Winner of the 2024 Christianity Today Book Award for Marriage, Family, and Singleness
Weaving her own story together with nine attributes of God's character revealed from Scripture, Anna Meade Harris speaks to vulnerable single parents and to churches who want to love them well.
After the death of her husband, Anna Meade Harris discovered that single-parent families don't seem to have a place in the local church. Because she and her kids no longer fit into the Christian family mold, the body of Christ felt alien and strange when Anna's family needed it the most. Belonging, even in the most loving church, was a challenge.
God's Grace for Every Family was born out of Anna's desire to help other families avoid feeling the loneliness that hers felt. This gospel-centered work addresses the single parent who needs to know that God sees, loves, and cares for their family. The book also addresses the church at large, in the hopes that Christians will come to understand the unique needs of single-parent families and do a better job of welcoming, valuing, and loving them.
The book begins with Anna's story and then presents information about single-parent families in America, providing an understanding of their unique needs and complex dynamics. The chapters that follow each focus on a particular area of need and contain:
- Exegesis of Scripture demonstrating the character of God in relationship with his people
- Short narratives collected through interviews with single parents from a variety of backgrounds
- Suggestions for how the church can serve God and families
This book is written for all Christians, married or single, parent or childless. It's written for widows, divorcees, and those who never married. And it's written for the congregants, pastors, leaders, and church family who wants to embrace every family and learn how to serve them well. By addressing families and the church together, God's Grace for Every Family opens the door for gracious conversations and greater unity in the family of God.
