This week my wife and I listened to a two-part interview that Grant Layman conducted with C. J. and Carolyn Mahaney and their daughters Nicole and Janelle in 2002 (at least that’s the copyright date). My wife had already listened to it and wanted me to hear it. What an edifying, humbling, enjoyable interview. Highly recommended!
- Part 1: “Grant Layman opens this message on parenting by inviting his audience into the Mahaney’s living room. This session of testimonies from C.J. and Carolyn Mahaney and two of their daughters offer insight into biblical parenting. Grant interviews the Mahaney family on topics including guarding family times together, training godly sons and daughters, faithful confrontation of sin, proper discipline, and building a collection of family memories.”
- Part 2: “Grant Layman continues an insightful and fun-filled interview with C.J. and Carolyn Mahaney. Daughters Nicole and Janelle share what each appreciated most about her upbringing and make a fascinating statement concerning what they wish their parents had done differently. Topics include the challenges faced by parents of teens, and insight on graciously dealing with those challenges according to Scripture. “
[This is a guest post by my wife, Jenni. She has benefited immensely from Carolyn Mahaney and her daughters on biblical womanhood, and at my request she graciously agreed to summarize her experience for the benefit of others. --ADN]
Last year a close friend began telling me about Girl Talk: Mother-Daughter Conversations on Biblical Womanhood by Carolyn Mahaney (wife of C. J. Mahaney) and Nicole (Mahaney) Whitacre.
My friend had recently given birth to her first child, a baby girl, and was thoroughly enjoying the book’s emphasis on teaching daughters about biblical womanhood. I soon began devouring it! Then I discovered the Girl Talk Blog, MP3’s by Carolyn Mahaney, and two other books written by Carolyn Mahaney:
I began spending hours each day listening to Carolyn on my MP3 player while working in the home. I even bought the three books above and gave them as Christmas presents to my Mom, sister, mother-in-law, and three sisters-in-law!
Throughout these past few months, Carolyn has mentored me in the disciplines of biblical womanhood.
- Her Titus 2 series (free as MP3 downloads) has challenged me to think seriously about my role as a believing wife and mother.
- Her emphasis on “discovering the idols of your heart” in your motivations has convicted me to examine my own life and discern what motivates my decisions.
- Her practice of encouraging others for God’s grace at work in their lives has challenged me to be more intentional about edifying others this way.
- Her seriousness about confessing and dealing with sin has sobered me to examine and deal with the sin in my own heart.
- Her teaching on motherhood has meant the most to me since our own baby girl, Kara Marie, is on the way! May God give me the grace to be half as intentional in teaching baby Kara about the disciplines of biblical womanhood as Carolyn was with her daughters.
I am so grateful for Carolyn’s mentoring over the last several months. I am thankful that rather than giving fluffy women’s talks, she applies the gospel to all of life—especially to our roles as wives and mothers for the glory of God.
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