Restore My Soul: A Coloring Book Devotional Journey

Meditate using this new coloring book by Ann-Margret Hovsepian.

A couple years ago, my employer sent me to the Frankfurt Book Fair to spot trends. We want to prepare our students for what's coming, not what's been. Frankfurt is the largest book fair in the world, so I spent hours walking the aisles, talking to venders, and scoping out products. And I came home with a couple of coloring books for adults. I had never heard of such a thing! It was like paint by number only using colored pencils instead of paint—and without the numbers. I got to choose what colors I liked best.And sure enough, now they're everywhere, these books. And my friend Ann-Margret Hovsepian has created a nice one especially for helping us think about what matters. She includes a devotional thought with a verse opposite each coloring page. And the pages are thick enough that I could use a small magic marker without having it bleed through. Even non-artists can pull away from the screen and create within boundaries. Check out Restore My Soul.

Truth and Dare: Devotions for Girls

During my time in Colorado Springs I had a chance to catch up with a Canadian author friend, Ann-Margret Hovsepian. She wrote Truth & Dare: One Year of Dynamic Devotions for Girls. Here's what she had to say about her book:

What inspired you to write devotions for girls?
I’ve always had a special place in my heart for outreach to preteen girls and I think that devotionals are a great way to connect with God’s Word. Daily devotions are crucial in the spiritual development of young girls because Scripture and prayer are the best ways to connect with God. Many Christian girls are involved in youth groups or listen to Christian music or watch Christian movies but sometimes those things can distract us—even  adults—from personal study of Scripture and quiet time with God.

How is Truth & Dare different from other devotionals?
More than just getting them to read their Bibles, Truth & Dare shows them in practical ways how to apply the lessons they learn in their everyday lives. There’s a take-away value to the daily devotions as the reader is challenged to do something about what she’s just learned. It’s about more than just reading and meditating on God’s Word; it’s about putting it into action, almost immediately—that day or that week. There’s also lots of space for journaling about what readers have learned or experienced through the devotions and activities, as well a dozen or so true stories and testimonies of real girls, illustrating some of the lessons in the devotionals in a way that the readers can really relate to.

How are pre-teen girls different from younger girls and older teens?
It’s such a special age—they’re not little children but they’re not yet teenagers and nowadays that age group has its own special set of challenges. There can be a bit of an identity crisis because they want to enjoy being a kid but also feel pressured to look and behave like a woman. It’s confusing. Marketing specifically designed to target tweens is stronger than ever before so these unsuspecting young people are vulnerable to all kinds of messages about materialism, sexuality and, basically, looking out for themselves above anything else.

What types of topics are covered in the daily studies?

Everything from dealing with conflict at school to missions to respecting one’s parents to self-esteem and knowing God in an intimate way. The book addresses peer pressure, forgiveness, purity, sharing one’s faith, inner beauty, and much more. A lot of these topics are approached in a lighthearted way, for example starting with a fun object lesson about nature or science or a quiz or puzzle, while others may dive right into the Scripture and what it means. The weekend chapters cover several interesting portions of Scripture such as the Ten Commandments, the Fruit of the Spirit, or Armour of God.

How do these devotionals encourage pre-teens to put their faith into action?
I present readers with three specific challenges to get them thinking about practical ways they can put what they’ve just learned into action. My hope is that by the time they get partway through the book, they will have gotten into the habit of seeing how they can apply Scripture in their daily lives.