Book Review and Giveaway: Start Here

Start Here
Doing Hard Things Right Where You Are
by Alex & Brett Harris

You want to do hard things.
But you don’t know where to start.

You are changing the world around you.
But you are tired and burned out.

You feel called to do the extraordinary for God.
But you feel stuck in the ordinary.

Do Hard Things inspired thousands of young people around the world to make the most of the teen years. Now Alex and Brett Harris are back and ready to tackle the questions that Do Hard Things inspired: How do I get started? What do I do when I get discouraged? What’s the best way to inspire others? Filled with stories and insights from Alex, Brett, and other real-life rebelutionaries, Start Here is a powerful and practical guide to doing hard things, right where you are.

Are you ready to take the next step and blast past mediocrity for the glory of God?

START HERE.

I only recently heard of the book Do Hard Things by Alex and Brett Harris when one of my friends posted a quote from the book on facebook.  She highly recommended the book and was passing it on to her teenage son after she'd read it.  If you haven't heard of it, it's a book written by a couple of teenage brothers challenging other teens to rebel against the low expectations of today's society and 'do hard things' for the glory of God.  They even coined a new phrase to describe it - The Rebelution.  It definitely sounds like something I want my teenage son to read, too - and I want to read it myself.  I got a copy from the library, but neither one of us has found made the time to read it yet.

That didn't stop me from jumping at the chance to get a review copy of the follow-up book, Start Here.  Teens all over the world have been reading Alex and Brett's first book and getting fired up to do hard things.  They also have questions about how to get started, how to know what hard things God wants them to be doing, and what to do when they feel like they're slipping back into their old ways.  In Start Here Alex and Brett Harris answer the most common questions they've received from teens around the world.  The book is filled with examples and practical suggestions for doing hard things in your own life. 





I would love to see all young, and not so young, people read these books.  Because the authors are young people themselves - 19 when they wrote the first book, and sophomores in college when writing the 2nd - I think teenagers will take what is said to heart, much more so than if some adult tried to tell them what they should be doing.  From the response the first book has had, it sounds like there is a whole generation of young people who are not happy with the expectations, or lack thereof, placed upon teenagers in our culture.

The main point of Start Here seems to be that doing hard things is for anyone and starts right where you are.  Doing hard things does not always mean doing BIG hard things.  Sometimes those hard things are really small, but that doesn't make them any less important in God's eyes.  Attitude is key, doing whatever it is you find to do to bring glory to God.  Imagine a whole generation of young people growing up with that attitude!  Of course, no one is perfect, and Alex and Brett cover that too.

While this book is aimed at teenagers and young people, I think the rest of us can get a lot out of it, too  .I would definitely recommend it.  No one is too old to start doing hard things for God. 

I definitely need to read Do Hard Things now - and have Cory read it, too.

This book was provided for review by the WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group.

Start Here is available now for $12.99 or you can enter to win a copy.  Besides sending me a review copy, Waterbrook Multnomah Publishing Group also sent me a copy to give away to one of my readers.  If you'd like to win your own copy of  Start Here, leave a comment on this post telling me why you'd like to read this book or who you'd like to win it for.

I know it's just a book, but it's a good book so if you want additional entries: (leave a comment for each one)

• Follow me on twitter (@bcmom) and tweet the giveaway link, you can tweet once per day and leave a separate comment for each.
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• Subscribe to my blog in a reader or by email, or Follow this Blog with Google Friend Connect.  Let me know which way you subscribed - or let me know if you're already a subscriber.
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• If you can think of any other creative way to spread the word about this giveaway, go ahead.  Just leave me a comment letting me know how and where you shared.

Giveaway is open to residents of the U.S.  All entries must be received by 11:59pm next Tuesday, 3/23/10.  Winners will be randomly chosen, and if you're a winner, I will contact you by email, so be sure I have an email address for you.  Good Luck!