In 2020, author Shannon Popkin’s book, Comparison Girl: Lessons from Jesus on Me-Free Living in a Measure-Up World, was addressed to Christian women who were struggling to follow Jesus and find their worth in him in a competitive world.
In Comparison Girl for Teens, Popkin joins forces with Lee Nienhuis, author of Countercultural Parenting, to address similar issues as they relate to teens.
Candidly and vulnerably, Popkin and Nienhuis share the struggles they experienced as teenagers and how they learned to find their true worth in Jesus, who created them, loves them, and taught them what true freedom is.
In this 40-day guided reflection workbook with room to journal, teens are invited to explore areas in their lives where comparisons cause harm to themselves and to their peers. Topics include making comparisons about sinfulness, beauty, femininity, popularity, possessions, talents, and relationships.
In this excellent resource, the authors wisely, kindly, and nonjudgmentally deal with the challenges girls face. They always land on a biblical foundation as they explore girls’ identities, purposes, and places in God’s world. They acknowledge that overcoming the prison of comparison lies squarely in a life submitted to God: “The power to stop measuring isn’t in us. (What?!) Wrestling and fighting comparison on our own only leads to tighter knots. There are battles we fight and problems we face that can only be overcome with help from God. In fact, the power to stop measuring only comes when I quit trying to do it on my own.”
Though written for teenage girls, this resource could prove useful to their parents, teachers, church youth leaders, and any other adults whose lives intersect with them. (Kregel)
About the Author
Sonya VanderVeen Feddema is a freelance writer and a member of Covenant CRC in St. Catharines, Ontario.