A guide to making important mother/daughter conversations easier
Trish
Donohue writes to moms who
want to disciple through relationship
The relationship girls have with their mothers
greatly impacts the women they become, and for busy moms in the thick of the
parenting years that reality can seem overwhelming. Author Trish Donohue brings guidance for women who want to disciple their
daughters but don’t know where to start in Between Us Girls: Walks and Talks for
Moms and Daughters (New
Growth Press/June 6, 2016/ISBN: 978-1-942572-77-0/$15.99).
As
a mom to two girls, Donohue knows the kinds of questions women ask themselves
when considering their influence on their daughters: Am I being a good example? What are the most critical life lessons and
spiritual insights I should be imparting to them? Am I getting through to them? Balancing these concerns with the hectic
nature of daily life can feel daunting, which is why Donohue wrote this guide
filled with 26 gospel-driven talks, or “walks,” designed for moms and daughters
between the ages of 7-14. Each walk covers a topic from feelings and friendships
to work and modesty. Much more than a devotional, Donohue describes her book as
a cheat sheet, making it much simpler for moms to connect with their daughters on
a meaningful level and converse about their lives, the world and the hope they
have in Jesus Christ.
Each
chapter of Between Us Girls is
divided into four sections: “The Garden,” which is God’s original plan for a
particular issue, “The Weeds,” which shows how sin has made a mess of things,
“The Hill,” which refers to how Jesus’ work on the cross redeems all things and
finally “The Field,” which is where readers apply the principles learned in day-to-day
life.
In
each short chapter, moms and daughters will read God’s Word, ask each other
questions about their thoughts and experiences, get honest about their
struggles with sin, brainstorm ways to live out their faith and build genuine
fellowship into their relationship. “I recommend
setting aside a special time to meet every week or two,” Donohue adds. “They
should grab Between Us Girls and
their Bibles and find a private place; it could be a cozy spot at home, a
coffee shop or a picnic table at the park. Moms should jump right into the
book, reading the chapter to their daughters. Whenever a question is asked,
whether it’s directed to mothers or girls, stop and answer it. Each answer will
help build trust and fellowship in their relationship.”
Mothers
and daughters, even if they’re in the midst of the sometimes-turbulent pre-teen
years, will find hope for connection within the covers of Between Us Girls. “You don’t have to be best friends to honor God
in your relationship with your child,” Donohue reminds readers. “If she sits
quietly through the walks, that’s fine, because she’s still hearing the truth
of God’s Word. If she won’t be vulnerable with you, you can lead by example and
be vulnerable with her. Don’t let fear keep you from pursuing and discipling
your daughter.”
Ultimately,
Between Us Girls will serve as a
springboard for moms and daughters into a wonderful, lifelong journey of communication,
relationship and a deep love for their Savior.
Learn
more about more about Between Us Girls and
Trish Donohue at www.newgrowthpress.com.
Advance
Praise
“Between Us Girls by Trish Donohue is the resource moms have been
looking for to help them connect with their growing daughters. Trish weaves
together meaningful Bible study, helpful questions and life applications in a
way that is provoking but not preachy. My wife is excited to start using it in
our home.”
~ Marty
Machowski, family pastor; author of The
Ology and The Gospel Story for Kids
books and curriculum
“In the midst of our busy lives, it is easy to
forsake our best intentions for purposeful parenting. Adding to the
struggle is not knowing how to enter in to the world of our girls with gospel
truth. Between Us Girls provides a deliberate plan for bonding together
over God’s Word in a way that is fun, without sacrificing depth. What I love
most though is Trish Donohue’s ability to hand our daughters the biblical
lenses to see each topic and the world around them rightly.”
~ Kristen Hatton, author of Get Your Story
Straight: A Teen's Guide to Learning & Living the Gospel
About
the author
Trish
Donohue is
a wife and mom who writes from her kitchen table in West Chester, PA. She has a degree in English from Bloomsburg
University and taught writing classes. Donohue currently leads the women’s
ministry at Covenant Fellowship Church in Glen Mills, PA, where her husband,
Jim, serves as pastor.
A
desire to disciple her two daughters paired with a love for writing motivated
the writing of her first book, Between Us
Girls. In her free time, Donohue enjoys taking walks and gardening, which
also provided inspiration. She admits her vegetable garden is almost always
full of weeds, so she’s familiar with the “Weeds” sections of each chapter.
In
addition to their two daughters, the Donohues also have two sons. Together they
enjoy road trips, especially to the beach, and stops for ice cream. While her
family is made up of sports fans, she would rather cozy up by the fireplace and
read.
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