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CherishedBoys, bodies and becoming a girl of goldAdolescent angstCHERISHED This is a short, stylish book aimed at young teenage girls hitting puberty and all that that entails in terms of friendships, relationships, image and temptation. The funky gold cover and short snappy chapters have real appeal, and it is written in such a way that it is like having an older sister natter to you over a cup of tea and some chocolate. I think this book hits the mark in many ways, it brings up subjects and truths which can be a bit too taboo in Christian circles, and applies biblical truths to what God wants for girls, without being too ‘parent-like’ in its approach. It would have appealed to me as a teenager, though as that was a little while ago I asked a teenage friend to read it as well! She felt that it was a really good read and that some of the discussion questions and times for reflection included in it were helpful in thinking through issues. However, we both thought that there was something missing in the book as a whole — and that was a focus on the cross as our motivation to be living as ‘girls of gold’. There is a lot about how God created us and how much he cherishes us, and the gospel is there — but I would have just loved it to be more explicit in being a motivation to live a distinctive and transformed life as a teenage girl. We also felt that it could be clearer on exactly how distinct Christians need to be, especially in the realm of relationships, when hormones are raging and teenagers need clear guidelines as to where the boundaries are. I don’t think there is anything quite like it out on the market today that teenagers would engage with so well. So my recommendation would be to buy this book and read it together as mother and daughter or as youth worker and teenager, giving you a real opportunity to discuss tricky topics that you might avoid otherwise (i.e. sex in detail, STDs, identity and relationships), to bring the gospel to bear on those things and to demonstrate how living out your identity in Christ is totally worth it even for today’s teenagers. Naomi Skull (with the help of Emily), © Evangelicals Now - September 2010 |