(This post is sponsored by Tommy Nelson Mommies: they give me free books – and allow you to win them – in exchange for my review of them.  All opinions are my own.)

One of the first things we learn as believers (or are taught in Christian learning) is “God created everything.”  I already teach that truth to my boys.  We love the verses that we are “fearfully and wonderfully made” and “created in God’s image”

But, somehow, I think it is a very easy truth to learn and put into belief the older we get.  I remember being a pre-teen girl.  I was overweight, wore glasses, didn’t have great hair, had zits, wasn’t all the cool, wanted to be cool, had a crush on the cool guy, started my period, looked different than most of the girls in my class, it wasn’t easy.

I believed lies.  I desired popularity.  I earnestly tried so hard to fit in.  But, one of the things I don’t remember reminding myself of is that God created me perfectly in his image and has a plan for my life.

Then, I graduated high school and started college.  I taught 7th grade co-ed Sunday School for 3 straight years.  I still keep in touch with some of those girls.  There were (and still are) so many battles pre-teen and teen girls face.  But, there is only one answer.  God’s truth.

My first devotional when I was in 10th grade was Spirit Wings by Ken Burns.  I loved it at the time.  I was just learning how to have a quiet time thanks to my youth pastor and youth workers.  Quiet time material has come a long way.  I think it is an important discipline for kids of any age to learn.  Taking time each day to talk with God, read His Word, and listen to Him.

You, as a parent to them, have a vital role in this.  You can not only model this for them, but also teach them how to do it for themselves, and engage with them after their quiet time.  Ask them what they learned.  Ask them what they read.  Ask them important questions of how they might apply it to their heart that God is in the process of making new and making to look like Christ’s.

Tommy Nelson has put out resources for quiet times for pre-teen or young teen girls called Brave Girls.  The two I have for the purpose of this blog is Faithful Friends (on friendships and relationships) and Better Than Perfect (on self-image and how to relate to this world in light of the Word).  Each day is a 1-2 page read.  Starts out with Scripture, then there is a story, lesson, truth, completely applicable to this time in their lives, and finishes with questions and prayers.

One way I think it could be better would be to bring everything in every story under the Cross of Christ – but I do think these are really really good and can be a great help to you as a parent in giving your daughter some solid material.  And, as you talk with your daughter and engage with her in what she is reading, you can tie everything back to the Gospel.

So, if you would like a chance to win these books, please comment with the answer to one of these two questions.

1.  What was the first devotional book you read (besides the Bible)?

2.  How do you train your children to have their own quiet time?