Author: Kathie Phillips

{Book Review} and Free Book Giveaway: “The One Year Be-Tween You and God”

Kathie Phillips 7 Comments

My thirteen-year-old daughter, Kennedy, and I recently reviewed Sandra Byrd’s recently released “The One Year Be-Tween You & God”, a devotional for girls ages 9-14.

About the Book

You have questions, some very personal and deep, others lighter and funny.  In this devotional, bestselling teen and tween author Sandra Byrd tackles 365 of those questions with scripturally based answers designed just for today’s girl.  

This devotional is like a personal diary between you and God.  Your questions and God’s answers from Scripture will lead you to a solid faith and deeper relationship with him.

Kennedy’s Thoughts

The outside cover of the book had a really cool design.  I think that is a big hit for girls my age.  Each devotional began with a “Dear God” question that is relevant and age-appropriate for preteen and teen girls like me.  I liked that each devotional had a corresponding scripture and an application prayer at the end.

I felt that the devotional lacked color and was kind of dull in appearance in the inside.  That part is not appealing for girls my age.  I like that while the book has a scripture index, I think that a topical index would help girls find devotions around a topic that they are going through at a given time.

Overall, I think the content is great and would help many girls my age answer questions about God and life in general.

Kathie’s Thoughts

I was thrilled to receive a copy of “The One Year Be-Tween You and God” devotional book for girls.  As a mom of a teenage daughter, I am always on the lookout for great resources to help her grow in her relationship with Christ.

The book contains 365 devotions, one for each day of the year.  Each devotional contains a “Dear God” question (written from the prospective of a “tween”); a “Consider This” devotional thought written by the author; a follow-up question; and a passage of Scripture. The scripture passages were taken from the New Living Translation, which I think makes God’s Word easily understood by preteens and teens.

I think that the majority of “Dear God” questions were age-appropriate.  They covered friendship, self-worth, popularity, fashion/beauty, school, following God and family relationships.  Some, in my opinion, seemed geared towards older teens.  For example, “Dear God, I still feel embarrassed about some stuff I did in the past.  How can I stop thinking about it?”  I’m not sure how much of a past a nine-year-old would have.

I agree with my daughter that it would have been more appealing if the pages were in color instead of black, white and gray.  I also agree that a topical index would allow for more personal application.  Finally, it would have been great if the book included a space for the girls to journal some of their thoughts.

Overall, I think the book is a great option for preteen and early teen girls.  I think it will help girls grapple with their faith and other issues they face during these impressionable years.

I am giving away a free copy of this resource!  You’ll be automatically entered to win when you leave a “Pick Me!” comment along with your name below.  The opportunity to enter ends at 5:00 pm EST on October 31, 2012.  

Tyndale House Publishers provided me a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Now or Later: The Pitfalls of Procrastination

Kathie Phillips 2 Comments

It’s ironic that I’m writing about the pitfalls of procrastination way past my bedtime!  So trust me, I know of what I speak!

Newsflash:  I procrastinate.  Not all of the time but I occasionally put off making that phone call, sending that email, cleaning off my desk…you get my drift.  Sometimes, there’s a good reason (i.e. having more pressing matters to tend to, meetings, and family responsibilities).

But I find that I often procrastinate because I procrastinated!  But there are pitfalls with this pattern.  Here are just a few:

  • More stress.  Kind of goes without saying but putting off things just makes my to-do list longer and a long(er) to-do list makes me overwhelmed.  Very overwhelmed.  And grumpy.
  • Lack of respect. When I procrastinate in responding to an email, for instance, that shows someone how little I value them or what they have to say.  It also lowers my credibility and as a leader, I definitely don’t want to do that.
  • Increased financial cost.  Waiting to order supplies (particularly online) has cost me in extra shipping fees and sometimes a higher sale price.  Definitely a lose-lose situation.
  • Taking for granted that I’ll be able to get to it tomorrow.  The Bible says in James 4:14 (NLT), “How do you know what your life will be like tomorrow?  Your life is like the morning fog–it’s here a little while, then it’s gone.”  Tomorrow is not promised to anyone, so it’s best not to make “I’ll get to it tomorrow” part of our daily vocabulary.

What would you add to the list?  Share your thoughts below.

Dealing with Disappointment in Ministry

Kathie Phillips 2 Comments

Poor attendance for an event that you’ve poured hours into.  Feeling unappreciated.  Being let down.  Broken promises.  Being overlooked.  Feeling stuck.  Not getting your budget increased.  Not having a budget.  Lack of volunteers.  Lack of committed volunteers.  Have you ever dealt with any of these scenarios in your ministry?

Earlier this week, I lamented about a recent disappointment.  The truth is disappointment is a very human emotion, even for leaders.  Even for ministry leaders.  Please hear me:  I am not saying that God isn’t present in the midst of our disappointments.  And in no way am I talking about someone with a constant, complaining spirit.  What I’m talking about is a real human emotion that all of us have felt at one time or another.  Just because we are church leaders doesn’t mean that we don’t feel this very real emotion.

What ministry leaders need to realize is that it’s okay to feel disappointed.  People fail us; we fail people.  While we strive to offer the very best ministry that we can, we will experience shortcomings and unmet expectations.  And that’s okay.

What we have to fight against is believing the lies from the enemy when we allow disappointment to linger.  When we allow Satan’s lies to become truths in our heads, that is where the problems begin.  He will have us believe that we’re worthless; that what we’re doing is pointless; that we’ll never attain the dreams that we have; that God can’t use us; that we’re really not good at what we do because if we were, we’d have “this” or be “that”.

My dear friend, I want you to know that the enemy (Satan) uses those moments for our detriment but God wants to use them for our benefit.  The Bible says, “The thief’s purpose is to steal and kill and destroy.  My (Jesus’) purpose is to give life in all its fullness.” ( John 10:10)

If you are feeling discouraged today about things that aren’t going right in your ministry, talk to God about how you feel.  Ask Him to help you rebuke the lies of the enemy and walk in the confidence that He has called you.  Trust that He will equip you to do the work He has planned for you.  The road won’t always be easy and won’t always be filled with high moments, but the highs as well as the lows help you to be the leader that God intends you to be.

Walk in confidence knowing that “God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on that day when Christ Jesus comes back again.” (Philippians 1:6)  And that’s a promise!

How do you deal with disappointments in ministry?