BOOK REVIEW: So Long, Insecurity: Teen Edition

I have devoured Beth Moore Bible studies for years. Seen her many times in person. Her humble, ravenous, singlehearted devotion to the Word of God always leaves me wanting more of it...more of Jesus. She always, despite a high profile speaking and publishing career, steps out of the limelight pointing to the real and only center of attraction, which is our Savior.

I read So Long, Insecurity when it came out a few years ago. When I was offered a complimentary copy of the Teen Edition by Tyndale House Publishers to review, I had to grab it! I do not have any daughters (nope, God gave me four sons!), but I DO have a fantastic group of "daughters" in the youth ministry at my church where I serve on the prayer team for our kids and leaders. One thing we are always praying for is that our youth girls come to solidly know who they are in Christ, and that this will define their relationship choices, their behaviors, their attitudes, and their life direction. So, I asked one of our youth girls, Asia Barrett, to read this book with me and to offer her review. This is her input:

The book So Long Insecurity: Teen Edition by Beth Moore is a very informative and reassuring book about why teenage girls often get insecure, and how to handle it. It not only explains some of the psychological reasons for behavior, it also shows how to identify the reactions young women make, and how to become a godly young lady.

This book helped me see that I'm not the only person who goes through these struggles, and it reminded me that God made me in His image, and that I'm perfect in His eyes. I got a lot of answers and good advice, and overall I recommend the book to other teenage girls. It's a nice light read that can really make you think about where you stand on each topic, and how you can turn to God for answers.

Arranged to look like a magazine, with glossy pages and brief, cut out blurbs of information, this book covers topics such as fashion, popularity, gifts and talents, and boys. My favorite chapter is the one entitled "tough stuff" which takes an honest look at the very real difficulties that face many teen girls today: death, loss, heartache, family financial stress, parents' divorce, and abuse. Every chapter includes several Scripture passages set brightly in cool printing, statistics creatively graphed on the topic, and brief quizzes to see where you land on the range of possible attitudes regarding the issue. The book concludes with a chapter defining "secure girls", pointing to role models in the Bible, and a short description of what it means to begin a relationship with Jesus if you do not yet have one.

This is a fantastic book for teen girls and I will be recommending it to our female youth leaders and all the "daughters" we get to hang out with!