Book ideas for a 15 y/o relatively new to Christianity

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My ladyfriend’s cousin’s 15th birthday is coming up. We would like to get him something spiritual-related, perhaps a devotional or something of the type for his birthday. He is going through a rough time right now. He and his sister were never baptized in any church. Dad is a non-practicing Catholic and tends to be very passive. Mom is the active parent and she had bad experiences with organized religion when younger so she took the path of not raising her children in a faith and leaving that option to them when they were older. Around a year ago he (the cousin) began attending social groups at the Methodist church down the street and began taking classes and announced to his family last year that he wanted to follow Christ and was getting baptized. Even though the family is not actively religious they all supported him and attended. He is active in that church in the choir, youth group etc. Recently, among other perils of growing up and being a teenager, his parents are getting divorced. Sadly, Mom did not go about telling the kids in a very constructive way and that has created a little rift (she basically text messaged the kids saying “I’m leaving your father” with no prior warning). We would like ti be supportive of his faith journey but not pushy. His immediate family, although supportive are not practicing. He is very close with his sister, but she is very left wing, feminist, atheist, Bernie Sanders camp. He has expressed to his grandparents and to us a few times that he has been bullied at school for being conservative and practicing a religion. I was thinking for a gift perhaps a general Christian devotional or spiritual work. He already has a good Bible. He is still discovering Christianity so I think it is too soon for digging into the Catholic v. Protestant apologetics. Any thoughts?
 
victrolatim said:
irthday is coming up. We would like to get him something spiritual-related, perhaps a devotional or something of the type for his birthday. He is going through a rough time right now. He and his sister were never baptized in any church. Dad is a non-practicing Catholic and tends to be very passive. Mom is the active parent and she had bad experiences with organized religion when younger so she took the path of not raising her children in a faith and leaving that option to them when they were older. Around a year ago he (the cousin) began attending social groups at the Methodist church down the street and began taking classes and announced to his family last year that he wanted to follow Christ and was getting baptized. Even though the family is not actively religious they all supported him and attended. He is active in that church in the choir, youth group etc. Recently, among other perils of growing up and being a teenager, his parents are getting divorced. Sadly, Mom did not go about telling the kids in a very constructive way and that has created a little rift (she basically text messaged the kids saying “I’m leaving your father” with no prior warning). We would like ti be supportive of his faith journey but not pushy. His immediate family, although supportive are not practicing. He is very close with his sister, but she is very left wing, feminist, atheist, Bernie Sanders camp. He has expressed to his grandparents and to us a few times that he has been bullied at school for being conservative and practicing a religion. I was thinking for a gift perhaps a general Christian devotional or spiritual work. He already has a good Bible. He is still discovering Christianity so I think it is too soon for digging into the Catholic v. Protestant apologetics. Any thoughts?
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I would not recommend getting a book. Its unlikely that he will ever read it.

Is there any way you can treat him to a “guys day out” with a movie or even ice cream? Or even just both you and your ladyfriend? Show him a good couple in action?

If you must get him a book, I’d suggest Scott Hahn’s “Father who Keeps His Promises.”
 
I am also looking for some info about this. I have 5 years old nephew.
 
Check out Resisting Happiness by Matthew Kelly. It’s Catholic but I don’t think it would be offensive to a non-Catholic.

It’s been awhile but I can’t recall any topics that are inappropriate for his age. The author talks about his experiences as a young man growing in faith and recognizing how resistance has negatively impacted his life but when he pushes past resistance he is happier and living God’s mission for his life. The chapters are short and each ends with a question for reflection and a action/challenge to do something that relates to the chapter.
 
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I think it may be helpful for him to read something with Christianity in action rather than something doctrinal. So I would recommend getting him this book: The Shadow of His Wings by Gereon Goldmann. It’s really a good story and a 15 year old boy might find it interesting. According to the summary on Amazon: “Here is the astonishing true story of the harrowing experiences of a young German seminarian drafted into Hitler’s dreaded SS at the onset of World War II. Without betraying his Christian ideals, against all odds, and in the face of Evil, Gereon Goldmann was able to complete his priestly training, be ordained, and secretly minister to German Catholic soldiers and innocent civilian victims caught up in the horrors of war.”
 
Sunbreak’s novel by Goldmann sounds good for a teen. I also second Mere Christianity for someone who likes to read. It’s an easy read by the best apologist of the century. 40 years after first reading it I still find the concepts useful.
 
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