Dear Maggie,* Once when I was a teenager, I went to a big concert by a Christian band-–the kind of concert where you feel the drums beat under your ribcage. The event was themed around one of the band’s new songs, which dealt with the worth of a young woman who doesn’t see herself as … Continue reading On Goldenrod & Body Image
Dear Young Writer, There will be times when you write with the wind in your sails, when the world is too full to take in, and ideas leap up so fast you can't reel them in. And then there will be times— probably more often— when you can’t remember what those other times were like. … Continue reading Dear Young Writer,
This article was written for and published on TheRebelution blog. My friendship with Sara Barratt is 100% virtual. We’ve never talked over coffee or met up at a conference or worshiped together in church. I met Sara in the Young Writer’s Workshop—a place where everyone shares a thrill for stories, words, articles, novels, and poems. … Continue reading The Girl Who Started a Love Riot for Jesus
May 17 I met Sara Barratt in the Young Writer’s Workshop. As the community grew, I found in her more than a teen who doodles words. I found a young woman with wisdom beyond her years and a heart exploding with love for Jesus and a God-given talent for crafting articles. I was inspired. One … Continue reading The Girl Behind a Riot
This article was first published on TheRebelution blog, where you can read it in its entirety. Hey, you—dude in Vans and denim, brushing paint across canvas and concrete—I want to talk to you. You—the girl sipping coffee, spinning stories across your laptop screen—listen up. Teen brimming with inspiration, searching for outlets to spill yourself—let me … Continue reading Christian Teen, Don’t Waste Your Creativity
This article was first published on TheRebelution.com, where you can read it in its entirety. I was born into a culture that coddles teenagers, so I forget many of the people God used for his purposes were my age. Daniel was a youth when Nebuchadnezzar captured him. His three friends–Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego–were likely teenagers … Continue reading 3 Real Life Rebelutionaries (And What They’ve Taught Me)
I’m a writer. I type words and erase more. I scribble down thoughts, then scratch them out. I spend my free time with verbs and commas and clauses. I long to create sentences that stir people’s souls and, ultimately, redirect their gaze. I write so people worship Christ. Not everyone shares my passion for words, … Continue reading 4 Reasons Why Young People (Like You) Should Write
August 11 On an unusually warm day in January 2017, my passion for writing was seriously kindled. I sat watching one video after another of young writers sharing their testimonies. These weren't hobby writers. These were teenagers holding published books in their hands. I was awed. Since 2017, I’ve been a member of The Young … Continue reading The Young Writer’s Workshop
This article was first published on the Rebelution blog, where you can read it in its entirety. When we’re caught up in Rebelutionary living and striving to do big, hard, risky things, it’s easy to forget the why. Why leave our comfort zones? Why live radically? Why do hard things? Because Jesus breathed life into … Continue reading 5 Hard Things to Do This Summer
Every day I’m assaulted by the world’s propaganda. I need effective tools in my spiritual toolbox. I need sharp weapons in my spiritual weaponry. I need worthy books causing me to set my mind on things above, where Christ is (Col. 3:2). You do too. Here are ten books to bolster your everyday mission of … Continue reading 10 Books for Every Christian Teen
