I Chose You
by Lindsey Shumway; illustrated by Amy Hintze
Children come in all sorts of sizes, shapes, and colors. And they come with unique talents, gifts, interests, likes, and dislikes.
"I Chose You" celebrates those differences as it reminds parents of the one thing all children have in common: the need to feel loved.
This beautifully illustrated book reminds us that few moments shape children’s character as much as the moments that they feel love from their parents—those special times that tell them they are valuable and cherished just for who they are.
The author, Lindsey Shumway, shared these feelings about her book. "'I Chose You' is a book that will change the lives of every parent who reads it, the self-esteem of every child who has it read to them, and every person on the planet who has ever measured themselves against someone else and been disappointed. There are many lessons within it’s thirty-two simple pages. In fact, the length of the book makes it’s valuable lessons that much more accessible: - that Heavenly Father exists,
- that we existed before we were born,
- that family relationships are eternal,
- that the love of a parent is unconditional,
- that we each have different talents and abilities which are uniquely important,
- and that we ourselves are valuable just the way we are.
"As a child, I was immeasurably blessed with goodly parents. My mom told me this story literally thousands of times during the course of my childhood. I came to crave it every time I felt I didn’t quite measure up. As most people do, I would compare myself to everyone, 'Becca is so good at playing the piano,' 'Jennifer has the most beautiful curly hair,' 'George is so much smarter than me,' and there were many other shortcomings I imagined within myself. Somehow when my mom told me the story, all those things would disappear. All of a sudden I was so beautiful, and so talented, and so special, that she chose me out of all the kids in heaven!
"Now I am a mother. Although my daughter, Jenessa, only survived an hour, I’m still her mother, and I always will be. Sometimes when my heart is aching over the lose of my baby I will take a copy of I Chose You down to the cemetery and read it to her. Having her is what inspired me to put this story down on paper in the first place. I never expected children all over the country to be hearing it; I just wanted my daughter to.
"As I have gone to book signings, I have heard many stories of how my book has helped to alleviate the suffering some families have had to face—young children who have been killed in accidents, mothers who are overwhelmed by the demands of motherhood, children who have learning disabilities, children who have been abandoned by their fathers, children who have life-threatening diseases, mothers who have postpartum depression, fathers who are programmed to be 'tough' and never show their children love, teenagers who suffer from all manner of destructive behavior. The list goes on. The magic of 'I Chose You' is that it works for everyone, whether you have a child, or are a child. Everyone needs to feel love daily. 'I Chose You' is a tool of sharing and conveying love.
"It is remarkable, the power and influence each of us are capable of having. Next time you feel like you’re not measuring up, just remember: you have been blessed with many more talents than you can possibly realize. There are many around you who could benefit from what you have to offer. If you need a reminder of just how special you are, pick up a copy of 'I Chose You' and you’ll feel the magic too."
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