A Mom's Look to Heart-oriented Discipline
by Ginger Plowman

I went searching for books when I began to have trouble with the area of discipline. I remember sitting in the aisle near tears just wanting someone, anyone, to help me out and show me what I needed to do. That's when my eyes crossed over this book title. I knew without a doubt that what I needed to do was reach my child's heart, and I thought maybe this book would be able to help me do that.

Mrs. Plowman is the founder of Preparing the Way Ministries and an Assistant Director with Proverbs 31 Ministries. She wrote this book because so many people suggsted that she do just that. She referenced her own studies and reads throughout the book, which included Shepherding a Child's Heart, The Heart of Anger and Teach Them Diligently, and Spanking, A Loving Disciplilne.

Throughout this book, Mrs. Plowman uses many scriptural references on how to discipline our children. Her main emphasis is on removing the old behavior and putting on new behavior. Our children can not know how to behave unless we teach them. I smiled when she said not to be surprised when our children do something wrong because they are born with a sinful nature just like us. I know this, but somewhere along the way I forgot that 2+2=4. Mrs. Plowman definitely proposes a biblical view of discipline which is both challenging and refreshing.

The thing I liked best of the book was in the last few paragraphs. Mrs. Plowman states, "I would like to encourage you to keep searching and learning from your holy instruction manual, the Bible. What a blessing it is that God has not left us to figure out how to raise our children on our own. ... If you depend only on the information I have provided, you will wind up defeated and confused. You must be 100% dependent upon God and His Word." When a book reminds you that God is the true place to find wisdom and all the help you need, well it makes it a little easier to listen to other things she has in the book as well.

I highly suggest this book for mothers who have children between the ages of birth to six. Although I do believe it will give mothers of older children some guidance and help as well, I think that mothers of younger children will be the ones to benefit the most.