Permanent Markers: Spiritual Life Skills to Write on Your Kids’ Hearts

by Janel Breitenstein

A You-Can-Totally-Do-This Guide to Teaching Spiritual Life Skills That Last

As mom to a work-in-progress family of six, author Janel Breitenstein knows too well the chaos of life with the lid off. She understands how skeptical you are of shoehorning more into carpool-packed days and just trying to get kids to put socks in the hamper.
 
But as a missionary, she also understands the urgent need to cultivate unerasable habits that prepare kids for a bold relationship with Jesus.

If you’re a parent looking for doable, out-of-the-box ways to disciple your children, Permanent Markers is a resource you’ll seek again and again. Find… Permanent Markers empowers you to engage kids in vibrant spirituality, leaving this work of art up to God. You’ll find a practical, fun handbook for the most vital, eternal part of parenting.

Genres: Parenting, Nonfiction, Christian

272 pages, Paperback

Published October 5, 2021

About the author

Janel Breitenstein’s path has included six years in youth ministry, over sixteen published works, more than a decade of publishing and marketing experience, and far more years writing and speaking to parents. Her authentic, intimate style connects with readers around the globe. You can find her having uncomfortable, important conversations at JanelBreitenstein.com.

Reviews

[Honza Prchal · Rating 5 out of 5]

I wish I had read this decades ago, but, surprisingly (as my child is now 21 years old) I found it wonderfully fresh both as a religious religious & I would do so were I still quite secular.
First I worried it'd be so deeply Protestant that I'd find it odd, then I learnt the author is an Episcopalian (like myself) and worried it'd be horridly New Age, but every worry fell by the wayside. Her family's time in Africa kept her grounded in the realities of the faith while her first world background clearly gave her time for social sciences, real ones practiced by actual researchers who test their results, not the fashionable ones with dramatic, irreproducible headline-grabbers that comfort the professionally uncomfortable in their quest to viciously re-make the world.
Roman Catholics, Orthodox (both Christian and Jewish), Protestants of all stripes and Mormons will generally find much wisdom and humour here, even in the bits about preparing your children for puberty and their eventual sex lives (obviously and unapologetically those presumed to be in marriage, but realistically being aware that some kids will stray). Open-minded irreligious people won't mind that either.
Also, however the cover was made, it's perhaps the most interestingly tactile book I've ever picked up, which only adds to the complex visual illusion on the cover.
If you don't like parenting or self-help or spiritual journey books, you still might like this one. If you do, you'll love it.

[Shelby Goodman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read this slowly over quiet mornings. Full of so much wisdom and very practical ideas for parenting and getting to heart issues.

[Catherine L. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Confession. I do not read a lot of parenting books. Maybe because they tend to not be very devotional, or they can lean towards depressing legalism. But back when I served as a children's ministry leader, I would have loved the budget to give a copy of this book to every parent in our church. Janel Breitenstein writes with winsome humor, wisdom, warmth, and a ton of practical (often funny) ideas. Her book is gospel-centered, pointing consistently to the kind of Father we all have, and deep, even as it has pages and pages of application ideas in every chapter. This is a book that is encouraging to veteran parents like myself (kids nearly grown), reminding us that all of our best efforts at loving our kids doesn't guarantee a predictable outcome, but that we can be "wakeful and present to God's activity among us" and trust God to complete what he's started in our children. But I wish I'd had a copy when my kids were small, and I could still dive in with Skittles or Legos or invisible ink to "write it on their hearts." It's clear that many dozens of amazing books were slowly digested and brought to bear on the sacred role of parenting in Christ's name, and Permanent Markers itself shows the marks of great thinkers (from C.S. Lewis to Tim Keller to Amy Carmichael.) If you would appreciate a resource that can help you disciple your kids and prepare them to walk independently with the Lord, I highly recommend this book.

[Jaci Biere · Rating 5 out of 5]

Went through this book with my mom‘s group this year, and it was definitely one of the most valuable books I have read as a parent who is trying to instill Christian values in my kids in an authentic way! So much realistic advice and amazing resources and exercises to do with kids!

[Meghan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've been with my moms group for almost 5 years and several of us have said this is the best book we've gone through to date. I learned soooo much, both as a mom and as a child of God. Janel is so wise, funny, creative, and humble. I knew id like her when she made very clear in her intro that the faithfulness of parents does not directly correspond to the spiritual health of their kids, and that our children's faith/spiritual wins does not give us parenting cred. She teaches us how to teach our kids spiritual truths without creating "little pharisees."

Some of my favorite chapters were identity, simplicity, discernment, service, resilience, respecting authority, and adoration. This book has given me ideas on how to have solid convos with the kids in various situations-- from how to biblically respond when someone is mean to them or acting out at school, to why we clean up messes that we didn't necessarily make, to how to trust God when absolutely terrified to dance on stage at a recital.

I'm so thankful for this book and all the different heart issues it addresses. I'm keeping it close to reference. Will happily read anything else Janel writes. This book takes the cake for my favorite and most effective parenting book! Would recommend reading with a group of close mom friends--the discussion questions were awesome and we all grew a lot together.

[Lindsey Harden · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love her hands on approach to teaching spiritual life skills as she gives specifics wording and ideas to cultivate our children’s heart toward Jesus. My 10 year old has even enjoyed her practical ideas at the end of each chapter to pick and implement with us and it has stimulated great conversations related to often hard topics. This is an amazing resource and plan to continue to use it regularly in our family.

[Melinda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Just had some really helpful practical ideas and ways you can apply the lessons to your life. I tried to take one from each chapter and put it into practice and I found them very easy to do and very helpful.

[Kelli · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved the practical ideas this book had to offer! It was divided into easy to read and apply chapters; easy to go back and reference. It challenged my own personal growth as well as my parenting!

[Diane Plummer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Boy this is a good one to learn from. I hope it's not too late to use with my Grandson. Everyone should read this one.

[Becky · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm going to read it again - this time with a highlighter! And I'll have to copy down all the books listed as recommendations