When you pick up a novel of any given genre, you have certain expectations of what you’ll find, right? If it’s fantasy, the characters must exhibit some type of mystical powers, or at least live in a world where mystical powers exist. Readers of paranormal fiction expect to encounter vampires,… Read More »Christian Romance: The Lies Behind the First Kiss in Fiction
Wishing for a richer prayer life? Then tell me what’s wrong with this prayer: Dear God, I’m so worried about this test. Please help me pass it. Give me the answers so I can get a good grade. And help me do well at my game tonight. I’ve been practicing… Read More »How To Have a Richer Prayer Life By Friday
Ever read a novel where the main character jumped off the page and took your heart hostage? Where you felt his emotions like they were your own and you had to put your life on hold until the book was done because you needed to see how his plight ended?… Read More »Emotionally Charged YA Fiction That Will Alter Your Perspective
In a previous post, I talked about fighting habitual sin and why persistence matters. Everyone has habitual sins we struggle to let go of. You know which ones they are for you. But some sins creep into your life with almost no notice, like the Virginia Creeper in my garden.… Read More »Look Truth in the Eye: Self-Examination for Christian Teens
Ever play with magnets as a kid? They’re fascinating. Some repel as if a real, physical object holds them apart, while others attract and become near inseparable. This is where all the cliché romantic idioms like “opposites attract” and “Johnny is a girl magnet” come from. Magnets give us a… Read More »How to Overcome Habitual Sin: Why Persistence Matters
Popular culture wants you to think purity is outdated and irrelevant—an oppressive relic spilled over from the Elizabethan Era. “Forget purity. Follow your heart, be true to yourself, do what makes you feel like you.” The typical Christian response, however, would seem to support this tainted view of purity. Wearing… Read More »The Right Reason for Purity: It’s Not What You Think
Tis the season for back-to-school sales and the start-up of sports practices! In just a few weeks (or days), many of you will walk the halls of an educational institution. Whether that instills in you a load of excitement or anxiety, I’d like to help you start your school year… Read More »A Back-To-School Guide For Christian Teens: 5 Valuable Reminders
If you’re reading this (or any other part of my blog for that matter), I assume you are not content to let life wash over you like waves from a storm surge. You want more, you want to be more, and you know that in some way—even if it isn’t… Read More »6 Must-Read Nonfiction Books for Christian Teens