Your Boy – Raising a Godly Son in an Ungodly World

Vicki Courtney
Broadman and Holman (2006)
ISBN 0805430555
Reviewed by Richard R Blake for Reader Views (6/06)


Vicki Courtney is a best selling author and national speaker. She writes from her heart.  “Your Boy” is a common sense book on parenting from a Christian perspective. The author generously uses Biblical illustrations and references to develop guidelines on raising boys to becoming Godly men.  God’s absolute standard as exemplified by Daniel and his friends, Gideon, and David in Old Testament Scriptures become models for godliness.

Courtney shares from her own family life experiences.  Sons, Ryan and Hayden, become the focus of Vicki’s challenge for raising godly sons in an ungodly world. The book takes us on a journey from the hospital delivery room to college entrance applications.  The author also has incorporated insights from her years of ministering to youth and young adults.  By opening up and sharing her most embarrassing moments and hardest lessons in Mothering she has made herself vulnerable and proven herself genuine.  Courtney is a natural communicator.  She often uses humor to emphasize a point. The book is fast paced, informational, and entertaining. The research is well documented, providing the reading with recommendations for additional reading and study.

Although the book is primarily addressed to mothers, dads can get new insights on parenting and can benefit from reading the book and openly discussing the principles with their wives and sons.  The chapters on hormones, pornography, instant messaging, and chat rooms alert the reader of current trends and worldly standards among our teens.  I personally found the information on the media generation and the online safety tips especially helpful.  The chapter titled “Manhood, Masculinity, and Marriage Redefined” is filled with important data for men and women alike. The section on raising your son to be a spiritual leader is a reminder to every dad of the importance of his role as father. The formula provided for finding a virtuous wife provides a valuable tool for insuring careful, prayerful insight from father to son.

This is a book written for mom’s of boys, preschool – college.  It is a book that should be in the hands of church youth pastors, and Christian school administrators.

This book is timely.  It is a wake up call to Christian parents and to the Church.  The message is powerful and prophetic.

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