Ebook
Help Your Teen Find Joy and Peace
If your son or daughter is suffering from anxiety, you probably
have more questions than answers: What is causing the anxiety? Is
this normal teenage angst or something more serious? What can I do
to help?
Jessica Thompson, the mother of three teens, has seen kids struggle
with anxiousness. She wants you to understand the issues
surrounding teenage anxiety and how our culture, the church, and
perhaps even you may be contributing to the problem.
The culture tells kids that it’s not okay to be normal, that
social media is vital to their well-being, and that athletic,
academic, and other accolades are all-important.
The church, though well-intentioned, sometimes places undue
pressure on teens to “do big things for God” and “be the best
Christian you can be.”
Caring parents may inadvertently overcorrect their teens’
behavior and try to control it (“helicopter parenting”). They may
also use their kids’ accomplishments to build their own identity or
try to be their children’s best friend.
But there is help and hope for you and your teenager. When you
equip yourself with truth from the gospel and the rest of God’s
Word, you can help your child to cope with anxiety, and your family
can experience greater freedom and peace.
“There are books that calm our anxious souls, books that
illumine paths of practical wisdom, and books that re-anchor us to
immovable biblical truths. This book does all three—and it does so
with exemplary grace. If you’re a parent, especially one with a
teen, these pages are Jessica’s priceless gift to you.”
—Chad Bird, author several books, including Your God
Is Too Glorious
“Wise, clearheaded, and gospel-focused—Jessica Thompson has done
us all a great service by providing answers for how to help our
children experience real peace in a world where fear and anxiety
are being stirred up every day. There is real hope here.”
—Bob Lepine, cohost of FamilyLife Today
“As a mama who will parent four teenagers in this lifetime, I
appreciate the wisdom on the subject of anxiety that Jessica brings
to this book. Every page is soaked in humor, real-life examples,
and eye-opening ideas about what anxiety looks like for today's
teenagers, all while pointing us back to our God, who loves us and
asks us to cast our anxieties on Him.”
—Jamie Ivey, host of The Happy Hour with Jamie Ivey
podcast and author of If You Only Knew
“How to Help Your Anxious Teen is the unfussy parenting
guide I didn’t know I needed. With her signature blend of grace and
humor, Jessica Thompson shakes us awake, urging us to pay attention
and ask the hard questions. Fear and inadequacy wither as we lean
on the unshakeable goodness of God through it all. What a relief!
I’ll return to this one again and again.”
—Shannan Martin, author of The Ministry of Ordinary
Places and Falling Free
“If you are parenting an anxious child, Jessica’s
gospel-centered perspective is just what you need! Jessica equips
us with a preventative and pressure-free approach to ensure we
don’t become another source of anxiety in our teens’ already
pressure-filled lives. And best of all, Jessica continually points
us to the power of God’s Word and the hope we have in Jesus.”
—Jeannie Cunnion, author of Mom Set Free