by Tim Challies (Author), Sean Patrick Hopkins (Narrator), christianaudio.com (Publisher)

An Audiobook

Tim Challies‘ book, Devoted, is about faithful, godly mothers raising their sons to serve and glorify the Lord.  It is both encouraging and challenging. You would recognize the eleven Christian men who benefited from the early Bible teaching, intercessory prayer, and ear-twisting of their mothers, but you might not know the name of even one of the women. 

These mothers taught their sons to read the Bible at an early age. Sometimes, it was the only book in the house.  These boys also saw the truths of the Bible being lived out in their parents.  They saw and heard long, earnest prayers for their own salvation.  Some responded early and had long lives serving God. Others did not.

John Newton, the author of the hymn Amazing Grace, lost his mom at an early age and strayed far from her early teachings and prayers. He became a ship captain and hauled slaves as cargo, sometimes abusing them when he was drunk, until that night in a storm when the ship was going down and he called out to God for mercy. God answered his mother’s prayers and saved him.  (Wow!)

The moving, praise-worthy stories of the other men, such as Hudson Taylor, J. Gresham Machen, Christopher Yuan, William Borden, Charles Hodge, John Piper, Charles Spurgeon, Augustine, D.L. Moody, & Timothy encouraged my heart.

John Newton’s story especially touched me, because I have an older son straying far from the Lord.  He was brought up to know and love Jesus and the Bible. He sometimes shared Bible stories of Jesus with his friends.  But when he left home, he got into some horrible things. I prayed for him, for his salvation, but eventually I gave up. (It’s been 35 years!)  But THIS BOOK, especially the story of John Newton, has encouraged me to start praying again for his salvation. (Thank you, Tim Challies!)

This is a good listen (or read) for moms with young (or old) children. One of the stories included in Devoted might just stir your waning hope.