Book Review: Helicopter Mom: Stop hovering over your children and lift! by Bethany L. Douglas

So I answered, “I’m coming. I read in your letter what you wrote about me, And I’m coming to the party you’re throwing for me.” That’s when God’s Word entered my life, became part of my very being.Psalm 40:8 MSG

PUBLISHERS DESCRIPTION

This book teaches you how to lift
and live in fierce freedom
through application of the
Word of God! 

I’ve seen things, bad things. Things that make mother’s grip their children tighter and awaken with nightmares in their beds. I know fear- at 3000 feet and going 150mph- I stand in its face and say “no!” I’ve learned to take fear by the horns and wrestle it to the ground; will you join me and learn how to as well? We’ve all heard the term ‘helicopter mom’- parents who ‘hover’ over their children in an attempt to keep them happy, safe, healthy, and alive. They hover because they fear. Helicopter Mom directly addresses the real life terror that all parents face with fearing for their children. Specifically designed for mothers, it gives a Christian, Biblical perspective on how to overcome these fears from the unique point of view of a helicopter flight nurse and mom who has vast experience in ‘hovering’. It takes lessons learned over my years as a flight nurse and puts them into practical, every day, Christian applications. There are anecdotes, stories, aviation information, and more that all knit together to bring about Biblical lessons and encouragement that all parents can easily relate to. Each chapter takes helicopter and EMS/nursing stories and knits them into an ongoing narrative that slowly paints a full picture of how to overcome fear. It is a sassy, funny, in-your-face, yet spiritually grounded journey that will have people laughing and learning spiritual truths all at the same time. This is a totally different approach to ‘self-help’ books, strap in and get ready to lift!

MY PERSONAL REVIEW

Helicopter Mom by Bethany L. Douglas is a must read for anyone experiencing fear in their life. This book speaks to the weakness all mother's inherently have, regardless of their background, which is the tendency to give into fear for the lives of their children. The author specifically addresses the "what if'" notions that have an inclination to plague us as mothers, however, everything in the book can be seamlessly applied to any anxiety situation presenting itself in one's life. If you are a parent, you owe it to yourself to read the nuggets of truth that are found in the Word of God that Douglas illuminates in this book. If you battle worry in any form, this book is for you as well.

Helicopter Mom is a unique work that delivers a powerful punch to the fear that is affecting many of us in epidemic proportion today. Because the author is a Mom of three children, including one with special needs, her resume is sound. In addition to being a mother herself, she is also a flight nurse, so she sees life and death situations on a regular basis. The extremely frightening experiences Douglas faces during her nursing job serve as a segue into the nightmare scenarios we conjure up about our kids. 

With literary talent and seemingly effortless transition, Douglas brings the reader to a place of  profound understanding of the terror that might be the driving force behind hovering and controlling parental moves. Somehow, despite the weightiness of the subject matter, the author interjects humor at points that literally had me laughing out loud. Helicopter Mom also encourages a reflective spirit and Biblical study as the book helps to uncover the hidden issues that may lie within the reader. A foundational message presented throughout the book is the reminder that God is sovereign and because of this single fact, we can let go of our fears and place them in the hands of the Lord.

My takeaway after reading Helicopter Mom by Bethany Douglas is extensive. I'll try to be brief, but there is so much goodness in this one, that it's going to be hard for me to sum up. I'll do my best. First, I have to mention the cover, because it is beautiful and has a colorful artistic flare that cannot be missed. Next, I believe this book will resonate within the depths of your heart as the sincerity from the author is palpable. The candor within the pages creates an ability to be honest with yourself about struggles that are warring within you. Third, this book begs to be revisited frequently and would make an excellent choice for a Women's Bible study. Finally, Helicopter Mom reminds us that our ultimate pilot is Christ, so we mustn't panic on the journey, but rather we should apply the word of God to every fearful situation. The intentional action of scripture application in the midst of fear will shift our perspective to the strong arms of God and allow us to LIFT (Living~Intentionally~Fearlessly~Truthfully) above the fear. Excellent read!

God's Word Will Never Become Obsolete

Oh, how I love all you’ve revealed; I reverently ponder it all the day long. Your commands give me an edge on my enemies;
they never become obsolete. Psalm 119:97-98

The Word of God never needs an update!

I love when the Lord reveals His majesty through the beauty of nature! It's difficult to miss the connection to His creative spirit when I am running through a grove of trees in the middle of the forest. Nothing can clear my mind quicker and allow me to focus on the greatness of our God than moving through a quiet piece of the woods.

This physical setting brings to the forefront of my thinking, the enormity of our God and the complexities of His working in and through every situation in my life. Sometimes the Lord reveals His purposes...and other times He does not. I cherish the times when He does unveil His reasons, however, in those times that He remains silent and seemingly unwilling to explain His decisions, I must trust Him all the more. Those are the seasons of my life when following Him translates into the tangible faith of the scriptures. They are the times when I must believe without seeing. I must cling to His word and His promises and know that I have prayed...and He has heard. I must stand up...and when I fall back down...stand up again. As the verse above says...I must know that His words will "never be obsolete". I must breathe in and breathe out and stand firm on His promises.

Father God~

You are the beginning of all things. You are the end of all things. You have spoken us into being and we are Your children. May You continue to reveal your perfect will into our hearts so that we may accomplish Your purposes through our lives each day. Equip and empower us to carry through with Your plans with awe and reverence.

Praise be to the mighty name of Jesus!
Amen 

The Sun Came Up Late Today

Psalm 119:90(MSG)

Your truth never goes out of fashion; it's as up-to-date as the earth when the sun comes up.  

The sun was late rising this morning.  Well, at least that's what it felt like when I awoke to darkness, as compared with yesterday when the sun was shining brightly in my window at the exact same time.  I already miss that sunbeam coming into my bedroom early. Today is "Day Light Savings", so we sprang forward an hour.  I don't understand the need for Day Light "Savings" Time.  Do we actually save time?  This has always perplexed me.  We get what we get, right?  We end up shuttling more light to the end of the day and less brightness to the front half, but it's the same amount of time, so why do we call it "daylight savings time"?  Indeed...one of the baffling questions of my life that will never have a satisfying answer as far as I can tell.   

Springing forward.

I clearly like consistency, as you can discern from my dislike of the whole time change thing.  Oh to have such problems, right? But on a more serious note, one of my favorite things about God's word is that it is always the same.  It never changes. The words of the Bible are as applicable today as they were centuries ago.  

His Words are on time...every time.  They are never late. The truths of God are for everyone.  They are not for majorities or minorities.  The Word of God is forever adorned with the greatness of His love, mercy, and grace. We don't have to set it forward or back it up to keep pace with the culture in which we live. The Lord has taken care of all of that for us.  Sweet!!   

Father,

Thank You for providing us with an up-to-date time clock that will never change. Thank You for the comfort that we find in Your Word;  a strong tower to run to for shelter. Your words are a light unto our path and a lamp unto our feet.  Your voice is like a gentle stream of living water bringing life to all who would drink deeply of it.  I am forever amazed and give You all of my praise today.

In Christ's Name,

Amen

My Troubles

Psalm 119:71 (MSG)
My troubles turned out all for the best--they forced me to learn from Your textbook.

This is so true, isn't it?  When things are circumstantially difficult, I am driven to His Word for security, guidance, and truth.  When everything is coming up smelling like roses, I am less likely to fall to my knees in desperation for Him. 

Looming storm clouds.

I will never understand why some of us have to carry the weight of the world.  Nor will I ever comprehend the reasons for why there are those who bare so many more burdens than others.  Nope...I'll never figure it out this side of heaven.  But, if I were to get a tiny glimpse into a benefit of our troubles, this verse might just be the key to unlocking the first door.

For today...I take heart that my troubles might actually be assisting me to lean on Him to a greater extent.  Those trials could possibly be allowing Christ to shine out of me instead of "me" shine out of me.  Kyanne Weaver said it beautifully in her post "Camouflage" from her blog:  Cavewoman Speaks (Sending Out Hope Signals For Cave People Everywhere) when she said, "Be encouraged to know that it isn't, never has been and never will be you who shines for Christ. It's Christ Who shines for Christ...in you."  (To read her full post click here .)

Father,
Thank you for Your Word that sustains us and teaches us to learn how to glorify You....instead of ourselves.
In Christ's Name,
Amen

Following His Light Into 2013

Psalm 119:58(MSG)
I beg you from the bottom of my heart:  smile, be gracious to me just as You promised.

The word "grace" is repeatedly being brought to my mind lately.  How timely that here it is again as I approach a New Year.  While my daughter and I sat together curled up by the fire reading the Word of God a few mornings ago , she softly said, " I hate that Christmas is over."  I thought about this and remembered back to when I was a little girl.  It was sort of a sad time, as the excitement and electricity of the season came to an end.  But, as the years have gone by and I have been blessed to be a part of many cherished Christmas celebrations, I have come to the realization that the week after Christmas is just as awe inspiring for me as the week before.  You might be wondering how that can be?  Simply because of a word that keeps creeping into my heart.  The word grace.

Taking time during this week after our Savior's birth and using it to recount all of the favor that He has poured over my family for the past year, gives me an overwhelming sense of who He is!  Reviewing all of the times when the Lord met our needs and gave us abundantly more than I could have even known to ask for or imagined, provides a confidence that comes only from Him.  It saturates me in His peace, and yet at the same time, allows a power to well up within me to face another year of security in Him.  He is very clear in His Word that He will take care of me!  He promises to sustain us and to walk us through even the greatest of trials!

Our family has some pretty big challenges that we are facing in the coming year.  I don't have any idea what you might be facing this year, but I do know the One you can face it with!  He is big.  You can count on Him to see you through the very toughest of circumstances.  His Word will give you clear instructions for how we can face every single day.  He will protect you and allow you to walk in places that you only thought you could crawl!  Now that is truly inspiring.  My prayer for my family and for you this year, comes directly from today's verse.  I pray that the Lord will smile upon us and be gracious to us, just as He promised that He would. 

I will be reading from the NKJV Bible this year.  I have chosen:  Jesus Calling Devotional Bible published by Thomas Nelson.  Feel free to join me in reading this translation or the one of your choice.  His Word is life changing!  I know that to be true.

Lord,
As always, You give us a new and fresh hope.  Thank you for Your words that brings us peace, confidence, and power to anticipate a New Year of wonderful blessings.  Show us our gifts and help us to use them to bring You glory in 2013.
In Your Name,
Amen
   

A Bridge To Life

Psalm 119:50(MSG)
These words hold me up in bad times;  yes, Your promises rejuvenate me.

Awe...this is an incredible verse!  God's word serves as a bridge from death to life for me.  Without the words from the Bible to give me strength and direction, I simply would be an aimless wanderer down here on planet earth.  In situations where I have experienced overwhelming fear, simply repeating memorized scripture and speaking the name of Christ bring a sense of peace, calm, and complete rejuvenation.  What a gift the Word of God is!

Lord,
Thank you for the gift of Your Word.  Please help me to hide it in my heart, so that I can glorify Your name in even the most difficult times of my life.
In the protective name of Christ,
Amen

What God Says Is Good

Psalm 119:39(MSG)
Deflect the harsh words of my critics--
but what you say is always so good.

His Word is so good!

The words we say to people can be so harsh can't they?  We need to be so careful that we are building up rather than tearing down.  This is especially true where our children are concerned.  They are always listening to what we say.  It may not seem like they hear us, but they do indeed. 

I have forgotten a lot of things through the years, but the memories that stick most forcefully in my mind are the words of encouragement and in stark contrast the words of discouragement that people have said to me!  We tend to replay those words over and over again.  This verse is a good reminder to me to let my words be uplifting and kind.

Dear Lord,
Thank you for Your words that are always good.  Please forgive the careless and selfish words that sometimes spew from my mouth.  Guard my tongue in the future and help me to use words that build up instead of tear down.
In Jesus name,
Amen

The Old Barn

Psalm 119:28(MSG)
My sad life's dilapidated, a falling-down barn;  build me up again by Your Word.

I stuck my arm way back in the back and feeling around with my hand, I gently began to sweep all of the contents of the cabinet into a box that I had cleverly placed just beneath the lip of the shelf.  As items fell out one by one, I shook my head in utter amazement at the stuff that had been shoved beyond arms reach over the course of time. 

Let's see.  There were the water filters that were still neatly in their boxes unopened.  These were the ones that I have to special order for the refrigerator.  The very ones that I was looking for about a month ago and thought I had run out of, so I ordered more of course.  I also found a box containing a carefully placed humming bird nest that my daughter and I had found on a "nature walk" over three years ago.  We were thrilled to have discovered it.  It was empty and obviously no longer in use as it was lying in a heap of dirt by a tree.  We couldn't bear to part with such a unique treasure at the time.  I continued to sift through the contents finding several loose dog biscuits that had somehow managed to escape from the bag.  There were also leashes, dog brushes, a dog coat, some doggie bows and the list could go on, but time is a precious comodity, so I will stop.

There was one long white cardboard box about the size that a necklace would come in that caught my eye and seems worth discussing after reading tonight's verse  Hmm....what was in it, I thought?  I scanned my memory and came up empty.  I carefully lifted the lid, and peered inside.  Lying neatly inside of this box on a soft cotton bed similar to what a strand of pearls would lie on was a red "dilapidated" collar with silver rhinestones.  Warm, beautiful memories began washing over me one by one.  It was the actual collar once worn by my very first pet dog from over thirty years ago!  Wow, what a fun thing to discover and jeteson me back to years gone by and the carefree spirit of my youth. 

It is true as I think about this verse that our life or the "barn" is not a permanent structure.  Over time, the boards begin to splinter and warp with an eventual collapse.  But not so with God's Word.  His Word is here forever to build up and restore the brokeness of our lives.  It is a permanent help during times of trouble.  The Word of God is a source of comfort in periods of grief.  It is an excellent map for direction in seasons of confusion. 

Luke 21:33(NIV)
Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.

God,
I am so thankful to be able to have Your Word available to me.  You have provided us with such an incredible gift through the pages of scripture.  Please help me to never take that for granted.
In Jesus name,
Amen

Pondering Wisdom

Psalm 119:15(MSG)
I ponder every morsel of wisdom from You, I attentively watch how You've done it.

I enjoyed watching this Ibis catch fish at the beach.

I do love to ponder!  Webster's Dictionary defines ponder as:  to think deeply (about); to consider carefully.  I love to attempt to see into the meaning of everything.  I don't always figure things out correctly, but I love tryin'! 

As is the case with most of our character traits, however, there is an up side and a down side to them.  The down side to the "perpetual ponderer" is that this activity often leads to over thinking things, which can then lead to what I like to call, "Analysis-Paralysis".  A sort of frozen state, if you will, that keeps you from moving in any direction.  Not forward. Not backward.  Not side to side.  Just plain stuck.

But, the up side to this evaluation trait is that once we have really thought through an idea, we feel quite satisfied with every angle of what we've learned.  Generally speaking, ponderers will not be caught off guard.  So, tonight's verse reminds me that, it is definitely a good thing to ponder the Word of God.  To read it; study it; memorize it; pray it; and then apply it!  

Lord,
Your Word is so refreshing.  It speaks life into my very being!  It brings strength when I am weak.  It builds courage when I am fearful.  It brings direction when I am lost.  It surrounds me with comfort when I am lonely.  Every verse has purpose and power!  Thank you for the gift of Your Word.
Amen    

On My Knees

Psalm 119:9(MSG)
How can a young person live a clean life?  By carefully reading the map of Your Word. 

I'm listening to the cold rain fall here on this dark November night.  The wind is whipping up the trees outside of the window and it feels a little heavy in my heart.  I think it is because whenever I hear the words "young person", I think of teenagers.  Whenever I think of teenagers, I am jolted into a marginal panic for all that this generation has to deal with.  I remember back to the complicated feelings that I had at this age and then I multiply that times at least one thousand and I come up with about the number of trials these kids must face in our present age.  Phew!  It's enough to drive you to your knees for sure.

That's what I need to be doing for my kiddos.  I need to be on my knees...begging for His mercy and grace to be poured over each of them.  I am also asking that the Lord would open their eyes to His Word for direction and give them a blinding love for the things that matter to Him.  While I'm at it, I'm going to request that He give them a passion for pleasing Him. 

Yeap....I'm heading down to the floor....will you join me?

Hearing

Proverbs 4:10 (MSG)
Hear, my son, and accept my words, that the years of your life may be many.

Hearing is a funny thing.

Keep My Commandments

Proverbs 4:4 (ESV)
he taught me and said to me, "let your heart hold fast my words;  keep my commandments, and live.

Pretty clear direction....