Author: Jonathan Holmes

Subtitle:

Helping Kids Build Their Identity in Christ

Grounded in Grace gives parents a guide to understanding how a child's identity is formed in today's world and why it leads to insecurity and confusion.

Children and teens face a tremendous amount of pressure from their peers and culture to find their identity in their activities, feelings, or performance. This modern way of looking at identity can be challenging to navigate for parents who grew up with a traditional view of identity rooted in predetermined roles. What if they could help their children and teenagers find their identity in something that never went away and never changed based on their ability or performance—an identity grounded in God's grace?

Jonathan Holmes explores the five core areas of identity struggles most common to teens: sports, academics, moralism, sexual orientation, and gender confusion. He provides parents with a biblical foundation to work from and practical tools to help their teen find their identity based on who God says they are.

About the author:

Jonathan Holmes, MA, is the Founder and Executive Director of Fieldstone Counseling. He previously served for fifteen years on the pastoral teams of Parkside Church and Parkside Green. He is the author of several books, including Counsel for Couples, Rescue Skills, and Rescue Plan. Jonathan serves as a visiting faculty member and on the board of trustees for CCEF (Christian Counseling & Educational Foundation), as well as an instructor at Westminster Theological Seminary. He and his wife, Jennifer, have four daughters.

Endorsements:

"Parents are always prone to raise their children in a way that prepares them for life in the world as it used to be, not for life in the world as it now is. This book is especially important in that it equips parents to help their children through the temptations and challenges they are certain to face in this day and in this world. Parents and their children are sure to benefit from it."  ~Tim Challies, Author of Seasons of Sorrow

"This book will help you talk to your children about critical matters in a way that doesn't end in either eye-rolling or anger."  ~Edward T. Welch, Faculty and counselor, The Christian Counseling and Educational Foundation (CCEF), Sheri Welch, Bible teacher

"Every parent and child feels like the time in which they're living and the difficulties they're facing are unique. And while that may seem to be more true today than it was when I was raising my kids, the unchanging gospel continues to offer both parents and children their only hope: they are welcomed, known, and most importantly, loved. Grounded in Grace will help you and your child remember the only truth strong enough to shape and tether their identity to hope. I highly recommend it."  ~Elyse M. Fitzpatrick, Author of Give Them Grace: Leading Your Kids to Joy and Freedom through Gospel-Centered Parenting

"Many voices threaten to shape and reinform our children's identity—influences like culture, family, society, media and peers. Yet only one influence really matters. Young people are born with identity and individuality, and the Lord is the source of both. Jonathan rightly challenges and encourages us to consider the ways we allow all the wrong influences to shape our kids and shows us how pointing them back to the Lord liberates them to truly be who they were created to be."  ~Julie Lowe, Counselor; speaker; author of Safeguards: Shielding Our Homes and Equipping Our Kids

"The genius of this book is twofold: first, it takes the complicated (and vitally important) topic of identity and makes it understandable; second, it equips parents to engage with their children in ways that are real, and honest and above all biblically faithful. Parents who read this book will listen better, ask questions better, and speak with greater love."  ~Steve Midgley, Executive Director, Biblical Counselling UK

"Jonathan nails it. Helping our kids understand gospel identity is getting increasingly complicated in our world. The reader will not only be more prepared as a parent but better equipped as a Christian. Jonathan helpfully leads the reader to build a firm foundation of truth, giving courage to faithfully parent as we all learn and grow. This book gives me confidence in Christ as a mom."  ~Rebekah Hannah, Director of Kids and Families, Redeemer LSQ; President & CEO, Anchored Hope Virtual Counseling

"This informative and practical resource empowers parents to engage in compassionate conversations with their kids about identity. Our culture asserts that our value and purpose can be found outside of God's good design. Through relatable stories and thought-provoking questions, Holmes tackles this lie by communicating truth and by pointing to a gospel-centered identity with grace as its foundation. I urge all parents and church leaders to read Grounded in Grace. The time is now to have this discussion with our children."  ~Shauna Van Dyke, Founder & Biblical Counselor, Truth Renewed Ministries; strategic advisor, the Association of Biblical Counselors (ABC)

"As a mother of three, I appreciate the practical counsel and conversation prompts offered in this book. Not only does Jonathan identify common challenges to our children's identity formation, but he shows how the gospel of grace gives kids eternal clarity amidst their temporal confusion."  ~Christine Chappell, Author of Midnight Mercies; host, Hope + Help Podcast; certified biblical counselor

"Raising the next generation is a weighty privilege. Jonathan Holmes pinpoints identity formation as the overarching theme that should shape our approach to child rearing. Scripture answers the question: Who am I? differently than the broader culture. This book will equip you to subvert untrue identity narratives and ever-shifting cultural paradigms about sexuality with gospel truths that each of us was created to know and live out of."  ~Jenny Solomon, Cofounder, Solomon SoulCare; author of Reclaim Your Marriage: Grace for Wives Who Have Been Hurt by Pornography