Reading, Writing & Pondering

  Yours, Not Hers by Kari Kampakis is a teenage girl devotional that I think could benefit pretty much every teenage girl out there. Yours, Not Hers includes 40 devotions encouraging girls to stop comparisons and love their own life. In the introduction, Kampakis shares, as a speaker, how she meets lots of teen girls. She is also raising 4 teenage girls. She said she thinks the world today is harder and darker than in previous generations. Teen women need a lot of support and encouragement to make it in this world today. This book can be a source of encouragement.  I like that Yours, Not Hers is an guided journal. I think many of us can discover more about ourselves when we pour our words on paper and reflect on them--more so then when we just sit and ponder ideas. Each day's reading starts with a Bible verse, then a story related to the verse that young women can hopefully relate to, space to write and answer questions, and then a final thought on the issue of the day from...

  Get Your Hopes Up: 90 Devotions and True Stories for Young World Changers by Carlos Whittaker offers hope and encouragement to kids who need it today.  Get Your Hopes Up is aimed at tweens and teens. This book is good for both guys and gals. It is also a book that crosses cultures and skin colors. The book is also good for kids from various socioeconomic groups. I love that it is an all-inclusive book. I also love that these stories and devotions are full of hope and encouragement, because who doesn't need more of that? Each of the readings starts with a Bible verse, then a devotional story and ends with a prayer, like many devotionals do. However, this devotional is written in such a way that it is down-to-earth and easy for people to relate to. Carlos writes like I think he must speak--I feel like he is sitting next to me having coffee/tea, and sharing stories with me that relate to Scripture. I am not a teen but I found these devotionals to speak to me too. This book is ...

  A Mindful Moment: 5-Minute Meditations and Devotions by Irene Kraegel is aimed at teenagers ages 13 and on up. It is a relatively lightweight, small book at about 7.75 inches by 5 1/2 inches and 190 pages long so it could easily fit into a backpack or nightstand to use regularly. A Mindful Moment includes 150 5-Minute Readings. The book starts out with an introduction explaining why Christians should meditate, what it is, how to do it, and how to use this book. Following the introduction are the 150 meditational devotions. Each devotional starts with a Bible verse, then moves on to a short devotional reading, and concludes with a section called, Practice. Practice offers practical ways to put the verse and the reading into action some way in life.  The book concludes withe a section on Mindfulness with information on various ways to meditate and pray using the book and keeping your mind on Christ. There is a also a section of questions and answers which I think is especially...

  For some young people, if they spend time thinking about it, there is a lot to be anxious about in the world right now--school work, relationship issues, world problems, and more. 100 Devotions for Kids Dealing with Anxiety by Justine Froelker could be a book that would help some tweens and teens as it is aimed at those ages eight to thirteen, but depending on the person could be helpful to those slightly young or older than that. In 100 Devotions for Kids Dealing with Anxiety , each reading starts with a Bible verse, followed by a short devotional to read, and ending with prompts to write related to each reading. There is a lined space following each prompt, but for those who write a lot, they might want to use their own blank book/notebook.  100 Devotions for Kids Dealing with Anxiety includes readings on giving worries to God before bed, Waiting and Patience, Feeling afraid, and feeling like we are enough, among other issues related to anxiety. Each reading is fairly sh...