Book Reviews: So Long Insecurity Teen Edition and One Year Devos for Teen Girls
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When Tyndale wrote to ask if I’d review a couple of books
for teens, I jumped at the chance. Why not have my own teenager read them and
give me some feedback? Julia (who is 15) and I read these books separately, but
I’ve combined our thoughts about the books here.
So Long Insecurity Teen Edition by Beth Moore
I read Beth Moore’s original book, So Long Insecurity, a couple of years ago and really enjoyed it. I
like the main premise of both books (the one for adults and the one for teens),
which is basically that you can be secure in who God made you to be. Insecurity
comes when we want something more than what God intended for us—a relationship
with Him.
The teen version of the book is laid out in a magazine
format with lots of colorful pictures of happy, smiling girls in cute clothes.
To be honest, if I were an insecure teen, I’d wonder what those girls had that
I didn’t. But, hey, that's just my insecurity talking, right?
The magazine format didn’t do much for me, but Julia seemed
to like it. (She especially got a kick out of seeing a couple of girls from her
school who were models in the book.) The articles were fine—just a little
“light.” I’d say that this book would be appropriate for girls in the 12-15
year range.
One thing I really liked about the book was the chapter at
the end that spells out what a secure girl looks like. For example, “A secure
girl lifts up other girls instead of comparing herself to them.” And, “A secure
girl doesn’t base her sense of worth on being popular or having that ‘one
thing’ she thinks will make her happy.” This really drives the main ideas home
and leaves girls thinking about what they should be striving after.
One Year Devos for Teen Girls by Dannah Gresh and Suzy Weibel
Now this is a book I’d love for my girls to read and read
and read again. It’s written in your basic devotional format: Bible verse, some
real-life stories and examples, and application. Simple, easy to follow, and
easy to understand.
The authors tackle some difficult subjects (depression,
bullying, homosexuality), but they handle them biblically and, I think, very
well. Several entries are devoted to Facebook, which is obviously a relevant
topic to teen girls, as well as hyperconnectivity and, of course, boys. All
important topics to look at in light of what the Bible has to say about life.
For girls who want to know what God thinks about topics that
matter to them today, this devotional is great. It’s fresh, it’s relevant, and
it’s no-nonsense biblical wisdom for young women who want to go deeper in their
relationship with God.
I received two books from Tyndale for this review, but the
opinions are my own.
