Their Name Is Today {Review and Giveaway}

It's a rare occasion when I feel a sense of refreshing after having read a book (other than the Bible). But that's exactly the feeling I have since reading Their Name Is Today: Reclaiming Childhood in a Hostile World by Johann Christoph Arnold. I am happy to share this book with you today and to offer one for a giveaway (see below).

About the book:
Despite a perfect storm of hostile forces that threaten to deny children a healthy, happy childhood, courageous parents and teachers can turn the tide. Yes, we can reclaim childhood, says Johann Christoph Arnold, whose books have helped more than a million readers through the challenges of education and family life. In Their Name Is Today, he highlights drastic changes in the way our society treats children. But he also brings together the voices of dedicated parents and educators who are finding creative ways to give children the time and space they need to grow. Cutting through the noise of conflicting opinions, Arnold takes us to the heart of education and parenting by defending every child’s right to the joy and wonder of childhood.

About the author:
Born in 1940 to war resisters driven out of Nazi Germany, Johann Christoph Arnold’s parents fled Europe when he was a baby and settled in Paraguay. It was a childhood of dire poverty, but his upbringing gave him a special sensitivity for the downtrodden. At fourteen, he moved to New York, where he has lived ever since. In the 1960s, his interest in the Civil Rights Movement led him to the American South, where he met Martin Luther King Jr. and marched with him. The ensuing friendship was to impact him for life. A noted speaker and writer on marriage, parenting, and end-of-life issues, Arnold is a senior pastor of the Bruderhof, a movement of Christian communities. With his wife, Verena, he has counseled thousands of individuals and families over the last forty years, as well as serving as an advisor at several innovative private schools. A writer whose down-to-earth perspective has helped his books sell more than a million copies in twenty languages, Johann Christoph Arnold offers sound advice on a wide variety of contemporary issues. An outspoken social critic, he has addressed gatherings from Sydney to London and visited hotspots around the globe, including Ireland, Iraq, Chiapas, Israel and Palestine. His work has also taken him into hospitals, nursing homes, juvenile detention centers, and even to death row. 

My thoughts:
I was unfamiliar with Mr. Arnold and have enjoyed his writing so much I am planning to find his other books very soon. I am so happy to have this book on my shelf of deep, meaningful, practical books on parenting. Mr. Arnold is a wise man who comes from a remarkable background and his personal stories are some of my favourites in this work. He shares not only his own wise words, but also the wisdom passed down to him from his own parents and grandparents. Don't misunderstand, he is not encouraging us as parents to return to the past or what some may call "those good ole days". No, he seems completely in tune with our modern culture and what we as teachers and parents face in 2014 and beyond. His heart is for our children to live in this modern day but with their innocence, individuality and wonderment intact and in the security of our unconditional love. He is big on getting children out in nature (yes!), giving them responsibility (again yes!) and protecting them from not only too much screen time (a struggle in my own home) but also especially from the violence that many parents are allowing their children to experience via video games. 

Here is one of my favourite quotes Mr. Arnold shares in this book:

I have very few parenting books that I recommend to my friends, however Their Name Is Today is now going be in my top five. I may even buy some extra copies to pass along to my friends who are trying to navigate parenting in this seemingly hostile world. This book is a breath of fresh air and will give you hope and direction for your household. Whether you are struggling as a parent (or educator), or just want a new perspective in your educating/parenting, I highly recommend it. 

To buy copy of this book (which is only $10.62 at the time of posting), click on this image:



 
And great news! FlyBy Promotions is offering one of my readers the opportunity to win one copy of Their Name Is Today! 
Giveaway Details:
1. Tell me about your toughest parenting struggles or your favourite things about your child/children in the comments.
2. Leave your email address, so that I have a way to contact you if you win!
3. Giveaway is open to anyone, age 18 or older, in the U.S. or Canada. 
4. Giveaway closes 14 November 2014 at 11:59pm ET.
5. Only one entrant per mailing address, per giveaway. If you have won the same prize on another blog, you are not eligible to win it again. Winner is subject to eligibility verification. Winner chosen by random.org.

Congratulations to you, Dawnita! You were chosen by random.org as the winner! I will contact you shortly. Thank you to all of you sweet moms for entering the giveaway! Blessings on each of you as you continue loving your children and imparting life to them. 

Blessings and love. xo

Disclosure (in accordance with the FTC’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising”): Many thanks to Propeller Consulting, LLC for providing this prize for the giveaway. Choice of winners and opinions are 100% my own and NOT influenced by monetary compensation. I did receive a sample of the product in exchange for this review and post. This post contains affiliate links. When you use my links, there is no additional charge to you and I make a small commission. Thank you!