|
Letters to My Daughters
A Dad's thoughts on a most important decision —
Marriage
Dr. Paul A. Friesen
Endorsements ••
Reactions •• Responses
ISBN-13 978-0-9789931-0-8
ISBN
0-9789931-0-1
| Endorsements |
| |
|
This book has something for everyone!
It offers tremendous wisdom for teens and collegiates [or anyone for that
matter] to consider before they choose a spouse. It is also a wonderful book
for men who want to be better fathers. And it reveals, perhaps without
intending to, what God desires a family to really be. I think Friesen carries
forward the great tradition of the renowned author, Walter Trobisch. Letters to
My Daughters is full of practical wisdom, touching stories, humor, and a
refreshing look at what godly living is all about. |
| —Rebecca Manley Pippert, author of Out of the Salt Shaker |
| |
|
Most fathers I know long to be better
dads to their daughters. Somewhere along the way, these little girls became
women. Our "father" instincts become strong and we long for them to be loved,
protected, nurtured by a fine young man who will care for them the way we think
they deserve. What do we tell them? How do we love them? How do we love them
yet let them go? How to we honor Christ in the process? Paul will give you
insights, ideas, and helps so you can encourage your daughter toward a good and
godly man. |
| —Dr. Michael Easley, President, Moody
Bible Institute |
| |
|
Paul Friesen wrote wonderful words of
counsel to his daughters that really all of us desire to say to our daughters,
as well. This book is filled with wisdom, God-honoring insight and
life-changing guidance. It is a treasure of advice for you to hand to your
daughter. I hope every father reads this book and then passes on to the next
generation. |
| —Jim Burns Ph.D., President,
HomeWord |
| |
|
From laughter to tears, Paul weaves
God's truth throughout this starkly honest collection of letters. A must read
for anyone looking into making the "second most important decision in life." In
a loving way Paul shows us how to set the bar high for our daughters. Wisdom
beyond years is contained in this timeless book. |
| —Grant and Emily Williams, offensive
linesman for the Saint Louis Rams, parents of three daughters |
| |
|
I love how each letter addresses the
lies that are so prevalent in our culture in regards to sex and dating. They
were an amazing resource to me as I pursued my wife-to-be with the desire to
have a Christ-centered relationship. Though written to girls, it gave me a
clear picture of who I needed to be as a man in the relationship so that I was
a worthy suitor who would fulfill my God-given responsibilities as a leader who
could love the way Christ called me to love. |
| —Brian Dietz, Junior High Youth
Pastor, Grace Chapel, Lexington, Massachusetts |
| |
|
These letters have meant so much to me,
as my husband, Paul, can tell you by the number of times he's had to recopy
them for me. I know I would cherish the book as a unique tool to navigate the
waters of parenting a coming-of-age daughter or son. I so appreciate Paul
Friesen's wisdom, especially about the female's responsibility to be careful
about the type of lures she uses and where she fishes. |
| —Kate Wylie, wife of Paul Wylie,
olympic champion ice skater |
| |
|
I have actually used them in family
devotionals, around the dinner table and as forwarded advice to friends. Many
of them speak to issues that parents want children to know and think about, but
need to be reinforced by yet another voice. Even though they are written to
older daughters, my younger crew ages 8-13 benefit by bringing up moral issues
that stimulate discussion for teaching and reinforcement that should and can
begin at any age. These letters are inspiring tools to guide children and
influence parents both at the same time. The personalized letters from a father
to his daughters is written with compassion and a heartfelt voice. The imparted
wisdom is received differently than by reading chapters on parenting which read
like an operator's manual written by a detached and distant authority. |
|
The benefits are two-fold: Parents gain
insights and direction on a variety of topics, while being inspired in the art
of communication and letter writing; encouraging a loving legacy to leave
behind. Similarly, the benefits for kids are two-fold. Kids hear the same
values reinforced by another parent, which many times is received differently
from someone other than "Dad". At the same time, kids gain insights into the
heart of a loving parent as Paul relays biblical truths in a way that lets kids
see and understand the caring motives of a committed Dad. |
| —Melanie Bilazarian, mother of
five |
|
|
| What people are saying
... |
| |
|
"A good friend gave me a copy of Paul Friesen's book "Letters to my Daughters" which I read and appreciated as a Christian father of a 19-year-old daughter, who is growing in her faith. I shared the book with my daughter before she left for college. At the time, she was dating an unbelieving boyfriend and showed little interest in the book. She said she didn't think she would need it, although she agreed to take a copy to college with her.
My daughter e-mailed me recently to share that she is now leading a discussion group of college age girls who are going through Paul's book and getting a lot out of it. She asked me to send more copies, which I did. She also shared that she had broken off the relationship with the unbelieving boyfriend. I am very thankful! |
—Anonymous |
| |
|
I was so happy to get a copy of “Letters to My Daughters.” I have been reading it every night at bedtime. I can't tell you how much I love the book. It is truly love letters to his daughters. I laughed and cried at times reading the book. He is so funny. I learned few new terms from the book which made me laugh. I love his honesty. I wanted to see what a loving father was like and what he would say to his daughters. Like so many daughters out there, I didn't grow up knowing or experiencing the warmth of a father's love. I have a father but he wasn't a very loving or a good father when I was growing up. So reading the book brought a lot of tears. I didn't read the book to compare my dad but to hopefully see what a father's love is like and to able to see God's love. |
—Reader from Oregon |
| |
"As the mother of three sons, dare I
say "Letters to my Daughters" could also be titled "Letters to my Sons!" This
book, in a very real way, describes the godly characteristics we all aspire to
develop in our children to equip them for successful marriages. What a
resource! Valuable! A touchdown - with a two point conversion!! |
| —Betsy Hasselbeck Mother to Matt, Tim
and Nathaniel Hasselbeck |
| |
One woman wrote: "I wanted to share
with you what a profound effect your book has had on my life. After reading the
first 17 letters, I was greatly saddened to find that I had made all 17
mistakes in choosing whom I had married. After two failed marriages, I had
resigned myself to a life of singleness. I had convinced myself that my
‘man-picker’ was broken. I have been single for 6 years and have not
dated because I was certain that I would fail again.
As I continued to read the next 34 letters, I learned
so much about this second most important decision in my life. It was with great
joy that I realized I was now equipped with guidelines for considering a future
mate. I found that I did not have a defective or broken ‘man- picker’
but that I did not have any ‘man-picker’ in place in my life. I am no
longer afraid to date and have opened myself up to the possibility of marriage
again. If fact, since returning home from camp this summer, I have been on my
first date in six years. I am now excited as I am seeking God’s desire for
my future."
This book is not only for young girls who
are making this important decision early in their lives, but for all single
women who have never been married, are divorced or widowed and now have a new
chance at choosing a spouse. |
| —Maria Poisall |
| |
"I gave a copy of your book to the
22-year-old daughter of a friend of mine. The family is all Christians, yet the
daughter is dating a non-Christian. I gave her my copy of your book 4 days
before her boyfriend was scheduled to visit for a week. I shared what a
profound effect the book had on my life and she could clearly see my
excitement. My friend called to tell me that her daughter came to her and told
her that after reading the first six letters, she knew that she was dating the
wrong person. And the fact that he was not a Christian was a
‘deal-breaker.’" |
| —Anonymous |
| |
|
Although these letters came into my
life after my children were grown, they have helped me to communicate more
effectively with all of my children as adults. They give me the tools that I
need to articulate my thoughts in a non-threatening way. I now have the
opportunity to help my grandchildren set a vision for their lives that they
will be able to embrace. Your letters have truly been an inspiration to me.
Thank you for sharing your letters with all of us. |
| —Charlotte Dean |
| |
|
I had a chance to read one of your
letters while the twins are sleeping. You are an outstanding dad. I will rely
on your letters to help Kevin and I give this advice to our three girls
someday. I am already praying that they will follow the Lord and walk in the
truth. I also pray for their sexual purity. I am so thankful that you have
shared these letters with us. What a blessing! Also when the time is right and
my girls get older I will let them read the letters. Thank you very much for
the oustanding advice!!! |
| —Kim Gannon |
| |
|
" 'Letters to My
Daughters' was a great gift to us! I found the letters to be very inspiring. I
wish every Christian unmarried woman in the U.S.A. could read this book! One
hallmark of your ministry is that you don't shrink from giving the whole
counsel of God. May He continue to make you and Home Improvement Ministries a
great blessing as you continue your excellent work." |
| —Reader from Pennsylvania |
| |
|
'Letters to My Daughters'
is one of the most meaningful books I have read in a very long time. As I
progressed letter by letter I found myself thinking "I want to mark this
page/thought to come back later for a re-read." As I finished the last letter
this morning I realized I had very close to 52 bookmarked pages for future
review! If only my messages to my daughters could be as consistently powerful!
You, again, have set a wonderful example for we parents still in the earlier
stage struggles. |
| —Anonymous |
| |
I have already read Letters to My Daughters and, well, let's just say I was never trained or taught to even consider such important matters. I pray it changes me as a man and a parent, as well as my four sons and daughter, and the lives they'll meet, lead, and impact forever! It will become a valuable resource for our family. |
—Rhode Island Dad |
Place Your Order
Now! Letters to My
Daughters Main Page
Letters to My Daughters:
A dad shares his heart and wisdom with his three daughters
regarding a life-changing decision: marriage. Through 52 personal letters to
Kari, Lisa, and Julie. Paul Friesen pens his insights on the importance of
convictions, character, considerations, and chemistry as they relate to
relationships.
About the author:
Dr. Paul A. Friesen is the founder of Home Improvement
Ministries. He and his wife of 30 years, Virginia, have three terrific
daughters and an awesome dog, Baker. In addition to being a great dad, Paul is
famous for his chocolate chip cookies, which have been served around the
world.
Published by Home Improvement Ministries, Bedford, MA
|
|
