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Raising World Changers in a Changing World
Almost any parent you asked would tell you that they want their children to be happy, successful adults. But many of us forget (or never knew to begin with) that lasting personal joy is not necessarily found the way the world says it is--through reaching a certain socioeconomic status, having a certain job, buying a certain house, or having a certain amount in one's bank account. In fact, says Kristen Welch, popular blogger and author of Raising Grateful Kids in an Entitled World, personal satisfaction comes not from grabbing onto things but from holding them with an open hand and, very often, giving them away.
In this inspiring book, Welch shows parents how to discover for themselves and instill in their kids the profound joy that comes from sharing what we have been given--our time, our talents, and even what's in our wallets--with those who have less. Through powerful personal stories as well as stories from Scripture, Welch offers a tantalizing alternative to status quo parenting that has the power to impact not only our own families but the entire world. At the end of each chapter, one of the author's kids offers their perspective on what it's like to be raised as a world changer.
In this inspiring book, Welch shows parents how to discover for themselves and instill in their kids the profound joy that comes from sharing what we have been given--our time, our talents, and even what's in our wallets--with those who have less. Through powerful personal stories as well as stories from Scripture, Welch offers a tantalizing alternative to status quo parenting that has the power to impact not only our own families but the entire world. At the end of each chapter, one of the author's kids offers their perspective on what it's like to be raised as a world changer.
208 pages, Paperback
First published May 1, 2018
42 people are currently reading
1528 people want to read
About the author
Kristen Welch
12 books85 followersKristen Welch is a mom just like you and me--only funnier. Her blog, “We Are THAT Family” (www.wearethatfamily.com) is read by over 70,000 women a month, who enjoy her often-hilarious, always-honest reflections on motherhood, marriage, and Christian life. In 2010, she went to Kenya as a blogger for Compassion International, and regularly contributes to online magazine Blissfully Domestic and (In)Courage, an inspirational blog for women. She lives in Texas with her husband and three children.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 130 reviews
May 22, 2022
This was a very challenging book to read! We live in an area where wealth abounds, and it's easy for us and our kids to fall in the trap of "keeping up with the Joneses". This book was a tremendous challenge to snap out of that trap and focus on the purpose of us being here on earth.
Not everyone can turn their lives upside down to help people on the other side of the world...but there is no doubt we can do more than what we are doing.
Not everyone can turn their lives upside down to help people on the other side of the world...but there is no doubt we can do more than what we are doing.
October 18, 2021
I enjoyed this one just as much as her other one. In order to raise world changers we have to be willing to change ourselves. I liked the questions she asked at the end of each chapter. This is a book I'll be revisiting as my kiddos get older.
One of my favorite quotes: "God might imposition us to position us."
One of my favorite quotes: "God might imposition us to position us."
July 31, 2022
Very practical book that gets to the heart level on how to raise kids that are sacrificially generous with their time and money and resources. This book was challenging and gets me excited to think of counter culture ways to help my kids see outside of themselves and to see Gods purposes for them in this world.
September 18, 2018
3.5
Sometimes it felt like, "Look how great I'm doing at raising my kids!" but it is kind of an autobiographical self help book so it makes sense Kristen would use a lot of personal examples.
Sometimes it felt like, "Look how great I'm doing at raising my kids!" but it is kind of an autobiographical self help book so it makes sense Kristen would use a lot of personal examples.
June 6, 2025
“Why would one kid be allowed to be born in America or wealth, and another child be allowed to be born into poverty and abuse?”
This book was so powerful in such a small way. I think it is extremely vital to teach your kids selflessness and teach them to seek after wisdom. When in doubt to know what to do with your life. It is always wise to be generous and be sacrificial. I loved this book. I pray more people will raise their kids with this wisdom and I pray I kids will heed the wisdom one day. Life is about giving while you can give it. So we can lay up our treasures in heaven.
Highly recommend
This book was so powerful in such a small way. I think it is extremely vital to teach your kids selflessness and teach them to seek after wisdom. When in doubt to know what to do with your life. It is always wise to be generous and be sacrificial. I loved this book. I pray more people will raise their kids with this wisdom and I pray I kids will heed the wisdom one day. Life is about giving while you can give it. So we can lay up our treasures in heaven.
Highly recommend
May 1, 2018
This may be Kristen’s best book yet! {And I loved the first two!} Kristen is raising her own children to think of others before themselves, to love sacrificially, and to seek ways to serve other people. I love the way she has incorporated her own children into this book, while creating thought-provoking questions and opportunities for dialogue in our own families, and with our own children! What a resource for any family desiring to raise children who are loving above all else. I highly recommend this book for families!
July 12, 2019
I thought "Raising kids in an entitled world" was better book but this was still a good read with some thought provoking, encouraging bits of wisdom.
November 16, 2018
I love reading Kristen Welch's books. I sometimes feel that I am the only parent on earth raising my kids counter-culturally. Her books are an encouragement to me that I am on the right track and doing what is best for my kids whether society agrees or not. I think every parent should read them. We have a generation coming up that is the most self-absorbed we've ever seen. We can't blame millennial behavior on them. They are a product of their upbringing and failed parenting. We have got to change this!
August 14, 2018
Raising kiddos is hard work. Raising them well is even harder. As a mom of three, working to grow kind, empathetic, giving human beings -I couldn’t wait to read this. However, with at least ten references to the Lord, God, the Bible, etc. within just the intro, my interest quickly diminished. Religious undertones became the focus of the book while World changing conversation suggestions and tips for practicing generosity.. really quite basic.
August 28, 2019
Really enjoyed this book about raising world changers. Gave me lots to think about. I want my kids to be awesome, confident, and compassionate people.
Quotes/ideas I don’t want to forget:
Hold what I own more loosely.
Raising world changers starts by loving our kids for who they are and by encouraging them to follow their passions. When we do this, we teach them there is a God-given purpose behind their talent or passion and we encourage them to pursue what they love. God gives us gifts to be given away. God makes us unique so we can change the world in our unique way. This is the heart of generosity.
Raising world changers starts with letting them be who God created them to be. Sometimes we can help them discover just who they are by leaving our comfort zones.
Risk positions us to reach out to God- to ask for help, to pray for peace, and to see the world a little better and God a little bigger.
Scientists believe that altruistic behavior releases endorphins in the brain, producing the positive feeling known as the “helper’s high.”
“I know that the experiences of our lives, when we let God use them, become the mysterious and perfect preparation for the work he will give us to do.” -Corrie ten Boom
We were created for heaven. We are eternal beings; this world will never truly satisfy us. We try too hard to quench the hunger for more with things of this world, but the more we get the emptier we feel.
Quotes/ideas I don’t want to forget:
Hold what I own more loosely.
Raising world changers starts by loving our kids for who they are and by encouraging them to follow their passions. When we do this, we teach them there is a God-given purpose behind their talent or passion and we encourage them to pursue what they love. God gives us gifts to be given away. God makes us unique so we can change the world in our unique way. This is the heart of generosity.
Raising world changers starts with letting them be who God created them to be. Sometimes we can help them discover just who they are by leaving our comfort zones.
Risk positions us to reach out to God- to ask for help, to pray for peace, and to see the world a little better and God a little bigger.
Scientists believe that altruistic behavior releases endorphins in the brain, producing the positive feeling known as the “helper’s high.”
“I know that the experiences of our lives, when we let God use them, become the mysterious and perfect preparation for the work he will give us to do.” -Corrie ten Boom
We were created for heaven. We are eternal beings; this world will never truly satisfy us. We try too hard to quench the hunger for more with things of this world, but the more we get the emptier we feel.
January 18, 2023
5 stars for how she inspires me to change and action. 3 stars for how most of the book feels like bragging rights. Leveled out to 4 stars. It’s a good book to make you realize how lucky we are.
July 3, 2024
This book stepped on my toes in the best way possible. “We are called to give up our lives for the gospel. If we don’t lose our lives for Christ, we will lose our souls to this world. It’s not about how much we give away; it’s about what we are giving our lives for.”
Want to read
May 17, 2022How One Family Discovered the Beauty of Sacrifice and the Joy of Giving
This right here, this is a good book. I highly recommend that you go and get a copy, buy one, borrow one, anything but stealing one. This book challenged my views of generosity.
It's not just about giving money, though there is some of that, it's about giving your life: time, energy, talents, etc. for the greater good. It's a mindset that a person needs to have that is always looking for ways to help and ways to encourage and give.
It's not about going to a third world country, like they do, it's about giving right where you live. Kristen gives four ways you can give generously with your family right here and right now, right where you live. 1. "See the people around you." In other words stopping to notice them, not being so busy always and rushing on by. 2. "Spot the needs in others' lives." This involves taking the time to develop relationships with the people around you. 3. "Scatter kindness." 4. "Start over with number one." These four ways don't take any money, but they do take time and intention and a willingness to engage the people around you.
"Generosity is really about teaching our kids to see people other than themselves. And as parents, it begins with us." Yes, so true. And so hard. And so challenging. And so life-changing.
At the end of every chapter, Kristen lists a few questions to ask your kids to start world-changing conversations with them. She asked each question to one of her kids and gives their answers as well. And then after that, there's a small section called "Practice Generosity" where she gives some practical suggestions like volunteering time, paying it forward in a drive through, and many more.
Like I said at the beginning, this was a really good book, one I would recommend. I would also recommend her book "Raising Grateful Kids in an Entitled World." And I haven't yet read her first book called "Rhinestone Jesus", but I can only imagine it is also equally good.
I received this book from Baker Books and was not required to write a positive review.
This right here, this is a good book. I highly recommend that you go and get a copy, buy one, borrow one, anything but stealing one. This book challenged my views of generosity.
It's not just about giving money, though there is some of that, it's about giving your life: time, energy, talents, etc. for the greater good. It's a mindset that a person needs to have that is always looking for ways to help and ways to encourage and give.
It's not about going to a third world country, like they do, it's about giving right where you live. Kristen gives four ways you can give generously with your family right here and right now, right where you live. 1. "See the people around you." In other words stopping to notice them, not being so busy always and rushing on by. 2. "Spot the needs in others' lives." This involves taking the time to develop relationships with the people around you. 3. "Scatter kindness." 4. "Start over with number one." These four ways don't take any money, but they do take time and intention and a willingness to engage the people around you.
"Generosity is really about teaching our kids to see people other than themselves. And as parents, it begins with us." Yes, so true. And so hard. And so challenging. And so life-changing.
At the end of every chapter, Kristen lists a few questions to ask your kids to start world-changing conversations with them. She asked each question to one of her kids and gives their answers as well. And then after that, there's a small section called "Practice Generosity" where she gives some practical suggestions like volunteering time, paying it forward in a drive through, and many more.
Like I said at the beginning, this was a really good book, one I would recommend. I would also recommend her book "Raising Grateful Kids in an Entitled World." And I haven't yet read her first book called "Rhinestone Jesus", but I can only imagine it is also equally good.
I received this book from Baker Books and was not required to write a positive review.
June 22, 2018
*I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review- all opinions are my own.*
Yesterday I finished Kristen Welch’s newest book, Raising World Changers in a Changing World. And I sat in the waiting area of my son’s Taekwondo class and cried in front of strangers. My heart literally aching. This books is a life-changer and is such a beautiful testament to how God has worked in Kristen’s family and how they’re changing the world for the better.
It had me asking myself, “Am I doing enough?”
Sometimes in my comfortable corner of the world, it’s easy to turn a blind eye to what’s happening around me. There’s so much pain and suffering, that sometimes it hurts to even think about it. But, where does that leave those that are hurting?
Kristen even talks about how the story in the Bible where Jesus asks the rich young ruler to sell all of his possessions and give it to the poor, always scared her a little. And I totally feel the same way. Because we LOVE our money, and we love our stuff, and in this world sometimes we’re basically toddlers screaming, “mine mine mine!”
But, we’re not made for this world. We’re not meant to love it, or the things in it. And if we want to raise our children right, and show them how to be world changers, we have to be different. We have to do our best to make a difference.
Does that mean we have to sell everything we own? NO! But, we can all do our part. As Kristen points out,
“When we dig deeply into God’s word we discover this truth to share with our children: how we live impacts how we give. The rich young ruler mistook the temporary satisfaction of his riches for something that would last and passed up eternity with God. This choice directly impacted how he lived.”
Raising world changers will be hard. Because they’re going to feel different- be different. In this unsatisfied, over-indulged, entitled world, they’re not going to fit in.
But, do we want them to?
If you’ve been wondering how to help your children to be world changers, read this book. It gives great applicable advice that will guide you on your journey
Yesterday I finished Kristen Welch’s newest book, Raising World Changers in a Changing World. And I sat in the waiting area of my son’s Taekwondo class and cried in front of strangers. My heart literally aching. This books is a life-changer and is such a beautiful testament to how God has worked in Kristen’s family and how they’re changing the world for the better.
It had me asking myself, “Am I doing enough?”
Sometimes in my comfortable corner of the world, it’s easy to turn a blind eye to what’s happening around me. There’s so much pain and suffering, that sometimes it hurts to even think about it. But, where does that leave those that are hurting?
Kristen even talks about how the story in the Bible where Jesus asks the rich young ruler to sell all of his possessions and give it to the poor, always scared her a little. And I totally feel the same way. Because we LOVE our money, and we love our stuff, and in this world sometimes we’re basically toddlers screaming, “mine mine mine!”
But, we’re not made for this world. We’re not meant to love it, or the things in it. And if we want to raise our children right, and show them how to be world changers, we have to be different. We have to do our best to make a difference.
Does that mean we have to sell everything we own? NO! But, we can all do our part. As Kristen points out,
“When we dig deeply into God’s word we discover this truth to share with our children: how we live impacts how we give. The rich young ruler mistook the temporary satisfaction of his riches for something that would last and passed up eternity with God. This choice directly impacted how he lived.”
Raising world changers will be hard. Because they’re going to feel different- be different. In this unsatisfied, over-indulged, entitled world, they’re not going to fit in.
But, do we want them to?
If you’ve been wondering how to help your children to be world changers, read this book. It gives great applicable advice that will guide you on your journey
June 26, 2018
It’s the terminal milestone on the parenting journey:
“I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth.” III John 4
Even so, there are a good many ways of measuring its achievement. It’s what we aim for and pray for, but how do we know that are children have made the leap from following their parents’ faith to actually “walking in truth” on their own?
Kristen Welch would argue for two measuring sticks: Gratitude and Generosity. In her first parenting book, Raising Grateful Kids in an Entitled World: How One Family Learned That Saying No Can Lead to Life’s Biggest Yes she reminds readers that if we want our children to appreciate their blessings and to operate out of gratitude rather than entitlement, we had better be modeling the right heart attitude ourselves. One of the ways we (and our children) demonstrate our gratitude and our biblical understanding of the role our possessions and our bank accounts play in our lives is by holding them with an open hand.
In Raising World Changers in a Changing World: How One Family Discovered the Beauty of Sacrifice and the Joy of Giving, she follows up that initial message with stories from her experience in establishing and operating Mercy House, “a ministry that exists to engage, empower, and disciple women around the globe in Jesus’ name.” As her family has traveled to strategic locations, they have seen poverty and suffering first hand, and they have been changed by it. Even as their efforts make small but measurable changes in the world, they are learning the impact that being a World Changer can make upon an entire family as they share their parents with others, welcome visitors into their homes, and give up their rooms for long-term guests who need a place to stay.
The backstory Welch shares is that “the beauty of sacrifice and the joy of giving” can also wear a family thin like an over-used dish rag. Therefore, it’s important to develop family-care strategies, open communication, and healthy boundaries to provide respite and privacy for a family of World Changers.
We Are Where We Are for a Reason
The Welch’s story began with a question, posed by a young Kenyan teen to Kristen’s daughter Madison:
“Why do you think that I was born here in Kenya and you were born in America?”
She might as well have asked, “Why was I chosen for a life of suffering and you for a life of privilege?” Madison’s answer was perfect: “Maybe I was born in American and you were born here because I’m supposed to help you.”
The point of Mercy House ministries and Kristen Welch’s writing is to float before North American Christians the consequential truth that we are where we are for a reason. (21) God, the Greatest Giver, has strategically placed His people with our spiritual and material abundance to respond to the needs and the suffering of others.
“In economic terms the global North (United States, Canada, Western Europe, Australia, New Zealand)–with one quarter of the world’s population–controls four-fifths of the income earned anywhere in the world. Inversely, the global South (every other country)–with three quarters of the world’s population–has access to one-fifth of the world’s income.” (51)
Four Ways to Live Generously
The Welch family has learned how to become a bridge. They straddle continents to connect the resources of the haves to the great and glaring needs of the have-nots. The truth is, however, that every believer can be a bridge right in our own homes, communities, and churches:
See the people around you. This requires more than just observing people; it means stopping to notice them.
Spot the needs in others’ lives.
Scatter kindness by donating a meal, offering childcare, or providing needed transportation.
Start over with number one. When we make this a way of life, it changes everything. (55)
This practical giving is how we love others well, and Welch ends each chapter with a set of tips for practicing generosity. Some are exceedingly mundane such as hosting house guests and asking kids to give up their rooms or paying it forward at the drive up. Others are more philosophical and poke us in the reasons we do what we do such as letting our kids fail as a natural consequence or giving our time away without complaining.
Another practical feature at the end of each chapter is a set of questions to stimulate World Changing conversations around a dining room table or in the mini-van on the way to band practice. The questions come pre-test-driven as Kristen provided her own children’s answers to queries including:
What do you value most?
How can parents encourage kids to grow?
Why do you think some people have enough food and some people don’t?
The role of a parent who wants to raise World Changers can feel very risky. We want our kids to be happy, comfortable, and safe. However, if we shield them from reality and protect them from life, we train them to live small and to take shortcuts. The providence of God is equal to anything our children encounter as they serve God, and John Piper uses Scriptural stories to back up this line of reasoning:
“Life is not a straight line leading from one blessing to the next and then finally to heaven. Life is a winding and troubled road. Switchback after switchback. And the point of biblical stories like Joseph and Job and Esther and Ruth is to help us feel in our bones (not just know in our heads) that God is for us in all these strange turns. God is not just showing up after the trouble and cleaning it up. He is plotting the course and managing the troubles with far-reaching purposes for our good and for the glory of Jesus Christ.” (140)
Raising World Changers in a Changing World is not merely a book for privileged Americans about giving back. It’s a book for the rich and the poor, the haves and the have-nots about “giving it all.” (163) If we agree with the premise that God has placed us where we are for a reason, the blessings God heaps upon us are not merely to change our own lifestyle. God may be calling you and your family to change a life. He may be calling you to change the world.
Many thanks to Baker Books for providing this book to facilitate my review, which, of course, is offered freely and with complete honesty.
“I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth.” III John 4
Even so, there are a good many ways of measuring its achievement. It’s what we aim for and pray for, but how do we know that are children have made the leap from following their parents’ faith to actually “walking in truth” on their own?
Kristen Welch would argue for two measuring sticks: Gratitude and Generosity. In her first parenting book, Raising Grateful Kids in an Entitled World: How One Family Learned That Saying No Can Lead to Life’s Biggest Yes she reminds readers that if we want our children to appreciate their blessings and to operate out of gratitude rather than entitlement, we had better be modeling the right heart attitude ourselves. One of the ways we (and our children) demonstrate our gratitude and our biblical understanding of the role our possessions and our bank accounts play in our lives is by holding them with an open hand.
In Raising World Changers in a Changing World: How One Family Discovered the Beauty of Sacrifice and the Joy of Giving, she follows up that initial message with stories from her experience in establishing and operating Mercy House, “a ministry that exists to engage, empower, and disciple women around the globe in Jesus’ name.” As her family has traveled to strategic locations, they have seen poverty and suffering first hand, and they have been changed by it. Even as their efforts make small but measurable changes in the world, they are learning the impact that being a World Changer can make upon an entire family as they share their parents with others, welcome visitors into their homes, and give up their rooms for long-term guests who need a place to stay.
The backstory Welch shares is that “the beauty of sacrifice and the joy of giving” can also wear a family thin like an over-used dish rag. Therefore, it’s important to develop family-care strategies, open communication, and healthy boundaries to provide respite and privacy for a family of World Changers.
We Are Where We Are for a Reason
The Welch’s story began with a question, posed by a young Kenyan teen to Kristen’s daughter Madison:
“Why do you think that I was born here in Kenya and you were born in America?”
She might as well have asked, “Why was I chosen for a life of suffering and you for a life of privilege?” Madison’s answer was perfect: “Maybe I was born in American and you were born here because I’m supposed to help you.”
The point of Mercy House ministries and Kristen Welch’s writing is to float before North American Christians the consequential truth that we are where we are for a reason. (21) God, the Greatest Giver, has strategically placed His people with our spiritual and material abundance to respond to the needs and the suffering of others.
“In economic terms the global North (United States, Canada, Western Europe, Australia, New Zealand)–with one quarter of the world’s population–controls four-fifths of the income earned anywhere in the world. Inversely, the global South (every other country)–with three quarters of the world’s population–has access to one-fifth of the world’s income.” (51)
Four Ways to Live Generously
The Welch family has learned how to become a bridge. They straddle continents to connect the resources of the haves to the great and glaring needs of the have-nots. The truth is, however, that every believer can be a bridge right in our own homes, communities, and churches:
See the people around you. This requires more than just observing people; it means stopping to notice them.
Spot the needs in others’ lives.
Scatter kindness by donating a meal, offering childcare, or providing needed transportation.
Start over with number one. When we make this a way of life, it changes everything. (55)
This practical giving is how we love others well, and Welch ends each chapter with a set of tips for practicing generosity. Some are exceedingly mundane such as hosting house guests and asking kids to give up their rooms or paying it forward at the drive up. Others are more philosophical and poke us in the reasons we do what we do such as letting our kids fail as a natural consequence or giving our time away without complaining.
Another practical feature at the end of each chapter is a set of questions to stimulate World Changing conversations around a dining room table or in the mini-van on the way to band practice. The questions come pre-test-driven as Kristen provided her own children’s answers to queries including:
What do you value most?
How can parents encourage kids to grow?
Why do you think some people have enough food and some people don’t?
The role of a parent who wants to raise World Changers can feel very risky. We want our kids to be happy, comfortable, and safe. However, if we shield them from reality and protect them from life, we train them to live small and to take shortcuts. The providence of God is equal to anything our children encounter as they serve God, and John Piper uses Scriptural stories to back up this line of reasoning:
“Life is not a straight line leading from one blessing to the next and then finally to heaven. Life is a winding and troubled road. Switchback after switchback. And the point of biblical stories like Joseph and Job and Esther and Ruth is to help us feel in our bones (not just know in our heads) that God is for us in all these strange turns. God is not just showing up after the trouble and cleaning it up. He is plotting the course and managing the troubles with far-reaching purposes for our good and for the glory of Jesus Christ.” (140)
Raising World Changers in a Changing World is not merely a book for privileged Americans about giving back. It’s a book for the rich and the poor, the haves and the have-nots about “giving it all.” (163) If we agree with the premise that God has placed us where we are for a reason, the blessings God heaps upon us are not merely to change our own lifestyle. God may be calling you and your family to change a life. He may be calling you to change the world.
Many thanks to Baker Books for providing this book to facilitate my review, which, of course, is offered freely and with complete honesty.
April 6, 2020
Having nothing against the genre of gospel, I feel like it should have been evident in the title itself. Otherwise, you will buy a book about raising world changers, but end up reading more about Jesus with references to Bible and God almost on each page.
Although respectful for the good deeds of the family of the author, I cannot give a 5-star since the book's target audience is restricted to Christians only, while all other non-believers (obviously not very good people who need to be converted to Christianity) will feel excluded...
Although respectful for the good deeds of the family of the author, I cannot give a 5-star since the book's target audience is restricted to Christians only, while all other non-believers (obviously not very good people who need to be converted to Christianity) will feel excluded...
October 2, 2018
As a mother of two I was interested to learn about educating kids to be more giving, but this book is about faith, Jesus, bible than actually kids and teaching them to share. Though I am open to all opinions, I could not help but feel that author was talking about Jesus more than anything else. The title of the book does is somehow deceiving
May 28, 2018
You may recognize author Kristen Welch from her blog We Are That Family. I started reading Kristen's blog years ago because the title is hilarious and her posts are truthful, thought-provoking and relatable. When Kristen released her first book Raising Grateful Kids in An Entitled World, I was really excited to read it and even had the privilege of being on the launch team. Not too long ago, I received an email inviting me to participate on the launch team for Kristen's latest book Raising World Changers in A Changing World and I decided to accept the invite. Raising World Changers is a bit of a prequel to Raising Grateful Kids with Kristen detailing how she and her family founded Mercy House Global, a nonprofit that provides jobs for women to care for themselves and their families through the selling of fair trade items in an online store.
In Raising World Changers, Kristen also includes quotes from other sources including John Piper and Randy Alcorn which were very poignant. Kristen is faithful to remind readers that as Christians, we don't give to be saved rather, we give because we are saved. This is such an important distinction to make and I'm thankful for its inclusion in the book. While a large emphasis of Raising World Changers is giving, it is not explicitly referring to financial donations. On page 55 of the book, Kristen invites parents to do the following 4 actions: 1. See the people around you. 2. Spot the needs in others' lives. 3. Scatter Kindness. 4. Start over with number one. She lets readers know that meeting a need can be as simple as building a relationship with the single mom on your child's soccer team and seeing how you can care for her.
Often books of this type can make readers feel guilty for not being able to give more or do more financially but I really liked that Raising World Changers was different because it does quite the opposite. This book encourages readers to look at what they do have that they can give and to start small. Kristen also reminded readers that they don't have to be wealthy to start giving.
"While I respect the work of Dave Ramsey, who encourages people to get out of debt and live debt free, I have always taken issue with the principle that we should live in such a way that later we can give like no one else. He encourages people to 'give like no one else' after they have saved and accumulated wealth. There is no later in terms of the gospel. There is only now. How else can we cultivate a life of giving?" (pg. 115).
Since my husband and I live on a limited budget and are in a season in which we are working toward debt elimination, I appreciated this challenge from Kristen and fully agree with her.
Raising World Changers is a unique and necessary book in the Christian parenting conversation and I'm glad to have read it. Each chapter concludes with members of Kristen's family answering questions regarding the content of the chapter and includes practical actions parents can take with their kids to help them cultivate hearts of generosity.
I didn't have any major concerns with this book but I would like to note that Kristen includes quotes from her personal friend and author, Ann Voskamp. Personally, I'm not a fan of Ann's writing style. I didn't understand why the first quote from her on page 56 was included in the book. To me, it didn't fit well with the rest of the content in the chapter. Also, I've been concerned with Ann's theology since she wrote in her first book, One Thousand Gifts, that she traveled to Paris to, ". . . discover how to make love to God." With this in mind, I urge readers to exercise discernment where Ann's quotes are included. (For more on this, read the review of One Thousand Gifts by Tim Challies and Romantic Panentheism: A Review of One Thousand Gifts by Ann Voskamp by Bob DeWaay of Critical Issues Commentary.)
Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed Raising World Changers and highly recommend all parents read it.
I received Raising World Changers compliments of Baker Books in exchange for my honest review.
In Raising World Changers, Kristen also includes quotes from other sources including John Piper and Randy Alcorn which were very poignant. Kristen is faithful to remind readers that as Christians, we don't give to be saved rather, we give because we are saved. This is such an important distinction to make and I'm thankful for its inclusion in the book. While a large emphasis of Raising World Changers is giving, it is not explicitly referring to financial donations. On page 55 of the book, Kristen invites parents to do the following 4 actions: 1. See the people around you. 2. Spot the needs in others' lives. 3. Scatter Kindness. 4. Start over with number one. She lets readers know that meeting a need can be as simple as building a relationship with the single mom on your child's soccer team and seeing how you can care for her.
Often books of this type can make readers feel guilty for not being able to give more or do more financially but I really liked that Raising World Changers was different because it does quite the opposite. This book encourages readers to look at what they do have that they can give and to start small. Kristen also reminded readers that they don't have to be wealthy to start giving.
"While I respect the work of Dave Ramsey, who encourages people to get out of debt and live debt free, I have always taken issue with the principle that we should live in such a way that later we can give like no one else. He encourages people to 'give like no one else' after they have saved and accumulated wealth. There is no later in terms of the gospel. There is only now. How else can we cultivate a life of giving?" (pg. 115).
Since my husband and I live on a limited budget and are in a season in which we are working toward debt elimination, I appreciated this challenge from Kristen and fully agree with her.
Raising World Changers is a unique and necessary book in the Christian parenting conversation and I'm glad to have read it. Each chapter concludes with members of Kristen's family answering questions regarding the content of the chapter and includes practical actions parents can take with their kids to help them cultivate hearts of generosity.
I didn't have any major concerns with this book but I would like to note that Kristen includes quotes from her personal friend and author, Ann Voskamp. Personally, I'm not a fan of Ann's writing style. I didn't understand why the first quote from her on page 56 was included in the book. To me, it didn't fit well with the rest of the content in the chapter. Also, I've been concerned with Ann's theology since she wrote in her first book, One Thousand Gifts, that she traveled to Paris to, ". . . discover how to make love to God." With this in mind, I urge readers to exercise discernment where Ann's quotes are included. (For more on this, read the review of One Thousand Gifts by Tim Challies and Romantic Panentheism: A Review of One Thousand Gifts by Ann Voskamp by Bob DeWaay of Critical Issues Commentary.)
Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed Raising World Changers and highly recommend all parents read it.
I received Raising World Changers compliments of Baker Books in exchange for my honest review.
August 2, 2018
My Review:
In the Christian life God says faith is measured by what we do. Kristen Welch’s new book Raising World Changers in a Changing World demonstrates the implications of that active faith for families in America. The basis of the parenting style she advocates is not fulfilling the American dream but “sharing sacrificially what we have been given – our time, talents and wallets – with those who have less. It’s about living sacrificially in front of our kids and accepting the hard truth Jesus teaches: our abundance isn’t for us to keep. It is given to us to be given away.” (Kristen Welch, Raising World Changers in a Changing World: How one Family Discovered the Beauty of Sacrifice and the Joy of Giving, Baker Books, 2018, p. 12).
Welch challenges the American parenting lifestyle that puts children first, creating an entitled, selfish mindset that uses the abundance of the resources in America for one’s own benefit, and ignores the glaring poverty of billions around the world. She says, “In an effort to make family a priority and give our kids what we didn’t have, we’ve become a child-focused culture… The sense of entitlement our kids exhibit is fueled by a parenting model that is obsessed with giving our children what they want and with making our kids the center of our lives.” (p.99)
Instead, her family has created and serves in several non-profits to empower poor women around the world to become self-supporting and self-respecting once again. In her book she ends each chapter with two practical applications: World-Changing Conversations To Have With Kids and practical ways to Practice Generosity. These tools can help adults raise up world changers in their setting. Her stories of what generosity entails challenges people (who are parents or singles) to model a sacrificial empowering lifestyle themselves. This book is a must-have for people serious about global need and willing to model, alongside younger generations, Christ’s love in a life-changing, global way. Five Stars M.L. Codman-Wilson, Ph.D. 8/3/18
Excerpts:
“I beg you to hear this truth: your normal isn’t the world’s normal. And the greatest deception is that you believe that it is…A small percentage of us have access to most of the world’s resources while a large percentage of the world doesn’t have enough for one day. God uses people and builds bridges to connect the two worlds, but the life we are building is wasted if it doesn’t take us somewhere that matters. It’s tragic to build a bridge to nowhere. The only thing worse is leading our kids there… Acknowledging what we have and what the world lacks will break us. Becoming a bridge – a place to span the gulf in between us- will break us. It’s in the breaking that we learn the true beauty of giving” (Kristen Welch, Raising World Changers in a Changing World: How one Family Discovered the Beauty of Sacrifice and the Joy of Giving, Baker Books, 2018, pp.50-51, 57).
In the Christian life God says faith is measured by what we do. Kristen Welch’s new book Raising World Changers in a Changing World demonstrates the implications of that active faith for families in America. The basis of the parenting style she advocates is not fulfilling the American dream but “sharing sacrificially what we have been given – our time, talents and wallets – with those who have less. It’s about living sacrificially in front of our kids and accepting the hard truth Jesus teaches: our abundance isn’t for us to keep. It is given to us to be given away.” (Kristen Welch, Raising World Changers in a Changing World: How one Family Discovered the Beauty of Sacrifice and the Joy of Giving, Baker Books, 2018, p. 12).
Welch challenges the American parenting lifestyle that puts children first, creating an entitled, selfish mindset that uses the abundance of the resources in America for one’s own benefit, and ignores the glaring poverty of billions around the world. She says, “In an effort to make family a priority and give our kids what we didn’t have, we’ve become a child-focused culture… The sense of entitlement our kids exhibit is fueled by a parenting model that is obsessed with giving our children what they want and with making our kids the center of our lives.” (p.99)
Instead, her family has created and serves in several non-profits to empower poor women around the world to become self-supporting and self-respecting once again. In her book she ends each chapter with two practical applications: World-Changing Conversations To Have With Kids and practical ways to Practice Generosity. These tools can help adults raise up world changers in their setting. Her stories of what generosity entails challenges people (who are parents or singles) to model a sacrificial empowering lifestyle themselves. This book is a must-have for people serious about global need and willing to model, alongside younger generations, Christ’s love in a life-changing, global way. Five Stars M.L. Codman-Wilson, Ph.D. 8/3/18
Excerpts:
“I beg you to hear this truth: your normal isn’t the world’s normal. And the greatest deception is that you believe that it is…A small percentage of us have access to most of the world’s resources while a large percentage of the world doesn’t have enough for one day. God uses people and builds bridges to connect the two worlds, but the life we are building is wasted if it doesn’t take us somewhere that matters. It’s tragic to build a bridge to nowhere. The only thing worse is leading our kids there… Acknowledging what we have and what the world lacks will break us. Becoming a bridge – a place to span the gulf in between us- will break us. It’s in the breaking that we learn the true beauty of giving” (Kristen Welch, Raising World Changers in a Changing World: How one Family Discovered the Beauty of Sacrifice and the Joy of Giving, Baker Books, 2018, pp.50-51, 57).
May 30, 2018
I first gained exposure to Kristen Welch when my husband gifted me with a subscription to Fair Trade Friday, a ministry of Mercy House, which Kristen is the founder of. When I saw Kristen had a new book out, Raising World Changers in a Changing World, I was eager to read it.
Raising World Changers in a Changing World is a hard book to classify. It’s part parenting, part memoir, part Christian living. Since Kristen is the founder of a non-profit, I was a bit concerned Raising World Changers in a Changing World would feel unapproachable for ordinary people like me. It didn’t. It’s accessible and yet challenging, not just for the founders of non-profits but for ordinary moms.
Raising World Changers in a Changing World is accessible because Kristen vulnerably shares her own parenting failures with her readers. At one point, she shares a story of crushing her daughter’s dreams and then ends by saying, “I will never, ever forget what it feels like to crush your child’s dreams. It’s a feeling I wish I didn’t know.” While not all moms can relate to founding an NPO, we can all recount our parenting mistakes.
In a nutshell, the premise of Raising World Changers in a Changing World is, "Perhaps the most powerful lessons we teach our children is that their unique places & positions in life are not for their convenience; they are for God's glory."
To that end, Kristen challenges her readers to remember that “The safest place for our family is wherever Jesus leads us. We aren’t called to safety, and what’s completely safe these days anyway?” Since my family is currently in transition – I’m moving to a new call at a new church and my family is relocating as a result, this was a poignant reminder for me at precisely the right time.
In addition to appreciating Raising World Changers in a Changing World as a parent, I also appreciated it as a youth pastor. I found Kristen’s reminder of the importance of parents in raising faithful children sobering. According to her, “the average child gets only about 40 hours per year of spiritual teaching from a church, and that’s with regular weekly attendance… If we are depending on the church to raise spiritually grounded, mature believers who live out their purpose, glorify God, and withstand the shifting truth sweeping across our world, we will fail our children. The church comes alongside the family to emphasize and reiterate what children are learning at home.”
Overall, two of the things that make Raising World Changers in a Changing World worth reading are the two sections at the end of each chapter. In the first, Kristen interviews one of her children about generosity. In the second, Kristen offers very practical, tangible ways to practice generosity. While her suggestions are things I look forward to trying with my family, I’m also excited to implement some of them in my youth ministry.
Without a doubt, Raising World Changers in a Changing World is a book that I will recommend often to fellow moms. It’s also one that would make for a great book club discussion for MOPS or similar moms groups.
*************************************************
Disclosure: I received a free copy of Raising World Changers in a Changing World from Baker Books in exchange for a fair and honest review.
Raising World Changers in a Changing World is a hard book to classify. It’s part parenting, part memoir, part Christian living. Since Kristen is the founder of a non-profit, I was a bit concerned Raising World Changers in a Changing World would feel unapproachable for ordinary people like me. It didn’t. It’s accessible and yet challenging, not just for the founders of non-profits but for ordinary moms.
Raising World Changers in a Changing World is accessible because Kristen vulnerably shares her own parenting failures with her readers. At one point, she shares a story of crushing her daughter’s dreams and then ends by saying, “I will never, ever forget what it feels like to crush your child’s dreams. It’s a feeling I wish I didn’t know.” While not all moms can relate to founding an NPO, we can all recount our parenting mistakes.
In a nutshell, the premise of Raising World Changers in a Changing World is, "Perhaps the most powerful lessons we teach our children is that their unique places & positions in life are not for their convenience; they are for God's glory."
To that end, Kristen challenges her readers to remember that “The safest place for our family is wherever Jesus leads us. We aren’t called to safety, and what’s completely safe these days anyway?” Since my family is currently in transition – I’m moving to a new call at a new church and my family is relocating as a result, this was a poignant reminder for me at precisely the right time.
In addition to appreciating Raising World Changers in a Changing World as a parent, I also appreciated it as a youth pastor. I found Kristen’s reminder of the importance of parents in raising faithful children sobering. According to her, “the average child gets only about 40 hours per year of spiritual teaching from a church, and that’s with regular weekly attendance… If we are depending on the church to raise spiritually grounded, mature believers who live out their purpose, glorify God, and withstand the shifting truth sweeping across our world, we will fail our children. The church comes alongside the family to emphasize and reiterate what children are learning at home.”
Overall, two of the things that make Raising World Changers in a Changing World worth reading are the two sections at the end of each chapter. In the first, Kristen interviews one of her children about generosity. In the second, Kristen offers very practical, tangible ways to practice generosity. While her suggestions are things I look forward to trying with my family, I’m also excited to implement some of them in my youth ministry.
Without a doubt, Raising World Changers in a Changing World is a book that I will recommend often to fellow moms. It’s also one that would make for a great book club discussion for MOPS or similar moms groups.
*************************************************
Disclosure: I received a free copy of Raising World Changers in a Changing World from Baker Books in exchange for a fair and honest review.
May 3, 2018
Having read both Rhinestone Jesus and Raising Grateful Kids in an Entitled World, I knew I wanted to read Kristen Welch’s latest book, Raising World Changers in a Changing World. Kristen always writes an inspiring book but it’s more than that. She writes from the heart, getting us to discover more fully who we are to be as we embrace the truths given to us in the Gospel.
This world is changing more rapidly than most of us can keep up with. If we are not careful to guard our hearts and minds, the world will change and mold us, our hearts will grow cold and will lack compassion towards the suffering and lack in the world.
“I don’t think it’s a mathematical mistake that one-third of the world is rich enough to ease the burden of the other two-thirds, who are desperately poor and living on less than one dollar per day. Not is it a curious coincidence that we are already sitting on the answer: we are supposed to help one another. It’s something we teach our children from the cradle. It’s called sharing. We have more than enough, and we have enough to share. I sounds like a match made in heaven. Maybe it was God’s plan all along for us to love others and, instead of accumulating more stuff, to give some of what we have away.
(from page 20)
This book is challenging and it may even hurt a bit as we come to realize how much we hold onto and how little we give. Yet we often find the greatest joy and satisfaction comes not from how much we own, or earn but in living open handed and in giving.
This book is a must read for every parent who desires to raise children who are world changers. But the reality is, this is a book for every parent so they themselves can become a world changer. Change starts with us, within us. If we are going to teach this next generation to be generous, to have compassion, and to make a difference then it is going to need to start with us.
“We know what real love is because Jesus gave up his life for us. So we also ought to give up our lives for our brothers and sisters. If someone has enough money to live well and sees a brother or sister in need but shows no compassion – how can God’s love be in that person?” (1 John 3:16-17, NLT)
I cannot recommend this book enough. The personal stories, the Scriptures, and the quotes are life changing.
It’s true – this world is changing. But perhaps it is time we each change as well, and thus, impact our families and the world by becoming families who demonstrate that our God never changes.
** I was provided a copy of this book by the Baker Publishing Group in exchange for my honest review.
This world is changing more rapidly than most of us can keep up with. If we are not careful to guard our hearts and minds, the world will change and mold us, our hearts will grow cold and will lack compassion towards the suffering and lack in the world.
“I don’t think it’s a mathematical mistake that one-third of the world is rich enough to ease the burden of the other two-thirds, who are desperately poor and living on less than one dollar per day. Not is it a curious coincidence that we are already sitting on the answer: we are supposed to help one another. It’s something we teach our children from the cradle. It’s called sharing. We have more than enough, and we have enough to share. I sounds like a match made in heaven. Maybe it was God’s plan all along for us to love others and, instead of accumulating more stuff, to give some of what we have away.
(from page 20)
This book is challenging and it may even hurt a bit as we come to realize how much we hold onto and how little we give. Yet we often find the greatest joy and satisfaction comes not from how much we own, or earn but in living open handed and in giving.
This book is a must read for every parent who desires to raise children who are world changers. But the reality is, this is a book for every parent so they themselves can become a world changer. Change starts with us, within us. If we are going to teach this next generation to be generous, to have compassion, and to make a difference then it is going to need to start with us.
“We know what real love is because Jesus gave up his life for us. So we also ought to give up our lives for our brothers and sisters. If someone has enough money to live well and sees a brother or sister in need but shows no compassion – how can God’s love be in that person?” (1 John 3:16-17, NLT)
I cannot recommend this book enough. The personal stories, the Scriptures, and the quotes are life changing.
It’s true – this world is changing. But perhaps it is time we each change as well, and thus, impact our families and the world by becoming families who demonstrate that our God never changes.
** I was provided a copy of this book by the Baker Publishing Group in exchange for my honest review.
April 23, 2018
If you want to raise your children to be world changers, read this book. And I don’t mean that you necessarily want them to become world-renown activists, but that you hope they make the world a better place. That’s what I want for my children, and that’s why I wanted to read this book. I had also read Kristen’s previous book Raising Grateful Kids in an Entitled World and was a fan of her writing. This book did not disappoint me.
Kristen Welch does a great job of sharing her own life experiences with her children that led to knowledge about generosity and the joy of giving. One of my favorite quotes from the book is about a man her children encountered in their life who taught them about generosity. “Everyone knew he loved God-not because he told them he did but because he showed them he did by how he lived.”
She doesn’t share these experiences in a way that leads others to parenting guilt. She just shares those experiences that have worked for her family, as well as circumstances or things said they didn’t work out that well. She doesn’t pretend to have a perfect family, but she does challenge the reader to follow Jesus’ commands to love God and to love others.
Kristen pulls out Biblical principles to support her reasoning. From the chapter on Jesus as the greatest giver of all, to the chapter about the best place to store our treasures, Kristen consistently references scripture to allow you to really focus on what God wants for your life.
I also loved this book’s focus on how to talk to your children about things such as being generous. The questions at the end of each chapter have served as dinner table conversations for our family for quite a few nights now. I similarly loved the action steps at the end of each chapter. It’s easy to read something and agree with it, but these action steps get you moving in the right direction.
As a mother, I want my children to grow up to not be selfish or focused just on self-gratification. It seems like most of the world tells you to focus on yourself, but I want my kids to know the importance of focusing on others. As Kristen says in the introduction, “We have a choice: we can let the world change us, or we can change the world.” I highly recommend this book to anyone who hopes to change the world, even in just a small way.
I received a free copy of this book from the publisher. I was not required to post a positive review. All opinions herein are my own.
Kristen Welch does a great job of sharing her own life experiences with her children that led to knowledge about generosity and the joy of giving. One of my favorite quotes from the book is about a man her children encountered in their life who taught them about generosity. “Everyone knew he loved God-not because he told them he did but because he showed them he did by how he lived.”
She doesn’t share these experiences in a way that leads others to parenting guilt. She just shares those experiences that have worked for her family, as well as circumstances or things said they didn’t work out that well. She doesn’t pretend to have a perfect family, but she does challenge the reader to follow Jesus’ commands to love God and to love others.
Kristen pulls out Biblical principles to support her reasoning. From the chapter on Jesus as the greatest giver of all, to the chapter about the best place to store our treasures, Kristen consistently references scripture to allow you to really focus on what God wants for your life.
I also loved this book’s focus on how to talk to your children about things such as being generous. The questions at the end of each chapter have served as dinner table conversations for our family for quite a few nights now. I similarly loved the action steps at the end of each chapter. It’s easy to read something and agree with it, but these action steps get you moving in the right direction.
As a mother, I want my children to grow up to not be selfish or focused just on self-gratification. It seems like most of the world tells you to focus on yourself, but I want my kids to know the importance of focusing on others. As Kristen says in the introduction, “We have a choice: we can let the world change us, or we can change the world.” I highly recommend this book to anyone who hopes to change the world, even in just a small way.
I received a free copy of this book from the publisher. I was not required to post a positive review. All opinions herein are my own.
April 30, 2018
When I first bought Raising World Changers in a Changing World, I questioned myself, because I’m almost done! My kids are 29, 24 and married, 20 and 16, so why read another parenting book (as if our job of parenting is ever over, especially when one is still 16)? Almost immediately, though, God used Kristen’s life and message to parent MY heart, which must be parented first before I can parent my children’s hearts!
The power behind Kristen’s words is the way she and her family live their life, which comes to life in the pages of her book. Her message is challenging and shared with honesty and brokenness. She’s not “supposing” the truths she shares from scripture; she’s living them, and her testimony and the gospel is conveyed in word and power. She is and talks about “brokenhearted kingdom hunters” who “met Jesus face-to-face in the middle of their giving, and it made them want to give their lives away too.” I will say, it’s rather convicting. I found it impossible to read without finding myself faced with examining my own heart, priorities and beliefs. In my experience, though, nothing lasting or worthwhile has ever come from just being inspired, because once the inspiration wanes, so does the change hinged on it. For me, lasting change only comes from conviction. If I had to pinpoint one truth Kristen stresses that pierced my heart the deepest, it is this: “I was created for more than surviving, getting by, or moving to the next phase in life…We were created to give our lives away.” And as Kristen says, “Jesus is the greatest giver of all.”
The Lord wants to stir our hearts to be more like Christ. If I could sum up the message I took from Kristen’s book, it is this: Jesus is the most generous giver and world changer; in Him, we are to be generous givers and world changers, too!
If you are looking for a way to parent with conviction, connection and practical application in order to affect heartsets and mindsets for generosity and gospel living, this is a great book to read, discuss, implement and keep close at hand.
The power behind Kristen’s words is the way she and her family live their life, which comes to life in the pages of her book. Her message is challenging and shared with honesty and brokenness. She’s not “supposing” the truths she shares from scripture; she’s living them, and her testimony and the gospel is conveyed in word and power. She is and talks about “brokenhearted kingdom hunters” who “met Jesus face-to-face in the middle of their giving, and it made them want to give their lives away too.” I will say, it’s rather convicting. I found it impossible to read without finding myself faced with examining my own heart, priorities and beliefs. In my experience, though, nothing lasting or worthwhile has ever come from just being inspired, because once the inspiration wanes, so does the change hinged on it. For me, lasting change only comes from conviction. If I had to pinpoint one truth Kristen stresses that pierced my heart the deepest, it is this: “I was created for more than surviving, getting by, or moving to the next phase in life…We were created to give our lives away.” And as Kristen says, “Jesus is the greatest giver of all.”
The Lord wants to stir our hearts to be more like Christ. If I could sum up the message I took from Kristen’s book, it is this: Jesus is the most generous giver and world changer; in Him, we are to be generous givers and world changers, too!
If you are looking for a way to parent with conviction, connection and practical application in order to affect heartsets and mindsets for generosity and gospel living, this is a great book to read, discuss, implement and keep close at hand.
May 23, 2018
As parents, we want the best for our children. We hope that they can build on the struggles we've walked through. We wish good things for them: happiness, success, and the ability to thrive. But what if our vision is short sighted? What if there's more to raising kids than setting them up for a "happy life?"
Author, Kristen Welch, tackles the hard subject of sacrifice and parenting in her new book, Raising World Changers in a Changing World. Welch takes the reader on a journey of discovery and asks the question: What does it take to really raise world changing kids? Education? A smooth road paved by mom and dad? Or sacrificing to see God's glory revealed?
Throughout this book, I found myself challenged again and again. Am I playing it too safe? What about those living outside of the U.S.? Am I raising kids to make a difference in the global society? Do I even know what that would look like? Welch shares personal stories from her own family and ministry in Kenya, causing me to reflect on what sacrifice and giving looks like in our home. And while I don't believe all of us are called to global missions, I do believe there is a mission field laid out for each person. The question is, will I embrace my mission and help my children find theirs?
On a practical level, Welch closes each chapter by interviewing one of her children. They talk about how sacrifice and living with others in mind has shaped their lives. It's great insight into the minds of the children who have lived this way of life. On a heart level, the author speaks with such honesty that this book absolutely wrecked me. While I've seen some desperate situations in the world, this book was a great reminder that I wasn't born to live a "happy life." I was born for something greater. And so were my kids. Having read through the book, I feel as though I've only uncovered a fraction of its wealth. This one will certainly be reread several times over.
*Disclaimer: I received this book free from the publisher. All opinions are my own.
Author, Kristen Welch, tackles the hard subject of sacrifice and parenting in her new book, Raising World Changers in a Changing World. Welch takes the reader on a journey of discovery and asks the question: What does it take to really raise world changing kids? Education? A smooth road paved by mom and dad? Or sacrificing to see God's glory revealed?
Throughout this book, I found myself challenged again and again. Am I playing it too safe? What about those living outside of the U.S.? Am I raising kids to make a difference in the global society? Do I even know what that would look like? Welch shares personal stories from her own family and ministry in Kenya, causing me to reflect on what sacrifice and giving looks like in our home. And while I don't believe all of us are called to global missions, I do believe there is a mission field laid out for each person. The question is, will I embrace my mission and help my children find theirs?
On a practical level, Welch closes each chapter by interviewing one of her children. They talk about how sacrifice and living with others in mind has shaped their lives. It's great insight into the minds of the children who have lived this way of life. On a heart level, the author speaks with such honesty that this book absolutely wrecked me. While I've seen some desperate situations in the world, this book was a great reminder that I wasn't born to live a "happy life." I was born for something greater. And so were my kids. Having read through the book, I feel as though I've only uncovered a fraction of its wealth. This one will certainly be reread several times over.
*Disclaimer: I received this book free from the publisher. All opinions are my own.
June 3, 2018
Heavy on my mind these days is the weight of parenting. I recognize that the way I interact with my daughter will greatly impact the person that she becomes. I'm more aware than ever that the events in her life will shape how she views the world.
When I picked up Raising World Changers in a Changing World by Kristen Welch, these thoughts were all running through the back of my head. I know intimately right now the fact that the way we as parents engage with the world will shape the way our children begin to interact with the world.
But this book is more than just telling us how to raise our children. Welch writes from a place of having greatly disrupted her children's lives in order to say "yes" to God. She lets us get a small glimpse into the life of her family as they have learned to walk out what it means to live generously. To hold the things of this world so loosely that it becomes easy to give away.
Through Raising World Changers in a Changing World, Welch invites us to ask questions. To examine the way we engage with the world, and how much scripture is actually changing our lives. When we change our lives, we begin to change the lives around us. Welch reminds us to approach the world with two hands open. One to give out to those in need around us. The other open to receive the gifts from God that pour back into us. Because it is only when we care for ourselves that we can actively pour out for others without crashing and burning.
Welch reminds us through the pages of this book that when we invite our kids into the kingdom activities we engage in, they will, in turn, begin to see how the world can be changed through simple actions.
This book reminded me that it doesn't require living a highly visible life in order to change the world. It just requires saying yes to God. To be willing to open our lives and hearts and homes to see the hurting around us and to get involved.
I received a copy of this book from the publisher. This review is my own, honest opinion.
When I picked up Raising World Changers in a Changing World by Kristen Welch, these thoughts were all running through the back of my head. I know intimately right now the fact that the way we as parents engage with the world will shape the way our children begin to interact with the world.
But this book is more than just telling us how to raise our children. Welch writes from a place of having greatly disrupted her children's lives in order to say "yes" to God. She lets us get a small glimpse into the life of her family as they have learned to walk out what it means to live generously. To hold the things of this world so loosely that it becomes easy to give away.
Through Raising World Changers in a Changing World, Welch invites us to ask questions. To examine the way we engage with the world, and how much scripture is actually changing our lives. When we change our lives, we begin to change the lives around us. Welch reminds us to approach the world with two hands open. One to give out to those in need around us. The other open to receive the gifts from God that pour back into us. Because it is only when we care for ourselves that we can actively pour out for others without crashing and burning.
Welch reminds us through the pages of this book that when we invite our kids into the kingdom activities we engage in, they will, in turn, begin to see how the world can be changed through simple actions.
This book reminded me that it doesn't require living a highly visible life in order to change the world. It just requires saying yes to God. To be willing to open our lives and hearts and homes to see the hurting around us and to get involved.
I received a copy of this book from the publisher. This review is my own, honest opinion.
April 19, 2018
Most of us want our kids to be happy, and so we make them the center of family life. This just teaches them to believe that they are the center of the world as they grow.
But what if we do something different?
What if, instead of trying to give them happiness, we help them find joy?
Author Kristen Welch shares how being sacrificially generous has changed the way that she parents - and has shaped her children's personalities. She asks tough questions in this book that are born out of her own world-changing experiences in Kenya, and because she's an 'ordinary mom' like most of us, she shows how possible it is for each of us to change the lives of others.
And changing their lives will change our own.
I read this book just a chapter a day - not because I didn't want to keep reading, but because Welch asks really hard questions, and I needed time to process them. They are questions about how you spend your money, your time, what your parenting style is, and what your purpose is in life. Those are doozies - but they're big for a reason.
Those big issues can make big changes.
I finished Raising World Changers a few days ago, but Welch's words are still swirling around in my head. My Big Helper has been so interested in hearing what I've been reading that she's asked to read it next, and so I'll be passing it around.
It's that kind of book. You'll read it and hit a mind-boggling state and want to talk it over with someone.
Big ideas spark big conversation.
I think the big ideas in Raising World Changers in a Changing World will spark big actions, too, because you won't be able to hold your same course after reading it.
It'll change your life.
And then you'll go change someone else's.
If you want to find more meaning, more joy, and more purpose in your life, read Raising World Changers in a Changing World. You'll be so glad you did.
I received a free copy of this book from the author. All opinions are my own.
But what if we do something different?
What if, instead of trying to give them happiness, we help them find joy?
Author Kristen Welch shares how being sacrificially generous has changed the way that she parents - and has shaped her children's personalities. She asks tough questions in this book that are born out of her own world-changing experiences in Kenya, and because she's an 'ordinary mom' like most of us, she shows how possible it is for each of us to change the lives of others.
And changing their lives will change our own.
I read this book just a chapter a day - not because I didn't want to keep reading, but because Welch asks really hard questions, and I needed time to process them. They are questions about how you spend your money, your time, what your parenting style is, and what your purpose is in life. Those are doozies - but they're big for a reason.
Those big issues can make big changes.
I finished Raising World Changers a few days ago, but Welch's words are still swirling around in my head. My Big Helper has been so interested in hearing what I've been reading that she's asked to read it next, and so I'll be passing it around.
It's that kind of book. You'll read it and hit a mind-boggling state and want to talk it over with someone.
Big ideas spark big conversation.
I think the big ideas in Raising World Changers in a Changing World will spark big actions, too, because you won't be able to hold your same course after reading it.
It'll change your life.
And then you'll go change someone else's.
If you want to find more meaning, more joy, and more purpose in your life, read Raising World Changers in a Changing World. You'll be so glad you did.
I received a free copy of this book from the author. All opinions are my own.
April 25, 2018
I am still reeling by the enormous wisdom and truth to this book. Kristen’s book is countercultural and there are parts of it that are hard to read— because I’m guilty of trying to protect my kids, to hunker down and ignore anything that seems too difficult. But when I daydream about who I want my kids to be in a decade, I know that I want them to be bold and courageous, to look out for those who have suffered injustice and poverty. And kids don’t just magically grow up to be world changers. Families have to take intentional steps to cultivate it in everyday life, doing everyday things.
Kristen writes about living sacrificially. She questions our blessings and if they’re actually for us to give away, instead of keeping them to ourselves. And she writes at length about the ways her family has found deep satisfaction and purpose as they’ve surrendered their abundance to help others in uncountable ways. She doesn’t shy away from the hard parts of her family's journey. In fact, she says, “God’s divine will is for us to be generous and for us to raise givers. But sometimes the space between his sovereign plan for our lives on the one hand and the redemption of our problems, our pain, and the wayward path we choose on the other hand is difficult to comprehend. It’s much easier to trace the redemptive thread he weaves through the seasons of our lives once we’ve lived them. In the uncertain times living with joy is often discovered not in our gains but in what we give away. We find we are helped when we stop to help others. there is a deep, abiding, secret joy in sharing the kingdom of heaven.”
This is a book that I will read over and over. It won’t collect dust on the shelf. As humans, we don’t drift toward generous living and raising world changers… it has to be an intentional decision we make day after day after day. If you’re looking for a book that will inspire you to raise kids who change their generation, then this is the book you must buy.
Kristen writes about living sacrificially. She questions our blessings and if they’re actually for us to give away, instead of keeping them to ourselves. And she writes at length about the ways her family has found deep satisfaction and purpose as they’ve surrendered their abundance to help others in uncountable ways. She doesn’t shy away from the hard parts of her family's journey. In fact, she says, “God’s divine will is for us to be generous and for us to raise givers. But sometimes the space between his sovereign plan for our lives on the one hand and the redemption of our problems, our pain, and the wayward path we choose on the other hand is difficult to comprehend. It’s much easier to trace the redemptive thread he weaves through the seasons of our lives once we’ve lived them. In the uncertain times living with joy is often discovered not in our gains but in what we give away. We find we are helped when we stop to help others. there is a deep, abiding, secret joy in sharing the kingdom of heaven.”
This is a book that I will read over and over. It won’t collect dust on the shelf. As humans, we don’t drift toward generous living and raising world changers… it has to be an intentional decision we make day after day after day. If you’re looking for a book that will inspire you to raise kids who change their generation, then this is the book you must buy.
May 25, 2018
In "Raising World Changers in a Changing World" Kristen Welch offers a sound challenge to Christians in the American Church seeking to raise their children in the Lord. Through many personal stories of her family life and her business life as the director and founder of Mercy House Global Kristen calls parents to transform their children into people of generosity. Our culture calls us toward consumerism while our faith calls us to be givers. Kristen challenges all Christians to consider our real God. Do we trust in God the Father, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit enough to be generous with the resources He has provided?
Each chapter challenges families toward the generous lifestyle we are called to. Then at the conclusion of each chapter, Welch interacts with one of her three children or her husband asking them poignant questions regarding generosity. Readers are encouraged to discuss the same questions with their children/spouses. These end of chapter questions are truly the gem of the text because they enable families to discuss their attitudes toward finances, time, and other resources with which God has blessed us.
The only really disappointing aspect of this text is that, while Scripture is cited, there is no true Biblical exploration. A book that encourages people to follow God and His word, should be more than a collection of helpful stories. Such a book should grapple with the various stories and passages within the Bible that deal with being generous people. There are plenty of options available and few are even referenced within the text of "Raising World Changers in a Changing World."
I received this book as part of Baker Books Blogger program.
Each chapter challenges families toward the generous lifestyle we are called to. Then at the conclusion of each chapter, Welch interacts with one of her three children or her husband asking them poignant questions regarding generosity. Readers are encouraged to discuss the same questions with their children/spouses. These end of chapter questions are truly the gem of the text because they enable families to discuss their attitudes toward finances, time, and other resources with which God has blessed us.
The only really disappointing aspect of this text is that, while Scripture is cited, there is no true Biblical exploration. A book that encourages people to follow God and His word, should be more than a collection of helpful stories. Such a book should grapple with the various stories and passages within the Bible that deal with being generous people. There are plenty of options available and few are even referenced within the text of "Raising World Changers in a Changing World."
I received this book as part of Baker Books Blogger program.
May 1, 2018
This book is both a challenging and an encouraging read. Kristen is still in the parenting trenches so she is able to speak from a place that acknowledges both the hits + misses of raising world changers. She gives poignant examples of her own children's experiences as they respond to their family's choice to say "yes" to God. Its important to know going in to this book that Kristen is a Jesus follower. Her faith is pivotal throughout the book. This IS not a book about changing the world for the sake of changing the world, its about changing the world for the glory of God. This is what we want to instill in our children. There is a big emphasis on sacrifice and giving but not in a condemning way rather an invitation to join in on the beauty and joy that comes from sacrifice and giving.
This book is hopeful and filled with practical steps as well as discussion points so it feels doable with our own family right where we are. I have underlines throughout but this bit took my breath away {in reference to having a lot of wealth in our part of the world compared to other parts} - "But the life we are building is wasted if it doesn't take us somewhere that matters. It's tragic to build a bridge to nowhere. The only thing worse is leading our kids there." We have been given much so we can give much.
This book is hopeful and filled with practical steps as well as discussion points so it feels doable with our own family right where we are. I have underlines throughout but this bit took my breath away {in reference to having a lot of wealth in our part of the world compared to other parts} - "But the life we are building is wasted if it doesn't take us somewhere that matters. It's tragic to build a bridge to nowhere. The only thing worse is leading our kids there." We have been given much so we can give much.
May 1, 2018
Kristen Welch's "Raising World Changers in a Changing World" inspirationally shares the story of a family parenting while following a call to ministry that turned it all upside down. As the reader walks through their story it is clear that by devoting their family to ministry, they were giving their kids so much more than they missed out on, sharing a broader view of the diverse world and the joy from sharing God's call to change the world. Kristen reminds us that our children are watching how we interact with the world, in our own backyard and across the ocean, and how they notice if our real life priorities (time, money, passion) are in sync with our faith. She challenges readers to ask "Is our extra a Blessing or a Test?" and explores the true joy in giving. She shares how to make changes, even small ones, to adjust your family culture and priorities to help live out faith and God's call to share our blessings while parenting. Her advice is grounded in her real life experience and passionate faith with accessible examples and great family discussion questions (with answers from her own kids included). This is a great book for parents of all ages of kids who hope to raise kids with a Biblical world view and generous hearts.
I received a free copy of this book from the author. All opinions are my own.
I received a free copy of this book from the author. All opinions are my own.
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