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Raising Sons of Promise: A Guide for Single Mothers of Boys
Millions of single mothers find themselves in the difficult position of raising boys alone. Many of those boys are at risk of falling behind in school or falling into addictions and dangerous behaviors, repeating the patterns of their own absent or neglectful fathers. Single mothers, who are often the only parental influence on their sons, are critical to reversing this troubling trend. But how? You might be wounded by the broken promises of your child's father. But God offers a greater promise to you and your family. Raising Sons of Promise invites single mothers on a journey to not only heal their hearts but also to parent their boys to become healthy men, good husbands, and strong fathers. Roland Warren, himself the child of a single mother, offers guidance and wisdom to moms who want to raise sons who will make and keep their commitments. Drawing from the Genesis story of Hagar and Ishmael, he shares insights and stories of how mothers can find healing and hope for their sons to become better men of character and action.
232 pages, Paperback
Published December 7, 2021
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
March 20, 2022
I’ve raised four sons, and it was great–but it wasn’t easy. I can’t begin to imagine what it would have been like to have mothered four boys without the input and support of a caring and involved dad.
Because he was raised without that benefit, Roland Warren knows from experience that single mums face multiple daunting challenges. Since his journey to manhood required healing, forgiveness, and a good measure of grace, he has dipped into that reservoir to offer strong support to single mums. He serves as CEO of CareNet, and now has written Raising Sons of Promise: A Guide for Single Mothers of Boys.
A future full of hope and healing for families with an absentee dad requires processing the loss, giving and receiving forgiveness, and managing expectations going forward. Warren weaves present-day stories with the biblical account of Abraham’s life and the startling revelation that the father of our faith and star of the Hebrews 11 Hall of Fame was a pretty shabby father to his firstborn, Ishmael. Abraham’s rejection and abandonment shaped Ishmael’s life, and his mother Hagar’s too because she was saddled with a father-absent home and left with nothing with which to start a new life on her own
Hagar’s realization that God had not abandoned her, that God’s eyes had never turned away from her for a minute, is also the challenge for single mothers in 2022. Warren’s good work serves to validate the feeling of loss created by an absent dad–a loss for the mother and for the son. Statistics have been sounding the alarm for years to support the notion that an unhealed father wound follows a young man into adulthood and, unfortunately, all the way into another broken, fatherless home of his own.
The pressing challenge for a single mum raising a son on her own is helping her boy to “be what he did not see.” Raising Sons of Promise walks the fine line of speaking directly to the heart of a single mum, acknowledging her unique challenges, but in a male voice, as a witness to the role of the son of a single mum. Tough love is a connect-the-dots gift, enabling mums to see that their parenting, their personal boundaries, and even their dating habits will impact their sons’ view of marriage, fatherhood, and family life.
Whatever the backstory, raising a boy is a tall order for someone without Y chromosomes. Warren’s work provides a resource to help mums connect with their son, enter his world, and avoid some of the weightier pitfalls that come with the territory. Best of all is the reassurance that solo parenting never needs to feel entirely solo because of the God who sees, knows, and loves both you and your son and longs to partner with you in the work of building a man of solid character.
Many thanks to InterVarsity press for providing a copy of this book to facilitate my review, which is, of course, offered freely and with honesty.
Because he was raised without that benefit, Roland Warren knows from experience that single mums face multiple daunting challenges. Since his journey to manhood required healing, forgiveness, and a good measure of grace, he has dipped into that reservoir to offer strong support to single mums. He serves as CEO of CareNet, and now has written Raising Sons of Promise: A Guide for Single Mothers of Boys.
A future full of hope and healing for families with an absentee dad requires processing the loss, giving and receiving forgiveness, and managing expectations going forward. Warren weaves present-day stories with the biblical account of Abraham’s life and the startling revelation that the father of our faith and star of the Hebrews 11 Hall of Fame was a pretty shabby father to his firstborn, Ishmael. Abraham’s rejection and abandonment shaped Ishmael’s life, and his mother Hagar’s too because she was saddled with a father-absent home and left with nothing with which to start a new life on her own
Hagar’s realization that God had not abandoned her, that God’s eyes had never turned away from her for a minute, is also the challenge for single mothers in 2022. Warren’s good work serves to validate the feeling of loss created by an absent dad–a loss for the mother and for the son. Statistics have been sounding the alarm for years to support the notion that an unhealed father wound follows a young man into adulthood and, unfortunately, all the way into another broken, fatherless home of his own.
The pressing challenge for a single mum raising a son on her own is helping her boy to “be what he did not see.” Raising Sons of Promise walks the fine line of speaking directly to the heart of a single mum, acknowledging her unique challenges, but in a male voice, as a witness to the role of the son of a single mum. Tough love is a connect-the-dots gift, enabling mums to see that their parenting, their personal boundaries, and even their dating habits will impact their sons’ view of marriage, fatherhood, and family life.
Whatever the backstory, raising a boy is a tall order for someone without Y chromosomes. Warren’s work provides a resource to help mums connect with their son, enter his world, and avoid some of the weightier pitfalls that come with the territory. Best of all is the reassurance that solo parenting never needs to feel entirely solo because of the God who sees, knows, and loves both you and your son and longs to partner with you in the work of building a man of solid character.
Many thanks to InterVarsity press for providing a copy of this book to facilitate my review, which is, of course, offered freely and with honesty.
January 2, 2025
This book is a profound invitation to the single mom
Raising a Son understanding the power God has given us to raise son without a father. Author gives insight to a single mom as a guide to help her raise a son and the effects of a father not being in a home. A single mom raising as son, this book gave me the confidence and wisdom on what to look for and what to ask for to gain help and support in raising a son.
Raising a Son understanding the power God has given us to raise son without a father. Author gives insight to a single mom as a guide to help her raise a son and the effects of a father not being in a home. A single mom raising as son, this book gave me the confidence and wisdom on what to look for and what to ask for to gain help and support in raising a son.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews