Don’t forget! There’s just a few days left to submit your questions, stories, and ideas for the new book. The deadline is March 31st. Email us at book [at] therebelution [dot] com. Can’t wait to hear from you!
Caution: The BBC3 documentary “Deborah 13: Servant of God” includes Deborah’s introduction to the “real world” of dance clubs and college parties, so viewer discretion is encouraged.
Deborah Drapper is a true rebelutionary. At thirteen, the homeschooled Christian girl from Dorset, England, has an inspiring passion for God and for evangelism. After getting an email about her from Anna in Ireland, I had to blog about it.
Fascinated — or maybe frightened — by her “sheltered” life and Christian faith, BBC filmmakers spent over 100 hours with her last summer for a one-hour documentary that aired in the UK earlier this month. They didn’t find what they expected.
In a review in the Daily Telegraph, TV critic Benji Wilson writes:
Whatever version of the fish-out-of-water conceit the producers were hoping for, what they got was far more compelling. They got Deborah. Steely-eyed and still, she was sensational. When we first met her, the producer, Linda Brusasco, asked, “Do you have a TV, do you have a mobile, do you watch The X Factor, do you go to Topshop?” and she replied, “No, no, no… and no.”
Deborah then bit right back, asking the producer, “Would you consider yourself to be a good person? Have you ever told a lie, stolen anything, used God’s name in vain, coveted anything?” It was a “yep” to all. “So you’re a lying, thieving, coveting, blasphemer… Do you still think you’re a good person?”
Something to chew on there, and credit to Brusasco for including Deborah’s comeback. This film’s strength was that while it could have sneered at Deborah, instead it just observed her.
“I hope that it is a reflection of my life as I seek to be obedient to God’s Word, live my life under his direction, and share the truth with others,” she told Streetbrand Magazine, before the documentary aired. “And as others see how I live and share Christ, [I hope] they may be encouraged to live and share their Christian faith.”
Many people, even other Christians, might say that Deborah should “turn it down” a bit. But after watching the entire film, Brett and I agree with her older brother Matthew — the rest of us are the ones who need to “turn it up.”
We’re so proud of Deborah. Her faithfulness to “do hard things” and share the gospel — both privately and publicly, both alone and with her family — is the reason for the larger platform God has given her. She was never doing it to get attention. Instead, she did it because she truly loves God and believes the gospel.
Besides dealing with all the emails, criticism, and media requests that have come with the documentary (and besides school, chores, and working with her family), Deborah also has a terrific blog. Be sure to pay her a visit and let her know that you’re praying for her. And more than that, let’s all learn from her example.
There is a quote, the author long since forgotten, that has been used countless times by millions all over the world: “Anything good is worth waiting for”
Over the last few weeks, we’ve received dozens of emails from people asking us when registration for the 2009 conference season will be open. Well, the wait is over. Registration is now open for the Do Hard Things Tour 2009, stopping in five major cities: Louisville, KY, Chicago, IL, Orange County, CA, Birmingham, AL, and Washington, D.C.
Do Hard Things Tour 2009
Last year’s conference tour was incredible! Young, and old people took up the challenge to Do Hard Things and to make an impact on the culture for Christ. Fathers were reconciled to their sons, daughters to their mothers. And most importantly, souls were saved. Even though we’re not about numbers, we like to share these to show what God is doing in our generation:
* 16,200 teens, parents, and youth workers reached in 2008, up from 4,200 in 2007.
* 14-year-olds worked with Convention Centers, 15-year-olds manned $50,000 robotic cameras, 16-year-olds managed grassroots publicity, 9-year-olds ran Audience Response Technology, etc. These were events for teens, by teens.
* 8,800 miles: The farthest distance traveled to attend. Represented were Canada, France, Germany, Great Britain, Kenya, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, and 43 of the 50 states.
* 500 bold professions of faith in Jesus Christ with every head up and every eye open.
* 3,200 attendees at the final conference outside Washington, D.C.
God is really using this movement, and this year, we embark on the next chapter of the journey.
Brett and I are excited to announce the next step for the Rebelution. We’re working on a companion book to Do Hard Things, due to hit the shelves next spring. If Do Hard Things was the manifesto of the movement, we want this to be a handbook or field guide for rebelutionaries. That’s why we need your help.
If you’ve read Do Hard Things, we want to hear about your experience applying its message to your life. We want this new book to share your stories, answer your questions, and address the obstacles you’ve faced in your efforts.
Here’s a basic framework of what we’re looking for — but don’t let it limit you!
Share a story of a hard thing, big or small, that you have done. What were your fears and hopes ahead of time? How did it go? What are your reflections now on what you did?
What obstacles have you encountered when doing hard things or trying to get started? What have been your disappointments?
What would you most like to ask Brett and me about doing hard things?
The deadline for gathering submissions is March 31st — just over three weeks from now. Please include your full name (and the first name you’d like us to use), along with your city and state. If you are sharing a personal story, please also include the name and phone number of someone who can vouch for you.
For legal reasons, we need to tell you that by emailing us you give us permission to freely use your story and the first name and city you provide, as well as to revise and edit your story as necessary. In legalese, you are releasing us and our publisher from “any and all claims, demand, and liability arising from the use of your story.”
We can’t wait to hear from all of you! Thank you in advance for taking the time to share your thoughts with us. Our prayer is that God would use this companion book to help rebelutionaries take the next step — and that’s only possible with your help.
When are you going to get your stuff done? Procrastination can sabotage more than a day’s work. Too many of us also procrastinate in much bigger areas of life — things like growing in responsibility, maturity and in our relationship with Christ.
For young people this can be expressed in the phrase: Life starts later. Life begins after high school, after college, later, someday, but not now. We view the teen years as a vacation from responsibility, a time to goof off and have fun. We’re like athletes, lounging poolside, not realizing the game has already started.
And you see, what bothers us when young people die is that we think they somehow didn’t have a chance to live. But that’s only because we’ve bought into the lie that life doesn’t start until after you’re married with kids.
I Timothy 4:12 says, “Let no one look down on your because you are young, but set the believers an example in speech, in life, in love, in faith, and in purity.”
Speaking for Christ starts now. Living for Christ starts now. Loving for Christ starts now. Faith must be exercised now. Purity is important now.
God doesn’t have two standards, one for adults and one for young people. He has a high calling for both. And that high calling starts now.
A wasted life is a life that ends before its owner even thought it had started.
Some questions for discussion:
Almost all of us have a tendency to procrastinate with little things (e.g. homework, homework, etc.) But what bigger life things do you find yourself putting off until “someday?”
Elizabeth’s “Bonus” Question from the Comment Section: What practical steps can you take to stop procrastinating in this area of your life?
Natalie’s “Bonus” Question from the Comment Section: How do you distinguish between procrastinating and prioritizing?
NOTE: Have another question for everyone related to procrastination? Ask it in the comment section and I’ll add it here.
