BOOK LAUNCH!

My first book, True Identity was launched earlier this month, but I've held off on making noise about it till this week because it will be featured for three days on FamilyLife Today (listen here).

This book is written for teens to help them process the important issues they are facing in this stage of life - and to help them find their true identity in Christ above all else. It's based on concepts rom Passport2Identity with more stories from my life and experiences to help drive home the ideas. It's a great book to give a teen you know to help open doors for important conversations.

Can you do one or more of the following to help get the word out?

1. Buy a copy of the book and give it to a teen you know.

2. Write a review of the book on Amazon (more reviews help raise the profile of the book so it will be recommended to others).

3. Share the FamilyLife Today programs on Facebook or other social media.

4. If you use goodreads, add it to one of your shelves, even if you don't plan to read it. That also raises the profile of the book.

I've heard a number of people who have already read the book say, "I wish I would have had something like this when I was a teen." The point of making noise about the book is to help teens center their identity in Christ and focus their lives on Him. Colossians 3:2-3 is the theme verse for the book: "Set you minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. For you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God." The hope of this book is summed up in that verse. The more one knows the truth of being "hidden with Christ," the more they are able to then "set your minds on things that are above." 

14 Types of Biblical Affliction

Mark Driscoll, in his book Who Do You Think You Are?, (which is an edited collection of his sermons on Ephesians), gives a very helpful list of the main types of affliction one finds in Scripture. Whether you like Driscoll or not, if you're struggling with affliction, meaning, you feel like you are suffering from a circumstance outside of your control. Or maybe you're not sure why you are suffering - I think you'll find these categories useful for gaining understanding of your situation.

Here they are in summary form:

1. Adamic Affliction: We were all born into a fallen world with a sin nature, inherited from Adam.
2. Punishment Affliction: God judges unbelievers and punishes them for sin. (example: Sodom and Gomorrah, Pharaoh, Egypt).
3. Consequential Affliction: Sometimes we suffer because of foolish decision (see Proverbs).
4. Demonic Affliction: Satan is alive and at work in the world, though sometimes demonic suffering can be difficult to discern.
5. Victim Affliction: The result of being sinned against.
6. Collective Affliction: Sometimes we suffer as a result of being part of a people who are suffering (OT prophets).
7. Disciplinary Affliction: God chastens believers in order to mature them (Heb. 12:7).
8. Vicarious Affliction: Sometimes those in Christ suffer because the ungodly oppose them.
9. Empathetic Affliction: Suffering that comes when someone we love is hurting.
10. Testimonial Affliction: Some suffering is a demonstration of the gospel so that others will have a deeper appreciation and understanding of Jesus.
11. Providential Affliction: Some suffer to teach a lesson about God so that worship of Him increases (Joseph's imprisonment in Egypt).
12. Preventative Affliction: Suffering that warns us of greater suffering that will happen if we don't heed God's warnings.
13. Mysterious Affliction: Sometimes God, in His providence, has chosen not to reveal why we suffer (i.e. Job).
14. Apocalyptic Affliction: Increased suffering that will signal the end of this age.

Helpful categories that protect against tendencies to assign one reason or motive to whatever affliction of the moment one faces.