Recognized as an ECPA Bronze Seller of over 100,000 copies sold.
God Made All of Me by Justin and Lindsey Holcomb is an invaluable resource and beautifully illustrated story to help families talk about sensitive issues with two- to eight-year-old children.
Because the private parts of our bodies are private, home is the ideal environment for a child to learn about his or her body and how it should be treated by others—without conveying a message of shame.
Through carefully written language and relatable storytelling, God Made All of Me helps parents navigate discussion that can so easily be warped into confusion, embarrassment, and secrecy.
Instead of instilling a message that their bodies are shameful—which can often prevent children from recognizing and reporting sexual abuse—Justin and Lindsey Holcomb equip parents to build a first line of defense against sexual abuse in the safety of their own homes.
This helpful guide starts from the fundamental truth that God created everything and applies that truth—the doctrine of creation—to kids and their bodies. With the help of God Made All of Me, parents and caregivers can begin conversations with boys and girls about their bodies, helping kids understand the difference between the appropriate and inappropriate touch of others.
This life-changing resource shows readers how to establish the foundation for a healthy bond with their children to meet increasing challenges of sexuality, which they will inevitably confront in childhood and adolescence. By teaching their children how to establish body and health boundaries, parents are imparting invaluable skills for their kids to express thoughts and feelings.
God Made All of Me is the first children's book written by Rid of My Disgrace authors, Justin and Lindsey Holcomb. Parents of young children themselves, the Holcombs are profoundly aware of the dangers kids face, and they regularly counsel victims of sexual abuse.
Explore God Made All of Me and find encouragement, clear guidance, and the tools necessary to facilitate open conversations about how your children can protect their bodies, an important step in keeping them as safe as possible.
"Protecting our children begins with conversations that help them understand how to protect themselves. Unfortunately, many parents simply aren't equipped to have these often difficult and awkward conversations with their little ones. Tragically, sexual offenders realize this and often target children who have never learned how to protect their bodies. The simplicity of the text and the wonderful illustrations make God Made All of Me the perfect resource for teaching our children this absolutely necessary information. What I love most about this amazing little book is how beautifully it conveys God's love for little ones by wanting them to be safe. As a former child abuse prosecutor, I have no doubt that God Made All of Me will be a major contribution to making our world a safer place for our precious children."
Boz Tchividjian, Executive Director, GRACE; Professor of Law; and former prosecutor
"Justin and Lindsey have written a book to help us protect our children from sexual abuse. In clear and simple language it engages the child in the discussion. Woven throughout is the foundational belief that our children have been purposefully created by God and that every aspect of their being was his idea. I highly recommend God Made All of Me to parents of young children. Love them well by educating them about keeping their bodies safe."
Diane Langberg, PhD, Psychologist
"This is a strange and beautiful book. Strange because it's so unique: exploring God's creation with a view to helping children protect themselves in an increasingly at-risk culture. Beautiful because it hits its mark: instilling practical wisdom in a way that teaches without terrifying. The combined experience of the authors makes this a terrific resource for parents as well. As a father of four, I highly recommend it."
Michael Horton, Professor of Systematic Theology and Apologetics, Westminster Seminary, California
"A lively, engaging, and straightforward little book, God Made All of Me is the perfect invitation to start a conversation with children about their bodies, boundaries, and the people in their life that make them feel safe. This book is both God-glorifying and visually stimulating and our homes and churches will be safer and more joyful places because of it."
Rachel Held Evans, blogger; author of Inspired, Searching for Sunday, and Wholehearted Faith
"God Made All of Me is a sweet, compelling, brilliantly sensitive invitation to teach your children the beauty of their body and the honor due to being made in the image of God. It offers simple and clear wisdom little ones can grasp about how to protect themselves from inappropriate or unwanted touch. It is the responsibility of every parent and grandparent to address uncomfortable subjects. This glorious resource is an investment in care, protection, and honor. I am grateful I get to read this to all three of my grandchildren."
Dan B. Allender, Professor of Counseling Psychology and Founding President, The Seattle School of Theology and Psychology; author of The Wounded Heart and Healing the Wounded Heart
"I wish my family had this book when I was a little girl because if they did I wouldn't have the sexual abuse story I have today. This is an important, straightforward book."
Mary DeMuth, author of Not Marked: Finding Hope and Healing After Sexual Abuse
"As a parent to a young daughter, I'm already thinking through how to parent well in this area. Too many resources, when I was growing up, made us feel shame because of our bodies, or just simply didn't talk about it. I'm so thankful and completely indebted to Justin and Lindsey for giving us a resource like this."
Jefferson Bethke, author of New York Times bestseller Jesus > Religion
"This is a must-read for any parent who wants to help empower their child to be safe from those who hurt little ones."
Michael Reagan, President, The Reagan Legacy Foundation
"This book is an absolute gift to parents! Finally, there is a quality book that engages children while providing a way for parents to discuss the difficult topic of sexual abuse. This is a vital tool to help parents raise healthy, brave children."
Lindsey Strickland, former child advocate at Sexual Assault Resource Agency, Charlottesville, VA
"It's sad that we have to educate our children in self-protection; but it is profoundly necessary. The good news is we can rejoice that we are God's creation and teach our children to live in that sacred dignity. This book is a great help!"
Gregory O. Brewer, Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Central Florida
"Educating our children about their bodies is one of the most important steps in preventing child abuse. That's why God Made All of Me is a valuable resource. A simple story with colorful artwork, and theological and practical truth—all packed into one small book. Parents, educators, Sunday school teachers, children's ministry directors, and many others should pick up a copy today and read it to their young children."
Deepak Reju, Pastor of Biblical Counseling and Family Ministry, Capitol Hill Baptist Church (Washington, DC); and author of On Guard: Preventing and Responding to Child Abuse at Church and The Pastor and Counseling
This is a really good book to read with kids to help explain body boundaries, etc. It truly was the content we were looking for and our 7 year old really enjoyed it. Asked to read it again right away.
We love this book. So well written!
This is a great book to talk about some serious yet tough topics. Great quality, bright illustrations, and thoughtfully worded.
In our current cultural moment, the information in this book, tastefully and properly presented, is a real blessing for parents and ultimately their children to help in keeping them safe through knowledge. They won’t dependably get this information anywhere but the home... See more
Book came very quickly and was in great condition! Thank you so much!
I am a child therapist at a CAC that works almost exclusively with victims of sexual abuse, so I have seen some different body safety material through the years. I was very impressed with how this book handles body safety in a developmentally-sensitive way. I particularly love the way that the author incorporates Christian faith into the body safety message. No parts are seen as "shameful," but the whole body is celebrated, while explaining that some parts are private. I have been recommending this one to all of my friends with children who are Christians!
This book teaches your kids that their body is theirs without making their genitals shameful areas. Great way to teach kids how to protect themselves and who to go to.
I am so glad my friend (who is a foster parent) showed me this book! It is full of amazing resources for parents and has an easy-to-understand story for kids. I have purchased one for all of my friends who are parents.
This is an easy to read book that I found useful in helping to teach my 4 year old understand proper boundaries and ways to protect her from even the potential of abuse.
The month of April has been designated Sexual Assault Awareness Month and Child Abuse Prevention Month. It is both necessary to shine a light to expose the sexual assault that goes on around us and to be proactive in protecting children from such abuse. Yet, much of the awareness and preventative steps suggested are directed toward informing adults. A genuine question needs to be asked, “If children are the target of some of this assault and abuse, then wouldn’t it make sense to inform and equip them on the matter?” Of course, it is important to be age-appropriate with the details. Still, because of the current climate of our culture, parents must begin to brace themselves for conversations with their children on these tough topics. To come alongside and help parents do that, Justin S. Holcomb and Lindsey A. Holcomb have written a unique children’s book, God Made All of Me: A Book to Help Children Protect Their Bodies. Writing as a child sexual abuse victim and a board member of GRACE (Godly Response to Abuse in Christian Environments), Justin Holcomb’s goal is to place a tool in parent’s and caregiver’s hands. This tool lays down the foundational biblical truth to children that God has made their bodies. Building on that, the book discusses an understanding of private body parts and touches that are appropriate and inappropriate (Parents, please note that the book does use formal terms for private body parts). The book teaches children private parts are not for sharing but if something does happen, what occurred between them and the adult is not meant to be kept a secret. They are also warned about those who may try to trick them into being alone with them. Children are instructed to say, “No!” and to ask for help immediately. God Made All of Me takes a sensitive subject and provides helpful content in a conversational style. Justin and Lindsey Holcomb present this important information by sharing a story of a talk between parents and their two children, Kayla and David. The illustrations by Trish Mahoney further contribute to the engaging manner of the book. Serving as bookends of the story, the book opens up with a letter to parents or caregivers of children who will read the book or who will hear the book read. The book closes with a section on “9 Ways to Protect Your Children from Sexual Abuse”. Because the book is written for 2-to-8 year olds, parents will want to be thoughtful as they use anatomical language to describe private body parts. In the end, Justin Holcomb and Lindsey Holcomb provide parents as well as pastors, educators, Sunday School teachers, and children’s ministry directors with a tool for protecting children with truth from God’s Word. If you are a parent or caregiver of a young child, this book is a must read and a needed conversation starter!
