I’ll Love You Anyway & Always

I'll Love You Anyway and Always, Bryan Chapell
(Crossway, 2001), hb., 28 pp.

I like to see prominent theologians, pastors and professors writing children’s books. Chapell has written some very helpful books on preaching and Christian living, so I was quite interested in this book.

It is essentially a gospel presentation growing out of an instance of a father forgiving his daughter. The setting is quite touching with the little girl acknowledging her wrongdoing and then asking her father if he still loved her. Anyone with children can melt at this response. The father affirms his love by saying, "I'll love you anyway and always." He then takes the opportunity to describe God's persevering love as well. He walks through the unfolding story of the Bible of God calling a people to Himself. The story ends with the little girl applying this forgiving love to her brother who had wronged her.

The gospel presentation was fine. The greatest thing about the book, in my opinion, is the example of a father taking such opportunities to explain the gospel to his children. Discipline/correction is an area wide open for us to explain the gospel. Also, the closing with the girl applying the truth in her interaction with her brother was very good. It helps children see that the gospel when received calls for us to extend the same forgiveness.