The Heart Who Wanted to Be Whole (StrongHeart Stories #1)

Praise for The Heart Who Wanted to Be Whole (StrongHeart Stories #1)

“This book is a must-read for families who want to teach their children the power of God’s Word in their lives. Beth Guckenberger’s story is sure to bring comfort and hope to young readers. A must-have for any family library.”

— Ryan Frank, CEO and publisher at KidzMatter

“The Heart Who Wanted to Be Whole is the children’s book we all needed when we were kids. This is why I’m so thankful that Beth has developed this approachable tool that parents, guardians, kid influencers, and ministry leaders can use to walk kids toward truth. This book opens doors for rich conversation about how they can respond to the way darkness will attack what they believe about themselves and God. You need a copy for you and for all the kids in your life.”

— Michayla White, CEO at INCM

“As parents and safe adults who have the privilege of caring for and protecting children, one of the hardest places to protect in our precious children is their hearts. The task can be daunting when the attacks against our children seem to come from all sides. Beth’s new book gives adults a creative tool to stimulate an engaging conversation with children that will ‘truth equip’ them for life’s challenges. The truths taught within these pages can help shield our kids’ hearts from the attacks of the enemy as they understand the greatness of our God and how He sees each child.”

— Steve Biondo, president of the Tim Tebow Foundation

“Great stuff! Once again, Beth gets to the ‘heart’ of what many children face today with touching prose, engaging illustrations, and powerful Bible references. Another great story told brilliantly with eternal truths pulled directly from the Bible. I’m loving this series!”

— Dan Merrell, producer of Missionary Kid Media

“Like all things that matter most, this book is as simple and beautiful as it is powerful and true. There is nothing on earth a child needs more than simply to know they are loved by the One who made them. That is, in fact, true for all of us.”

— Jedd Medefind, president of Christian Alliance for Orphans

“This book equips children to understand that Christ inside of them is stronger than any darkness around them. And it empowers them to only let inside their heart and mind exactly what Jesus thinks of them: they are seen, known, and loved!”

— Andy Lehman, vice president of Lifesong for Orphans

“This is a beautiful little story that will help children in huge ways. Leaning into the truths of our identity in Christ and learning to battle the enemy’s lies are integral at all ages, and it’s so important to start when folks are young. I look forward to reading this to my future grandchildren.”

— Matt Massey, lead pastor of Vineyard Cincinnati Church

“This book gets to the heart of why so many children and families are in crisis. In an era when children are bombarded with messages from multiple sources every day, it is critical for them to hear and turn toward the voice of truth. Beth Guckenberger powerfully depicts how easily a child’s heart can be deceived, which leads to the feeling of emptiness and the quest to find acceptance in dangerous places. I strongly encourage parents, grandparents, and teachers to read this story to the children in their lives. Kids need to hear that they are seen, cherished, and loved by their heavenly Father.”

— Jerry T. Haag, PhD, CFP®, president and CEO of One More Child

“While we often try to protect our kids from the hurts of the world, kids do experience big pain, loss, and heartbreak. This beautifully illustrated book helps kids better understand not only the hurts they experience but also how to find hope and healing in the midst of difficult times. Most importantly, this book points kids to Jesus and shows how to seek Him and find comfort in His words when life is hard. While this book is a children’s book, I’ll be giving it to my adult friends, as the truth found in this book is helpful to all people—the young and the not-so-young.

— Kim Botto, children’s pastor