In a world where nearly 70 percent of teenagers own a smartphone and social media defines our living standards, authentic identity and self-worth can be hard to find. New author Jessica Fralin not only understands that battle but has found a way to help teenagers navigate that world in her debut book, #Stolen. Through relevant and thought-provoking writing, Fralin addresses many of the lies we have come to believe about ourselves and reminds us that social media does not have to define us. Throughout the book she reminds us that words are powerful, deep community is essential, and true self-worth only is found through a relationship with Jesus.
There are so many great aspects of this book, but what I loved most is that Fralin doesn’t discourage the use of social media altogether. Instead, she uses personal stories, poses honest and thought-provoking questions, and provides real-life scenarios and research to help readers gain a healthy and biblical perspective toward engaging social media platforms. There are some great topics throughout this book such as comparison, body image, bullying and self-obsession. This book provides more than enough to talk about in a small group setting of girls or—better yet—a parent and teenager. With so many different voices trying to define our identities for us, #Stolen would be a great gift for any teenage girl and has the potential to start some life-changing conversations.
