friends!

♥ Lindsey