Do Hard Things

As I read Do Hard Things, I’ll confess that I needed to do a bit of repenting.  I too, have bought into our culture’s  view of teens and adolescents, that we cannot expect much of these young people as they go through these troublesome years. While our sons did not cause us too much grief during their teen years, I know I have used the language about having “survived” that era, of having “made it through;” I have made the jokes about locking up our kids and letting them out when they are 25, about how they become “nice people” and then move out! 

    Twin brothers Alex and Brett Harris challenge all of this in Do Hard Things; A teenage rebellion against low expectations.  This is a book by teens, for teens.  At times I felt as though I was eavesdropping on a private conversation.  Had the book been written by a 50 year old pastor, it would never have gotten the attention it is now receiving. 

   The teen years are to be a season of daring, when younger people see life as an adventure and jump in head first.  Oh to retain some of that enthusiasm for life when we reach our 50's!  Historically, there was no separate category for teens; you were either a child or an adult.  We may have done our youth a huge disservice by creating a special nomenclature for them. 

     At the end of the book the authors rattle off a list of 100 hard things that teenagers have done/could do.  A fun read, but more – a rally call to tap into the gifts of our younger members and to expect to see God bless them and use them to bless others.