"God made every part of you!"
It's easy to convey the message to children that their
bodies---or particular parts of their bodies---are shameful. This misconception
fuels confusion, embarrassment, and secrecy, and often prevents children from
recognizing or reporting sexual abuse.
God Made All of Me is a simply-told,
beautifully-illustrated story to help families talk about these sensitive
issues with two- to eight-year-old children. Because the private parts of our
bodies are private, the home is the ideal environment where a child should
learn about his or her body and how it should be treated by others.
God Made All of Me starts from the fundamental truth that
God created everything and applies that truth---the doctrine of creation---to
kids and their bodies. It equips parents to talk with both boys and girls about
their bodies and to help them understand the difference between the appropriate
and inappropriate touch of others. God Made All of Me allows families to build
a first line of defense against sexual abuse in the safety of their own homes.
God Made All of Me is the first children's book written
by Rid of My Disgrace authors Justin and Lindsey Holcomb. Parents of young
children themselves, the Holcombs regularly counsel victims of sexual abuse and
are profoundly aware of the dangers kids face. Their simple and relatable
story, designed to help children protect their bodies, will be an important
resource for every family with young children.
My Thoughts:
This is one of those books that you cannot not read with
your kids. Whether you have sons or daughters, and regardless of their age, it
is important to introduce this book and the message that in on these pages.
This world we live in is evil and sick, and I’m all for
doing whatever we can to further our efforts to protect our kids. In God Made
All of Me, the message is clear – we don’t let people touch us in ways that
make us uncomfortable, and we protect our parts that we need to keep private.
It is so important that we convey this message to our
kids, and this book is a great resource for introducing that conversation with
your kids. This book brings fun graphics, and words that all children can
understand. It opens up a way to have a conversation with your kids about
appropriate vs inappropriate touching, and secrets vs surprises. It is truly an
amazing resource that each parent should have on hand, and should read with
their kids over and over again.
I’m so thankful to have been introduced to this book, and
will use it with both of my children both in the present and in the years to
come. This book will be one that will remain on our bookshelf, and will often
be a reminder of the message that we need to teach our kids, and of the message
that they often need to hear.
Justin Holcomb, PhD, is
an Episcopal priest and professor of theology and Christian thought at
Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary and Reformed Theological Seminary. He is
the author of On the Grace of God, Know the Heretics,
and Know the Creeds and Councils, as well as the coauthor of Is
It My Fault? and Rid of My Disgrace. He also serves on the
boards for REST (Real Escape from the Sex Trade) and GRACE (Godly Response to
Abuse in Christian Environments).
Lindsey Holcomb, MPH,
counsels victims of sexual assault and domestic violence and is the cofounder
of REST (Real Escape from the Sex Trade). Lindsey has provided crisis
intervention to victims of sexual assault and domestic violence and conducted a
variety of training seminars to service providers. She is also the coauthor of Is
It My Fault ? and Rid of My Disgrace.