Last Saturday night, my daughter and I watched former American Idol contestant Brooke White star in her first-ever acting role in the TV-movie, Change of Plans. Talk about great family television! This was a wonderful movie that my daughter and I enjoyed very much. (And we look forward to seeing Brooke in more acting roles in the future).
I just came across this contest and wanted to share it with you because it offers a great opportunity for not only you, but your kids. Check it out:
Who says TV can’t help teach our kids? Moms4FamilyTV has developed its first essay contest to help promote the principles of understanding, self-improvement and empathy. The competition coincides with two new family movies that highlight life-changing events, A Walk In My Shoes (December 3rd on NBC) and Change of Plans (January 8th on FOX). Participants are encouraged to watch these movies to gain further perspective on how unexpected life events can teach us valuable lessons, and then share there own experiences in 300 words or less.
It can be difficult for teenagers to understand how Jesus’ words hundreds of years ago relate to their lives today. To help teens dig deeper, bestselling author Melody Carlson releases Always, a devotional for teens that focuses specifically on helping teenagers take the teachings of Christ and apply those to their own lives, actions, thoughts and faith.
With 90 days’ worth of devotional readings in Always, Carlson takes key passages of Christ’s teachings, commands and promises from Scripture, and unlocks them, verse-by-verse for teens.
My Thoughts:
I snatched up the opportunity to review this teen devotional, published by Revell. Not only am I a fan of Melody Carlson, but I have a teenage daughter and I am constantly on the hunt for good reading material for her. Because my daughter loves the Lord and is always looking for ways to put her faith into action (I'm so proud of her!), when I read the back cover copy of Always: A Teen Devotional, it sounded like a wonderful book to feed and challenge my daughter's Christian walk.
This is a 90-day devotional that explores the words of Jesus. How cool is that? Each daily reading begins with "Words from the Rock," a specific quote from Jesus. This is followed by a 1 page devotional, a brief prayer, and a Final Word scripture that corresponds with the words Jesus spoke. Each page also includes a Stone for the Journey, which is one sentence that sums up the devotional and is an easy-to remember takeaway. (A couple examples are: "Being connected to Jesus brings life" and "My wounds draw me closer to Jesus").
As always, Melody presents her messages in a clear, easy-to-understand manner that brings God's Word to life. Specifically, she reveals that Jesus's words were not only directed towards the people in Bible times, but shows how they distinctly affect the lives of teenagers today, in regards to family, school, friends, dating relationships, and more.
A few of the titles include:
Sacrificial Love
Perceptions
Stay in Love
Spiritual Family
Pain to Joy
Best of Both Worlds
Prayer Power
Change is Good
Although the description for this devotional indicates it's more for high school age, it's my opinion that many of the devotionals can easily be understood by junior high students. I look forward to hearing my daughter's thoughts on each daily topic and discussing the impact that Jesus's words have on her life. ______________________________________________
Melody Carlsonis the award-winning author of over two hundred books, several of them Christmas novellas from Revell, including her much-loved and bestselling book,The Christmas Bus. She also writes many teen books, includingJust Another Girl,Anything but Normal, the Diary of a Teenage Girl series, the TrueColors series, and the Carter House Girls series. Melody was nominated for aRomantic TimesCareer Achievement Award in the inspirational market for her books, including the Notes from a Spinning Planet series andFinding Alice, which is in production as a Lifetime Television movie. She and her husband serve on the Young Life adult committee in central Oregon. Visit Melody's website at www.melodycarlson.com.
*Always: A Teen Devotional available October, 2010 at your favorite Christian bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing.*
Thanks to Revell for providing me with a complimentary copy of this book to review. I was not required to write a positive review - the thoughts and opinions expressed were my own.
Through 40 devotions, author Sheri Rose Shepherd brings biblical insights to some of the greatest hardships teen girls face. Honestly addressing tough topics like perfectionism, gossip, depression, eating disorders and dating, Shepherd helps readers understand these dilemmas on a spiritual level. She strips away the lies surrounding each issue to expose God’s encouraging truth about how he sees each of us and what he desires from each of us.
Each devotion reading includes a story from Shepherd’s own life that shares how God has transformed her life and brought her through painful struggles. Shepherd also couples the readings with specific Scripture as well as a love letter from God, a biblically-based note filled with thekind of encouragement that God might say if he were to write a letter to the reader.
My thoughts:
My first thought as I started reading: "Wow. I wish this book was around when I was a teenager."
This devotional book is the most recent in The Princess series by author Sheri Shepherd. I have not read the others, but what an important message this author is conveying. Women have always struggled with self-esteem and knowing who they are in Christ. This teen edition, His Princess: Girl Talk with God, contains 40 devotionals that deal with specific topics teenagers and young women face today (body image, friendship, dating, sex, sharing their faith, gossip, etc.), while driving home the point that God sees them as royalty.
The devotions are very short, which is perfect for girls who want to dig into God's Word but only have maybe 5 or 10 minutes to do so before school in the morning. The topics are real and relevant and give girls something to chew on all day. Each devotional ends with a brief "love letter from God" that opens with To my beautiful daughter and ends with Your Daddy in heaven. The letters are tender, straight-forward, and completely backed up with scripture. The corresponding Bible verse is also included.
While my first thought was that I wished this book was around when I was younger, my last thought was: "I'm so glad this book is around now for my teenage daughter."
I can't wait to share it with her and use it as a launching pad for deep and meaningful discussion.
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Sheri Rose is a woman who can relate to almost any woman’s battle. This former Mrs. United States grew up in a dysfunctional home and was severely overweight as a teen. As a young woman, she battled depression and an eating disorder. She understands the pain that comes from a broken home and she knows what it means to fight for freedom from your past.
In spite of an English teacher telling her she was “born to lose” and a learning disorder—Dyslexia—Sheri Rose has (in God’s strength) become a Best Selling Author, with more than One Million books sold, and her latest book, won the 2010 Retailers Choice Non-Fiction Book of the Year. Her Teaching was named the #1 Show of the Year on the Focus on the Family Broadcast and her life story has been featured on Lifetime Television and the Notional Billy Graham Telecast
Sheri Rose has been speaking at churches and women’s retreats for 15 years; she has a very refreshing way of bringing the Word of God to life. She knows how to renew the Eternal Hope in our hearts. Her speaking style is humorous, heartwarming and inspires every one to make their life count for eternity. She loves speaking at women’s retreats of any size and currently is on theExtraordinary Women’s Tour with: Chonda Pierce, Angela Thomas, Karen Kingsbury, Mercy Me, Matthew West and Jeremy Camp.
Her Joy for the Lord, humorous heart-warming stories mixed with truth and transparency renews our Faith by reminding us how much we are truly loved and adored by our Father in heaven. Once you heard Sheri Rose speak you will never again doubt that you are…“God’s Chosen Princess”… here for a divine purpose!
*Available July 2010 at your favorite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group.*
Thanks to Revell for providing me with a complimentary copy of this book to review. I was not required to write a positive review - the thoughts and opinions expressed were my own.
Daisy Crispin has 196 days to find the right date for the prom. There's only one problem--her parents won't let her date or even talk to a guy on the phone. Oh, and she's totally invisible at school, wears lame homemade clothes, and possesses no social skills. Okay, so maybe there's more than one problem.
Can she talk her parents into letting her go to the prom? Or will they succeed at their obvious attempts to completely ruin her life?
Perfectly Dateless is hilarious, shocking, and totally real. You'll fall in love with Daisy's sharp wit and resourcefulness as she navigates the world of boys, fashion, family, and friendship.
My thoughts:
I first fell in love with Kristin Billerbeck's writing several years ago when I read What a Girl Wants. Because I enjoy this author and I love teen fiction (maybe because I still am one at heart), I had high expectations with this novel. And I am happy to say, I was not disappointed. I'll even go one step further and say I totally loved this book!
As mentioned in the blurb, Daisy Crispin's #1 goal her senior year is to find a prom date. She even keeps a Prom Journal to track her progress. But there are a few obstacles along the way, such as her practically invisible status at school and, of course, her eccentric and borderline fundamentalist parents who believe in courtship and won't permit her to date.
Daisy is easy to like. She is basically a good Christian girl who knows right from wrong but is frustrated with her parents inability to see her for who she is instead of trying to mold her into who they think she should be. This causes not only frustration, but some poor choices on Daisy's part. But, these choices come with consequences, which Daisy ultimately has to face.
The writing is wonderfully crisp and witty. Each character is so well crafted, from Daisy to her parents, to Daisy's best friend Claire, to all of the other minor supporting characters we meet along the way (Daisy's boss, fellow students, and "love interests"). The storyline was fast-paced and clever, and never did I feel a "lull."
A few themes and messages are woven throughout, pertaining to perfectionism, priorities, consequences of choices, and the importance of a healthy parent/child relationship. Every aspect and loose end was wrapped up nicely, but I certainly wouldn't mind seeing a sequel to this book, possibly from best friend Claire's point of view.
Definitely saving this one for my daughter to read in another year or two (she's now 13), but it's a great read for both teens and parents, alike. *“Available July 2010 at your favorite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group.”
**Thanks to Revell for providing me with a copy of this book to review. A positive review was not required and all thoughts are my own.** ______________________________________________
Kristin Billerbeck is the author of more than 30 novels, including "What a Girl Wants" and the Ashley Stockingdale and Spa Girls Series. She is a fourth-generation Californian, who loves her state and the writing fodder it provides. Learn more at www.KristinBillerbeck.com
So did you take a moment to check out Clash Entertainment? I hope so, because it's an excellent resource for teens! This is a site you can pass along to your kids without fear of inappropriate content or messages being relayed. I encourage you, if you haven't already, to browse the site for yourself.
In keeping with the Teen theme, I'm posting my first Booksneeze.com review (more information on Booksneeze can be found HERE).
I chose to review Revolve 2010 - The Complete New Testament. My biggest reason for selecting this book is because I have an almost-13-year-old and this is right up her alley. Published by Thomas Nelson, Revolve provides the entire New Testament Bible in a magazine-style format. The best part of this Biblezine is that it contains all the stuff that teen girls love, such as:
Quizzes like "Are you a talkaholic?" and "What's your learning style?"
Interviews with popular entertainment celebrities like Jordin Sparks and Corbin Bleu
Stories of real teens with real faith
Guy Talk - girls can find out how and what guys actually think!
Clips and blurbs that contain questions to ponder, verses to reflect on, and real-life scenarios to consider.
Tips on beauty, fashion, and boys!
This 280-page book is packed with photos, and the layout is organized and colorful. Sections of the chapters are broken up by bold headings and each verse is numbered. Finding and reading scripture has never been so fun! A new issue is published every year, keeping the content fresh and relevant.
I can't wait for my daughter to discover everything this Biblezine has to offer. She will not only be able to stay immersed in the Word, but will be able to take it one step deeper with the extras that challenge her faith and make her think about life, love, and God in a fresh and more profound way.
Retails for $16.99 and is available at your local Christian bookstore.
Thanks to Thomas Nelson for providing me with a complimentary copy of this book to review. I was not required to write a positive review - the thoughts and opinions expressed were my own.
Today, I'm taking a little hiatus from writing about writing. If you have teenagers (or know any), you'll be very interested in this post.
Award-winning author Deb Raney's husband, Ken, recently launched a new entertainment website for teens, called Clash Entertainment (cool name, or what?) This is a fully loaded website featuring information, news, and reviews on the stuff your teens are interested in: movies, TV, books, music, career, style, games, comics, and sports. There are cool links to check out, contests, a section on The Word, and even an interactive section for teens to post their thoughts on a particular topic.
Ken has done a marvelous job with the layout. Colorfully pleasant to the eye and very easy to navigate. The only negative thing I can say is that it will be hard to find the time to take in everything there is to see! As a mom with two teens, I absolutely love this site and am excited to introduce it to them and see what God will do with this extensive new resource for today's teen.
To learn more about Clashentertainment.com, take a few moments to read this interview with Ken Raney:
An Interview with Clash Entertainment, Inc. President, Ken Raney
February 24, 2010, Wichita, KS – ClashEntertainment.com (an entertainment website for Christian teens) has been up and running officially for nearly one month. The following interview was conducted with Clash President, Ken Raney.
The Lord, is the short answer. One year ago this month, I was laid off from the job I'd held for 25 years and assumed I'd retire at, as advertising manager of a manufacturing firm. As I started exploring other job possibilities––of which there were few––I felt the Lord leading me in the direction of starting a website for teens. I didn't have a clue how it would all come together or how it could become a paying job for me, but that "still small voice" never left, and eventually things came together with the financing and other details that I was able to take the plunge and start building the site. As I did that, I was amazed at how all the skills I've picked up over the years––in art, advertising, organization, management, etc.––all came together to make this venture possible. I'm not sure I had the skills and know-how to have done this even ten years ago. It's been an amazing journey, and frankly, we don't know yet how it will end.
What are your goals with Clash Entertainment?
First and foremost, we strive to provide teenagers with access to excellent informative and enlightening entertainment media that will, at the least, not undermine their faith, and that at its best, will be edifying. Second, we want to provide Christian creatives with an outlet for using their gifts of music, film, writing, art, and all kinds of other areas, for the Lord and His Kingdom. And third, we want to provide Christian publishers and production companies with access to the teen market, something that has been very elusive in the past. We believe that soon the window of opportunity will be flung wide open and we will see an explosion of excellent entertainment media for teens.
Is your background in working with teens?
Well, my wife and I have raised four teenagers, so in that sense, I have a pretty strong background. Deb and I also have taught Sunday School and served as youth leaders in several churches we've attended over the years, and I've coached teens and pre-teens in basketball, so working with youth is something I've been interested in ever since I became a dad.
Is this a full-time job for you, or a sideline?
Besides Clash Entertainment, I also run Clash Creative, a company that produces graphic novels and comic books for the Christian market. Currently we're working with The Voice of the Martyrs and Kingstone Media Group to produce two books for teens on the life stories of martyrs. Right now, Clash Creative is the money-making arm of Clash. And yes, between the two Clashes, it's not only full-time, but overtime. Fortunately, I am having a blast, so I don't mind the long hours, plus I get to work from home, which is a real blessing.
What kind of response have you gotten from teens about the website?
Everyone who sees the website seems to think it is "awesome." Teens––and adults, too (we have a lot of youth pastors and youth leaders visiting the site) have commented that they're surprised they can spend an hour or more on Clash and still not see everything that's there to see.
What has been the biggest challenge in starting up a website like this?
The first challenge was convincing my wife that this was a good idea! Now that the details have been worked out, we both feel strongly that we're following the Lord's leading, but it wasn't an easy decision, and we won't know for a while whether or not we can make it financially with Clash. We're trusting God to provide day by day, and in our 35 years of marriage, he's never once let us down.
Have there been any surprises? Things you didn't expect to encounter?
I suppose the most surprising thing––and it shouldn't be a surprise––is the way the Lord has provided everything we've needed just when we needed it. We've actually had people contact us offering a variety of the content you see on the site. I remember saying to my wife one day, "what I need next is someone who can review movies before they hit the theaters,” and next thing you know I'm talking to Phil Boatwright, who supplies us with some of the great reviews you'll read on Clash! It's been incredible!
You have four kids of your own. What do they think of the site?
All four of our kids have not only been incredibly supportive and helpful, brainstorming ideas and offering feedback on the content of the website, but they've contributed in various other ways. Our oldest daughter writes articles for the Style section, and our youngest daughter has spent hours inputting content, adding new links to the site, etc. Our son-in-law and daughter-in-law have done interviews for the Career section, and Deb's niece has provided illustrations for the Style section. It's become a real family affair, and we're grateful for the talents they've contributed to make the site what it is.
What’s next for ClashEntertainment.com?
All our efforts right now are going to attracting as many visitors to the site as possible. We need to do this to be able to attract advertisers, so we can pay the bills. If you know of teenagers, youth leaders, and youth pastors who have not heard about the site, it would be great if you could let them know.
About ClashEntertainment.com
ClashEntertainment.com is an entertainment/portal web site designed to be so rich and deep with entertaining media, that teens will want to visit, and stay for sustained periods of time. The site is updated daily with fresh content that includes news, reviews, interviews, comics, music, videos, games, sports, career information, and more. There also is a huge list of links to other Christian websites of interest to teens.
The name Clash comes from Ephesians 6:12, "For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places." NLT
