• A great Bible for teens

    ByKristin books, faith, review

    I love a faith resource created with teens in mind. None of us are finished learning and growing, teens included! 

    In my family, we have a 19-year-old girl who has been a Christian for 11 years and has grown and deepened her faith through school, church, and her own Bible reading time. Our 16-year-old boy is figuring out faith but has a foundation of what it means to be faithful to God. He prefers listening to the Bible. Our 11-year-old girl has a Bible case stocked with her notetaking Bible, markers and pens, and a notebook. I love seeing her pursue Bible study. 

    The new CSB Teen Study Bible is a great resource for any of them. I’m truly grateful to have solid resources around to help with parenting. Each season brings its own challenges, and this Bible can help answer many of the teenagers’ questions about identity, discernment, wisdom, and purpose rooted in Christ. 

    The CSB Teen Study Bible features a unique question-and-answer style study approach, devotionals for personal growth, and topical articles on complex faith questions. This Bible helps students connect Scripture to their everyday life.

    This Bible is endorsed by Shane Pruitt, who is the North American Mission Board’s national Next Gen director. It’s a great gift for every student because it’s durable, designed to be a convenient size to carry, and includes content written specifically for their generation. 

    This is an ideal resource for teens who are ready for a deeper, more engaging study experience that will foster lifelong faith and discipleship. Likewise, it’s also a great resource for youth pastors, ministry leaders, and parents to help guide teens, whether they’re new to following Christ or have been raised studying Scripture. The CSB Teen Study Bible also includes 66 Christ-centered book introductions, a full concordance, and a Bible dictionary. 

    Bible

    The CSB Teen Study Bible was published by Holman Bible Publishers (Sept. 15, 2026). Order the new Teen Study Bible for the young men and women in your life. Of course, it’s also available on Amazon.

    Developed by 100 scholars from 17 denominations, the Christian Standard Bible faithfully and accurately captures the Bible’s original meaning without compromising readability.

    Giveaway

    Lifeway has a fun giveaway happening for U.S. residents. The winning bundle includes a blue hardcover of the CSB Teen Study Bible, CSB backpack, sweatshirt, Yeti, journal, and a pen. To enter to win, use Lifeway’s form through Tuesday, Oct. 20, 2026.

    *****

    Many thanks to Lifeway Christian Resources for providing a sample of the product for this review. Opinions on teenagers and this Bible are 100 percent my own! If you want to find the right Bible for you, check out these other resources.

  • God’s good things

    ByKristin adoption, books, review

    “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” – Romans 8:28

    This verse has anchored my faith for more than two decades. I remember reading it in my childhood bedroom as I questioned what a life of faith was about. I’ve seen God work so many hard, broken things for good so I can give glory to Him. And I believe He’s still working and orchestrating and growing and mending things together for our good and His glory. 

    This same verse anchored Isaac Melber’s story that began in Ethiopia and included adoption by a family in Kentucky. I don’t know what it’s like to become an orphan and continue to know family loss, but I do know how adoption is relational at its core and is a beautiful picture of being welcomed into the family of God. I became a mom because of adoption (three times), and I know I’m a child of God because Jesus made that possible. 

    Talk about good things. 

    We have to walk through hard things to see the good, though. And that’s what Isaac writes about in Twice Delivered: A Story of Two Families, Two Worlds, and One Redeeming Love. He vulnerably shares how he explored an identity shaped by suffering and redeemed by grace only God can give. 

    As a mom, Isaac’s words encouraged me to continue to be faithful to God’s good ways for the sake of my kids. The past few years with my 16-year-old son have been hard and have challenged me in ways I just didn’t anticipate. But God has been there, and I’m grateful to have witnessed His provision and protection. 

    We don’t always get to see the whole picture on this side of heaven, but I’m grateful Isaac has seen and known the goodness of God and shared that in this book. His testimony will help kids who were adopted, parents who have adopted, kids who struggle with belonging, and weary parents. 

    I loved all the reminders about God as the conductor of our lives, providing and protecting us in ways we can’t even imagine. Isaac writes:

    “He is not merely reacting to events or piecing together a plan as He goes. He is intentionally and sovereignly weaving every moment, decision, relationship, and detail into something far greater than we can imagine – something centered on His glory and His purposes. Often, this work unfolds quietly in the background while we go about our daily routines. Yet behind it all, God is directing, shaping, and ordering our steps.” 

    About the book

    Born in a remote mountain village in Ethiopia, Isaac Melber’s life began with loss. Orphaned at a young age and placed in an orphanage, his future seemed uncertain—until a family from Kentucky crossed an ocean to bring him home. But Isaac’s story is more than an adoption story. In his debut memoir, Melber shares the raw, deeply moving journey of growing up between two worlds, wrestling with grief, identity, anger, belonging, and faith. Returning to Ethiopia thirteen years after his adoption, he confronts the questions that shaped his childhood: Who am I? Why did this happen? Where does my story fit in God’s plan? With disarming honesty and profound spiritual insight, Melber reveals how what once felt like abandonment became divine placement, how painful providences became sacred turning points, and how adoption points straight to the heart of the gospel. 

    Blending memoir, Scripture, and pastoral reflection, Twice Delivered: A Story of Two Families, Two Worlds, and One Redeeming Love speaks powerfully to adoptees, adoptive families, foster parents, and anyone who has ever struggled to see God’s goodness in the middle of loss. This is a story about sovereignty and suffering, about identity and redemption, about a God who wastes nothing. Adopted once into a family. Adopted again into the family of God. 

    This 164-page paperback book was published by Innovo Publishing LLC (May 20, 2026). 

    About the author

    Isaac Melber is an author, speaker, and adoption advocate whose life spans two continents and two families. Born in Ethiopia and adopted into a Christ-centered home in the United States, his journey of identity and redemption has deeply shaped his faith and calling. A student at Carson-Newman University, Isaac is preparing for pastoral ministry and future theological training. Through biblical teaching and personal testimony, he encourages adoptees and adoptive families while helping the church see adoption as a powerful picture of the gospel. Find him on Instagram or his website.

    *****

    This book was recommended by my dear friend Monica Bidwell, who knows and loves Isaac Melber and his family. I bought the book and wanted to recommend it here. These opinions are my own. 

    If you’re interested in adoption, I’d love for you to check out my first book, Peace in the Process: How Adoption Built My Family & My Faith. Here are other adoption books & resources. 

    God authors the stories on our porches – in every season, wherever we are. If you haven’t already, please subscribe to  #PorchStories emails to receive them about every other week.

  • Boom! Pow! Braver now!

    ByKristin books, Rachel, review

    My kids and husband love outdoor videos. Bonus points when the videos are family-friendly and entertaining, like Kentucky Ballistics. Yes, these videos involve shooting guns, sometimes at watermelons. 

    But out of those videos have come some valuable life lessons, including one of his own author Scott DeShields, aka Kentucky Ballistics, used as the basis of his fabulous children’s book. Boom! Pow! I’m Braver Now! follows Jax Desparks as his great invention explodes in a big BOOM! He faces his fear head-on and learns that true bravery means being scared but trying anyway.

    Boom! Pow! I’m Braver Now is designed to meet children exactly where they are. For the younger crowd, the vibrant rhythm and relatable characters make it one of the most accessible books to start navigating big emotions. Meanwhile, the empowering message of resilience and courage ensures it holds a top spot among books for older boys who are ready to tackle new challenges with confidence. No matter where they fall in the elementary age range, this story provides the spark they need to feel brave.

    I’ll say, my 10-year-old girl who reads slightly below fifth-grade level really loves this book and reads it often. She’s a big fan of Kentucky Ballistics and enjoys the science elements of the book. Facing scary circumstances head-on is a good lesson for her as she looks toward her last year of elementary school. She was also able to notice fun details in the illustrations. 

    About the book

    In a family of brilliant inventors, Jax DeSparks is determined to prove he belongs. He’s spent all summer perfecting his rocket-powered invention, until one spectacular BOOM! POW! sends it (and his confidence) up in smoke.

    Shaken and scared to try again, Jax begins to doubt whether he has what it takes to join his family on the Wall of Wonder. But with the help of his loyal stuffed dino, Rex, and his encouraging parents, Jax discovers that failure isn’t the end, it’s just part of the process.

    As the Invention Fair approaches, Jax must face his fear head-on and learn that true bravery means being scared … but trying anyway. 

    You can order it from Brave Books or Amazon. Boom! Pow! I’m Braver Now was published by Brave Books in April 2026. 

    About the author

    Scott DeShields Jr. is committed to responsibility, perseverance, and strong Christian values. His work focuses on encouraging curiosity, confidence, and resilience when facing challenges. He is also widely known for the Kentucky Ballistics YouTube channel, which has more than five million subscribers and emphasizes precision, safety, and accountability. Boom! Pow! I’m Braver Now! is inspired by Scott’s own real-life experience of overcoming a serious setback that challenged his confidence and required perseverance, faith, and courage to move forward. Based in Kentucky and guided by faith and strong values, Scott hopes this story encourages young readers to face fear with confidence, learn from mistakes, and bravely try again when things don’t go as planned.

    *****

    This book review is just me sharing a resource my family has enjoyed. Nobody is compensating me, and I bought the book and accompanying stuffed dinosaur with my own money.