Ministry through Mystery: Encouraging Teens to Use Their Gifts from God
Have I always been interested in writing for teens? Umm, no. Even though I have always been a creator of stories with ideas swirling through my head, I had never thought about writing a whole novel or imagined I would write for teens.
But as so often happens, God had a different plan.
God, in His incredible way, has led me to this point in my life where I can intertwine two of my passions, my love of writing and my faith, by creating stories with positive Christian messages for today’s youth.
As a mother of three, I was very frustrated with the things my growing children were exposed to through movies, television, music, and even literature. The societal messages that bombarded them didn’t always coincide with our faith. As my children grew, I struggled to find books that my kids wanted to read that exemplified the morals I was trying to instill in them.
Then one day the story of Jake and Sophie literally popped into my mind. I kept thinking about this intriguing Young Adult mystery with the overall theme of using your God-given talents and interests to glorify God, until I finally had to write it down.
But as much as we parents may want Catholic values to be part of what are children read, I realized the story needed to be one that teens would want to read and could relate to. My vision has been to encompass elements that my own teenagers were drawn to such as adventure, mystery, and humor with a touch of romance thrown into the mix with characters whose faith is part of their daily lives.
This incredible journey has taken a few detours along the way, but God has guided me with gentle nudges and a few forceful pushes to get this story published and ready to share. I’m thrilled to introduce my characters and this story about God’s plan for each of us to you and your family.
About the author: Colorado native Leslea Wahl’s, high-flying Young Adult adventure encourages teens to find and use their own God-given gifts to help others. The Perfect Blindside is published by Pauline Books and Media. Visit Leslea’s website at www.LesleaWahl.com.
About the book:
Something is not right in the sleepy town of Silver Springs, Colorado, where nothing ever seems to happen—that is until Jake Taylor arrives. When this silver-medal snowboarding sensation meets studious, opinionated Sophie, she immediately decides his egotistical ways are not worth her time. But when the town is threatened by a series of mysterious events, this unlikely pair must put aside their differences to unravel the mystery and challenge each other to become who God wants them to be.
If you’re interested in purchasing this book, consider stopping in at your local Catholic bookstore first. It’s also available online, and if you use our Amazon link, CatholicMom.com gets a small percentage of the sales.
Copyright 2015 Leslea Wahl
