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No issue is taboo for How to Help Your Hurting Friend, a frank and valuable handbook of practical advice for today’s teenage girls.Previously published as Help! My Friend Is Hurting Susie Shellenberger—author and teen advocate—addresses the most vital, personal, and life-challenging issues in young women’s lives. Presented in handbook form, this biblically-based, relevant, and contemporary-focused book empowers girls to salvage and maybe even save the lives of friends. She addresses such things as self-cutting and sexual abuse in a no-nonsense way and no advice is ever vague. This classic book for teenage girls distills the wisdom of the Bible and combines it with the wisdom of many experienced and anointed counselors.How to Help Your Hurting Friend:This is a reissued edition of Help! My Friend Is Hurting.Has a new format including sidebars and intriguing illustrations.Is a great resource for teens, young adults, and parents alikeIncludes commentary on today’s challenges, advice, and a section of letters to the author with helpful, relevant responses.

What is going on inside guys’ heads? Why do things often seem easier for them in society? And what can we young women do to understand them better—and help them understand us? This book looks to give insight into those questions and more, using proven biological information and social findings, and a little humor, to explore just what is up with the teen boys in your life.They don’t always bathe when they should. Or they seemingly spend all their time with friends hitting each other and having weird contests. Deep down, we like them, but boys can be hard to comprehend sometimes. Especially when our culture seems to value the male gender more than our female counterpart. Thankfully, experienced author and youth leader Crystal Kirgiss has done some research and has answers to the questions you’ve often asked about the guys in your life. Going beyond stereotypes and looking at the real facts—from the biological to the social to even the biblical—What’s Up with Boys? will help you understand, appreciate, respect, and accept guys as they are … and give you straight-forward information to help them do the same when it comes to you.What’s Up with Boys: contains honest comments from girls like you, taken from thousands of interviews and surveysbreaks down erroneous stereotypes—both the ones we have about guys and the ones they have about uslooks at what is actually different between men and women, and why those things should or should not matter when it comes to how we treat each other in relationships and in societyis an easy-to-digest guide packed with information

When you hear the word disciple, you may envision people who spend all day praying and converting the masses. Or individuals who have a natural holiness deep inside. The truth is, being a follower of Jesus isn’t a job for the perfect or the Christian elite—it’s something anyone can and should be. (And even the original twelve disciples were far from perfect!) This thirty-day devotional looks at the traits real, very humandisciples have, using Scripture, first-person comments from teens, and questions that help you think about your own disciple experiences.When you think of Peter, John, Matthew, and even Paul, they seem to be heroes for Jesus—the ones we’re supposed to emulate and be more like. After all, Jesus handpicked them to be his followers and ambassadors on earth, and trusted them with everything when he left, so they must have been really holy men, right?But if you read the Gospels and Acts closely, you’ll notice the men Jesus called into his ministry were often clueless, selfish, afraid, and brash, and made a lot of mistakes during their time as disciples. In other words, they were very human. Just like you. This 30-day devotional peels back the holy veneer and explores the character traits that mark all disciples—things like fear, boldness, doubt, laziness, weakness, sensitivity, brokenness, alienation, hunger, immaturity, strength, and preparedness—and uses Scripture, real-world examples, and questions with space to journal to help you see these “negative” qualities actually qualify you to follow Jesus. Because discipleship isn’t something from the first century, and Jesus is calling you to follow him today.Devotion:can be used for personal study or in a group settingis ideal for teens and young adultscontains short readings, with full Scripture passages included, that you can take with you anywherebreaks down the real truth behind Scripture to show how it applies to your life today

This is not your typical birds-and-the bees discussion. Inside this book is an exploration of the real questions you have about sex and your sexuality—all the ones you’re too afraid to ask out loud (especially to your parents. Shudder.). Drawn from actual questions and with totally honest answers about what is and isn’t okay to look at, think about, and do, this book breaks down what God really has to say about keeping your clothes on.Let’s face it, the sex talk you got and the messages you hear at church aren’t always that helpful when it comes to what is really going through your mind (or bothering you elsewhere) in real life. And asking those questions is not exactly easy when you want a real answer instead of, “You’ll go blind.” But in these pages, no topic is off-limits, and the answers you’ll see are a real discussion of what you want to know (and exactly what the Bible does and does not say on the topic), or even what it means if you’ve already experimented. From pre-marital sex to masturbation to the temptations of porn and what it means to be a technical virgin—and questions about homosexuality—Questions You Can’t Ask Your Mama About Sex is a go-to handbook for the things you need to know but don’t want to ask out loud.Questions You Can’t Ask Your Mama About Sex:comes from authors with decades of experience on the topics of relationships and sex, who have been featured on The TODAY Show, Good Morning America, The Daily Show, Anderson Cooper 360, as well as in The New York Times and Buzzfeeduses a straight-forward approach to answer over 50 questions teens have askedgoes beyond “how far is too far?” to look at the nuances and real things you wonder about and face—done though straight-forward and honest discussion

Can psychics really see our futures? Do angels really float among us on earth? What about demons? And could the supernatural things that happen on TV and in the movies really occur? Using Barna research and biblical truths, Mark Matlock separates the truths from the lies we are told and helps teens like you avoid the traps that can lead to deception.We all know demogorgons aren’t real, and that evil dolls can’t come to life … but are there elements of the paranormal that are really around us on earth? And if so, what does that mean? In Don’t Buy the Lie, Mark Matlock uses the knowledge he’s gained in his role as a special project analyst and presenter for the Barna Group to present clear principles and intriguing examples that show you how to respond to the supernatural with wisdom, and without being duped. He identifies “thinking traps” that lead to deception, such as letting your emotions take over and convincing yourself something could be real until it seemingly is. And with clarity, he provides biblical answers to frequently asked questions about such things as miracles, angels, demons, and psychic abilities.Don’t Buy the Lie:looks at both the spiritual and “secular” sides of the supernatural to show what is real and what is falsehelps develop discernment when it comes to things you might encountercompares the supernatural claims in our world today with what was happening in the early church to present a biblical perspectivecontains real research and feedback from teens on each topic

Money. Fame. Relationships. Knowledge. Having all these things—or even one—would make you happy, right? Well, maybe for a second. At least that’s what King Solomon learned—and he tried all those things on a HUGE scale and still wasn’t content. In fact, chasing those ideas and getting what he wanted actually made him more depressed. So what are we supposed to do if the wisest man in history couldn’t make those things work? Thankfully, Solomon left us a whole book of his trials and errors. Maybe you’ve looked at other people’s lives and thought, “If only I had that, my life would be perfect.” The problem is, those same people are asking the same question when they come across someone else. Even the wisest man in the world, Solomon, struggled with it. In Living a Life that Matters, author and “wisdom expert” Mark Matlock unpacks Solomon’s big “If only” questions on happiness in the book of Ecclesiastes to connect his timeless questions to yours, and explores what really makes a perfect life. Living a Life That Matters lets you gaze over Solomon’s shoulder as he indulges every pleasure, exercises every power, and emerges with a radical conclusion about how to live. You’ll also find ways that his search for meaning connects with yours today and how your story can connect with your friends’ as they seek meaning in the world.Living a Life that Matters:makes the book of Ecclesiastes relevant to teens’ lives—and also easy to understandcontains contemporary examples from pop culture and everyday lifeexplores what it means to live in the world today, as well as the real issue of depression and its effects

Let’s face it—continuing to find a good source of daily devotions, let alone being focused enough for real spiritual refreshment, is almost impossible. But we all know time with God is important. The good news is, there is a way to work true connection with God into your daily life; you just need a Bible, twenty minutes a day, and a quiet place to practice lectio divina, which is rereading a passage of Scripture over and over so God can speak to you through it. And Enjoy the Silence is the perfect place to learn this amazing practice.Have you ever picked up the Bible and thought, “I’m reading this passage, but it really doesn’t connect with me”? Or tried to start a prayer routine and gradually found yourself sleeping in or watching TV instead because talking to God felt too much like a one-way conversation every time? If so, it’s not because God doesn’t want to speak with you—it’s exactly the opposite. And one way to not only find a personal connection to the Bible but also feel God’s presence is through lectio divina. Enjoy the Silence contains simple exercises that guide you through this ancient process of reading Scripture, meditating on it, listening to what God is telling you, and then responding to the verses or passage you just read. It also contains tips for finding the best places to read and ways to continue your journey into the Bible and with God himself.Enjoy the Silence:contains a 30-day guided reading plan to jumpstart your deeper relationship with Godexplains the process of lectio divina and how to best integrate it into your busy lifehas the day’s Scripture and helpful prompts in one place, so you can simply pick up your device and startis perfect for teens, young adults, and anyone looking for a new devotional experience

This practical look at sexual purity is written directly to teens in a frank, accessible, and totally honest style to help them make decisions for sexual integrity. When Young Men Are Tempted discusses factors surrounding sexual temptation and presents a strategy to encourage and assist young men to lead morally pure lives. Author Bill Perkins offers success stories as well as testimonies of false solutions. Readers will: • Understand why “wrong” things seem so “right” and how sexual appetites get out of control • Learn to filter and deal with the elements of teens’ pop culture work • Find freedom to confront and defeat the demons of sexual compromise, bad habits, and feelings of guilt—breaking addictive cycles • User-friendly ways to make healthy decisions and act on them. • Discover strategies for ongoing victory Upside-down. Turned around. Sound like a typical day for you? invert books meet you where you are—in the twisted, flipped around places in your life. You’ve got so many relationships to focus on—God, others, and even yourself—invert books will help you figure out how to give yourself fully to all of them. invert tackles the difficult topics that are important to you—and will help you turn to focus on God more clearly.

Are you confused about who you are or where you’re headed? Does your life seem cluttered and chaotic? Do you wish you understood God’s plan and purpose for your life? Do you want to uncover your God-given strengths? If you said yes to any of these questions, you’ve come to the right book. The first step is to know who you are. Remember, you’re a child of God—created by him with your own unique heart, abilities, personality, and spiritual gifts. God brought all those elements together in you so that you could serve him and the world in your own unique way. Inside the pages of this book, you’ll discover the place where your God-given passions and strengths intersect, and you’ll find the way you’re designed to serve. With interactive exercises and questions for you to answer, you’ll learn more about your: • Spiritual Gifts • Heart • Abilities • Personality • Experiences Understanding each of these areas of your life, you’ll begin to see who you are and how you’re designed to serve. You’ll stop serving because that’s what you’re “supposed” to do, and start serving from the depths of your heart and soul because it’s what you were created to do.

Who you are and who you want to be don’t always match up. Like most teenage girls, you’ve probably spent lots of time in front of the mirror wondering what you’ll be when you grow up—or dreaming of who you’ll become. Is it a supermodel, an actress, a dancer, or is it a businesswoman, a mom, or even a pastor? Brooklyn Lindsey grew up dreaming of being a supermodel. She even had a chance to do some modeling and became a festival queen. Her experiences taught her a lot about what she did and didn’t want in life. But it wasn’t until she became a youth pastor that she realized God had already set her “supermodel” dream in motion. God had plans for her to be a different kind of “supermodel.” God has a plan for you, too—and it’s probably bigger than anything you could ever imagine. Read along as Brooklyn shares stories of triumph and tragedy as an aspiring model, and learn how your faith and your friends play a significant role in who you are and who you’ll become. In Confessions of a Not-So-Super Model you’ll begin to reshape the way you see yourself and the way you dream. You’ll discover that being a supermodel doesn’t always require fabulous hair and a great figure.

In the Wisdom On … series, you’ll find case studies, personal inventories, interactive activities, and helpful insights from the book of Proverbs, which will show you what wise living looks like. Wisdom On … Friends, Dating, and Relationships shows how wisdom plays a part in nearly every decision we make. In this book students will learn how to gain more wisdom and apply it to every aspect of their relationships—from being a good friend to dating relationships to handling conflict. They’ll find the stories and lessons in this book will help them become wise in their relationships. Wisdom On … Making Good Decisions examines how teens get to make a lot of decisions in their lives— even decisions that can have a big impact on their future. There’s no “magic” formula to getting it right. Making good decisions takes wisdom, and in this book students will learn how to gain more wisdom and put it to use in the choices they make.