Book Nook: My Most Unlikely Book

Dr. E. Andrew McQuitty

For obvious reasons, “they” (whoever that is!) say never write a book on the family until you’re at least 50 years old. This maxim leads me to confess that my just-published book, Your Best Life Later: What Every Daughter and Son Needs to Know (Leadership Books), was begun as a series of journals to my five growing children when I was just shy of 31. My excuse for this blatant contravention of wisdom is that I wrote not one word of this volume with designs on future publication. That’s why it’s definitely my most unlikely book!

Even if I had fancied the prospect of someday publishing the journal I started for my then five-year-old first-born daughter in the summer of1986, I’m quite sure the dream would have quickly evaporated if the Lord had given me a heads-up that He would be sending 4 more arrows into our quiver. That meant that I would not jot my last entry in my youngest’s journal until August 19, 2011—almost 25 years to the day after I began. (I still can’t believe I finished this thing!)

What on earth possessed a young, nearly 31-year-old pastor to embark on a twenty-five-year (as it turned out) writing project? Simply this: I wanted to help my little ones learn as early as possible the eternal benefits of paying close attention to God and His wisdom. Why? Because the great Apostle Paul writes of all God’s children, ‘For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do’ (Ephesians 2:10, NIV). The word ‘handiwork’ is a translation of the Greek ‘poema,’ literally, a poem or work of art. 

I saw my children as divine poetry-in-the-making whose beauty would radiate from accomplishing their God-appointed good works according to Proverbs 21:21: ‘Whoever pursues righteousness and love finds life, prosperity and honor.’ And my job as their Dad? To simply point my precious ones to the Master Craftsman and to encourage them in the way by biblically describing his artistic brushstrokes on the canvass of their lives.

So among other things, I wrote in Julia Kathleen’s Journal about self-esteem and how it’s best not to be rooted in the opinions of others. I wrote about perseverance because success is never final and failure never fatal. I wrote that in her life nothing is wasted and everything God allows her to endure has purpose. 

So among other things, I wrote in Elizabeth Grace’s Journal about living for an audience of One, choosing God over man every time. I wrote about sacrifice and how it’s always better to suffer for the right than to wink at evil. I wrote to her about sowing seeds of faithfulness to God and how she should never underestimate the power of planting. 

So among other things, I wrote in Bonnie Caroleen’s Journal about foolish presumption and how when we bypass the Lord, we also bypass His blessings. I wrote about true success in life and how the greatest asset in any life is the blessing of God. I wrote about the depth of our character and how it determines the height of our achievement. I wrote about inevitable change in life and how we mustn’t cry because it’s over but smile because it ever happened in the first place!

So among other things, I wrote in Jonathan Andrew’s Journal about observing a weekly Sabbath because there’s more to life than just work, effort, and achievement. I wrote about big dreams and how if we shoot for the moon, even if we miss, we’ll hit higher than the trees. I wrote that the true reward of following Jesus is simply being with Him, not getting stuff from him.  I wrote about self-denial and how He who hates his life in this world shall keep it into eternity. 

So among other things, I wrote in Jeffrey Lee’s Journal about spiritual security and how holding on to God goes both ways because He never lets go of us. I wrote about life’s inevitable trials and how we can embrace them as God’s way of bringing us maturity and blessing. I wrote about independence and how freedom of choice brings responsibility, accountability, and consequences. 

What I wanted for my children as I wrote their journals is exactly what I want for present-day readers of my most unlikely book. I long for you to master the art of paying close attention to God in time so that you experience deeply His goodness and grace into eternity. But even as I write those words, please know that I am also painfully aware of the growing legions of adult Christians who launched out into the wide world without the spiritual encouragement of a believing mom or dad behind them. 

If that’s you, I can’t fully imagine the sense of loss you must feel when reading the words I wrote to my own kids to speed them on their heavenly way. At the risk then of seeming impertinent, would you grant me the honor of being your ‘stand-in spiritual Dad’ through the pages of this book? Put your name in place of my kids’ names in the daily entries and read every word as written to assist you in living your best life right now (why put it off till later?)!  I have already implored our loving Heavenly Father to make it so should you desire it.