Baller 21

Do Hard Things

by Chris Harvey on 06/09/08

Do Hard Things, is the first book by Alex and Brett Harris, that I just recently picked up as a gift for two high school graduates in our youth group.

I have heard great things about this book and the funny thing is…. I can’t put it down!

I am trying to finish the book before we give away these gifts to each of the graduates next weekend.

What’s the story? Two brothers are leading a teenage rebellion/movement against low expectations.

What are their qualifications? Oh, for starters, at the age of 16, they were chosen for an internship at the Alabama Supreme Court (first to be selected under the age of 18). At 17, they served as grass-roots directors for four state-wide political campaigns. At 18, they authored the most popular Christian teen blog (The Rebelution) on the web. They also lead Rebelution Tour conferences in the United States and Internationally.

What’s the message? The message is not to do any and every hard thing, or even pointless things just because they’re hard. The message is that young people are capable of doing great things if they put their mind to it and if higher expectations are cultivated. The teenage years are not a vacation. Teenagers should be encouraged, challenged, expected to take on more responsibility, to produce, to set the bar higher, in all areas of life, to the glory of God. The Bible says nothing of the words teenager or adolescence. There is no reference to a period of time between childhood and adulthood either. God does not hold two standards: one for young adults and one for adults. He has high expectations for both. Our culture looks down on young people and doesn’t expect much from them. But God expects great things and calls young people to be examples.

I am only half way through the book, but again, this is a great read. I recommend that you give this book to any young people that come across your path. I recommend that you read this book. I am, and it is encouraging me to do hard things.

One of my challenges, as a youth leader, is to encourage the young people in our church to read. Many struggle to read their bibles and school books, let alone another book in their leisure.

When I was growing up, I didn’t like to read at all. Scratch that. I didn’t like to read until my last two years in undergraduate school. This time period was a major transition point in my life. Something clicked. And as I look back, the foundational change was a spiritual renewal. I began to care about learning and my grades. I started to really enjoy reading all kinds of different genres. I was thirsty for knowledge and also to do something with my life.

But my point is this: Can a desire to read be cultivated in young people? Or is it just an individual preference, or a genetic trait that you have or don’t have, or do you have to be patient until it clicks, like in my case? If reading can be cultivated, how are you doing it?

I ask these questions because I want to continue to encourage and challenge our youth group and my future kids one day, God willing.

C.Harv