A New Book for Parents and Teachers

FAMILIES LIVING IN THE FABRIC OF FAITHFULNESS

Gloria Goris Stronks, Ed.D.
Julia Kaye Stronks, Ph.D.

For much of their professional lives these two authors have worked with students in the age group from 18 to 22. Julia Stronks is an attorney and a professor of political science at Whitworth University in Spokane, WA. Gloria was a professor of education at Calvin College and at Dordt College and since her retirement serves Worldwide Christian Schools as the director of continuing education for teachers. After watching generations of students graduate and face adult life, they believe that more can be done to encourage parents to help their children think deeply about God’s calling in our lives.

Over the course of the last seven years the authors interviewed many young adults about their attempts to live with intentionality in the fabric of God’s faithfulness, to use the phrase from Steven Garber’s fine book. They also interviewed the parents of these young people in an attempt to understand the kind of parenting that was part of what led their adult children to their decisions for just living. They interviewed seventh and eighth grade students from Christian families to determine their concerns and fears.

Throughout the chapters the authors have integrated conversations between themselves—conversations that occurred as they conducted the interviews and did the writing. “J” stands for Julia and “G” stands for Gloria. They have also integrated comments, suggestions, and stories from the young people and parents that we interviewed.

It is unusual for scholars to publish books on the Internet. Both of these authors have worked with prestigious publishing houses in the past but they wanted to make this book available to parents and teachers in Africa, India, and other countries around the world who might not be able to afford the book and the shipping prices of American publishers.

Families Living in the Fabric of Faithfulness may be downloaded free of charge from the following website:

http://www.whitworth.edu/livinginthefabric