the COUNSEL of CHALCEDON 31

WISE WORDS FROM GINGER PLOWMAN

Book Reviews by Wayne Rogers
Ginger Plowman, founder of Preparing the Way Ministries, has written three excellent works for par-
ents, moms, and homes. Published by Shepherd Press (1-800-338-1445; www.shepherdpress.com),
she has written two books: Dont Make Me Count to Three a Moms Look at Heart-Oriented Discipline
($12.95, 154 pages), and Heaven at Home Establishing and Enjoying a Peaceful Home ($13.95, 224
pages). The third work, Wise Words for Moms, is chart printed in the style of a calendar for hanging on
the wall for easy access and quick reference in addressing childrens misdeeds ($4.00).
The Wise Words for Moms chart addresses various common and daily
(mis)behaviors of children: Blame Shifting, Bragging, Conceit, Complaining,
Coveting, Deance, Tattling, Whining, etc. She provides Heart Probing ques-
tions for each misbehavior, Words of Reproof (put off), Words of Encourage-
ment (put on) and additional Scripture references. This is a great quick refer-
ence guide for addressing many of the common problems that arise in homes
daily.
Dont Make Me Count to Three! deals with disciplining children. As Greg Harris has
aptly said, The business of being a parent is parenting! Child trining, discipline is
not a sideline, a necessary exercise simply when a child misbehaves or disobeys.
Discipline, child training, is our business, our job, as parents. Accept it. Delight in it.
Get used to it. We, therefore, need to know what God says about how to do it. This is
an excellent book to that end.
The rst thing that impressed me about this book was that she referenced and obvi-
ously gleaned from some of my favorite resources, Withhold Not Correction by Bruce
Ray, Shepherding a Childs Heart by Tedd Tripp, and Spanking A Loving Discipline
by Roy Lessin. She has identied and addresses the three fundamental areas of child training and dis-
cipline: Reaching the childs heart, Giving biblical reproof, and the Use of the Rod. I tell people that God
has given us three areas to minister to with our children: their heads, their hearts, and their behinds!
She covers all three. A very helpful book.
Her third book, Heaven At Home, is also highly recommended. One thing I like
about her writing style is that she writes more like a man than a woman (no offense
intended), at least the personal anecdotes and stories as illustrations do not over-
whelm the book and she gets to the point or points. She addresses primary areas
of a womans home life: her heart, her relationship with her husband, in-laws, and
friends, children, and structuring the home. Its very practical, applicable, and ulti-
mately one that will truly make your home, as much as possible, heaven on earth.
You may already be familiar with many of the principles and concepts in Mrs. Plow-
mans books. However, she has brought many of these together in her own style
that will serve you as a handbook which you will or should return to often and give
or recommend to others.
Ginger Plowman lives in Opelika, Alabama with her husband Jim and homeschools their children,
Wesley and Alex.