by Victoria Tiegert

Created on: May 03, 2008

In this day and age of the internet, cell phones, Ipods, and television, the joy of reading has been lost to many teens. Often, it is not even considered as an option when a teen finds themselves looking for something to do. They are constantly being drawn in by all of the bells and whistles calling out to them. One great way to put reading back into their lives is to give the gift of a great Christian novel.

There is an expansive variety available and you can find a book to suit anyone's taste. Christian novelists have provided everything from love stories to thrillers. All that is left for you to do is to select one, wrap it up, and present it to the teen in your life. Their curiosity will be piqued at what you have selected for them. They are certain to open it up and delve into the wonderful world of reading!

For the teen who enjoys reading about the end times, try the Left Behind series. These books, which focus on the prophecies of the Bible regarding the end times, are wonderfully written and fast-paced. The series follows the prophecies quite well, with a bit of artistic license used. The characters are easy to relate to as they go through the world beginning just after the rapture. This series will be sure to get them thinking! A newer version has even been written that is specifically geared towards teen readers.

For the mystery lover, Out of the Shadows by Sigmund Brouwer takes you on a journey with Nick Barrett, falsely imprisoned for the murder of his high school friend. If that weren't enough, he is also attempting to solve the mystery of his mother's disappearance. Teens will be thrilled to see if they can solve the mystery before Matt does.

Many teens are interested in books that pit the forces of good and evil against one another. Good news! Bill Myers has provided exceptional writing in this genre in the Dark Powers collection. These books bring us the hard-hitting stories of young people who are fighting occultic influence in their lives. Spiritual warfare is brought to life as they read about characters and situations they can relate to.

Historical romance is a great way to delve into another time and place. One of mine and my teen daughter's favorite Christian authors is Francine Rivers. An amazing book to start with is Redeeming Love. This book takes the story of Hosea from the Bible and revises it into a turbulent and awe-inspiring love story about a man of God and the prostitute he is called to free and take as his wife.

No list of great Christian books can be completed without including the works of C.S. Lewis. I would suggest starting with the Chronicles of Narnia series. The first book is titled The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. The series takes us with four siblings through a wardrobe door, straight into a world full of talking animals, mythical creatures, and a wicked ice queen. The children will eventually meet up with Aslan, the mighty lion, and their eventual rescuer. The story was written to mirror the relationship God has with us and Lewis accomplishes the task with astounding clarity.

Whatever you decide on, a Christian novel is a great gift. It will encourage a young person to turn off all of their high tech entertainers and delve into the wonderful world of reading. The treasures that lie within the two covers may entertain, inspire, or change the life of a teen you care about.

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