Book Club: Generation Rising (Do Hard Things, chapter 10)

A quick blog update: Apologies for not posting this week. I was running a summer camp for little children and had zero energy to do blog posts. Regular posting will resume ASAP. Also, in the last Getting to Know Me, I said I couldn't think of a real-life role model. I thought of one the next day: William Wilberforce.

Anyway, now on to today's post...

We've examined the five kinds of hard things you can start doing right now, most of them coming into play in our everyday life. 

But what about the big things, the world-changing things?  

That's what this chapter is about. 

Building a Counterculture
"This chapter is about that response: exchanging our 'normal', comfortable world for a bigger and very real world that rarely shows up in most of our homes. This chapter is about zooming out from a focus on personal rebelution (the Five Kinds of Hard things) to look at the Rebelution as a movement: a counterculture of like-minded young people whose efforts God can bless and who together can make history." (pages 169-170)

What could happen when rebelutionaries work together to overcome problems? What could happen when we stop assuming that "someone else will take care of the brokenness in the world.." (page 170)? What could happen when a group of passionate young people find what God is calling them to do? 

Salt and Light
We are called to be salt. When Jesus talks about salt in the Bible, he's talking about something that was used as a preservative. 

"When Jesus tells us we are 'the salt of the earth', He's saying we have been placed here to preserve it until he returns: to fight against the decay of sin, to combat sickness and suffering, and to oppose corruption and injustice." (page 172)

We are also called to be light. We are called to bring truth into the secular world and reveal God to all people.

"Where secular methods and philosophies hold sway in fields of business, education, the arts, or any other area of society and culture, we are called to bring biblical philosophies and methods founded on that 'total Truth': that's what it means to be light." (page 173)

It isn't true that to "live for Jesus" you have to go into the ministry or be a missionary. The world needs Christians in every aspect of work and daily life.

"A thriving Christian counterculture will fight poverty, heal disease, and expose corruption even as we earnestly fight against the sin and spiritual darkness at the root of all suffering. A generation of rebelutionaries will write books, direct films...run for office, and make scientific and medical discoveries. We will strive to bring the truth of God's Word and the gospel to bear on every area of life we touch." (page 175) 

The Three Pillars of the Rebelution
The next part of the book discusses the three things that will make us successful rebelutionaries. "Only when all three work together can we build an effective and sustainable counterculture." (page 176)

The three pillars are these:

1. Character (being passionate about sharing the gospel and growing more like Christ);
2. Competence (caring about skill, strategy, and creativity);
3. and Collaboration (working with a community of like-minded people). 

"The honest truth is that to balance your life on these three pillars requires constant work and consistent attention. And the good news is that the surefire way to build character and competence is to do hard things. Furthermore, the best way to attract people to come alongside you is to tackle a hard thing that is too big to accomplish alone." (pages 178-179) 

A Holy Ambition

The book describes holy ambition as passion for something under the lordship of Jesus Christ. So what is yours? What large-scale thing do you feel God calling you to do?

"Think of your holy ambition as a world-sized passion placed under the lordship of Jesus Christ. Open your heart to His world in all its broken beauty, praying that He will show you how you could be salt and light in the middle of it. He will." (page 182)

Are you ready to change the world?

What do you think? Did you like this chapter? Is it inspiring to you? What big things has God given you a passion for? 

Book Club: Taking a Stand (Do Hard Things, chapter 9)

You're sitting in class one normal day when suddenly the teacher asks a question. And it's a question that has a clear answer according to the Bible, but that answer isn't the one most people would give. You sink further into your chair, focusing on your pencil, and hoping against hope that the teacher won't ask you what you think.

Has this ever happened to you? 

This chapter in Do Hard Things focuses on the final kind of hard thing: taking a stand against things we know that are wrong.

"This is one of the hardest things...to do. It goes against our natural desire to fit in, to be liked, to make friends...We'll look honestly at some of the costs of that decision...But we'll also look at some of the genuine blessings that can come as a result of standing up for what's right." (page 148)

As they put it, a changed heart will result in a changed life. Your convictions will change. Your lifestyle will change. The way you interact with others will change. Going along with the crowd is not always an option. 

Six Principles to Guide Us

1. Start with the Bible.

"What does God's Word say on this topic? Even if the activity isn't directly forbidden, is it in line with scriptural principles in general?" (page 158) We should be regular students of God's Word so we know how to find what we need and what we need to stand up for. 

Don't get caught up with obscure things "like whether it's unbiblical for someone to dye their hair purple...Just because something is new, odd, or distasteful to some doesn't necessarily mean it's unbiblical...Always start with what God's word is clear about." (page 158) 

2. Examine Yourself.

"Challenging cultural norms starts with you and with the commands from God you already know but may be used to ignoring...you must be fighting the fight yourself. People who aren't even trying to practice what they preach are called hypocrites." (page 158)

If you see something going on around you that is sinful, first examine your own life for hints of that same sin. Don't judge others without judging yourself.

3. Listen to Your Conscience.

"Our conscience is our God-given sense of what is right and what is wrong, and as we read and apply His Word, it becomes more finely tuned. If you find yourself thinking that it might be time to take a stand, it's probably because your conscience is flashing the warning lights. Listen up." (page 159)

If you feel like something is wrong, it probably is. Be tuned in to your gut feelings about something. Don't ignore them. 

4. Seek Godly Counsel.

Seek the help of someone more godly and experienced than you (unless you have to make a fast decision). "Tell them what you think God's Word says about the topic, as well as what your own conscience tells you; then ask them what they would do in your position." (page 160)

5. Be Humble, Loving, and Bold.

"The attitude with which you take a stand says just as much as the stand itself...We can (and must) stand boldly...but our standing should always be done with loving humility. We must hate the sin, not the sinner." (page 160) 

In other words, don't try to pick a fight through standing up for the Bible; don't treat people with contempt, remembering that apart from grace you would be no different from them.

6. Be Part of the Solution.

"Try not to point out problems without providing solutions. Make it your goal to show people a better way." (page 161)

Remember that your ultimate goal is to bring people to embrace God's way. Don't just disagree with what is bad; proclaim what is good as well.

The chapter ends with these two questions and a challenge:

• Is there a stand you know you should be taking but haven't?
• Is there something in your life you know is wrong but continue to do? 

"If a challenge comes to mind, don't ignore it. Take a first rebelutionary step. The hard thing you're contemplating may be the biggest, most difficult, and most rewarding hard thing you've ever done. Don't miss this good thing God is inviting you to do, and don't tell yourself it doesn't matter. 

"Doing what is right always matters--and it matters now." (page 164)

What do you think? Did you like this chapter? What right do you need to stand up for in your life? 

Book Club: Small Hard Things (Do Hard Things, chapter 8)

We've talked about going outside of your comfort zone. We've talked about going above and beyond the requirements. We've talked about the big hard things that require you to do them with other people.

Where do just little, everyday, mundane tasks come into the rebelutionary mindset? That's what chapter 8 of Do Hard Things is all about. 

"The truth is that your life (both now and later) will require you to invest a lot of time and energy in things that aren't big and that don't seem to make much of an impact. Some days they don't even make sense. Sometimes the smallest hings can be the hardest of all." (page 134)

Why Are They So Hard?
The book outlines five reasons why the small, everyday things like chores, getting up on time, or reading your Bible are so hard:

1. They don't usually go away after you do them. (You have to wash the dishes every day. You don't do homework once and then quit. The house doesn't stay clean.)
2. They don't seem very important. (Isn't it more important to raise money for a big cause? Aren't small hard things like, a distraction or something?)
3. They don't seem to make any difference. (Will it matter in five years whether I did the dishes today?)
4. They don't seem very glamorous. (Being patient and kind isn't something I'm going to get famous for. I don't get much thanks for these chores.)
5. No one is watching. (Everyone's impressed with her. No one notices all of these small things I'm doing.)

And here are five ways we tend to respond to these things:

1. Procrastination (I'll do it right after I do this. And this. And this.)
2. Inconsistency (I did it last Tuesday. And then I think last month sometime.)
3. Compromise (I'll stop this bad habit for good soon...but not right now.)
4. Begrudging (I'll do it, but I won't like it.)
5. Cheating (If you don't count under my bed and in my closet, I cleaned really well!)

Why Do They Matter?

These things benefit our lives right now and they also develop habits that will serve us well in the future, like self-discipline, relationship skills, and serving others.

"Doing hard things is how we exercise our bodies, our minds, and our faith. Small hard things are the individual repetitions--like a single push-up. They are seemingly insignificant by themselves but guaranteed to get results over time." (page 138)

"If we're willing to strive for excellence, even in the boring, repetitive tasks and responsibilities that others delegate or neglect, we will reap the powerful benefits that others miss. Embracing small hard things can make a radical difference." (page 141)

You probably have responsibilities that you try to ignore. You have to remind yourself that you have to keep an eye on those areas and commit to excelling in them even when it's hard. 

Small hard things are preparation for the future, but they are also significant by themselves as well. The book quotes Colossians 3:23, that says "Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men." 

There is a quote near the end of the chapter from Martin Luther King Jr.:

"If it falls your lot to be a street sweeper, sweep streets like Michelangelo painted pictures, sweep streets like Beethoven composed music...Sweep streets like Shakespeare wrote poetry. Sweep streets so well that all the hosts of heaven and earth will have to pause and say: Here lived a great street sweeper who swept his job well." -Martin Luther King, Jr.

"Like the street sweeper, your actions at home, at school, at church, and elsewhere in your community can bring honor and glory to God if you are willing to throw yourself into them 100 percent just because they're things He has given you to do." (page 144)

What do you think? Did you enjoy this chapter? What are some small hard things in your life that tend to get neglected? 

The Power of Collaboration (Do Hard Things, chapter 7)

A single horse can pull an average of 2, 500 pounds. Two horses working together can pull 12, 500 pounds. That's not double; that's five times the amount that one can pull alone.

"God made all of us (not just horses) to be more effective when we work in fellowship with others. In fact, the Bible warns us of the danger of isolating ourselves from others." (page 111)

How many times have you given up on a big idea before you started just because it seemed too hard to do on your own? What could you accomplish if you worked together with others to achieve your goals?

These are the questions addressed in this chapter, which goes on to offer ten tips for a collaborative effort:

1. Start with questions.
The book offers six initial questions to ask yourself:

• What is God saying to me about this idea?
• What is the advice of my parents and others I trust?
• Am I the one to lead? If not, can I be a catalyst and help get things moving?
• What are my personal strengths and weaknesses?
• Which people I know can help fill the gaps where my ability or knowledge falls short?
• Do I care enough about this issue to not just start something big, but to see it through no matter what?

2. Walk with the wise.
Spend time with those older and wiser than you for guidance. Teens have the energy; adults have the wisdom but not always the energy. Seek out godly mentors in your local church to help you with your idea.

3. Don't overlook home field advantage.
Let your family be some of your best team members. Everyone can do something to help; don't overlook your primary source of mentoring and collaboration.

4. Use technology to grow your team.
Take advantage of technology to "connect with like-minded people regardless of location" (page 123). If you don't have many people to help you in your immediate vicinity, use the internet to find more people to help.

5. Treasure constructive criticism.
Often, you need input from others to know whether your idea is wise or could use tweaking, or whether certain aspects of it are working. Don't respond defensively to criticism; welcome it and use it to improve.

6. Credit is free if you give it away.
Focus on accomplishing something together. Don't allow pride to get in the way and demand more credit for yourself or a bigger role in everything. "...focus on the needs and accomplishments of others and of the group as a whole...makes for a much happier, healthier, and more effective team." (page 125)

7. Other people are sinners too.
"Even good, solid, sincere Christians are sinful and imperfect (that is, difficult if not impossible at times). And pressure, weariness, and frustration often brings out the worst in people." (page 126) We have to be willing to be patient and forgiving with the people that we are working with.

8. Expect a nightmare or two.
Don't be surprised when things go really, really wrong. "...our best response is to be forewarned--and not to panic when it happens. Actually, we've found that nightmares give your prayer life a real boost--and teach you a whole lot at warp speed." (page 128) Trust that God has everything under control.

9. Don't give up.
"Successful collaboration almost always requires a lot of people working together over a long period of time. So teamwork requires perseverance." (page 128) Don't give up just because you lose the enthusiasm you had to start with. Keep working toward your goal!

10. Success happens (in more ways than one).
Just because you don't "succeed" in what you are doing doesn't mean you didn't succeed. "...we should measure our success not just by the goal we're shooting for, but also by how well we work together to get there. Look inside your team effort for small but important victories." (page 129)

God will bring the help that you need to accomplish big things. Don't just give up if it seems too hard on your own; look for those that can help you do hard things.

Homework Assignment: Read chapter 8, "Small Hard Things", in preparation for next week. If you don't have a copy of the book, get one and start reading along!

Have you ever achieved something big through collaboration? What could you do? Tell me in the comments!

Book Club: Raising The Bar (chapter 6)

What grade do you have to get to pass a class at your school? At my school, a passing grade is a C. This is so sad, because it shows how low the expectations have gotten in our culture for teens. But you don't have to let the low requirements stop you!

In this chapter of Do Hard Things, the Harris brothers examine the second kind of hard thing: things that go beyond what's expected or required.

"Just Do Your Best" and the Complacency Trap
Have you ever thought about what the phrase "just do your best" actually implies?

"Think about it. This common phrase, 'Just do your best,' actually encourages the opposite. When someone says [it], are you inspired to reach for more? Or does it feel like permission to just get by? We say, 'Hey, I did my best.' But did we really? More likely what we mean is, 'Hey, I gave it a shot, and that'll have to be good enough.'" (page 89)

It is so easy in our culture to be blinded by complacency. If we rise above the low expectations, we are considered to be "above average" and labeled an exception even if we are barely trying. We feel smug and satisfied with what we've accomplished, and don't even realize that our standards aren't as high as they could be.

Three Strategies to Help You
Here are the three tips that this chapter recommends for going above and beyond the expected:

1. Do What's Hard for You
Don't focus on things that are impressive to other people or things that you are good at. Focus on things that challenge you and promote growth in your life, even if no one else sees them.

Take the example of Heather, a teen quoted in the book: "One of the first things that caught my attention was your emphasis on not becoming complacent in our 'excellence'--that it's not enough to impress a society with remarkably low expectations; it's not enough to be a standout in a sea of mediocrity." (page 94)

2. Be Known for What You Do (More than for What You Don't)
Just being a 'good teen' who doesn't do bad stuff like drinking and partying isn't enough. The Christian life isn't just about avoiding the "bad stuff", but about doing things for God. 1 Timothy 4:12 is a good example of this; we are called to not only avoid sin, but "to pursue righteousness in a way that others will want to imitate" (page 98).

We don't want to get complacent in our lives; as they put it, we not only want to survive, we also want to thrive. Just because you aren't headed in the wrong direction doesn't mean you're headed in the right direction. You could just be standing still.

3. Pursue Excellence, Not Excuses
"...we can get so caught up in being the godliest person in our youth group or in earning the Celebration of Excellence for Leadership award that we lose sight of God's standards. We fall short of our true potential because we aimed only to be bigger than the next fish in our small pond." (page 101)

God's standards are unreachable; we will never have the opportunity to stop pursuing growth in our faith and lives. We never arrive, but always try to achieve "greater levels of excellence" (page 103)

They offer some questions to ask yourself that identify complacency in your life:

• What areas of my life do I not care about that I know I should care about?
• In what areas have I fallen short of God's standards and my own potential?
• In what areas have I settled for just getting by when I know I could do better if I really tried?
• In what areas have I decided that things "will always be this way" without ever putting in the kind of effort that really changes things?

Reaching Above and Beyond
The chapter concludes by taking the example of Teddy Roosevelt, a sickly boy who became a great American president.

"Theodore Roosevelt learned the most important lesson of his life as a teenager...'do hard things'. Listen to what he said about what he called 'the strenuous life':

'I wish to preach, not the doctrine of ignoble ease, but the doctrine of the strenuous life, the life of effort, of labor and strife; to preach that highest form of success which comes, not to the man who desires mere easy peace, but to the man who does not shrink from danger, from hardship, or from bitter toil, and who out of  these wins the splendid ultimate triumph.'

"...what would happen if we embraced the values he did--of reaching above and beyond what comes easy? And what would happen if a generation of teens lived that way?" (page 105-106)

So get rid of complacency in your own life and start striving to rise above what's required.

What do you think? Are you reading along? Did you like this chapter? Where has complacency found a foothold in your life? Leave a comment and start a discussion!

If you still don't have the book, get a copy and start reading along!

April Favorites

Today we say goodbye to April and say hello to May. Flowers are blooming, the weather is warmer, and the pool will be opening in just a few weeks. Everyone is wearing shorts and flip-flops, and the fear of snow days is gone for good.

Okay, now that I'm done waxing poetic on the seasons, happy May! Here are a few of my favorite things this April that I want to share with you:

Blog Posts
This post from The Rebelution is such a good article, giving great advice for how to stay motivated in our daily hard things when we feel like all we want to do is watch TV.

35 Things I Wish I'd Know in High School, by Erin from Lies Young Women Believe, is a great list of truths to remember during our teen years. I especially like #6: "Being the prettiest or most popular girl in school matters for about half a second after graduation. In contrast, being the kindest girl in school gets remembered well past your ten-year reunion."

Books
Recently I've been reading two nonfiction books by my pastor: My God is True: Lessons Learned Along Cancer's Dark Road (which I just finished), and Setting Our Sights on Heaven (which I've just started), by Paul Wolfe. They are really good, full of Biblical truth with some humor sprinkled in (and I promise I'm not just biased because he's my pastor!).

(Also, I finally watched the three original Star Wars movies this month. Am I the only one who has gone fourteen years without seeing them??)

How about you? Do you have any favorites you want to share?

Book Club: That First Scary Step (chapter 5)

What is the scariest thing you have ever done? Was it performing a speech? Starting at a new school? Reaching out to talk to the unpopular person at school?

How did you feel afterward? Most likely you felt like a champion, better about yourself, and excited.

So why don't we do things like that more often?

Going From "Before" to "After"
"This chapter is about doing hard things that take you from "before" to "after"...Just thinking about taking a step like this makes many of us fret, fight, and freeze. We imagine that monsters of terror, shame, and pain will eat us alive. But if we do it anyway, we feel like celebrating."
(page 64)

When you take a step outside of your comfort zone, three months later you hardly think anything of it. Your comfort zone expands and your strength grows. As Do Hard Things puts it, "What we consider normal for us changes, sometimes radically (page 67)."

But even though we have done it before and we know the results are good, we still resist the next new thing we are called to do. We are afraid to do it; and fear and faith are not compatible.

Three Misconceptions
Fears are really just lies. What are some of the main reasons that we don't take steps outside our comfort zone more often?

The book offers these three misconceptions:

1. We're not as good at something as someone else we know. (In other words, God uses only the best and brightest.)
2. We don't have all the resources we think we need. (In other words, God only uses us when every last thing is in place.)
3. We figure that the chances of failing and looking like losers are too high. (In other words, God only brings glory to Himself when we bring glory to ourselves too.)

Three Truths to Help You
So how can you get past these lies and step outside your comfort zone to do things you didn't know you could?

Here are three truths that the book offers to help you break out of your comfort zone.

1. God works through our weaknesses to accomplish His big plans.

"...we constantly find ourselves building that invisible fence (the one that keeps threats outside and us inside). We build it higher every time we say or think things like: 'I'm just not a math person,' 'I'm just not organized-my brain doesn't work that way,' or, 'I'm just not a people person.'

"What we're really saying is that we don't want to do things that don't come easily or naturally. We don't want to break through our fears. And by our actions, we're also saying that God isn't good and powerful enough to help us do what we can't comfortably do on our own. And that's a lie the Enemy loves!" (page 71)

Just because something isn't easy for us doesn't mean God can't use it to do great things. God can use our weaknesses to change lives. You don't need to feel capable of doing something; you just need to obey God and do it even when you're afraid to.

2. Courage is not the absence of fear.

"We're waiting to stop feeling afraid before we attempt anything. And--just to be fair--we're often afraid to try something new because of painful past experiences. We tried stepping out before and it blew up in our faces...We don't want to embarrass ourselves again." (page 74)

The book says that the problem with this thinking is that if we wait for our fear to be gone, we will never do hard things, because your fear will never be gone. Never trying to do anything is worse than discomfort and failure.

Courage is simply not allowing fear to control your actions, but stepping out in faith anyway.

3. You can't get to success without risking failure.

"We all like to win. It sure beats losing. But a very promising competitive streak can also breed a very limiting dread of failure. If I do this and fail, we tell ourselves, disaster will follow and everyone will know I'm a loser.

"Do you see the all-or-nothing fallacy in that line of thinking? The choice is win...or disaster. But the truth in this area is so liberating. Unless we're being intentionally foolish, a failure is never total. We aren't called to be successful all the time. We're called to be faithful, to take those first difficult steps--and to leave the results up to God." (page 78)

Even if you fail at something, you will have grown through it. Even if you fail, you have pushed yourself beyond your limits and gotten stronger. Failure is not a reason to give up.

Experience Fulfillment
Don't let your fear keep you from stepping out from your comfort zone and experiencing new things. If we keep letting God move us forward despite our fears, we will find fulfillment in the life God has planned.

The book quotes Corrie ten Boom: "Never be afraid to trust an unknown future to a known God." Because we know that God has our lives under control, we can trust that He will never ask us to do scary things without a reason, and that He is with us every step of the way.

What do you think? Did you like this chapter? Is this something you struggle with? Can these truths help you the next time you are facing a scary situation?

*Next week we will be looking at Chapter 6, "Raising the Bar". And if you don't have a copy of the book yet, it's not too late to get one and join in the study!

Book Club: A Better Way (chapter 4)

Belly flops hurt. Probably most or all of you have experienced that painful moment where you attempt to dive and instead the water hits your stomach with a painful smack. Ouch. Not successful.

The challenge of "A Better Way" is this: will you perform a successful dive into adulthood, or will you belly-flop?

Here's how they put it:
"The pool is your future life. The diving board is your present life. The Myth of Adolescence would have you think that now is your time to party beside the pool. But the fact is, you're already on the diving board.

"The whole purpose of the diving board is to launch us, with purpose and precision, into our futures. We will either make a successful dive into adulthood, or deliver something closer to a belly flop: a failure to launch." (page 49)

"Kidults"
This chapter of the book talks about "kidults", people in their twenties and beyond who still act like college students, living with their parents, hopping from job to job, date to date, and party to party.

This is the result of the Myth of Adolescence. Our view of the teen years doesn't just end when you graduate high school. It's a cultural mindset that continues well into adulthood. Do you want to be one of these "kidults"? Then high school is your time to have fun and party. Do you want to be a successful adult? Then don't waste these important years.

Revisiting George, David, and Clara
Last time we talked about George, David, and Clara, teens who made a difference at a very young age. Have you been able to guess who they are yet?

• George, who was the official surveyor of Culpepper County, Virginia at age 17, went on to become commander-in-chief of the entire Virginia militia by age twenty-three. He eventually became the commander in chief of the Continental Army during the Revolutionary War and our first president. His full name? George Washington.
• David, who took over command of a captured ship at age 12, went on to become the U.S. Navy's first admiral and a Civil War hero, David Farragut.
• Clara, who cared for the sick at eleven and taught school at seventeen, went on to care for more sick in her village, and then those wounded in the Civil War. Eventually she founded the Red Cross. Her full name was Clara Barton.

"There's a reason we still know the names and stories of men and women like George Washington, David Farragut, and Clara Barton. They invested their teen years in a way that shaped them into the history makers they later became." (page 55)

We have to follow their example and use our teen years to prepare for what we hope to be in the future, equipping us for what God wants us to do later in our life.

Book Overview: Five Kinds of Hard
In the next section, the Harris brothers will start digging into the specific ways to do hard things during our teen years. They outline five of them that will be covered:

1. Things that are outside your comfort zone, like public speaking, learning a new skill, or traveling to a new place.
2. Things that go beyond what is expected or required, like aiming for an A+ in a class when you only need a C to pass, doing chores you aren't assigned, or helping clean up from an event.
3. Things that are too big to accomplish alone, big projects like forming a ministry, campaigning for something, or fighting a really big cause like abortion, poverty, or modern-day slavery.
4. Things that don't earn an immediate payoff, like working out, doing schoolwork, and obeying your parents.
5. Things that challenge the cultural norm, like dressing modestly or refusing to watch R-rated movies.

Each of these things will have a chapter dedicated to looking at them more in-depth, which we will continue to look at in the weeks to come. Next week we'll start with Chapter 5, "That First Scary Step".

What do you think? Are you ready to reclaim your teen years as the time to prepare for adulthood? What did you think of this chapter? (Were you able to guess who George, David, and Clara were before I posted this?)

Book Club: The Myth of Adolescence (chapter 3)

Have you ever wondered when the word teenager was invented? Take a guess.

Answer: 1941. In 1941, a Reader's Digest issue used the word teenager for the first time. Just like that, the expectations for people our age changed. We went from being children, then adults, to being children, then teenagers, then adults.

And as the Harris brothers show us in chapter 3 of Do Hard Things, the expectations for people our age shifted dramatically with that simple addition of a word to our English vocabulary. We went from being adults at fourteen to being teenagers at fourteen and adults at twenty. And we went from being expected to command battleships at twelve to being expected to make our bed every day at twelve.

The Elephant
This chapter begins with elephants. The Harris brothers talk about how in Asia, people who own elephants keep them from wandering off with a wooden post stuck in the ground and some rope tied to the elephant's leg.

The elephants could break free of the shackle with a single tug, but they have some invisible shackles around their mind: when the elephants are young, they are shackled to a tree with a chain for a few weeks. This makes them believe that if there is something around their leg, they cannot break free, even if in reality the shackle is as lightweight as a piece of rope and some wood.

The chapter says this: "Could it be that we and most young people we know are like that elephant: strong, smart, holding incredible potential, but somehow held back by nothing more than a piece of twine? Left almost powerless by a lie?" (page 28)

George, David, and Clara
The book goes on to discuss three young people born before the word 'teenager' existed.

• George became the official surveyor of Culpepper County, Virginia at age seventeen, working on the frontiers to record unmapped land.
• David was given command of a captured ship at age twelve and had to keep an unruly British captain under control.
• Clara cared for her seriously injured brother at the age of eleven and surprised everyone by being very good at nursing. By age seventeen she was a successful schoolteacher.

This people were all given responsibility at a very young age, rose to the occasion, and handled it well. What changed?
*By the way, you will find out the full names of these people in the next chapter! Can you guess?

So What Happened? The Power of Expectations
"...the teen years are viewed as a sort of vacation. Society doesn't expect much of anything from young people during their teen years--except trouble. And it certainly doesn't expect competence, maturity, or productivity. The saddest part is that, as the culture around them has come to expect less and less, young people have dropped to meet these lower expectations." (page 36)

Expectations are powerful things. The book quotes Henry Ford: "Whether you think you can or whether you think you can't, you're right."

The expectations of those around us greatly affect the way we live our lives. When the word "teenager" was invented, it brought along with it a whole new culture and way of life. It created a new set of very low standards for people our age.

What the Bible Says
The next section presents a surprising fact: the Bible does not mention the word teenager anywhere.

"Instead you'll find the apostle Paul writing in 1 Corinthians 13:11, 'When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I gave up childish ways.'

"Notice what he didn't say. He didn't say, 'When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. But then I became a teenager and I looked like an adult, I sounded like an adult, but I still acted like a child.' No! He said, 'I became a man, and I gave up childish ways.'" (page 42)

God does not have different standards for young adults and adults. And if we are Christians, we are letting the Bible set our expectations and not our culture.

The consequence of meeting the world's standard for the teen years it that we waste these years of our lives and are unprepared for the future. We are like the elephant; we have so much potential but are being held captive by the Lie of Adolescence, the lie that tells us that the teens years are for having fun and goofing off.

The chapter ends this way:
"This is what we call the Rebelution: throwing off the shackles of lies and low expectations and returning our generation to a true and very exciting understanding of the teen years--not as a vacation from responsibility but as a launching pad for the rest of our lives." (page 45)

What do you think? Did you find this chapter inspiring? Do you agree that young people are being held back by lies?

Next week we will look at chapter 4, A Better Way. And if you haven't gotten a book yet, it's not too late to get one and start reading along!

Book Club: Do Hard Things, chapters 1 and 2

Remember the Book Club series I introduced last Friday? We will be looking at various books and I will give you the summaries, for those of you who don't want to read (except I'm sure there isn't anyone like that reading this blog...is there?). Then I will prompt your thinking with some questions.

This series will be even better if it's interactive, so feel free to leave your thoughts on each chapter in the comments below!

Last week I said that today we would be discussing chapters 1 and 2 of Do Hard Things by Alex and Brett Harris, our first book.

So, here goes.

Chapter 1: Most People Don't...
"Most people don't expect you to understand what we're going to tell you in this book. And even if you understand, they don't expect you to care. And even if you care, they don't expect you to do anything about it. And even if you do something about it, they don't expect it to last.

Well, we do."

-Do Hard Things, chapter 1, page 3

So begins this book. And it poses a wonderful challenge to us to keep reading and to let the message of this book change our lives.

"Do Hard Things": What It Is and What It Isn't
The book goes on to discuss what Do Hard Things is actually about. Here is what it says:

"What you're holding in your hands right now is a challenging book for teens by teens who believe our generation is ready for a change...we believe our generation is ready to rethink what teens are capable of doing and thinking. And we've noticed that once wrong ideas are debunked and cleared away, our generation is quick to choose a better way, even if it's also more difficult." (page 4)

Think about our culture's expectations of teens. Are they particularly high? Not really. That is what this book is out to change. The brothers challenge teens to rethink their lives into something wonderful.

But there's something that doing hard things doesn't mean. They say that the reaction of most people to the phrase "do hard things" is something like,

"Hard? Uh-oh. Guys, I just remembered that I'm supposed to be somewhere else. Like, right now." (page 6)

But doing hard things doesn't mean doing things just because they are difficult and make you miserable. It also doesn't mean that God will love you more. Doing hard things is just a challenge to make your teen years better and more exciting.

Chapter 2: Their Personal Stories
In chapter 2, the brothers share their personal journey, how they got where they are. Suffice it to say that they were directors of a political campaign at seventeen...

I'm not going to go into a lot of detail from this chapter, but it really is an amazing story and I would recommend reading it if you haven't already. One of the most inspiring parts of this book is the stories of real teens doing amazing things. They alone make the book well worth reading.

Questions to Think About

• Do you think that teens in our culture today are shackled by low expectations?
• How do you think that we can make that change?

What To Do Next
It's not too late to get a copy of this book and get caught up! You can get it in whatever form you want, but get it and read it if you can. So, so, important!

What do you think? Have you read this book already? Did you like it? Are you reading along? What did you think of these two chapters?

Picks of the Week: February 7, 2015

Happy Saturday! I hope everyone had a wonderful week.

Here are a few of my favorites this week:

Song
Live Like That by Sidewalk Prophets: This song by a Christian band has such an inspiring message, asking, "What will people say of me when I'm only just a memory..."

I heard it on the radio earlier this week and it left me so inspired and ready to go out and do things for God. I think we all need songs like that!

TV Show
I was sick a lot this week and turned to a TV show that I discovered through one of my friends: BBC's Merlin.

The story is an unconventional retelling of the stories of King Arthur, following Merlin as a young man when he first arrives in Camelot and becomes then Prince Arthur's manservant. It is never inappropriate and very well made. Highly recommended the next time you need something to watch!

Blog
Fresh Modesty is a blog I discovered fairly recently. It is essentially a fashion blog for Christian young women. I encourage my fellow teen girls to check it out!

What do you think? Do you like the things I shared already or will you check them out now? Do you have anything you would like to share?

Picks of the Week: January 23, 2015

Happy Friday, everyone!

I thought I would share a few favorites with you:

• This blog, http://appletreesandpumpkinseeds.com/, has been started for a school project by someone I know. It's similar to this blog, so check it out! 
• I reviewed the God Girl Devotional last week. It's working really well for me, so girls, consider trying it out for your daily devotions. 
• I'm currently reading The Dark is Rising series by Susan Cooper. It's a fantasy series of of five books, a classic good vs. evil setup. The writing is wonderful and the story and characters are engaging. If you enjoy fantasy, it's definitely something you should read! 

How has your week been? Do you have any favorite books, movies, or websites you would like to share? 

Book Review: Devotions for the God Girl

I received a devotional book for Christmas called Devotions for the God Girl by Hayley DiMarco. I started using it at the beginning of the year and so far it has been a great book.

The book is divided into 365 one-page devotionals going in chronological order through the Bible. Each day starts with a Bible verse and then there is a reading by the author of the book that draws a lesson from whatever Bible story the verse comes from.

The very first thing you read is an introduction, challenging you to spend half an hour with God every day. The book poses this challenge:

"If you think you are too busy to spend a half hour with God, make a list of everyone you spend more time with in conversation during the day and list God below them...Give your time to him and watch how it impacts your day and even your life." 

The devotionals are well-done and bring up many excellent, thought-provoking points. It provides a direction for my Bible reading each day so that I'm not tempted to skip because I don't know what to read. Since starting this book, I have been getting up fifteen minutes earlier then usual to have more time for devotions; I didn't think I would be able to do this but it's actually going pretty well!

What do you think? Would you use this devotional? Have you used it before? If so, I'd love to hear your thoughts!

Book Review: The Hiding Place

If you have not read this, get a copy immediately. It is a must-read for any Christian, in my opinion.

The Hiding Place is the true story of Corrie ten Boom, a Dutch Christian who was arrested during the Holocaust, along with her sister and elderly father, for hiding Jews in her home. The story that follows is an incredible testimony to God's goodness and power. The faith of these two women in the face of such trouble is absolutely incredible.

The book has story after amazing story of God's mercy and how He can found in every circumstance. It's the kind of book that you will want to read again and again as an encouragement and inspiration to you in your life.

What do you think? Have you read this? Will you read it now? Do you have any favorite books you would like to see reviewed?

Book Review: The Mitford Series

For today's book review I wanted to bring your attention to a lovely series by Jan Karon, one of my favorite authors.

At Home in Mitford kicks off the Mitford series, which continues with six more books as well as a few related detour books. It tells the story of an elderly Episcopalian priest living in a small town in North Carolina. He begins the series alone and ends up with a huge dog, wife, and adopted son by the end of these seven books.

The books are sprinkled with humor as well as beautiful, tear-jerking moments, and you can read them over and over again. Just because they are about an elderly priest does not mean that they will not be enjoyable to teenagers. Sure, they aren't fantasy/dystopian/chick lit/insert typical young adult genre here, but they appeal to a wide range of ages and I would highly recommend giving them a try!

What do you think? Have you read these books? Do you like them? Are there books you have read or heard about that you would like to see reviewed here?

What to Read This November

Happy Reformation Day!

Since it's the last day of October, I thought I would share some book recommendations for the month of November, in case you are looking for a good book.

November Featured Read

The best book I can recommend to you for November, as we approach the Thanksgiving season, is One Thousand Gifts by Ann Voskamp. I would highly recommend this to all of you as an inspiring book worth reading. I wrote a more detailed review of this book last week; you can access it here. 

Other Recommendations

If you like science fiction:

• Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury is a compelling story set in a time where books are banned, and firemen have the job of burning them. It tells the story of a fireman who meets a teenage girl whose questions prompt him to think deeper about the job he does. Definitely recommended! (And definitely scary to think about for a bookworm like me!)

If you like fantasy:

• Beauty by Robin McKinley is a very well-done retelling of Beauty and the Beast. Robin McKinley's book are typically very clean as well as being well-written. 

If you like romance:

• My Heart Remembers by Kim Vogel Sawyer and its sequel, In Every Heartbeat; Kim Vogel Sawyer is a very good Christian writer who manages to include a Christian message in her books without making them overly 'preachy'. All of her books draw you in from beginning to end, and you won't be able to put them down!

If you like mysteries:

• The Westing Game by Ellen Raskin is a fast-paced, interestingly told mystery. It features a dead millionaire who has left a puzzling will, and a lovable cast of unique, eccentric characters trying to figure out who will get his money. This is another book you won't be able to put down!

If you like classics:

• Eight Cousins by Louisa May Alcott is a not-so-well-known book by this well-known author. One of my favorite books, it tells the story of Rose, an orphaned girl who comes to live among her many aunts and boy cousins. It's so good and something you should definitely read if you enjoy classics!

If you like contemporary fiction:

• The Penderwicks and sequels by Jeanne Birdsall is a very good series about the everyday adventures of four sisters, their Latin-speaking father, and a dog. There will be two more books in the series published eventually. This is another of my favorites!

If you like biographies:

• Dancing Through It is a very good memoir written by Jenifer Ringer, a member of the New York City ballet. She is a Christian and writes in a very fluent way, taking you into her struggles with eating disorders and her comeback into the world of ballet. Very highly recommended even if you don't usually read this sort of book!

What do you think? Have you read these books? Do you have any other recommendations for fellow Christian teens?

Book Review: One Thousand Gifts

One Thousand Gifts is a beautiful book. It challenges the very core of how we live in this very self-centered, complaining-oriented world.

It started when writer Ann Voskamp was challenged by a friend to make a list of 1000 things she was thankful for, things that God had blessed her with in her life. That dare turned into this book. 

One Thousand Gifts is written in a beautiful, very poetic style, different from other nonfiction books, making it enjoyable to read even for those who usually read fiction. It is sprinkled with stories from the author's own childhood and excerpts of the list of 1000 gifts that she wrote, and finished. 

As November and Thanksgiving season approaches, I highly recommend this book as something every Christian should read!

What do you think? Have you read this book? Was it inspiring to you? If you haven't read it, will you read it now?

Movie Review: Amazing Grace

Today I thought I would share with you one of my absolute favorite movies: Amazing Grace, a movie that tells the story of William Wilberforce, starring Ioan Gruffudd as Wilberforce, Romola Garai as his wife, Barbara, and Benedict Cumberbatch as the Prime Minister and Wilberforce's good friend, William Pitt. (Rated PG for the mature themes involving slavery and some mild language.)

What I love about this movie is that it shows not only the glorious moments of his life, but also the thankless things he did. The first scene you see is of him stopping his carriage in the rain to stop some men from beating a horse who has fallen down.

There are so many amazing moments in this movie that you just want to watch over and over again. If you haven't seen it, I highly recommend it!

What do you think? Have you seen this movie? Do you like it? If you haven't seen it, do you want to?

Book Review: Do Hard Things

One of the most life-changing books I have ever read...

Do Hard Things: A Teenage Rebellion Against Low Expectations by Alex and Brett Harris, twin brothers who were teenagers themselves when they wrote it, is a book that challenges teenagers to rise up in protest of the low expectations. They have started a whole moment centered around this topic, called The Rebelution. 

The book talks about the myth that teenagers are supposed to kick back and have fun all the time. It discusses five kinds of hard things:

• Things that take us outside of our comfort zone
• Things that go beyond what is expected of us
• Things that are too big to do alone
• Small things that might seem insignificant (i.e. doing the dishes without complaining)
• Things that go against the crowd

The book is a wake-up call for the adolescents of our generation. It is something that every Christian teen should read; it will challenge your mind and your heart and change your life.

GO GET A COPY AND READ IT NOW!!!!!!

What do you think?

• Have you read this book? Do you like it?
• If you haven't read it, will you read it now? (you better. If my enthusiasm didn't convince you, I don't know what will.)