Read Walk in Faith 5Minute Devotions for Teen Guys Andy Dooley Books

Product details Paperback 164 pages Publisher Althea Press (March 5, 2019) Language English ISBN-10 1641522828

Walk in Faith 5Minute Devotions for Teen Guys Andy Dooley Books Reviews

• This is a terrific devotional for Christian males youths of all denomination and non-denominations. While it’s definitely steeped in Evangelical terms and doctrines, this Christian devotional is still useful for almost all Christian teen young men.
  
  Andy Dooley is a Youth Director out of Elevation Church in Charlotte, North Carolina who is married with 3 children and worked with young people through sports, fitness, and ministry for over 18 years.
  
  TOC Which was not yet activated when I wrote my review. Here it is to help you select this Christian Young Man's Devotional. There really isn’t a Table of Contents, this will give you just an idea of the content and topics addressed without stepping on the author’s Intellectual Property in any way.
  
  Introduction
  The Devotional
  References
  Index of Topics
  Abuse
  Accepting others
  Addiction
  Admiration
  Alcohol
  Anger
  Anxiety
  Arguing
  
  Being a Light
  Being a Good Student
  Being a Peacemaker
  Being a Role Model
  Being Guided
  Being Inclusive
  Being Shy
  Being Single
  Betrayal
  Bible Reading
  Body Image
  Bullying
  
  I'm sure the title referring to Teens as "Guy" is for a contemporary appeal. It's just, I know so many male youth's are on the cusp of manhood, it helps for them to hear themselves being referred to as "young men."
  
  The illustrations seem an odd choice in Pinky, Peachy, Coral, Baby Blue, and Aqua tones of amoeba shapes reminiscent of Marimekko prints.
  
  Still, the scale of the book is personal in dimension 5 x 0.5 x 7 inches which is just perfect for a Daily Short Devotional which a young man could tuck into his knapsack or bookcase at home or his dorm room.
  
  For the most part, the Bible quotes are from the NIV making it very approachable for many SBC and Non-Denominational Christians. KJV only and denominations using other version can easily look up the citations and hand write those out on Post It notes and sticky those onto the pages of the devotion to personalize it.
  
  While he does address dating, he does so in a manner only for those young men ready to marry and doesn't tackle sex other than in the most pedantic typical "it's all fornication" manner (page 98) and the evils of masturbation (page 126) when not all Christian denominations treat it that way.
  
  I actually was disappointed that he skirted so briefly and addressed it in the more trite manner and tone possible. Sex deserves at least 10 pages of devotional practices even to start to address sex.
  
  When I say he addressed sex in a trite biblical manner, I mean he just said "it's not biblical" and that "waiting for marriage" "is biblical." Nothing of touching on how it's a spiritual connection with your partner, and that how that is part of why the Bible puts sex in the purview of marriage. Secondarily, that sex outside of intimacy is like drugs. It's a superficial "high" in the momentary orgasm, but how that is unfulfilling because it doesn't involve the whole person and connecting deeply - physically, mentally, and spiritually - with your partner. It's not that God is holding out on you.
  
  Talk about the most hormonally driven demographic in the world, and he simply steps over it. Of course, sex could have a whole devotional of its own. Still, to demonstrate true leadership to teenage young men, talk about sex. If Christian Leadership doesn't, then only the digital free access resources on the internet and their friends will be their source of guidance. Better to discuss the temptations and realities of such topics as STDs, teen pregnancy, and the topic of Abortion than to pretend they aren't there.
  
  Secondarily, from my small high school graduating class of just over 100, about 4% married within 1 year following graduation and started having children. So, simply telling guys to buck up and wait on dating seems highly out-of-touch with reality and at best wishful thinking. And again, sex outside of wedlock is not shameful in many Christian churches and denominations. I understand for many traditional Evangelicals, Dooley’s approach will be appealing. I was disappointed, but I understand others may desire that in a Teen Devotional.
  
  God having a womb as the Jewish part of the Bible uses but is not translated that way apparently still is only to be addressed as God the Father (page 145) with neither any coverage of a Feminine aspect of God either as our Heavenly Mother nor in that in Hebrew the word for Spirit as in The Holy Spirit could be thought of as feminine. I felt like I was in the 1950s except for the title and his genuine desire to be relevant for contemporary young men’s lives.
  
  As a young widow, I felt his coverage of Death as gift (page 82) was callous, cruel, and asinine. It completely jumped over the true feeling and emotions of grief which are also covered in Scripture Ecclesiastes 72, Psalm 305 (yes, rejoicing comes, but weeping and grief come first) and is so acceptable we even see Jesus Christ doing so Himself at the loss of His friend (John 1135; Matthew 2337-39), and who “sympathize with our weaknesses” (Hebrews 415). Telling young men to look on the bright side too quickly to how it's a gift tells them once again to be strong and somehow falsely a Perky Christian, not human. Oy!
  
  Better to hand them a copy of The Grief Recovery Handbook which will actually help and equip them for how to deal with and experience the emotion of grief without being admonished somehow as Christians not grieve because our loved one is in a better place.
  
  Sinning Behind Closed Doors page 62 tells young men to confess sins and THEN God will forgive. Well, let me tell you, God already DID in the Cross and Resurrection. So, when they became Christians, all their sins were already covered. The beauty part is that in turning to God for help is NOT that NOW you are forgiven, it's that NOW He'll help you to do differently going forward. To do differently going forward is actually what "Repent" means. It's a turning in another direction along the road, literally and metaphorically.
  
  Lastly, suicide among teens is still a high percentage. I didn't necessarily expect Dooley to address the topic of suicide head on in the Index under "Suicide." But I didn't see anything on such things as "Self-Esteem" or related topic to approach it indirectly. His page on Self-Worth (page 59) is quite excellent. Just, he could have included another 5-10 pages on the topic both about being "fearfully and wonderfully made" "in God's image" and knowing truly how wonderful he is, but I felt he could have truly helped young men who either have been Christians for life or are newly so to deal with more of what leads to teen suicide.
  
  Depression on page 49 was a good start, but related a teen's story from the perspective of an adult man, ergo, minus the teen anguish and angst. Just because we're Christian doesn't mean Christians don't commit suicide. Nothing that I saw on the greatest gift we have been given after Jesus Christ is the very Gift of Life. It's sacred. It's not so much that it's sin to commit Suicide as it is NOT the answer. Getting HELP and professional help IS. According to a U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's National Center for Health Statistics, the American teen suicide rate among males between 15 and 19 was 14 per 100,000 by 2015. According to the AFSP American Fdtn for Suicide Prevent, in 2017 adolescents and young adults 15-24 had a suicide rate of 14.46. As one of the top four causes of death in America's teens, I had really expected Dooley to mention it somehow and was a bit flabbergasted that he did not. Perhaps in his leadership, being a beacon, or evangelism devotional topical days? Because even if the Christian youths reading his devotional aren't facing it, then in all likelihood, some of their friends or peers are and they'll need some helpful tools.
  
  149 pages of devotionals is not even 1/2 a year. I had hoped for so much more, like a full Appendix of Resources including Center on Addiction, BlueLetterBible and BibleGateway which have full digital versions of such meaty classics which some young men will start to delve into as they move from drinking milk to becoming Christian meat-eaters of Spurgeon, Day and Night, and The Fundamentals (which is not just about Fundamentalist Baptists, but ran the gamut of Christian denominations leaders contributing content from early 20c). A solid Appendix would have contributed another 10 pages of help and solid guidance for young men. Again, in its absence, they have the internet and their curiosity. I cannot believe Dooley just left sex as "it's fornication" without a more thorough examination when there are so many other sites out there which this generation has grown up with watching explicitly for years. It's such wishful thinking without actually helping them and admitting how and why it's so appealing. Argh.
  
  Still, I'm giving it 4 stars because for 1/2 of what's needed, it's VERY good and a start. If I were to admonish Dooley for a good start and only want to give teen young men a perfect devotional when it comes out, I would be leaving those boys with nothing at all. They do need to start with milk. I had just been hoping for more half-and-half for them and a little bit of the introduction of meat (1 Corinthians 32 and Hebrews 512) as they transition into becoming men and future leader s in our churches.
  
  "Remember You are not too young to raise the bar in society. You are not too young to be a beacon of light for your family, peers, and community." Indeed, I remember becoming a Christian during High School, and 3 of the boys I dated were Christian, too, and also grappling with what it meant to be Christian and living that out in our young adult lives.
  
  Not every teen young man will have access to great local church complete with a marvelous High School Fellowship and Teem Ministry. Dooley's devotional stands in the breach to equip young men to study on their own and apply the principals to their lives as well as turn to it for answers and guidance likea toolkit for young Christian living.
  
  The format Dooley selected for his practical and relatable Christian Devotional is
  The Topic
  Start with an excerpt from Scripture related to that relatable story or life lesson following, closing with a prompting question or reflection. All of these done in a quick-tip style format manageably done in 5 minutes each. Thus, with this terrific short devotional, he equips young men to make devotionals a Daily Habit, building a firm foundation for life as they enter college and the next wave of tumultuous lifestyle and demands. The devotionals can be completed in 5 minutes, and the relection can lead to deeper and longer study and comtemplation when time permits.
  
  Just because this terrific teen devotional is in a 5-Minutes format, don't fear and prejudge that it's somehow Christian spiritual "fast food" with no spiritually nourishing food nor nutrients for the soul. The format means it's doable and the inclusion of Scripture for each devotional means the Holy Spirit can carry on a more in depth dialogue with each young man who reads its and chews on it.
  
  Definitely recommend. I hope Dooley will follow up with further devotionals. The scale of only 149 pages is great to digest. I just hope he will cover additional topics in additional volumes.
  
  I received an advance copy from the publisher for an honest review. The photos I included of the interior I made blurry so as not to give away Dooley's IP and just to give potential readers an idea of the interior layout and appearance.
• Written to teen guys, I love this in the introduction
  "Remember You are not too young to raise the bar, You are not too young to be a beacon of light for your family."
  
  With a 16 year old guy in our home, I was excited to see if this would be a devotional I would be able to give him to read. There are 150 one-page devotionals in this book. Each one starts with a short scripture (NIV version), followed by the devotion and ending with "Reflect". The author, Andy Dooley, covers a LOT of subjects some of which are, but not limited to
  Fleeing Temptation * Bullying * Social Media * Dating or Waiting * Purity * Divorce * Making God the source of your joy and SO much more.
  
  Andy shares stories from his own life making this book very real and easy to read whilst still providing a challenge. The book itself is a good size thus easy to fit in your Bible case. For those who want to know, the author's stance on dating is that if you are not ready to marry, don't date! He encourages the reader to be different from his friends.
  
  EXCELLENT book. HIGHLY recommended! Down-to-earth but not watering the truth down. Challenges the reader to be their best with God by their side.
  
  I was provided a copy of this book by the publisher. That has not influenced my review with the thoughts and opinions above being my own. Thanks, Liz
• There are 150 one-page devotionals in this book. Each devotion starts with a short scripture relating to the topic at hand, a relatable story or lesson, and a reflection. The author covers a wide range of subjects including anger, romantic feelings, siblings, depressions, addiction, jealousy, stress, social media, bullying, loneliness, judging, and so much more. These are relatable for teenagers and are presented in way that teens will read and understand as well as challenge them to be their best with God in the center of their lives. The book itself is a good size, very easy to read, and a nice format. An index of topics is located in the back so that a subject can be easily found or the book can be read front to back.
  A good reference/devotional as teens begin their journey in the choppy waters of young adulthood.
  ARC provided by the publisher
• This would be a great gift for a teen boy, especially as a confirmation gift. Each page contains a scripture verse, a scripture in a way that is relatable in today’s world and a reflection question to think about the scripture.
  
  It is easy to read and is a small paperback book that would easily fit in a bag or backpack to take along with them.
  
  I received a free copy from the publisher.
• According to my nephew this devotional book is “cool”. He found it interesting and easy to understand.