A Summer Reading List For Your Teen

It's a big world, prepare your teen to face it

Yesterday I gave some simple guidelines to help you pick books for your teen to read during summer vacation. Today, I give you a list of book recommendations to help get your started. They cover everything from theology to money. 

Do Hard Things by Alex and Bret Harris
The Harris twins have one message for teenagers: Do something hard. Teens today might find it hard to believe, but life does not begin after college. It starts now, and they can actually do something great for God no matter what their age. They wrote a follow up book called Start Here

Don't Waste Your Life by John Piper

John Piper is a small, unassuming man who happens to have a fiery passion for God. His message is simple: God is most glorified in us, when we are most satisfied in him. Spend your life living for the glory of God. This book, and the conferences and music they have spawned, have been a huge hit in college campuses. This is a great book to give a high school grad. 

The Universe Next Door by James Sire

Aimed at college students, this book can still be helpful in preparing older teens to face the variety of points of views they are going to encounter in college. Looking at views like marxism, secularism, and new age thinking from a Christian perspective, this book will prepare your teen to think about the world they live in. 

What's Your Worldview? by James Anderson

Dr. Anderson is a philosophy professor who challenges people to think about how they look at the world. This isn't a normal book either. It's more like a choose your own adventure book that takes a look at different worldviews, and how they as Christians can see from the lens of the Bible. 

Boy Meets Girl: Say Hello To Courtship by Joshua Harris

So your teen is ready to date? Time to bring out some helpful guidance on dating. In a time when dating is just seen as a rite of passage where two people can just hang out, mess around and not think about the consequences, Harris call teens to date in a way that that will be both honoring to the other person, and glorifying to God. See also Boundaries in Dating

The Questions Christians Hope No One Will Ask: (With Answers) by Mark Mittelberg

After a doing survey of the toughest questions Christians hate being asked, Mark Mittelberg decided to write a book answering them. If your teen is vocal about her faith, then this book will help her answer the though questions she's going to be asked. The questions range from gay marriage to the problem of evil. See also Tactics: a game plan for discussing your Christian convictions

Christian Beliefs: Twenty Basics Every Christian Should Know by Wayne and Elliot Grudem
Grudem has written a very short intro to theology. It covers twenty topics (each coming from his massive book Systematic Theology) and gives a bite sized overview to help young Christians learn about the foundations of their faith. A great book for a teen or college student who wants to learn theology. 

Smart Money Smart Kids: Raising the Next Generation to Win with Money  by Dave Ramsey and Rachel Cruze

In a college finance class I remember a teacher telling us that we had a responsibility to raise kinds who were money smart. Seeing how kids today are being called "the most indebted generation," that responsibility is even clearer. Dave Ramsey teams up with his daughter to teach parents how to train kids in the ways of wise financial planning. This is a book for parents and teens to read together. Who knows, maybe it will inspired your teen to find a summer job? 

Thriving at College: Make Great Friends, Keep Your Faith, and Get Ready for the Real World! by Alex Chediak

What's going to happen to your teen when they go to college? Pastor and college prof. Alex Chediak fills them in on the ups and downs and the best ways to get ready for their time in school. 

The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Teens by Sean Covey
If you've read the original, then you know the advice here is solid. Based on the character ethic, Covey gives sound advice on the habits that can make anyone effective at what they do. 

Life on the Edge by James Dobson

Say what you will about Dobson, but he cares about kids and wants them to thrive in their teens and college years. This book covers a lot of the problems they are going to face: drugs, premarital sex, peer pressure, and more. I read this book in high school and I am pretty sure it played a role in keeping me out of a lot of trouble. This is one you want your kid to read. 

The Action Bible 

I love graphic novels. And someone decided to turn the Bible into one. It's been done before, but not like this. The art is amazing and would make for a great way for your teen to see what the entire Bible is about in a very unique way. 

I'm sure there's a lot of worthy books I could add to the list, but I wanted to give you a place to start. If you have any recommendations please feel free to leave a comment. 

Trust Issues

Luke 16:10 - "Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much, and whoever is dishonest with very little will also be dishonest with much."

Something I've learned is how easy you can lose trust. You can spend a lot of time building it, taking it for granted, and then one day you mess up. Bad communication, an inconsiderate comment, or plain stupidity will lose it in a second. While this verse deals with trust in the context of discipleship(and the many things God will hold you accountable for), I believe the principle behind it applies to other areas. If you can be trusted with something as simple as being there when people need you or someone else's stuff, they might just trust you with a whole lot more. Mess that up, and you'll have to earn that trust all over again. At this moment, I think I should apologize if I have lost trust with people because I've been late or unintentionally hurtful. I hope I can earn your trust. I'm willing to make the effort.

Happy New Years and some end of the year thoughts

As the year comes to a close, I wanted to share my thoughts on 2008 as well as thank a few people along the way. I saw that when times get tough, God is still there to help. I had a tough time this year because I was trying to finish school, and had some personal issues to deal with. There were times when I just lost what little hope I had. But then, in big and small ways, as I prayed to God, people would come along to help with a kind word, a prayer, and in a few cases, some much needed money. God was good through the hands of many people.

I got to taste the political process. It seems that we all did. In an almost soap opera fashion, politics got played out on the radio, in print and on T.V. We saw winners, losers, underdogs, plumbers, Pallin’s and Obamamania. I didn’t get all I’d hope for, but I did see our process at work, and am still glad to be a part of this great nation.

I finally graduated from college. Let it be a lesson to you, that if I can graduate, you can too. It took me longer than it should have (really!) but I see that even the time I took was not entirely wasted. I’m planning on going to Seminary to get my Mdiv and can’t wait to get through that process (hopefully not in 7 years like it took for my B.A.)

This year, the new media became even more main stream. From Facebook to Twitter, from Gmail to Google Reader (and the entire Google family), we got connected. I promise not to become part of the twitterati, digiratti or even the technoratti. If I do, feel free to call me on it.

The blog has also become prominent in our culture. I’m sure you know it, but I don’t think we’ve touched the surface of what blogging or even twittering will do or become. But with all the change, I hope we don’t lose the human touch. That is, I hope we don’t lose our soul to cyberspace (or in cyberspace). I plan on blogging even more this year and can’t wait to hear from you.

Most of you don’t know that I struggled with changing churches. I had three--yes three—churches to consider. But after much prayer, I found a place I can call my home and a Pastor I can gladly follow. May we all be so fortunate.

Many friendships carried me through a lot of the year. I can only be grateful to God for a few I’d like to mention. My pal Alexia for being ever so patient with me, and always taking care of me in ways I don’t think even she knows. Jonathan Chan, whom I’ve known for 8 years, also came through for me in big ways. Keep being yourself pal, you’re one of God’s special people. Melissa Stent, I apologize for keeping you up late at night, but thanks for indulging me when I want to talk. Lisa Ames, you truly are wonderful person. Your words have meant a lot to me this year. In more ways than you’ll ever know. I’m very glad to know you. Miguel Martinez. Thanks for being there. Seriously, you have cleared my mind when I’ve been confuzzled. The FCC family. Thanks for letting me tag along and help out. You guys rock. James, listen to your mother! And thanks to you both for being so cool. As always my Parents were there for me. I don’t know where I’d be without them. They are more than wonderful. They are saints. Many more could be named, to you I say: thanks :)

I hope to read a lot more and bring more book and movie reviews. I also plan on blogging as a vocation, so pray that I could do that. Also tell your friends about this place and feel free to find me on twitter. I am also glad to have started NewReformation.ning.com, it’s been great to see so many people get together and fellowship. I hope to see even more this next year.

Happy New Year, and many blessings to you all. I leave you with this verse

So teach us to number our days, that we may present to You a heart of wisdom.
Psalm 90:12

God, the Atheist and the piece of chalk......

Not sure how true this is, but it sounds pretty reliable. I hope it gets us all thinking. What do you think?

Two Ways to Live

Yep, there are only two. Here's the story.....

What do you think?

An Interview with God

Something to ponder.

Back from Mexico!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I'm rather tired, so I won't be long here, but it went well. Don't get me wrong, it was hard, but it was worth it. I got tanned and had to eat Korean food when I wasn't used to it. The schedule was strict and my voice is hoarse from all the interpreting I had to do, but it was worth it. I got to help preach the gospel to a lot of little kids and their parents. Some days were crazier than others. The last two days went surprisingly well. God moved in wonderful ways and on the last day something fascinating did happen. We finished our VBS lesson and handed out burgers to the neighborhood people, and one of the ladies came up to me and asked for prayer for 4 year old son. He had gone through chemotherapy and had a huge scar on his head where the tumor was removed. This week hes going to be checked on to see how he's doing. We were all moved and we prayed for him. The most quiet of us was moved. Our doctor happened to be a neurosurgeon in Los Angeles. He's offered to help if the prognosis is bad. She was so relieved. Coincidence? I think not. God truly moves in mysterious ways. Do I get a lot of what I saw? The poverty, the lack of hygiene? No, but I was truly made aware of the simple pleasures of life and the gratefulness we should show for this country and it's well working sewer system and warm water. I'll add more about this in the future.