In today’s culture, the development of godly character, good manners, and solid family relationships are not usually at the forefront of a girl’s education as in centuries past. Although we hope our daughters will safely navigate the journey from girlhood to womanhood with their faith intact and a heart for family and home, the truth is, except for the Word of God, the focus of academics in their formative years far outweighs any kind of relational, character-based instruction.
Of course, we mothers are the greatest book our daughters will ever read. Our faith in God, how we love our husband and children, and how we handle life’s difficulties are the most valuable lessons they will learn while under our care. As the old adage says, “Morals are caught, not taught!” The example we set day in and day out, cannot be underestimated. But the truth is, some of us were raised without the kind of spiritual and practical life skills we long to impart, so we often find ourselves learning alongside our daughters.
For this very reason, I have collected quite a number of books over the years on the subjects of godly character, manners, homemaking, and the training of daughters. These books have ministered to my daughters’ hearts and encouraged them in their Christian walk, while instructing me how to gently guide them along the path of life. Although we have produced The Girlhood Home Companion Magazine for over a decade and featured many nuggets of wisdom from my library in this precious publication, I have had a desire to share more of my collection than magazine production allows, and in a format that can be accessed topically. That’s how the idea for The Girlhood Finishing School came into being.
One of the most delightful ways to share the content of The Girlhood Finishing School with your daughter(s) is to snuggle together on the couch or around your kitchen table with a cup of tea. This quarterly publication is designed to be read together at a leisurely pace, one or two times a week, so the content of each category can be discussed, ideas pondered, and changes implemented into your daily routine as you are led.
You can create a Girlhood Finishing School binder for the eBook version, using dividers to categorize the topics such as grace-filled living, godly character, manners, homemaking, health and beauty, penmanship, copywork, etc. Print out articles from each category and reference them at any time. The Girlhood Finishing School is also available in a print version.
It is often said that we are what we read, so it is our hope that The Girlhood Finishing School will be an encouragement for both you and you daughter (s). May the heart-felt words and life-lessons you encounter in these pages from authors, past and present, be a resource you turn to over and over again for growing your daughter’s character and her faith. “Looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith…” (Hebrews 12:2) To view the contents of Issue 1, click here.
The next issue is due out spring 2014. Please sign up on the front of our website to receive updates and product availability.