Start Here

Are you a rebelutionary? Do you know any rebelutionaries? You might even be asking, “What in the world IS a rebelutionary!?”  Start Here by Alex and Brett Harris picks up where there first book, Do Hard Things left off, by challenging teens to rise above the low standards set by their generation and become a rebelutionary; someone who is willing to do hard things.

Start Here offers practical advice to these teens who are ready to take the challenge, but need some advice and encouragement.  Alex and Brett answer questions such as how do I get started, how do I know this is what God is calling me to do, what if my parents don’t agree with me and how do I handle pride?

I was most impressed by the humility the Harris twins show in their book.  Over and over they remind the reader that the motivation for doing hard things is to give glory to God, not to exalt ourselves.  And as a parent reading this book, I was especially grateful they pointed out several times to their young and impressionable audience that their first responsibility in glorifying God is to obey and honor their parents.

Start Here is a wonderfully, well-written book by two young men who are shining lights in their dark generation.  It is filled with practical advice and wise counsel.  For any teens, parents or youth workers wanting to encourage their young people to step out in faith, Start Here is a fantastic resource.

I find it ironic that I was asked to write the review for Start Here this particular week.  This week I, 7 other adults and 8 amazing rebelutionary teens were supposed to be on a missions trip in Torreon, Mexico.  All of the members of this team had counted the cost and stood up under fire against others who told us it was too dangerous to go down there.  In the end, God had other plans.  The drug cartels began car jackings and kidnappings along our route to Torreon and we were forced to cancel our trip 2 days before we had to leave.  Sometimes the hardest things to do are the things we don’t understand.  And Alex and Brett point this out in their book.  These 8 teens that were members of our missions team are learning to trust God even when His ways and His timing doesn’t make sense.

There were also other teens who wanted to go on this trip whose parents said no.  These teens are also rebelutionaries.  They chose to do the hard thing of honoring and obeying their parents.  I witnessed their faithfulness even in the face of scorn from their friends.  God is honored by their decision to glorify Him.

These teens are not going to be recognized by the world for their willingness to do hard things this year, but God sees. As Alex and Brett say in Start Here, “ Faithfulness in small hard things is always the fuel for bigger hard things.”

I’m proud to know these teens. And I’m glad there are teens like Alex and Brett Harris in this world to encourage others to do hard things and to start where they are to live life for the glory of God.