Do Hard Things

Do Hard Things by Alex and Brett Harris
This book is available from the church book store.

Alex and Brett Harris run a popular website for christian teens called The Rebelution. The website and book both promote a message that our society does not challenge teens, but instead encourages them to grow up in an environment of low expectations. This leads not only to difficulties later in life, but is a great waste of the potential God has given each person. Alex and Brett (teens themselves) write in order to challenge teens to rebel against low expectations and set out intentionally to do hard things with the end purpose of glorifying God.

The book is full of real examples (from both their lives and the lives of others they know) that show how to get started doing hard things and demonstrating the end results. Five categories of hard things are detailed, and it is explained how different people need to challenge themselves differently depending on their situation and abilities.

I would definitely recommend this book if you are a teen, or if you have teens (or soon to be teens) in your house. This book has the potential to cause a radical shift in how you view your life and your purpose during your teen years. Alex and Brett demonstrate the tragedy of wasting your teen years, and contrast that with the thrill and benefit of spending those years doing something for God that you would never have thought was possible.

While this book is targeted at a teen audience, I found a lot in it that applies to my (definitely no longer teen) life as well. It is all too easy to let the daily activities of work, home, and church just carry me along leaving no time for me to step out in new ways. God can use me too if I am willing to set out to do hard things in his name. I was challenged to stop seeking out the easy route. I would definitely recommend this book to those beyond the teen years as well who need encouragement to live a life that glorifies God. After all, we can't let those young whipper-snappers show us up now, can we?