Lately I’ve been getting several emails from those of you who have read Grace for the Good Girl and either say “I wish I had this book when I was in high school!” or are looking for something similar to read with the high school students you work with. Many of you already know GFTGG (my next book will have a shorter title, amen) was originally intended to be a high school book. Instead, my publisher asked if I could write it for women first and then have a teen/youth/student version a year later. (Does anyone else kind of hate the words teen/youth/young women?)
It can be a lonely road, walking through life with this next generation. They leave before you know if you’ve had any impact at all. My small group is in their junior year right now and I’m already grieving their graduation that is still a year and a half away.
I know many of you reading also work with students in some capacity and some of you are going at it alone without fellow adult leaders around. I would love to meet you and also make it easy for you to connect with one another. If you consider yourself a mentor to the next generation, might you be willing to link up below so we can find you? Here is what you can do:
Scroll to the bottom of this post and either link to your “About Me” page OR a post you’ve written about working with/loving on/pulling out your hair because of high school students (this post could be a past post or you could write a new one. I’m not picky.) The idea is so we can easily find you and quickly know what your role is. So in the links below, where it says “Name”, put in what your role is. For example “emily small group leader” or “emily the youth pastor wife” or “emily desperate for advice” or whatever. I’ll leave these links open for a week so you can have time to come back and add if you can’t do it today.
And in the meantime, here’s a video from a weekend I had with my small group at the lake a few weeks ago. It’s one minute long and it is random and ridiculous. Meanwhile, my book for these high school girls will release in September. I’ll keep you posted with the details.
And if you’re reading but don’t have a blog, feel free to leave a comment here. You may have a question or a need for curriculum or ideas – I may not have answers, but surely someone reading will. I know I’ve sprung a linky on you (sprung a linky?) so I don’t expect a ton of linkage. But would love to meet some of you!
oh what fun! I’m all about community in this place…it’s so good for me!
Me too, Meg!
oh, and my girls already know about this book. Because I read the first one, told them how it helped me, and they got it. Thanks!
I love your passion to minister to this next generation, Emily. It shines clear in so many of your choices.
Weekly, I mentor large groups of other people’s children, yet the ones I am chiseled by the most are my own.
Taylor, Matthew and I have had quite the transformational year, as we have inched our way through these challenging teen years. Just last week, we finally talked about finishing some posts that we started two years ago together about the good, bad and ugly of living the Christian life together, as a family, authentically, with all the real life hard stuff of the culture mixed in and how that has affected our day to day too.
It was interesting to go back and read Taylor’s unpublished post, which I chose not to publish at the time, and ask some of the hard questions. Has the truth he wrote about then, changed at all? NO, then how has it manifested itself in our lives these last few years. It’s an exhausting journey, these teen years, but so worth it in the long run.
I linked up an oldie, but one that continually reminds me of my calling
Miss you, sweet friend.
Miss you too, Jen. So appropriate that you linked up here. Thank you a million! I love how you say you’re inching your way through the teen years.
Hello,
Michele (don’t currently work with youth, but have for the past few years)
What a great idea? Your book would be great for a bible study. I believe the next generation is very important and need us to mentor them. Life can be so hard sometimes, they need others who can help them who can learn from things we went through. This generation needs to know they are loved and there is so much more out there for them than just settling for things. That they are amazing and lovely.
I so agree with you, Michele. It is so important to see these girls – really see them. I’m thankful for the opportunity.
I guess I’m a leader. This week I have gone to the south side of town where a ministry called Common Ground is ministering to children and their families of very low income. This is the side of town where the drugs are bad, and you are not safe in your bed because of drive by shootings.
I am beginning to teach young people of all ages to crochet. And as I teach them we talk about real life and where Jesus fits into all of their reality.
Sure sounds like you’re a leader to me, Diane. Thanks for joining in the conversation.
I work with Junior girls at my church also. I’ve never heard of your book but now I want to check it out. I smiled when I read that you are already mourning their graduation a year & a half away. I am also. I’ve been working with the same core group of girls since they were in the second grade. This is my 10th year with them & I still feel like I’m not sure how to get thru to them sometimes & I’m not sure what to teach on.
I hear you on that Stacey – there’s never any way to prove that they’re listening. Just have to wait for those one or two conversations that may come. Or if they don’t, to pray that the Lord will continue to weave his words in and around their hearts. i hope you get the book!
Emily! LOVE that you’re doing this:} I wanted you to know that at Relevant when I had you sign an extra book I prayed and the Lord put my niece, who is a senior in high school, on my heart. Knowing you were writing a book more for her age, I wavered that it would bless her where she’s at at this point in her life, but just knew it would. And so I gave it to her at Christmas and she texted me SPECIFICALLY to tell me how much she was loving it! I see so much of my perfectionism in her and longed for her to know overwhelming grace at this point in her life. She’s mature for her age but has all of the insecurities of figuring life out…anyways, I just wanted YOU to know that the book you’ve already written has blessed this amazing young woman & I’m sure there are others and I know He will work amazingly through your next book. And as for that, I would love to review it and recommend it to our ministry {Student Venture} across the nation and to the ministry of Campus Crusade {Cru} as well:} REALLY get the word out:}:}:}
yippee! I’m so glad she’s connecting with the book. Maybe the second one will just help to drive it all home for her. And thanks for your encouragement, Abby.
My husband & I are the teen leaders at our church. We are really just starting at this….our kids are not teenagers yet…so in some ways I feel very unqualified….except that I was a teen myself! I loved your book & you told me you would have one for teens. It’s so funny you just posted this because I was thinking last week that I would email you & ask you if you knew when the teen version would be coming out. Can’t wait!
You feel unqualified to lead in youth ministry? Congratulations! That’s the main pre-requisite
how much do I love you?
a bunch. that’s how much.
o girl. love you too. muchly.
I was so excited to see this! I’ve just started your book and already have thought, “I wish there was a version of this for my girls in youth group!” My husband and I have been in youth ministry for five years and I’d love to connect or find resources from others in the same field
I really hope book 2 helps you with your youth group girls. It feels risky to write for that age, not gonna lie. They’re terrifying! I hope you continue to enjoy GftGG!
Emily! I will begin, shortly, and in the near future, here in Durham, helping with the Church of the Good Shepherd youth group! The girls seem to lack a little of, what every high school aged girl can used as pointed out above, God’s GRACE for the good girl…I cannot wait to use your book in a step study or something like this with a group of girls who can use it! much love! – jasper naomi
Okay…I don’t lead a small group, but I soooo consider myself a mentor to the next generation. I have a “soon to be” 13 year old, a ten year old, and bringing up the rear (actually, leading us all around) a three year old….ALL GIRLS. I LOVE the idea of “GFTGG” for teens! Can’t wait to share it with my girls.
you certainly are a mentor – blessings to you as you walk with your sweet girls!
Emily, I can promise you that YOU have had a HUGE impact on one girl that we both love.
Beth, that means so much. Love your family.
I don’t have a blog, but would love anyone to jump in with ideas for me regarding book/study/curriculum ideas for a group of (amazingly precious) college girls that I am so privileged to meet with. I’m a mom of four kids and most of the stuff I’m exposed to seems a little too “mom-ish” sometimes and I want to make sure I’m giving them something helpful for their season. Thoughts? Thanks for allowing this space to ask, it’s an answer to prayer!
Hi Jenny! I know what you mean about wanting to find things helpful for their season – have you read From Head to Foot by Annie Downs? She’s fantastic, single, mature, hilarious, and has a great pulse on this next generation.
I have a small group of 10 young women (but not teens … they are in their 20′s and 30′s) that meet at my home on Saturdays. This week we are starting your book. (We did 1,000 gifts earlier.) Everyone is so excited. We read aloud the intro at our meeting just before Christmas … and you could feel the interest in the room.
As a former youth pastor’s wife (we are still married/he just isn’t a youth pastor anymore), I love it that you are writing another version. It is just the type of book I was always looking for the girls in our youth group.
Blessing on you, Emily.
Glenda
Love it! Let me know if there’s anything I can help you with as you lead or if questions come up that you would like answers to or feedback on. I may not have answers, but I can chime in if need be. And thank you for hosting the study!
A day later and I’m still giggling over “sprung a linky”!
I just read your book a few weeks ago and found myself in page after page. I can hardly wait to get my hands on your next book to share it with my girls – my daughter (age 12) and my spiritual daughter (age 17). I see the good girl in both of them and as a recovering good girl myself, I am desperate for them to find God’s grace while they are still young.
Thank you for being brave in sharing your story! You are making a difference and will continue to do so!!
Thanks so much, Shelli. I really appreciate it.
Thanks so much for posting this! I have been working with high school girls since I graduated and always love to find others that are doing he same thing to learn from! Can’t wait for the high school version of your book!
You’re so welcome! And thanks for that.
Thank you! I’ve not heard of Annie Downs or her book, but will check it out, today!
The main thing that i like here is the simplicity of your website. I like it very much.
I’ve really been feeling a tug to write intentionally this year about things that are more dear to my heart. I’ve never written about how I had worked as a college campus missionary, but it is something that I was passionate about and still am. It is a prime season in life where it feels as if the world is right before you. And depending on what college campus a person is at- the nations are right before them.
It’s hard to balance being a mom, and while that is serving the next generation, I want to extend myself to reaching out to the university campus again.
Reading this post, and encouraging us to combine as a community here at your site feels safe and reliable. I’m very excited to meet ladies and get many ideas.
Thank you Emily for everything!!!
my husband and I will be heading up tne youth ministry at our chuirch in two weeks with jr. high and highgschool kids. i am planning on getting your book to help with discipleship. please add my email to anything you send out and if there are any good websites for activities or counsel, I would greatly appreciate any input. Sincerely,
Charise
Well, because I’m in ministry to college students and I KNOW some read my blog, I wouldn’t post about them.
I still haven’t finished your book because I am absorbing like a sponge. I know I wrote you and told you how it has struck me to the bone and I’m already recommending it to other women I work with to use with “good girls”. Especially in the Greek system! Yes, some do exist there contrary to popular belief.
Emily, I promise I’ll write the revews on Amazon and B&N as soon as I finish. Got a little sidetracked by Bonhoeffer.
Emily, I’m invited to an evening honoring a “good girl’s” 18th birthday. Several older women (ACK!!! I’m one of the “older” women!!!) are invited to be there, and to share a scripture and a few words of encouragement as this young woman nears high school graduation, and leaving for college. I’m excited about this neat evening honoring and encouraging her!!
Here’s my question: I haven’t (YET) read your book (but look forward to!!!), but it sounds like a PERFECT book for this particular girl. I know you have a young edition coming out in the fall…but I’d really love to give her your book at her birthday event this next week. Should I just be patient, and send her your young edition next fall–or do you think an 18-year-old would benefit from your current GFTGG?
Thank you!! I sure do LOVE your writing, and cannot wait to read your book!
Happy Saturday,
Mary Kay
That video just stirred up in me to be more involved in our church. How amazing!
Janelle