My Bookshelf: Get Your Story Straight by Kristen Hatton

        Everyone has a story, but not everyone has their story straight—and teenagers are no exception! Today’s selfie culture fuels ongoing confusion about identity and purpose, and teens are left to assume that they are ultimately responsible to make life work, find meaning, and hope for the best when they mess up. When it’s all about you, it also all up to you. Right?

        Let’s get the story straight. Seven years in the making, Get Your Story Straight is a unique, 52-week devotional book to help teens and young adults discover the incredible news that God really is the hero of their story. Forged out of one Bible study leader’s ongoing quest to see the gospel penetrate the hearts of the teenagers in her small group, Get your Story Straight builds a year’s worth of personal reading and interactive exercises squarely upon the gospel. The three-part book starts with creation and works outward, so teens not only see the unending story of Christ, but also why it matters in their lives. Teens spend a week in one Bible passage—exploring, asking and answering questions, and journaling—to establish the habit of interacting carefully with the Scripture and making life applications.

        This one-of-a-kind devotional book rescues teens from the selfie culture, inviting them to live with Jesus in his gospel story—where they can know that their sins are forgiven, their future is assured, and their lives have meaning.

        I have a confession to make. I haven’t finished this book. But that doesn’t keep me from accurately reviewing it. I really love this non-fic. So why haven’t I finished it, and how can a possibly love an unfinished book? The answer is simple: Kristen Hatton designed Get Your Story Straight to be a one-a-day devotion that lasts for a year, and I haven’t had this book for a year. But it’s obvious that I love it when I’ve added it to my daily devotionals even though it’s mostly designed for teens (okay, okay, maybe I still fall into that category by some standards, but still). By the time I had finished the devotion for day one, I knew I was going to take a year to do this devotional. Because there is simply no other way to get everything out of it without taking your time to get through it.

        I haven’t gotten very far into the book yet (clearly since it will take me a year and I haven’t even had the book for a month) but I know that I am going to learn a lot as I make my way through its pages. It is just so full of substance, all about how God really is the hero of the Bible, and of our stories. It’s about applying Scripture to our lives, and about getting our story straight with God. So far as I can tell, Kristen does an amazing job of relaying her message in a way that is relatable and interesting for teens, and really families of any ages.

        At this point in my reading, I can easily give Get Your Story Straight all five bookshelves, and I know I am looking forward to continuing to enjoy this devotional. I’ll have to give you an update on what all I glean from it by the time I’m finished. Needless to say, I would definitely recommend this book to any family with teens—or anyone in general—who is looking for a good year-long devotional. You cannot go wrong with this one.

        Happy reading!

I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for my honest review.

Linking up at Women with Intention Wednesdays, Thought Provoking Thursday, Bloggers Who Have Inspired Me, and Totally Terrific Tuesdays.

All credit for the italicized synopsis—which I found on Amazon—goes to Kristen Hatton, New Growth Press, and Amazon.