God, Girls, and Getting Connected

It is time for a FIRST Wild Card Tour book review! If you wish to join the FIRST blog alliance, just click the button. We are a group of reviewers who tour Christian books. A Wild Card post includes a brief bio of the author and a full chapter from each book toured. The reason it is called a FIRST Wild Card Tour is that you never know if the book will be fiction, non~fiction, for young, or for old...or for somewhere in between! Enjoy your free peek into the book!

You never know when I might play a wild card on you!

Today's Wild Card author is:

Robin Marsh
and
Lauren Nelson

and the book:

God, Girls, and Getting Connected

Harvest House Publishers (February 1, 2012)

 

***Special thanks to Karri James of Harvest House Publishers for sending me a review copy.***

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Robin Marsh is an Emmy nominated and national award-winning journalist. She anchors the weekday morning newscast at KWTV-News9, the CBS affiliate in Oklahoma City. Robin uses her influence from television as a way to share with women and girls about the love of Jesus at retreats for women, students, and churches. She was honored as a “Woman of Distinction” by Girl Scouts of the USA.

Visit the author's website.

Lauren Nelson was crowned Miss America 2007. She received the prestigious TOYA award (Ten Outstanding Young Americans) by the United States Junior Chamber Organization in 2008. Lauren serves many charities including Children's Miracle Network. She is a co-anchor at KWTV-News9, the CBS affiliate in Oklahoma City. Lauren loves teaching Bible studies and leading worship with her husband.

Visit the author's website.

SHORT BOOK DESCRIPTION:

Miss America 2007, Lauren Nelson, and award-winning TV news anchor Robin Marsh share a passion to encourage teen girls. In this relevant, engaging devotional they show the cell phone generation of girls why accepting God’s call is the best decision they’ll ever make.

Each devotion includes a question in teen lingo, God’s “text response” from Scripture, insightful reflections, and a daily spiritual app to help girls relate biblical wisdom to everyday needs as they explore:

• how to deal with the drama of other girls
• decisions about boys and sexual purity
• do’s and don’ts of social media
• the fun of living out a bold faith
• their identity and uniqueness in Christ

A cleverly presented, timely look at God’s help for the needs young women face today. Perfect for individual faith growth and as group discussion and study material.

Product Details:
List Price: $11.99

Paperback: 176 pages
Publisher: Harvest House Publishers (February 1, 2012)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0736945210
ISBN-13: 978-0736945219

 

AND NOW...THE FIRST CHAPTER:

Finding Friends

Becca: “Why is Paige hanging out with that group of girls? All they do is trash talk other girls—even the ones who are their friends.”

God’s Text: “Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of such things God’s wrath comes on those who are disobedient. Therefore do not be partners with them” (Ephesians 5:6-7).

Getting Connected

Face it, girl. In today’s culture there’s a lot of pressure to find the perfect guy, have the perfect friends, and look like a celebrity at a photo shoot. It’s easy to get a skewed vision about what is good and what is not so good. So how do you respond when someone warns you about the friends you’ve surrounded yourself with? Do you cover your ears?

It’s natural to want to believe the best about people, but God’s Word reminds you to consistently be on guard in the area of relationships. If someone raises a red flag, even if it’s your mom, pray and ask the Lord to help you determine if the relationship will help you grow in your spiritual journey or pull you down. Loving someone and being nice to others is always a good thing, but the people you choose as close friends and as a boyfriend will affect your future.

Today’s App: Do you have a gut feeling that suggests you need to be cautious in a particular friendship? Do your friends make you a better person? Don’t risk being involved in bad relationships. Be satisfied and secure in the relationship you have with your heavenly Father, and ask Him to give you the strength needed to make the right choices.

My Thoughts 

Today is filled with apps and iPod.   Electronic devices are thriving in the hands of teenagers.    But how is their spiritual life?   The authors behind this little book has decided to convert the devotions into spiritual apps for teen girls.   It is a very creative way of adapting to the electronic age of the 21st century.

The devotions are broken up into four sections based on the acronym G-I-R-L.

G => God where the teen will look at questions like “Who is God?”, “Why is it important for me to connect with Him?”, “How can I rely on Him?”.

I => Identity where your girl will discover how God sees her compare to how the world sees her.

R => Relationships where she will learn how to have meaningful, godly relationships and how to respect authority figures.

L => Life is where she will learn to deal with decisions made as well as words said.

Each devotion starts with a question as well as a Scripture reference.   Then the teen has to read the devotion before getting into a reflection section called the Today’s app.    This section will ask questions and encourage your daughter to search around and deep within her.    There is also a suggestion of action sometimes.   

Part of me wishes that there would be a prayer at the end of each little devotions.    I think it would make this book a little more complete.   This book contains 138 devotions for your teen to go through.    Personally I would prefer a book that contains devotions for the complete year but I guess that the teen can always pick up another small devotion book for the rest of the year.

God, Girls, and Getting Connected is available at your favorite bookstore, even amazon.ca.