rebelling against low expectations
Like many young people, I finished high school with only a vague notion of what God wanted me to do with my life. My interests in novel writing, acting, and fashion design were artsy and impractical. To further complicate matters, I struggled with a terrible chronic illness, so for a couple of years my entire focus was on getting healthy. And even then, I had to face the fact that I might never...
Homeschooling culture is funny. I admit it. There’s a lot to pick on us about. Thankfully, we have a pretty good sense of humor and can dish the homeschooler jokes out ourselves. John Crist and Blimey Cow being chief among us. But as funny, humorous, and, at times, embarrassing as homeschooling can be, I wouldn’t trade it. I’m glad I was homeschooled. The thing about homeschooling is despite the...
It’s an unfortunate reality that our generation struggles intensely with anxiety and depression. According to the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), 32% of teens 13-18 years old struggle with an anxiety disorder. There’s a lot we could (and should) go into here, but it makes you wonder what’s causing this and what can teens do to reverse the trend? What do happy teens do? I...
I am rebelling against low expectations. Breaking down the social “foundations”. Changing adolescent definitions, To be bold and strong and brave. Striving for excellence every day. Setting examples, promoting change. I am learning, I am growing I am reading more and knowing I am more than ever showing. I am seventeen and, yes, it’s scary, But I am a Rebelutionary. My fear has not been...
Last April, a group of five teens from tribal India did a teeny-tiny little hard thing. They summited Mount Everest. Okay, so maybe it was kind of a hard thing. The funny thing is, a year prior, they hadn’t even known the name of the highest summit (Everest). Now, according to the BBC, not only have they summited the giant, they’re ready to start working on another one (maybe Mount...
Seventeen year old Emma Burkholder is facing a hard thing few teens ever have to face. Emma’s mom, Jennifer Burkholder–who is paralyzed from the waist down due to a car accident when she was 18–has recently been diagnosed with 2 types of breast cancer. This is obviously both a major emotional and financial toll on the family and in an effort to help out, Emma has chosen to...
Have you ever gone through a difficult situation and asked yourself, “Why is God allowing this?” Teens go through hard times. Sometimes the tests–hard classes, losing close friends, and the death of a loved one–can seem like too much. Often, we wonder if we can even make it through, or if there is any point to all the pain. Why is God letting us go through this? What is...
A 15-year-old entrepreneur has made the news because his lawn-care business was robbed twice.
But you had us at “15-year-old entrepreneur.”
Either way, Ian Fox has an inspiring story and we wanted you to hear about it:
It’s hard to believe it was ten years ago when Do Hard Things came out. Some of us can barely remember a time we weren’t familiar with the phrase “do hard things.” For others of us, it’s a revolutionary new concept we’ve only recently discovered and started applying to our lives. (And still others of us are ten-years familiar with it and still learning to apply it to our lives.) In any case, Do...
Almost every hero in history shares a common trait: they started young. Jonathan Edwards went to Harvard at age 13. He would become one of the most influential figures of The Great Awakening and write a series of 70 Resolutions as a 19- and 20-year old. Blaise Pascal began studying geometry at age 12. He would go on to invent the calculator at 19. Jane Austen started writing seriously as a child...
rebelling against low expectations
