Parenting without Panic in an LGBT-Affirming World

This book is helpful, Biblical, and hard. Hard because it highlights the problems our children will face and it seems so heavy for their little hearts. It can be discouraging to think about raising Christian children amongst the wildly chaotic society in which we live. But reading books like this that help equip you with how to deal with situations your children will certainly face is very helpful. While I don’t fully agree with all of the absolutes stated in this book, I can surely appreciate where the author is coming from and her heart behind it. My favorite part ...of this book is the grace-filled, gospel-centered approach to the topic. Far too often we want to dismiss those with different sins than us or condemn them without pointing them to Christ. This book levels the playing field and encourages parents to do the hard and sometimes awkward work, beginning at a young age, so that their children will be equipped with the Biblical worldview and know how to engage LGBT-affirming situations without being judgmental Pharisees. The foundation of everything, including sexuality, being broken by the fall and redeemed by the gospel is the basis of which we ought to approach our conversations and interactions with others.

WHAT I LIKED: Rachel’s honesty and powerful testimony. From the beginning, Rachel is honest about her past and how as a youth and young adult she engaged in same-sex relationships. She also briefly shares how God “interrupted her life” and confronted her with the gospel when reading “Mere Christianity” by C.S. Lewis and how it became the “defining center” of her life.

WHO IS THIS FOR: Recommended for parents of preschool through elementary-school children, this book would also be good ...for extended family members, as well as Christian counselors, teachers, and mentors.

OVERALL THOUGHTS: As an adult and parent who continues to experience same-sex attraction but has chosen to follow Jesus, Rachel brings a unique perspective and firsthand knowledge to what children today are asking, feeling, and being exposed to and how parents can approach tough conversations about sexuality and reproduction with grace and wisdom versus panic and fear.

Being that my children range in age from preschool to third grade, I found the first two chapters most helpful where Rachel encourages parents to look for examples and opportunities to teach children about God’s positive vision for our bodies and how parents are the best *first teacher* of their children when it comes to learning about the correct names of body parts, reproduction, and biblical sexuality.

Overall, this is a quick read but one that is rich in godly wisdom and practical, age-appropriate advice that will equip parents and anyone else who cares for children and has a heart for teaching them truth about God’s creation, design, and love.

Thank you, The Good Book Company, for my copy in exchange for an honest review.

Recommend!

This is perhaps the most difficult topic parents are facing in our culture, seeking to show our children how good God’s plans for relationships is, and respond to their big questions. Gilson’s new book is biblical and faithful, while being practical too. I wish it was longer, as I still had a fair few questions that I’d love to be answered, but it was incredibly helpful for me as a youth leader and future parent. She sets out principles to be believed and practices to embed those principles too, with plenty of biblical support for them. This would be a ...really good read for those who work with children or have children of their own, so that they can be prepared for when these questions come