Before They Walk Away

I absolutely love this book! Not only does it inspire you to ‘act’, it also gives you very concrete ideas on how to help. A ‘must read’ for parents, youth leaders, and for every other person who does not want to see our young people walk away from their faith.

This is a wonderful, inspiring and very helpful book filled with very well explained ideas to utilize, that are very concrete and supportive in helping our youth BEFORE they walk away!

A ‘must-read’ resource for helping our young people stay grounded in their faith.

First of all, congratulations on writing such an important and timely book. I really appreciated the heart behind it. What stood out to me was that the book does not treat teenagers’ doubts simply as problems that need to be corrected. Instead, it emphasizes listening, empathy, relationship and creating an environment where young people feel safe enough to be honest about their questions.

I especially appreciated the emphasis on creating ‘safe zones’ for doubt and dialogue. I also found the FaithMap framework interesting and practical. The idea of recognizing that teenagers are at different points in their spiritual journeys, rather than treating every young person exactly the same way, gives mentors a helpful framework for thinking about how to respond.

Another strength is the practical nature of the later chapters. The book does not stop at identifying the problem; it gives readers tools, conversation ideas, mentoring principles, training suggestions, and practical next steps. That makes it useful for someone who wants to put these ideas into practice in a family, church or youth group ministry setting.

I view this book as a superb reference book and companion manual for youth leaders/parents, etc. It flows well as a workbook or guide that could literally be utilized for multiple sessions with teens - as well as in training others to ‘be present and in relationship’ with teens and young people.

It has a practicality to it that enhances its credibility. It is comprehensive, skillfully presented, filled with hard facts, biblical and theological reflection, psychological / sociological truths, coupled with a huge dose of compassion, encouragement, understanding, grace, and support all throughout its pages. And of course, a plethora of tools and resources.

I found a treasure trove of an Appendix, that included tools and resources that I literally could have worked very effectively from in my next encounter with a young teen anywhere! What a rich and tremendously practical gift you are giving to the reader!

You present a clear-eyed approach to working with teens and you allow for flexibility in the engagement with teens that takes into account both teacher/counselor and teen. You also give the teacher permission to learn and grow along with the student, while developing a trusting relationship to demonstrate how our faith is walked out in practical ways. The book is very conversational, accessible, and user-friendly and at times I felt as if I was sitting and talking to you personally (which was great!)