Next Steps: You’ve Accepted Jesus. Now What?

Reviewed by:

G. Connor Salter, Professional Writing alumnus from Taylor University, Upland, IN.

Title:

Next Steps: You’ve Accepted Jesus. Now What?

Author:

DeeDee Lake

Publisher:

CrossRiver Media Group

Publication Date:

November 5, 2020

Format:

Paperback

Length:

193 pages

OVERVIEW

One of the hard questions facing young people after they become Christians is simply, “what next?” What are the basic facts that preteen and teenage Christians need to know as they build their relationship with Christ and navigate moral dilemmas? Speaker and development coach DeeDee Lake has seen many people deal with these questions, especially young girls. In Next Steps, she unpacks the basics of Christianity, addressing the spiritual concerns that girls need to know as they begin their spiritual journeys. The book is built into four Girl’s Power Step Weeks, each one with a series of devotionals (to read individually or with a mentor), Bible verses, guided prayers, blank pages to journal thoughts on, and encouraging quotes from various women. The entries use personal recollections, short stories and other material to teach lessons about morality, personal identity and related problems.

Christian books for teenagers or pre-teens are difficult to write well, partly because many writers try too hard to write at the reader’s level. Overdone attempts to be approachable can become cheesy, like a youth pastor trying so hard to seem like the kids he’s teaching that he just seems immature. Writers who assume their memories of being young are all they need may be surprised to find that culture has changed and new challenges are affecting kids today. Lake overcomes those problems, partly because she integrates quotes from various women about the things they wish someone had told them when they were younger. This makes the book more than just Lake’s memories of what helped her when she was younger. Her writing style also manages to find that sweet spot of being humorous without being too cheesy, simple without being “dumbed down.” This makes the book entertaining as well as insightful, and sure to help many readers.

A great resource on finding one’s identity in Christ.

ASSESSMENT

Rating (1 to 5 stars)

4 stars

Suggested Audience

Teenage girls and their parents seeking devotional books that give them a strong sense of Biblically-based identity.

Christian Impact

The author addresses questions about making the right choices, finding one’s identity in Christ rather than in what people think, and other basic lessons that young Christians need to know. The author also delves into topics that young girls specifically struggle with, such as beauty and self-image, helping them to understand their God-given value and beauty.