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Resources: Teens

Resources:

Teens

Find Focus on the Family broadcasts, best-in-class books,
referral recommendations, and more.

Books

The 10 Commandments of Dating by Ben Young and Sam Adams 
Find time-tested strategies for avoiding the pitfalls of dating while creating healthy relationships with others.

And the Bride Wore White by Dannah Gresh (not currently available through Focus on the Family)
“Seven Secrets to Sexual Purity”

Backwards Beauty by Jessie Minassian
“How to Feel Ugly in 10 Simple Steps”

Be the Change by Zach Hunter (not currently available through Focus on the Family)
“Your Guide to Freeing Slaves & Changing the World.”

Boom by Michael Ross (not currently available through Focus on the Family) 
“A Guy’s Guide to Growing Up”

Chiseled by Shaun Blakeney and Marcus Brotherton (not currently available through Focus on the Family)
“A Young Man’s Guide to Shaping Character, True Toughness and a Life That Matters”

Crushed by Jessie Minassian (not currently available through Focus on the Family)
“Why Guys Don’t Have to Make or Break You”

Do Hard Things: A Teenage Rebellion Against Low Expectations by Alex and Brett Harris 
Adolescence isn’t a vacation from responsibility. The Harrises weave together biblical insights, history, and modern examples to map out ways teens can engage in personal and social change.

Don’t Check Your Brains at the Door by Josh McDowell and Bob Hostetler 
“Know What You Believe and Why”

Eyes Wide Open by Brienne Murk (not currently available through Focus on the Family)
“Avoiding the Heartbreak of Emotional Promiscuity”

Generation Change: Roll Up Your Sleeves and Change the World by Zach Hunter (not currently available through Focus on the Family)
The teens you’ll read about are feeding the hungry, providing clean water for the thirsty, clothing the poor, housing the homeless, and taking the Bible to new people. Discover your passion, and learn tangible ways to change your world!

Get Lost by Dannah Gresh (not currently available through Focus on the Family)
“Your Guide to Finding True Love”

How to Stay Christian In High School by Steve Gerali 
It’s tough being a Christian in today’s high school environment—but it’s worth it. Learn how teens in the Bible also faced monumental issues, and be encouraged by their examples.

Inside a Cutter’s Mind by Jerusha Clark and Dr. Earl Henslin
“Understanding and Helping Those Who Self-Injure”

Life, in Spite of Me: Extraordinary Hope After a Fatal Choice by Kristen Anderson (not currently available through Focus on the Family)
Telling her survival of a suicide attempt in which a train severed her legs, Anderson shares how her faith in God helped her overcome depression and the challenges of permanent physical disability.

Life on the Edge by Dr. James Dobson 
“The Next Generation’s Guide to a Meaningful Future”

Live Fearless by Sadie Robertson 
“A Call to Power, Passion, and Purpose”

Live Original by Sadie Robertson 
“How the Duck Commander Teen Keeps It Real and Stays True to Her Values”   

Love, Sex, and God: Boys’ Edition by Bill Ameiss and Jane Graver (not currently available through Focus on the Family)

Love, Sex, and God: Girls’ Edition by Bill Ameiss and Jane Graver (2008) 

Made to Crave for Young Women by Lysa TerKeurst and Shaunti Feldhahn
“Satisfying Your Deepest Desires With God”

No More Bullies: For Those Who Wound or Are Wounded by Frank Peretti 
Peretti shares of growing up different and the persecution he suffered because of it. Learn how all of us—bullies and victims alike—can find healing and forgiveness from the hurt of bullying.

Praying for Your Future Husband by Robin Jones Gunn and Tricia Goyer (not currently available through Focus on the Family)
“Preparing Your Heart for His”

Preparing for Adolescence by Dr. James Dobson 
“How to Survive the Coming Years of Change”

Secret Keeper: The Delicate Power of Modesty by Dannah Gresh (not currently available through Focus on the Family)
You can dress well while preserving modesty.

Start Here: Doing Hard Things Right Where You Are by Alex Harris and Brett Harris (not currently available through Focus on the Family)
Overcome common hurdles. Learn to inspire others, stay motivated, find your passions, and more!

Teen Mom: You’re Stronger Than You Think by Tricia Goyer 
Sharing from her own journey as a teen mom—and now as a coordinator of a teen mom support group—Goyer helps you remember that God is your strength. He won’t leave you to figure this out on your own.

Thriving at College by Alex Chediak
“Make Great Friends, Keep Your Faith, and Get Ready for the Real World”

The Ultimate Girls’ Body Book by Dr. Walt Larimore and Dr. Amaryllis Sanchez Wohlever 
“Not-So-Silly Questions About Your Body”

The Ultimate Guys’ Body Book by Dr. Walt Larimore 
“Not-So-Stupid Questions About Your Body”

Unashamed: Overcoming the Sins No Girl Wants to Talk About by Jessie Minassian (not currently available through Focus on the Family)
Whether you struggle with eating disorders, physical boundaries, or more, there is help and hope in Christ.

What Are You Waiting For? The One Thing No One Ever Tells You About Sex by Dannah Gresh (not currently available through Focus on the Family)
Are you a young woman age 16 or older longing for true love? Gresh answers questions about intimacy by confronting the wrong ideas in our culture and explaining why a casual attitude toward sex results in pain and disappointment.

When Young Men Are Tempted by Bill Perkins and Randy Southern “Sexual Purity for Guys in the Real World”


Magazine

Brio magazine from Focus on the Family (ages 13–17)
This magazine for teen girls offers faith-based articles, music and entertainment features, and DIY tips.

Catapulting Over a Painful Past (Kim Hamilton Anthony) 
As a teen, Kim didn’t fit the typical mold of a gymnast. But having already survived a difficult childhood, she wasn’t about to give up. She sought deeper meaning to her life—and found it in a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.

The Challenges of College Life (Dr. Sandra Gray, Dr. D. Michael Lindsay, Dr. Pete Menjares) 
College presidents share their perspectives on common challenges facing students. They discuss the dangers that exist for new college students, as well as positive opportunities for making a successful transition.

Discerning God’s Will While in College (Dr. Kneeland Brown, Esther Fleece) 
Many high school graduates begin questioning their faith during the college years. But knowing how to discern God’s will and having a solid Christian worldview beforehand can help prepare you for that new season.

Finding Hope After My Darkest Day (Kristen Anderson) 
Anderson shares her testimony of surviving being run over by a train in a suicide attempt—losing her legs in the process. She tells of the aftermath and coming to faith in Christ, and she talks about what parents can do to reach out to a depressed teen.

Getting Lost in God’s Love  (Dannah Gresh)
Sharing personal stories and examples from others, Gresh encourages young women to learn the importance of getting lost in God’s love and finding fulfillment in Him before even considering a relationship with a young man.

Helping Teens Redirect Their Cravings Toward God (Shaunti Feldhahn, Lysa TerKeurst)
We sometimes crave things that aren’t healthy or don’t have lasting positive influence. Feldhahn and TerKeurst help teens discover how to direct emotional, physical, and material cravings toward God and find value and self-worth in Him.

Hope for Teen Moms (John and Tricia Goyer)
By the time Tricia graduated from high school, she’d experienced an abortion and given birth to a baby boy. Hear her message of Christ’s hope to pregnant teens and their parents—and be encouraged to pursue God’s plan for your circumstances.

Living With Authenticity (Sadie Robertson)
Robertson explains how she has remained true to her Christian values despite pressures that come with a career in the public spotlight. 

Love Healed My Wounds (Dave Roever) 
Roever was badly disfigured when a grenade exploded in his hand during the Vietnam War. He encourages teens to hold on through hard times, to not throw their lives away with alcohol and drugs, and to stand strong for what they believe.

PluggedIn
This site contains in-depth critiques of music, movies, TV shows, and games from a Christian viewpoint.

Q&As

Resource Lists

Focus on the Family Counseling Consultation Line
If you need someone to talk to, Focus on the Family offers a free phone counseling consultation with a licensed or pastoral counselor. Call 1-855-771-HELP (4357), Monday through Friday, 6:00 AM to 8:00 PM (MT). 

Focus on the Family’s Christian Counselor Network
Search for licensed Christian counselors in your area.

The HopeLine
This comprehensive youth resource ministry hosts a national radio show and offers help to hurting teens.

Josh McDowell Ministry
This organization equips believers to better understand their faith and share it with others.

Summit Ministries
Summit is a Christian leadership training center that helps teens and young adults learn how their faith relates to their everyday lives and how to develop a biblical worldview.

Youth Specialties
Youth Specialties offer an annual resource seminar for youth workers, as well as extensive resource catalogs.