Top reviews from the United States

• 

  dgs

  5 out of 5 stars

  A wonderful book for small group study

  Reviewed in the United States on December 9, 2016

  Format: Paperback

  Verified Purchase

  Brief content visible, double tap to read full content.

  Full content visible, double tap to read brief content.

  I've long admired the way the Scandrettes raise their family, and now readers can have a close-up look at the principles and values they use. A wonderful book for small group study, too.

  Read moreRead less

  One person found this helpful

  Helpful

  Sending feedback...

  Thank you for your feedback.

  Sorry, we failed to record your vote. Please try again

  Report

  Sending feedback...

  Thanks, we'll investigate in the next few days.

  Sorry, We failed to report this review. Please try again
• 

  MN4N

  5 out of 5 stars

  Read with your spouse

  Reviewed in the United States on December 11, 2017

  Format: Paperback

  Verified Purchase

  Brief content visible, double tap to read full content.

  Full content visible, double tap to read brief content.

  I love this practical book about how to be more intentional as a family.

  Read moreRead less

  One person found this helpful

  Helpful

  Sending feedback...

  Thank you for your feedback.

  Sorry, we failed to record your vote. Please try again

  Report

  Sending feedback...

  Thanks, we'll investigate in the next few days.

  Sorry, We failed to report this review. Please try again
• 

  Tracy Christensen

  4 out of 5 stars

  Insightful

  Reviewed in the United States on August 29, 2017

  Format: Kindle

  Verified Purchase

  Brief content visible, double tap to read full content.

  Full content visible, double tap to read brief content.

  I liked a lot of the ideas presented in this book for improving family culture! Some things I am already doing, many thing I can still implement!

  Read moreRead less

  One person found this helpful

  Helpful

  Sending feedback...

  Thank you for your feedback.

  Sorry, we failed to record your vote. Please try again

  Report

  Sending feedback...

  Thanks, we'll investigate in the next few days.

  Sorry, We failed to report this review. Please try again
• 

  Susan & Andy Wade

  5 out of 5 stars

  it would easily have been #1 on my list

  Reviewed in the United States on February 2, 2017

  Format: Paperback

  Brief content visible, double tap to read full content.

  Full content visible, double tap to read brief content.

  Andy Wade –

  Belonging and Becoming: Creating a Thriving Family Culture is the book many have been waiting for. Had it been around when we were starting our family 24 years ago, it would easily have been #1 on my list. That’s a huge endorsement coming from me, since I find most books on family and relationships filled with stereotypes and formulas. Here’s what’s different about Mark and Lisa Scandrette’s newest book:

  It’s well written. From the very beginning they capture your attention with stories that draw you in. Then, weaving story, concept, reflection and action steps into each chapter, Mark and Lisa reinforce their main points in clear, simple terms.

  It’s not “one size fits all”. This is not a recipe book telling you how much of each ingredient you need and precisely how to cook it. Mark and Lisa do share what they believe are key elements to a thriving family, but they do it in a way that gives maximum freedom to explore as a family what, and how much, of each element works best for you.

  It’s Christ-centered with room for your family. At the center of this book is a chapter about our common story. As a family, whether traditional, single parent, blended, or other, we have a common story. We can choose to either intentionally write it together, or allow others to write it for us. Family faith formation is discovering our story within God’s larger story, then learning to walk faithfully together with Christ into the stories of our neighborhood and world.

  It's a rich tool chest you’ll come back to over and over again. I love how this book pulls to the surface critical aspects of our lives as family. Each chapter provides concrete ways your family can unpack the key concept, explore it as a family, a couple, and individually, and then reassemble it in a way the fits the uniqueness of your family. The tools and questions Mark and Lisa provide are what make this book so unique. They don’t just theorize, they give you practical actions so that you can make real changes that last.

  It will not only enrich your family life, it might just draw families together for a stronger community. Not only does each chapter provide a helpful summary along with the activities, but at the end of the book is a group learning guide. Why go it alone as a family when you can bring others with you? The group section is set up so that leading the group is simple yet encourages vulnerability and discussion. You can download the guide and see just how helpful it is!

  Mark and Lisa are courageous! Each chapter of this book includes a reflection from their daughter, Hailey. If I were writing a book about family I’m not sure I’d want my kids to make comments in each chapter. I’m just not that brave. Hailey makes the book even more personal and demonstrates her parents’ integrity in living out the overall message.

  No, they are not the “perfect family”, and I’m sure they would all be quick to tell you that. But they are a family that cares deeply about one another because they’ve taken the time to be with, and belong to, one another. This “belonging and becoming” is really at the heart of what it means to be family and what it means to “create a thriving family culture”.

  As a family, we’ve done pretty well. Still, I wish this book of wisdom and very practical guidance was around when we began our family nearly 25 years ago. In fact, to have read this book at the start of our marriage 32 years ago would have helped us in our pre-child years to lay a solid foundation on which to build our family.

  Read moreRead less

  One person found this helpful

  Helpful

  Sending feedback...

  Thank you for your feedback.

  Sorry, we failed to record your vote. Please try again

  Report

  Sending feedback...

  Thanks, we'll investigate in the next few days.

  Sorry, We failed to report this review. Please try again
• 

  lkylr

  2 out of 5 stars

  Practical, but not necessarily Biblical

  Reviewed in the United States on March 16, 2021

  Format: Paperback

  Verified Purchase

  Brief content visible, double tap to read full content.

  Full content visible, double tap to read brief content.

  If you are looking for a book that provides practical advice on how to parent and grow as a family then this might be for you. My wife and I read through this book in small group setting at our church. Although I appreciate that the authors didn’t talk down to the readers or make you feel like you are parenting wrong, I did not appreciate the lack of Biblical worldview in this book. The end of the last chapter ends not with a call to spread the Gospel but to be involved Social Justice issues.

  There are scripture references in the back, but most of the references seem like an after thought at best. It’s almost as if the authors try to avoid mentioning the Bible so as to not offend a non-Christian reader. The book ends up being so theologically watered down that it honestly shouldn’t be recommended by a church.

  Perhaps I’m more disappointed that our church would recommend it rather than the book itself. Like I noted above, it does have some good practical points on parenting and family and it is well-written, but is marred by too much environmentalism and social justice issues.

  Read moreRead less

  One person found this helpful

  Helpful

  Sending feedback...

  Thank you for your feedback.

  Sorry, we failed to record your vote. Please try again

  Report

  Sending feedback...

  Thanks, we'll investigate in the next few days.

  Sorry, We failed to report this review. Please try again
• 

  Brendan Cheney

  5 out of 5 stars

  Great read; I would absolutely recommend it!

  Reviewed in the United States on October 19, 2016

  Format: Paperback

  Brief content visible, double tap to read full content.

  Full content visible, double tap to read brief content.

  I can’t recommend this book enough; it was so good! Mark and Lisa excel at making you feel comfortable, removing any anxiety over feeling guilty for the state of your family or fear of being preached at about your shortcomings. They’re open and honest, willing to share their own success and failure in a real way that is tangible and springs to life out of the book. Their humility sets the tone for the entire book.

  My wife and I have spent a lot of time talking about what kind of family we want to have: our values, the places we spend time and money, the things from our families of origin that we like and don’t like. Belonging and Becoming has given us additional language and structure for these conversations, as well as questions we haven’t thought to ask.

  One of the best aspects of the book is the concrete steps the Scandrettes suggest to take with your family. As a father of a young and growing family, one of one of the biggest challenges I’ve perceived is how to do some of this family goal work with my little ones. Mark and Lisa offer some practical ways to start incorporating your children into setting goals and values that sets the stage for more in depth conversations down the road. As a fairly new parent, I often feel overwhelmed by the scope of what I’m trying to do with my family, and this book gave me some great tools to start small and not feel like I’m taking it all on at once.

  Another huge takeaway for me was the rhythm they set out for creating family goals and checking in on your progress. Even when you know what you want to accomplish, it can be difficult to know how to get there. The rhythms they discuss give a foothold into how to gauge your movement towards your goals and an opportunity to both address issues before they grow as well as celebrate your success.

  All in all, this is such a good book. It’s the kind of thing I wish I’d had before my wife and I got married in order to have some framework for our conversations about family, but I’m thankful that I have it now so that I can start implementing some of these practices while my family is still young and growing.

  Read moreRead less

  5 people found this helpful

  Helpful

  Sending feedback...

  Thank you for your feedback.

  Sorry, we failed to record your vote. Please try again

  Report

  Sending feedback...

  Thanks, we'll investigate in the next few days.

  Sorry, We failed to report this review. Please try again
• 

  Jason Feffer

  5 out of 5 stars

  This is not a typical “five easy steps to a better family” book

  Reviewed in the United States on October 18, 2016

  Format: Paperback

  Brief content visible, double tap to read full content.

  Full content visible, double tap to read brief content.

  If you are familiar with the work of Mark and Lisa Scandrette, you know their teaching and writing is incredibly intentional and practical. They have spent years creating practices to help participants become the kind of people they were created to be, and in Belonging and Becoming, they apply that expertise to families. This is not a typical “five easy steps to a better family” book. You won’t just read this book; you will practice it!

  I appreciate that they have written a book that is highly practical and stays away from a one-size-fits-all mentality. Mark and Lisa have crafted a framework of practices to help us engage Jesus as we explore the kind of family he created us to be and become a thriving family. One of the beautiful things about these experiments is they include the kids in a way that is sure to create a greater sense of purpose and belonging for the whole family.

  There are so many things I love about this book, from the three-point apology (“saying what we did to offend or hurt the other person, saying we are sorry while looking in their eyes, and suggesting how we can make it right”) to the fact that they consider both two parent and single parent homes. This is a valuable purchase for families of all shapes and sizes.

  Here are few of my favorite quotes:

  “Busyness is the enemy of family thriving.”

  “As parents, we have ultimate responsibility for guiding the spiritual formation of our children. Our homes have incredible potential to be a space where we intentionally encourage one another to be receptive to God and develop character, ethics, and moral imagination.”

  “A family isn’t just a collection of individuals but a dynamic system of relationships and that’s why your leadership is crucial. Being a player and a coach at the same time is hard work, but it often makes the difference between a family that simply coexists and one that’s supportive, close, and moving toward a shared purpose.”

  “A thriving family embraces each person’s belovedness, holds their brokenness, and supports their growth.”

  “The inordinate pursuit of safety and security, wealth and consumption can threaten family thriving.”

  Read moreRead less

  7 people found this helpful

  Helpful

  Sending feedback...

  Thank you for your feedback.

  Sorry, we failed to record your vote. Please try again

  Report

  Sending feedback...

  Thanks, we'll investigate in the next few days.

  Sorry, We failed to report this review. Please try again
• 

  Andrew Benjamin George

  3 out of 5 stars

  Great Insights into Family Culture (Connections to Christianity Felt Forced)

  Reviewed in the United States on October 3, 2019

  Format: Kindle

  Verified Purchase

  Brief content visible, double tap to read full content.

  Full content visible, double tap to read brief content.

  I've been studying the topic of how to create a strong family culture for quite some time, and this book provided me with some clear answers. If you are a parent hoping to lead your family with intentionality instead of leaving family happiness up to chance, I'd highly recommend this book. The author does a great job giving real life examples of how their family has gone about reinforcing a positive family culture. I'd recommend this book along with 7 Habits of Highly Effective Families as great starter guides to leading a positive family.

  While I understand that the authors' family culture is built on Christian principles, and there is nothing wrong with that, I felt like the authors went out of their way to reference Christ, bible stories, and other Christian resources. It felt excessive, and while I understand the authors' hope to proselyte their Christian faith, it interfered with the ideas they were trying to present.

  That being said, I do recommend this book to families of all faiths. Just ignore all the biblical references, and you'll come away from this book with many actionable ideas to improve your family culture.

  Read moreRead less

  3 people found this helpful

  Helpful

  Sending feedback...

  Thank you for your feedback.

  Sorry, we failed to record your vote. Please try again

  Report

  Sending feedback...

  Thanks, we'll investigate in the next few days.

  Sorry, We failed to report this review. Please try again