Kristen Hatton is a native Texan now putting roots down in Edmond, OK with her church-planter/pastor husband and their three children. With a public relations background from Southern Methodist University, Kristen has a wide array of professional experiences, none of which she counts as important as the job of being a "present" mom. Through leading a small group Bible study of teenagers, she has discovered her passion for teaching and writing about God's grace.
My Review:
Get Your Story Straight is a 52-week devotional for teens and young adults. It aims to help young Christians live Gospel-focused, Christ-centered lives. The author wants to steer teens away from performance-focused, self-centered living toward the beautiful story of the Gospel. Jesus is the Hero/Main Character of the story, not us. This book is unlike many teen devotionals that try to be hip and cool or culture-relevant but shallow in their messages. It starts from the beginning with creation in Genesis and unfolds the wonder of the gospel through Old Testament and New Testament passages. You will see what the gospel is all about, how the whole Bible points to Jesus, who Jesus is, and why we desperately need Him. This devotional will also teach teens an inductive Bible study method which involves 3 steps: observation (what the Scripture passage says/reveals), interpretation (what the passage means in context), and application (how you can apply what you have learned from the passage in your life).
The book is divided into 3 parts: Getting the Story Straight (Chapters 1-18), My Life Mixed into the Story (Chapters 19-35), and The Story in Me Lived Out with Others (Chapters 36-52). Each part begins with a Bible verse for memorization. Each week's devotion consists of Day One: Straight from the Word, Day Two: The Word Applied, Day Three: Straight to My Heart, Day Four: Word and Deed, and Day Five: Journaling and Prayer. Each day's devotion has questions or instructions and blank space for readers to write down answers, questions, and thoughts. I personally love journaling while reading/studying the Bible each day. It's a great way to let God's Word sink in our heart and mind. I'm so glad that the author does not sugar-coat anything and presents the gospel message in an easy but effective way that teens can understand and realize its impact. I also really like all the thought-provoking questions that will help readers reflect & respond and draw them to dig deeper into God's Word. The book covers many important topics such as justification, identity, purpose, grace, freedom, idolatry, worry, faith, endurance, church, friendship, forgiveness, repentance, discipleship, and more.
I highly recommend this challenging, inspiring, & insightful devotional to any teens, especially the ones who enjoy journaling. It can be used for either individual study or small group study. This book would make a wonderful Christmas gift for teens in your life. It can help them grow spiritually more mature and experience the transforming power of the grace-filled gospel in their lives.
~I received a copy of this book via Litfuse Publicity in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own. To read other reviews, please visit here.
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