Books published by publisher Zondervan/Youth Specialties

In the fourth book in the ‘Nama Beach series from bestselling author Nancy Rue, Laura Duffy faces her toughest challenge yet when her archnemesis accuses Duffy and her guidance counselor of forcing Jesus into their public school. And just when Duffy needs her best friends the most, they seem to scatter and leave her questioning if she actually did something wrong.For Laura Duffy, the only things that have made her junior year at Panama Beach High bearable are her group of best friends (the BFFs), and her guidance counselor, Mrs. Isaacson, the one who brought the BFFs into her life. So when Mrs. I is accused of forcing her faith on the kids she counsels and is placed on leave, and Duffy’s friends begin distancing themselves to avoid being caught in the aftermath, everything falls apart. As the school administration begins an official investigation, and the girl behind it ramps up her defamation campaign against Mrs. I and the BFFs, Duffy is determined to make her voice known and proclaim the truth. Unfortunately, her actual voice no longer works. And the new guy who’s entered her life seems intent on keeping Duffy’s mind on anything but saving Mrs. I.Totally Unfair:is part of the ‘Nama Beach series, which also includes New Girl in Town, False Friends and True Strangers, and Fault Linescombines contemporary plotlines and realistic issues with Christian valuesis perfect for fans of Melody Carlson and Robin Jones Gunn

Are you confused about who you are or where you’re headed? Does your life seem cluttered and chaotic? Do you wish you understood God’s plan and purpose for your life? Do you want to uncover your God-given strengths? If you said yes to any of these questions, you’ve come to the right book. The first step is to know who you are. Remember, you’re a child of God―created by him with your own unique heart, abilities, personality, and spiritual gifts. God brought all those elements together in you so that you could serve him and the world in your own unique way. Inside the pages of this book, you’ll discover the place where your God-given passions and strengths intersect, and you’ll find the way you’re designed to serve. With interactive exercises and questions for you to answer, you’ll learn more about your: • Spiritual Gifts • Heart • Abilities • Personality • Experiences Understanding each of these areas of your life, you’ll begin to see who you are and how you’re designed to serve. You’ll stop serving because that’s what you’re “supposed” to do, and start serving from the depths of your heart and soul because it’s what you were created to do.

There was a time, not so long ago, when everything in life seemed pretty simple. You had great friends, you got along with your parents (most of the time!), and you were pretty happy with the way your life was. But suddenly, it seems like everything is changing. Your friends expect way too much from you, and often let you down. You fight with your parents more than you'd like, and they never seem to be happy with you. You just don't understand why your life seems so chaotic now. Melissa and Sissy, the authors of this book, think they can help you figure out some of the big questions inundating your mind: * Who am I? * What do I want? * What should I do? * Who do I want to be? While they're no longer teenagers, Melissa and Sissy remember a bit about their entry into teenage life. But more than that, they talk with girls who are a lot like you every day---girls who are feeling pressure from everyone around them, who are feeling like they're changing in ways they don't understand---physically, emotionally, and spiritually---and they feel like their lives are out of their own control. If you've ever asked yourself any of those questions above, or if you just don't know why you feel like everything is changing and you miss the 'good old days' of Barbies and board games, this book can help you understand who you are and give you hope for who you are becoming.

There’s proof a man named Jesus of Nazareth once walked the earth, but opinions on exactly who he was can vary widely. Was he really the Son of God, or was he a nice guy who did some positive things on earth, or was he possibly an unstable man? And how can you know for sure what is true and what is false when it comes to what you’ve read or been told? Lee Strobel decided to investigate the real, historical Jesus and gather irrefutable evidence on everything connected to him so you can discover the biblical truth for yourself.A great prophet. A rebel. The Messiah. A crazy lunatic. Someone who never existed at all. All of these phrases describe different people’s views of Jesus, and various ancient documents have been discovered and various books have been written by scholars that seem to support each version. Not to mention all the arguments that say the Bible can’t be trusted as a reliable source of information on Jesus. So what are you supposed to believe—and why?Lee Strobel wanted the provable, undeniable truth, so he decided to return to the investigation he began in The Case for Christ and explore a variety of new angles to find out once and for all who the real Jesus was. Inside are interviews with numerous biblical scholars and once-zealous doubters about the most common arguments against Jesus, discussions of how reliable Scripture really is, examinations of unearthed ancient texts that appear to counter the gospels, and the evidence that shows who Jesus really was and continues to be in our world. Explore the case for yourself and decide: Is the real Jesus the one the Bible has proclaimed all along?The Case for the Real Jesus Student Edition:Presents the arguments for and against who Jesus is that teens and young adults thirteen and up often ask and encounter so they can see the real factsUses logic and solid information to examine why Christians believe what they doCan be used in the classroom, in group studies, or as part of a religious studies or comparison classContains infographics and charts to make the concepts clearPairs well with The Case for Christ Student Edition, The Case for a Creator Student Edition, The Case for Faith Student Edition, and The Case for Miracles Student Edition

If you’ve ever watched a dog chew on a bone, you’ve probably noticed how hard she concentrates on it―turning it over, getting a stronger grip, digging her teeth into it. She knows that the best meat is at the center of the bone, so she keeps chewing until she gets to the really good stuff. Believe it or not, that’s not too different than what it means to meditate. Meditation essentially means to chew on something over and over again. Chew on This provides you with something to chew on that will take you deeper―to the really good stuff. The more you chew on Scripture, the more you allow it to nourish you and give you strength. But even more than that, it draws you closer to the God who created you and wants to be in a relationship with you. During this month long devotional, you’ll walk through guided meditations, journaling opportunities, Scripture to chew on, and questions for reflection. All these experiences will help you discover Christ in your everyday life and grow closer to God. Take a big bite and chew on God’s Word for a while. See how good the “good stuff” inside can really be.

How do you define leadership? What kind of leader are you? What kind of leader can you be? Can you be both a leader and a follower? You can get a handle on these and other crucial questions by wrapping your brain around Leadership 101. It focuses on the nuts and bolts of solid Christian leadership (prayer, service, communication, conflict management, mentoring, etc.) but also goes deep into the soul of leadership. In these pages you'll find out why leading isn't always what we expect---and how leaders aren't always who we expect them to be. You'll learn to integrate your heart with the skills of leadership. And you'll discover how Jesus, David, and others journeyed on the leadership path---so you can join them, too. This interactive guide also includes checklists, surveys, fill-in-the-blank questions, and journal exercises so you can take your own leadership pulse, identify the traits you want to live out, and record your thoughts and prayers right on the pages---which helps you put leadership into practice more quickly and effectively. Just remember: Leadership isn't a job...it's a journey.

A practical and personal approach to apologeticsfor students. How many times has your teacher asked you a question, and you stare blankly at the ceiling, hoping to discover the answer lingering there? It’s frustrating when we don’t know the answers to the questions we’re asked by others, but it can be even more frustrating when we don’t know the answers to the questions we are asking ourselves. Have you ever asked one of these questions?• Does what I think really matter?• What is truth?• Is God there?• Has God spoken?• Am I important enough?• Am I good enough?• What’s so great about heaven?If you’ve ever wondered about any of these questions, you’ve come to the right place. In Living with Questions, Dale Fincher will help you look at each of these questions in such a way that you’ll discover clues, helpful tools, and answers—and what they all mean for your life and your faith. The answers you find will put you on a path to dig deeper and gain confidence in your faith. As Dale addresses the big questions that he’s been asked by students across the country, you’ll find that you’re not alone in your doubt, confusion, orquestioning. As you learn to live with questions, even the answers are only steps in the right direction. You’ll find how they whet the appetite to go deeper into your purpose on this planet and to discover something big—yet very personal—that’s worth living for.

Don’t worry, My Friends, from the Middle School Survival Series, will give you all the tips and secrets you need to make the most of your friendships. In the pages of this book, you’ll find helpful friendship tips like:• what you can learn about friendships from the Bible• ways to be a good friend• how to deal with conflict and other tough stuff• how to make friends, and moreFrom piles of homework to understanding the variety of “interesting” people working at your school to dealing with the new challenges of changing for gymclass in front of everyone, it’s normal to feel a little overwhelmed.That’s why in My School, from the Middle School Survival Series, we will tackle the things that weigh heavily on middle school students just like you. This book will address important middle school issues like:• Dealing with bullies, jocks, nerds, and every other category of student you encounter• Revealing the truth behind the urban legends of middle school• Pop quizzes, tardiness, and other survival tips

Everyone has secrets. Some you might whisper into a friend’s ear, while others may stay locked inside you for years…maybe even forever. It’s those secrets that you tuck away that eventually control you. You may think you’re okay, but really, your secrets can be tearing you apart from the inside out. Secret Survivors tells the compelling, true stories of people who have lived through painful secrets—things that they kept to themselves until they could no longer bear the pain alone. As you read their stories, you’ll be drawn into their journeys towards healing, and you’ll understand why it’s so important to share your secret with someone else in order to start your own healing process. Read the stories of people, who as teens and young adults, dealt with issues like:•Date rape•Physical abuse•Cutting•Pornography addiction•Eating disorders•Incest•Drug and alcohol addiction•Abortion You may find a story that sounds similar to your own secret pain, or you may learn more about secrets that a friend or family member is dealing with. Whether your own story is represented in these pages or not, you’ll feel a connection to the people in these stories, because we all have some kind of pain tucked away. But you don’t have to feel alone in your pain anymore. After you read the stories of these survivors, you’ll find the strength you need to share your own secret and start healing your heart and soul.

Being a teenager--well, it has its ups and downs. It's cool to discover new stuff about yourself. But you've also got to make a lot of choices about who you want to be. You've got a lot of questions about God, dating, sex, faith, drugs, friends, your family, popularity--and the list goes on. Hey, you're not alone. Open up this Bible and read devotions written by teens like you who are dealing with the same stuff. They want to share with you what God has to say and how he can help you get through anything. The NIV Teen Devotional Bible is written by teens for teens. Its 260 weekday devotions can help you find out what the Bible says about stuff that really matters to you. You'll love the exciting look and feel of this Bible. The page-by-page bursts of surprising facts, cool graphics, crazy humor, and radical ideas to chew on--and apply. The introductions loaded with features that help you get to know each book of the Bible. Fifty-two weekend devotions by youth experts that sum up the week. Featuring lots of material from Youth Specialties and Campus Life Magazine--2 of America's coolest, most in-touch youth resources--The NIV Teen Devotional Bible is about real life. About real teens. About YOU.

Most people think the average teenager isn't capable of much beyond hanging with their friends and wasting time. But Zach Hunter isn't your average teenager. And he's hoping to show you that you're not either. Zach has been trying to end slavery around the globe. Most people (maybe even you) think that slavery has been over for a long time. But sadly, there are more people bound in slavery now than at any of the times we read about in our history books. Now Zach is working to end slavery and free the men, women, and children who are being held against their will. He's even found some friends in the fight, including Jon Foreman of Switchfoot and Leeland Mooring of Leeland. Just look around the world and on the news and you'll find that there are plenty of things wrong with our planet---homelessness, hunger, global warming, AIDS...the list goes on and on. And we usually look at these problems and decide they're too big for us to do anything about. But Zach is proving that one person can make a difference. And in his book, he'll reveal the elements needed to make amazing changes in your world. In the end, he hopes you'll find the thing you're passionate about---and start making changes!

Encourage Underage Thinking with These Thought-Provoking 6-Packs Two great resources for teenagers in handy, affordable 6packs The Case for Christ and The Case for Faith have both won Gold Medallion Awards—but even more than that, they have won many hearts for the Kingdom of God. The same is true for the student editions created specially for teenage readers. The Case for Christ—Student Edition is a creative, fast-paced book that follows Lee Strobel, an investigative reporter, as he unearths convincing evidence that faith in Jesus Christ of Nazareth is not based on wishful thinking or fabricated legends, but on solid historical facts. The Case for Faith—Student Edition addresses obstacles that often stand in the way of many seekers—like the problem of evil or the origin of life. These are not watered-down versions of the original books, but entirely fresh approaches to the same subject matter—with brand new material. Strobel partnered with Jane Vogel, a writer highly regarded for her ability to communicate with students, to customize the content of his books for the postmodern mindset.