We Are Done! - A Letter from Alex and Brett
Dear Friends,
It is with great excitement — and considerable relief — that we tell you that we have finished our book! Do Hard Things: A Teenage Rebellion Against Low Expectations will be released on April 15, 2008. Praise God!
You know, we have often joked in conversations with other rebelutionaries that God has too much of a sense of humor to let someone write a book called Do Hard Things and make it easy. Well, He didn’t. It was hard.
Writing this book has been one of the most faith-testing, comfort-zone stretching hard things we’ve ever done, but it’s also been one of the most rewarding things we’ve ever done. We’re excited to be done, but we’re even more excited about sharing it with all of you — and, Lord-willing, with many others.
Be sure to check out the new (still a work-in-progress) “book section” for the site. It has the official description and our bio, a book excerpt, a story contest put on by our publisher, and links to pre-order the book online. Just click here.
We’ll have an exciting announcement about the book in the next few days, but for now, please know that your prayers that God would bless and sustain our efforts were answered — and that we are so grateful to you for those prayers. Please continue to pray for the book and the people who will read it.
2007: A Look Back
It has been a joy to watch our community grow and mature over the past year. The Rebelution movement has continued to spread. The reason? Well, one primary reason is because guys and girls like you are living the message — rebelling against low expectations and choosing to do hard things for the glory of God.
Another reason is that the Rebelution is not something we came up with — it really is something God is doing in the hearts of young men and women around the world. Nothing drove this home for us more than our time in Japan, where even with the distinct cultural differences, our message resonated as strongly with teens there as it did in Sacramento, Denver, Dallas, or Indianapolis here in the States.
As we approach the end of 2007, it’s amazing to look back at what God has done to bless and grow this movement over the past year: The Modesty Survey, revamping the Forum, the book contract, four successful national conferences, an international conference, the Breakaway article, and even being mentioned on national TV.
2008: A Look Ahead
Even with all those milestones, it has been difficult for us to be away from TheRebelution.com so much over the past year. The time we normally spend on the Blog and Forum was almost entirely occupied by figuring out how to pull off a conference tour and write a book — often at the same time!
Thankfully, we have learned a lot about doing conferences — and about writing. In fact, counting drafts, rewrites, and revisions, we’ve written over a year’s worth of regular (for us) blogging — 100,000+ words — in just about 4 months. So although posting has been slower recently, we’ve been writing more than ever.
Now that the book is done, we plan to get back to regularly writing articles and improving the website as online headquarters for the Rebelution. We’d love to get your input. Have ideas to improve the site? Email us using the addresses here.
It is likely that there will be a lot of changes ahead in the year ahead. With Do Hard Things coming out in April and an expanded conference tour next summer, we expect the movement to grow more rapidly than ever before.
Growth is exciting. It brings new challenges, but it also creates opportunities for the Rebelution to make a lasting impact. We hope you’ll join us and your fellow rebelutionaries on this adventure. God bless you all!
Pressing On,
Alex and Brett
Soli Deo Gloria!
December 17th, 2007 at 4:41 pm
Looks super! I might even be able to persuade my dad to read it with me. (This will be a hard thing, by the way. My dad has a deep-rooted suspicion of books published post-19th century, that are not covered in dust, and are written by authors that do not have the last name “Spurgeon”, “Calvin” or “Owen”.)
Thanks so much for writing it!
December 17th, 2007 at 4:53 pm
Wow, congratulations guys!! It must be an incredible feeling to know that your done!
Does your expanded conference tour next year happen to include Australia?? =D
Looking forward to reading the book!
December 17th, 2007 at 4:59 pm
Congratulations, and praise the Lord! I am looking forward with great anticipation to reading it. Keep up the great work, and may the Lord God continue to bless you in your endeavors for His glory!
December 17th, 2007 at 5:01 pm
congratulations!
December 17th, 2007 at 5:20 pm
[...] Alex and Brett Harris just announced the great news on their blog that their new book, Do Hard Things, is done! It’s also available on pre-order from the locations they have listed here. [...]
December 17th, 2007 at 5:58 pm
Congratulations! We’re really looking forward to reading it. God bless you guys!
December 17th, 2007 at 6:49 pm
Congrats!! I can’t wait to read it, as well as attend the next Dallas conference. Thanks, both of you
December 17th, 2007 at 6:53 pm
p.s. Who will be reading the audio book?
December 17th, 2007 at 7:19 pm
Praise God. I cannot wait to read it and share it!
December 17th, 2007 at 7:23 pm
Yes, Congrats!
I can hardly wait to read it. I looked at it on Amazon and didn’t like the cover very much but hey, it’s what’s inside that counts, I suppose. 
Good Job!
December 17th, 2007 at 7:33 pm
It is good to see you guys back again! We missed you.
December 17th, 2007 at 7:34 pm
Congrats guys! I’m so glad you finished the challenge to do a hard thing! I will continue to pray for you!
December 17th, 2007 at 7:46 pm
Emma: It will actually be Brett and me reading the audiobook. We’ll going down to California sometime in early February to record it.
Abby: Yeah, the cover doesn’t look too good when it’s flat and blurry on Amazon. You can see more what the book will look like in the new book section: Click Here
December 17th, 2007 at 8:05 pm
Are you guys going to be doing a book tour? Or are you just going to incorporate it into your conferences. Either way, I will be looking forward to reading your book. I think Erin convinced mom to pre-order a copy. If I know my sister she will want to buy copies for all her friends!
December 17th, 2007 at 8:07 pm
Congratulations, guys! Your book is definitely on my reading list for next year. May you continue to bring God glory through your rebelutionary writing and living.
December 17th, 2007 at 8:22 pm
Congrats guys! That is such exciting news! It’s got to be somewhat of a relief to have it finished. I cannot wait until it’s released. I know it will be terrific. Great job and thanks for all your hard work!
December 17th, 2007 at 8:30 pm
December 17th, 2007 at 8:44 pm
Praise the Lord!!! You both have been in my prayers through this whole process. I pray that it will minister to many people!
December 17th, 2007 at 8:44 pm
So exciting!!!
December 17th, 2007 at 9:07 pm
I’m quite worried that you would receive my e-mails late. I wasn’t able to send them earlier because I had attended a training with the city government here in our place. I hope you could send me an e-mail about it as soon as possible. Lots of thanks.
December 17th, 2007 at 9:11 pm
YIPEE!! That feels so good to have it done!
I am so excited for you both!
May God be gloified!
heather
December 17th, 2007 at 9:12 pm
Jazzy: We got your emails — don’t worry, it’s not too late! We’re excited about sharing your story in Do Hard Things.
December 17th, 2007 at 9:18 pm
Thanks a lot Alex! I just sent it minutes ago. I hope it would help. God bless you guys! Continue being blessings to everyone.
December 17th, 2007 at 9:48 pm
Alex & Brett, I’m so excited that the book is done! I knew when it was so quiet around here this last week or so that you were punching keys for another purpose.
Praise the Lord and Congratulations on a hard thing accomplished! I am looking forward to what God has in store for each of us to learn in this next year.
Merry Christmas!
December 17th, 2007 at 10:16 pm
Congrats on the book! It looks fantastic! I am anxiously awaiting the chance to read/ listen to it (I can’t decide which, maybe both). I’ll be praying for you two, the publishing process, and all that comes with…I’ve heard how stressful that can be. Don’t forget to sleep!
God Bless x10^800 ya’ll,
Jeffrey
December 17th, 2007 at 11:20 pm
Congratulations you two!!! Can’t wait to read it!
December 17th, 2007 at 11:28 pm
[...]Alex and Brett Harris have finished what looks like a really great book. The Harris brothers have been working on it for a long while now, and I am pretty excited that it is finally done. Here is an excerpt that will basically sum up what kind of book it is.[...]
http://ericnovak.com/?p=120
December 17th, 2007 at 11:29 pm
Glory to God! Congratulations Boys! We are all so proud of you and are definitely looking forward to April. I can’t wait to hand out copy after copy to all the teens in my life. What a blessing!
Love in Christ,
Your Sister in Christ
Jordan
December 18th, 2007 at 12:01 am
Congratulations! All your -hard- work has paid off !
May God use it to impact our world in mighty ways…
As a side note… is the Rebelution tour coming back to Sacramento or any other part of California in ‘08?
Thanks,
~Holly
December 18th, 2007 at 5:46 am
Good job guys!
I look forward to reading the book… I think we’re planning to pre-order ten copies… if we haven’t already!
God bless,
Kyleigh
December 18th, 2007 at 6:12 am
Oh, that’s wonderful! And it comes out two days after my birthday. It couldn’t get any better. It had been awfully quiet of late, but I realized that you two were working hard to meet a deadline. I have no doubts that all your work will, (and did,) pay off. When you first made mention of it, I was hoping that the book would come out soon enough for Christmas– it would have been number 1 on my list– but it didn’t take long for me to figure out that was preposterous! I guess I’ll just have it as a late birthday gift… Congratulations, Alex and Brett on a job well-done! God bless you and this upcoming new year!
R.M
PS I’m spreading the news to everyone I know. I know many, (including myself,) who would undoubtedly benefit from your book!
December 18th, 2007 at 6:36 am
Congratulations and praising the Lord for giving you the strength and courage to follow through on the dream God has given you.
Jst a plug - come to Grand Rapids MI or Holland MI in 2008!
December 18th, 2007 at 7:31 am
Exciting news! I can’t wait to see the book in print!
December 18th, 2007 at 7:43 am
Praise God! I just read the excerpt from the book, and it’s wonderful! It’s whetted my appetite for more - can’t wait until the book comes out! =)
Great job sticking with it and pressing on to do hard things. I know this book will touch many lives. I’m excited, for it will finally be a really good book for teens to give to friends.
December 18th, 2007 at 8:43 am
Wow! Congratulations! I will most definately be buying this book when I can! I read the exerpt and I am so impressed! I am so thankful for both of you guys. You’re an inspiration to me, and hopefully I’ll be able to do harder, and harder things with every passing year for the glory of God.
December 18th, 2007 at 10:29 am
Congrats!! yay!!
I echo Barb F…..come to west MI!!
December 18th, 2007 at 10:45 am
Congrats, Alex and Brett! I’m so excited about this book and can’t wait to read it.
December 18th, 2007 at 10:48 am
YAY! Congratulations, guys!
December 18th, 2007 at 10:54 am
What can I say, but “God is so good!”? Along with many others, I have been keeping you both in prayer through this past year, and I am joyful to be able to anticipate the reading of your book, and to see all that God has used you for this year.
Are you planning to go to NA ‘08?
~Lady Tai
December 18th, 2007 at 1:17 pm
Congratulations!!
December 18th, 2007 at 2:23 pm
Wow! This is so exciting! A birthday present, for me, because it comes out the day before my birthday! Very, very thrilling. I can’t wait to read it! Wow. God bless you, and thank you for sharing so much of yourselves with us. It means so much.
In Christ Alone,
Sheila
December 18th, 2007 at 5:01 pm
Congrats, you guys!!! I’m so excited for you! And I can’t wait to read the book!!!
December 18th, 2007 at 7:51 pm
PTL! Looking forward to seeing how the Lord will use the book.
December 19th, 2007 at 6:05 am
Congratulations!!! I’m looking forward to reading it!
December 19th, 2007 at 11:22 am
That is so exciting! Congratualtions! I’ll have to ask my parents to get it as an early Birthday gift next year! I can’t wait to read it!
December 19th, 2007 at 8:10 pm
That’s so exciting! I can hardly wait to read it!
December 19th, 2007 at 8:51 pm
Congrats on finishing the book! I’ve reserved my copy, and my mom, who runs our church library, is in the process of ordering some for our church. I’m so excited about this book, and what God will do through it. I’m sending info about it to everyone, and can’t wait to see the impact your hard work will make on everyone. I think it’s so fantastic that two teens, only two years older than myself, could take on this challenge. That in itself is a testimony to what you guys are all about. God bless you abundantly for all you have done and will continue to do!!!
December 19th, 2007 at 11:58 pm
I am so excited to read your book and I’m looking forward to more postings also.
I also was wondering where you get the pictures you use for your blog. Do you take them yourself?
December 20th, 2007 at 8:00 pm
Great! I’m glad to hear you’ve finished it! I think I’ll buy a copy too.
After I read it, I’ll lend it to as many people as possible! There are some teenagers in my youth group who need to be Rebelutionized. Now I just need to figure how to get them to read it, and not offend them by suggesting it. Hmm…
God bless, and may this do a great work for Him,
Jacob
December 21st, 2007 at 11:06 pm
Hello, a while back i asked this question but i want to ask it again, is “Do Hard Things going to be available worldwide? Such as in foreign countries say the Phillipines?
December 21st, 2007 at 11:14 pm
^ and i forgot to Say Congrats on finshing your book! I pray that He will use this book to challenge and encourage our young genreation.
December 21st, 2007 at 11:44 pm
Josette: We don’t control where the book is sold — but I know it will be available overseas, if not until a bit later than here in the States. We’re definitely pushing for it to be available in the Philippines, since there are so many rebelutionaries there.
December 22nd, 2007 at 12:28 pm
Kudos, guys! I’m so excited about this book coming out! Like Anna said, I’m anticipating it for myself, and for being able to lend it to people in my youth group and at work. I’ve been praying for you both during this time. I know it’s crazy to try to fit writing in on top of a busy schedule. All the glory be to God!
Every blessing,
~Nella
December 23rd, 2007 at 12:36 pm
Praise the Lord that the book is done! You all have been in countless prayers as you worked on it. May the Lord bless you as you continue to “Do Hard Things”.
January 4th, 2008 at 10:05 am
Alex/Brett,
although I don’t share your perspective on religion:
You did a tremendous job when you set up this excellent website and filled it with your thoughts.
I found your Rebelution-website when I heard your profound and thorough statements on Mike Huckabee which were aired on MSNBC just now. Remarkable, it will be very interesting to see your further development, guys.
All the best to you,
Tim