If you feel like your family has fallen into the rut of the same old same old, then Dr. Steve Stephens’ book 20 Rules and Tools for a Great Family, is a book to get you and your family moving forward.
Each of the 20 chapters focuses on one rule for a great family. In each chapter, Stephens discusses many of the problems families face today and suggests solutions to rise above them.
Each chapter ends with a section labeled “Today’s Tools” which contains a prayer, a passage of scripture and a few ways you can put the topic discussed in the chapter into practice.
I read the book in just 3 short sittings, but I am thinking of going back and rereading the book, concentrating on one chapter per week, praying the prayer over my family that week and memorizing the scripture for that week.
My favorite rule was number 14 which was “Escape Together”, probably because as I was reading it my family was enjoying our first every 2 week family vacation. Up until now, we have had just a few simple weekend getaways, and camping trips
Stephens suggest that each family build memories by getting away, and I agree, I know that my children and my husband and I gathered many great memories from our long get away.
Other chapters, like Rule 15 “Cool Down” and Rule 17 “Fight Fairly” were personally convicting, and had me rethinking of how to better handle things in the heat of the moment.
If your family life needs tweaking, I would suggest reading 20 Rules and Tools for a Great Family. However, if you are in need of a family overhaul, this book in my opinion does not go deep enough.
20 Rules and Tools for a Great Family has certainly picked me out of a ho hum slump and has me thinking about ways to make my good family great.
