I was browsing through books at amazon.com, looking for Christmas gift ideas for my 11-year-old son, Morgan, and I came across a book for teens called Do Hard Things by Alex and Brett Harris. Being a high school math teacher, I was immediately drawn to a book with such a challenge! I read about the book, decided I could not wait to order the book, found a bookstore that had it in stock, and purchased both a print and audio version of it that day. Three days later, I have finished listening to the book and have thoroughly enjoyed the Harris' website, The Rebelution.
No, I did not mistype or make up a word ... Alex and Brett did! They combined the words rebel and revolution to describe the movement they want teens to join against society's low expectations for teens. Teens are encouraged to make the most of their lives by challenging themselves to do five different types of hard things:
1. Things that are outside of your comfort zone.
2. Things that go beyond what is expected or required.
3. Things that are too big to accomplish alone.
4. Things that don't earn an immediate payoff.
5. Things that challenge the cultural norm.
Character, competence, and collaboration are the means by which teens can do these amazing things through Christ.
Teenagers are capable of so much more than societies expects. They are not just our country's future, they are our present. Join the rebelution!
