The Lifegiving Home Experience: A 12-Month Guided Journey

by Sally Clarkson, Joel Clarkson (With)

It’s time to plan some unforgettable moments with your family! Containing sections for each month of the year, this companion resource to The Lifegiving Home is a planner full of creative ideas that will help you be intentional about creating times and spaces for your family to relax, celebrate, and simply enjoy one another all year long. You’ll learn how to cultivate special times that will speak to your family’s hearts . . . and inspire cherished memories that you will all treasure.

Genres: Nonfiction, Parenting, Self Help, Christian, Christian Living, Religion, Spirituality

144 pages, Paperback

First published February 2, 2016

About the author

From working on college campuses, to sharing the Gospel behind the Iron Curtain as a missionary, traveling around the United States, Canada, Europe, the Middle East, Asia, and Australia to speak on discipleship, Sally Clarkson has tenaciously sought after God's kingdom, and has used her ministry to encourage others to do the same. From her best-selling books such as Own Your Life, Desperate (with Sarah Mae), and her latest, The Lifegiving Home, Sally has shared from her heart and home about the value of motherhood and the potential for home to cultivate life, love, and faith. In 1995, She and her husband Clay founded Whole Heart Ministries, which has encouraged thousands of families around the world in discipling their children

Reviews

[Gretchen Ronnevik · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'll say as a disclaimer that I haven't met a Sally Clarkson book I haven't liked yet. But when you add her daughter, Sarah, to the mix, this book is my new favorite. It's the perfect balance of a mother looking back and reflecting on what she did in her home to intentionally make it a place a love and discipleship for her children, as well as an adult child looking back, and remembering what mattered most. Dally had the seasoned experience as a great writer and Sarah had a gift with words that draws you in like a hot bath. This book will be a reference on my shelf for years to come.

[Cathy Minson · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you are reading The Lifegiving Home, then you won't want to miss out on pairing this with it!

[Sarahelisabeth · Rating 2 out of 5]

I purchased this book thinking that it was the Life Giving Home but despite the similar title it is more of a study guide to go alongside the Life Giving Home. Having purchased this book, I haven't yet read the Life Giving Home.
This book was a bit of a disappointment. There didn't seem to be much theological undergirding although that may be remedied in the main book. Scripture is used but sometimes rather loosely. For example, 'Taste and see that the Lord is good' is used to refer to the senses without any suggestion that this might be figurative language.
Each chapter has book and film suggestions but the lists are short and of very well known titles. There was little new inspiration.
Many people live in more challenging circumstances and it would have been lovely to have had more thoughts about how to make a Christ centered home in the midst of illness,caring or financial challenges.

[Katy · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was just a "like" for me. It's about creating a home where both family and friends feel the love of Christ. It had too many words. Just too many. So many things repeated within the strange grouping of themes. (And no index to find things afterward...so mark along the way if you like something!)

It was comforting to realize I am doing a lot of good in my home. But there needed to be more stories of struggle and hardship for me to really relate. They are constantly cooking, peeling, baking, hosting, feasting. When do the toilets get scrubbed? There were brief mentions of how having guests can be exhausting, with very little suggestions on overcoming that besides having a quiet place of one's own. I was drawn to the very few stories of sadness or stress, and managing to create a home despite it.

The authors depict lots and lots of ideas for traditions. It's worth sifting through if you are wishing for more things to do as a family to create memories. It needed a better balance of what life is really like and how to manage THAT with creating memories.

[Melody · Rating 2 out of 5]

While I appreciate the premise of this book, I didn't find it to be very practical. Sally Clarkson seems to be used to an income level that isn't the norm for a lot of people (for instance, she describes yearly vacations to Ashville, NC, and to a ski resort in CO). She also can afford a lot of help, which frees her time to focus on enrichment activities (she says that even in what she considers an economically challenging time of their lives, they had an au pair, or live-in nanny, who helped with the cooking, cleaning, and care of their one child). So all in all, not a very helpful book.

[Chyrll · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loving this companion to The Lifegiving Home! Month-appropriate suggestions for families to incorporate for their celebrations throughout the years. Love this!!

[Karen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very encouraging book to make home/family life a priority. I really like that it is split up into each month of the year although I couldn't wait to read each month so I read the whole book the first time through. Looking forward to reading again next year month by month and answering the questions in detail..krb 5/27/16

[Monica McCracken · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really enjoyed this easy to read and practical book. It would be worth reading again once my kids are a bit older. It has suggestions for books and movies and activities to do with them. A simple book but a powerful one in learning to set rhythms and sweet patterns for the home. I need to read the original book, as this is just the companion version.

[Kaisa · Rating 2 out of 5]

A nice companion to the Lifegiving Home. Took me a while to realise that since my life looks nothing like the Clarkson family’s, it’s easier if I switch the order of the chapters, if I want to make use of the ideas in my own life.

Someone with better knowledge of Christianity would probably find this better and more helpful than I did, but it has some good points for non-believers, too.

[Elle · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am a dreamer and idealist like Sally herself. This book is one of my favorites that I return to year after year. There is room for journaling, though I have used a separate journal of my own for this, so that each year I feel like I can ponder her questions anew.

[Cathy aka The Attached Mama · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book!

[C.S. VanBeekum · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful book!

[Themrswilliard · Rating 5 out of 5]

So many fun ideas to encourage family togetherness, with fun activities and food and devotionals month to month.

[Daphne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book!

[Whitney · Rating 2 out of 5]

I could’ve done without this book. It didn’t really add anything to the main book.

[Alison · Rating 5 out of 5]

This may be the first time that I have enjoyed a study guide even more than the book! I certainly will be revisiting it again and again. It contains the most uplifting view of the Trinity that I have yet encountered, one that is elegantly tied into the theme of a lifegiving home:

"As humans we are created in the image of God, whose very nature is relationship and mutual celebration. Each member of the Trinity glories in and celebrates the next; in this reality our model for community is profoundly striking. As we glory in one another and celebrate life-feasting together, sharing songs and stories, encouraging and supporting one another-we are mirroring the very real example of the Father, Son, and the Holy Spirit. Let that understanding send you forth in mission to seek out friendship, celebrate well, and feast with passion."

[Philippa · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not essential to the main book but a good filler if you want to dig deeper into the topics it brings up.

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good companion to the book.