Reaching Teens through New Book

When I set out to write Tools 4 Teens- my first book ever- I jumped in “Kelly-style”- head first and full-throttle. I was determined to knock down every door possible to get a realistic picture of teen life today. I had some idea of what I would find on the other side, right? I was a teen once and thought the issues haven’t changed THAT much. YIKES!

I discovered that not only are there NEW issues facing today’s teen but the old ones still remain and are intensified- the bar raised to a new level.

I will always wonder what the room of defendants and parents must have thought of the stranger who sat in the witness stand to capture the heart and feel of a real juvenile courtroom. I fought back tears by staring at my notebook filled with the names of teens who had gone before the judge. I almost ran from the courtroom in an effort to get to my computer quicker so I could begin my writing. Those teens needed help- big time. The most amazing part for me was that I KNEW I had something that WOULD make a difference in their lives!

While I have met some amazing teens and parents who are walking a Godly path, I also discovered a entire population of lost teens. As each day passed, my pace quickened as I felt an urgency to help…NOW. I realized that many people, myself included, walk through life with blinders on, only seeing what is in front of them. It is when we remove those blinders that we understand the full picture of what is happening to our youth today. I think reality is really tough to face.

It is no surprise that my intensity played out in my writing. Tools 4 Teens is a “OH MY GOSH…..WE HAVE TO DO SOMETHING…..LIKE, RIGHT NOW…approach. I wanted to share all this knowledge I had collected so they could begin living a new life- the one God intended for them. All the faces, stories, great advice and scripture I heard were compiled in my mind and notebook. My desire to reach teens with God’s love and power ignited a passion in me I never experienced before.

Having just turned in the manuscript for the Second Edition of Tools 4 Teens, I feel that same conviction again because I KNOW how many teens lives are about to be impacted by this book. To me, there is no greater gift than to make a difference in the life of a teenager…whether it is my own or someone else’s. In the end, none of these teens are our own. They each belong to God and He has entrusted us ALL to love them and guide them through this life- so they can spend eternity right next to Him.