Foreword by Ed Cash and Franni Rae Cash Cain, We the Kingdom
Have you ever considered that Jesus could actually be walking alongside you? Like right now, in this very moment—even though you can't see him. If you knew that for sure, how would it change your day? Your life? Because you can't see or hear Jesus with your physical eyes and ears, walking with him takes a different kind of seeing and hearing. And as you learn to walk with him, your faith will grow, and your life will never be the same.
Through a month of meditations, Drew Hill invites you to look for Jesus with the eyes of your heart and learn to hear his voice. As you encounter Jesus, you will begin to see yourself through his eyes.
Alongside Jesus uses a daily devotional format, and each chapter takes a look at a different truth about Jesus and invites you to establish an "Alongside Practice" that will help solidify this truth in your heart. Each week includes a weekend conversation with your "Alongsider"—a parent, mentor, or friend who can help you process what you're reading. These encounters with Jesus will help you see that Jesus is closer than anyone else could ever be.
Alongside Jesus is the first book in the Devotions for Teenagers series.
"This book is an amazing tool as it uses the Word of God to show how Jesus wasn't just some long-haired hippie that lived a long time ago, but that he is very much alive and wants to walk with us throughout life. Who better to show us how to live than the Creator of life itself!"
Ed Cash, We the Kingdom
"The teenage years can be one of the most difficult times in a person's life. There are so many conflicts of identity and attacks against the soul. Alongside Jesus is an incredible tool that does an amazing job of sparking sacred, vital encounters with the living God. The questions, the prompts, and the stories in this book all soften the heart and prepare the reader to meet with Jesus and hear from him for themselves."
Franni Rae Cash Cain, We the Kingdom
"I have read many devotional books, but never one like this. As I read, I kept thinking, WOW, I wish I had read this book when I was a teenager. I also thought, What if I had read it and discussed it with my father? I highly recommend this book to all teens and the adults who care about them. This is not a book simply to be read. Rather, it is a book to be experienced. I highly recommend it to all teens who would like to know God better, and to all adults who love teenagers."
Gary Chapman, author of The 5 Love Languages
"Jesus walks alongside us—this may be the most profound revelation we ever learn. Yet, grasping it takes a lifetime of trust. In everyday language and stories, Drew Hill helps teenagers ask questions, engage Scripture, and ultimately better grasp this profound revelation. In doing so, Drew offers a book for teens and adults alike."
Newt Crenshaw, President of Young Life
"If you're looking for a way to connect with the teenagers in your life, look no further. Alongside Jesus: Devotions for Teenagersis more than a book. It's a key that will unlock fresh conversations between teenagers and Jesus, and also between teenagers and adults."
David Eaton, Axis CEO and Cofounder
"Devotionals for teenagers are notoriously difficult to recommend. They're either trendy and biblically light or they're so exegetically dense students have a hard time knowing what difference it makes to real life. Drew Hill's Alongside Jesus is different. He invites students into the presence of Jesus and draws them into the biblical text while leading them to put it into practice. As a youth pastor and parent of teenagers, I cannot wait to get Alongside Jesus into the hands of my teenagers."
Mike McGarry, Youth pastor; author of Lead Them to Jesus and A Biblical Theology of Youth Ministry
"Drew Hill has written a devotional that meets teenagers where they are so that they can encounter Jesus where he is. Alongside Jesus first and foremost is centered on Scripture, which is where I always want my teenage friends to start. Drew invites kids to use their imaginations, making note of their 'wonderings' as they read Scripture. The stories, Alongside practices, music recommendations, and weekend conversation starters with an 'Alongsider' together create a significant space for kids to fall more in love with the Jesus who loves them."
Julie Clapp, Vice President of WyldLife, Young Life
"I wish that when I was going through my teenage years I'd have had a devotional that made me want to know Jesus more. One that created space for me to study, question, wonder, and fall more in love with Jesus at a pace that didn't make me want to tap out if I couldn't devote time every day. Alongside Jesus: Devotion for Teenagers is a game changer for young people trying to figure out what it really means to follow Jesus. It will make the adults in their lives remember what it was like when they first started on their journey with Jesus and will be renewing to them as well!"
Derrica Barbee, Hollywood actor and producer
"I love how this book helps me to understand and see Scripture in a whole new light. It not only helps me to slow down in a world that keeps rolling but teaches me about the wonder of Jesus and helps me lean into healthy ways I want to live. I will forever be proud of my dad for writing this amazing book, but mostly for showing me through it how much Jesus comes alongside me."
Honey Hill, thirteen-year-old daughter of Drew and Natalie Hill; big sister of Hutch, Macy Heart, Hobbie, and Huddle; writer; beloved of the Lord
"In Alongside Jesus, Drew Hill writes a compelling guide that will cause any teenager to reimagine what it looks like to engage in a personal walk with the Lord. This devotional is a tool that should be in every young person's toolbox."
Gerald Fadayomi, Pastor; author of Before You Go: Following Jesus and Growing in Your Faith After High School
This devo has been an enormous blessing for my teen and tween kids. We go through a chapter each week and have had some rich and deep conversations about Jesus as a result. This is so well-written, relatable, and utterly focused on helping kids to simply know Jesus. I wish there were more devos for teens like this one in the book market! Oddly enough, it’s extremely difficult to find a devotional that’s not marketed specifically towards one gender (I have a daughter AND son), and one that’s simply focused on Jesus. I have done a lot of searching, and this gem of a book has been the only one I’ve found. I hope the author will continue writing more content in the same vein!
I absolutely love Alongside Jesus: Devotions for Teenagers by Drew Hill! Drew Hill’s Alongside Jesus is a devotional for teenagers that is flexible and easy-to-understand, yet impactful to assist teens in their Walk with the Lord. Alongside Jesus is a month long devotional that is broken up into four weeks with each week having a weekend conversation at the end of that particular week. Each devotion entry starts out with a Bible Verse and a Question, then builds on with a “Scripture” section with an interactive “My Wonderings” section. Each devotion entry continues with a “Story” section, a Jesus section, and an interactive “Today’s Alongside Practice”, as well as a song that complements that day’s particular devotion. Depending on the devotion entry, the devotion may have more interactive components than others. Mr. Hill also encourages the reader to have someone they trust to go through the devotional with–an “Alongsider”. I have been searching for a devotional like Alongside Jesus: Devotions for Teenagers by Drew Hill for a long time. I primarily work with elementary and middle school-aged children and I have been looking for a devotional that I can pass along to families as the kids travel on to the Youth Group and I believe Alongside Jesus: Devotions for Teenagers is a wonderful option. One of the many things I loved most about the devotional book is the amount of interactivity that is in the book and the songs that complimented each devotional entry. (I even made a playlist of the songs that were mentioned in the book!) I loved that Mr. Hill did not water down the Biblical Truth that is mentioned in the book, but was truthful with the reader about things that can keep us from being close to Jesus. I also love the flexibility that was allowed in the reading of the devotional because it doesn’t seem daunting to a young person who is trying to develop a Quiet-Time Method that works for them. I used Alongside Jesus: Devotions for Teenagers as part of my Quiet-Time myself and even though I am not a teen anymore, I found the devotional book to encouraging and it still was able to Minister to me despite my 37 years. If you are looking for a devotional for the teens in your life or looking for a book to suggest to your youth group, then I highly recommend Alongside Jesus: Devotions for Teenagers by Drew Hill!
Are you looking for a devotional to help your teenagers grow in their relationship with Jesus? "Alongside Jesus" is a beautiful devotional you can read, discuss and experience with your teenager. It is a book I wish I had as a teenager to help me navigate the waters as a new follower of Christ. I think this devotional will help them figure out what it means to follow Jesus by drawing them in with weekly conversation prompts and includes an "Alongside Practice" that gives action steps to developing a lifelong walk with Jesus. This devotional book is terrific at showing how Jesus is alive and wants to walk through life with us. I loved how the book prepares teenagers' hearts to meet with Jesus and hear from Him. It's the perfect practical resource for teenagers to show them how to start their walk with Jesus and to get to know their creator better and who He created them to be.
Alongside Jesus is terrific devotional firmly rooted in scripture and specifically designed for teenagers. It provides four daily devotions each week focusing on a specific truth about Jesus. Unique to this devotional is the element of including an “alongsider”. An “alongsider” is a parent/mentor that you process the devotionals with using questions that are included in the text on a weekly basis. While this complimentary book was provided for review by New Growth Press, no other compensation was given. All remarks are my personal and honest opinions.