Do Hard Things: A Teenage Rebellion Against Low Expectations
About Alex and Brett Harris
Twin brothers Alex and Brett Harris are godly young men who grew up in Gresham, Oregon. Their father, a pastor, and mother have given them a strong foundation in Christian doctrine. Joshua Harris, one of their older brothers, wrote the best selling book I Kissed Dating Goodbye. They have one other older brother and three younger siblings. This year, Alex and Brett completed their freshman year at Patrick Henry College in Virginia. Over the years, the two have been involved in (and led) grassroots campaigns all over the country, spoken at The Rebelution Tour conferences, and appeared in countless television interviews, articles, and publications for their leadership in the anti-mediocrity movement of young Christians today. They have coined the term “Rebelution,” a mixture of rebel and revolution, to mean a revolution of rebelling against low expectations, or mediocrity.
Book Overview
It is difficult to sum up the contents of this book in one short review. Written little more than a year ago, Do Hard Things uses anecdotes, examples, and history to explain the slacking off of the modern teenager. Low expectations, as the book describes, is the basis for today’s typical lazy, apathetic young person. Do Hard Things has been a life-changer for many as it encourages young people rise above the low expectations that the world puts on us. A quote from Alex and Brett’s website sums up their book: “Combating the idea of adolescence as a vacation from responsibility, the authors weave together biblical insights, history, and modern examples to redefine the teen years as the launching pad of life and map a clear trajectory for long-term fulfillment and eternal impact.”
Did you know that it used to be common for “kids” to do things that would be considered extraordinary by today’s standards? Do Hard Things recounts some of the many incidents in history in which young teens do hard things such as ruling a nation, captaining a ship, graduating from prestigious colleges, and more. And they do these hard things well: the king rules his nation with righteousness and strength; the ship captain maintains control of his ship, even when a sailor threatens him; and the young boy graduates from college with honors. The Harris brothers not only tell such stories of young men and women, but they reveal the reasons behind the steady decline in the work ethic and attitude of teens between now and then.
Do Hard Things goes on to make real the distressing situation of many disrespectful and indolent teens today. Even many Christian young people today, having grown up in the influences of our world, have become apathetic. After all that depressing news, however, Alex and Brett give exciting and encouraging reports of young Christians, around the country as well as globally, who have been doing hard things. The Harris brothers then give the needed information to get each reader started doing their own hard things. And hard things do not have to be big things. There are whole chapters devoted to describing ways of doing hard things, even if they are “just” small hard things. This book will change your attitude of life. Even the way you do chores around the house will be changed, because doing chores cheerfully and well is classifies as a small hard thing. Although doing something to change the world may seem impossible, you just might think differently after reading this book. With God, all things are possible.
This book can be used as a devotional, not in replacement of Bible reading, but in addition to it. It can be read as a group or just for personal edification. However, a warning must be here mentioned: do not start reading this book until you have solid amount of time to read straight through—you will not be able to set this book aside once you have started reading it. This book is unbelievably captivating, shocking, convicting, challenging, and encouraging . . . all at once. Do Hard Things is well-written and the authors definitely did their research on the subjects addressed.
Who Could/Should Read This Book
I would recommend this book to any and all young people aged twelve and up. Adults would also benefit from this book. I would further recommend their website for additional information and resources: www.TheRebelution.com. Every Christian has ups and downs in life. During a “spiritual low,” Do Hard Things is a great book to pick up and be zealously recharged to further God’s kingdom here on earth. After seeing what the world has to offer, it is easy to become depressed. The young person today is steadily declining. The Harris brothers’ book provides needed encouragement, proving that there are thousands of young Christian men and women changing the world and bringing people to the saving knowledge of Christ. Do Hard Things is a great tool for pointing out our world’s complacency, which is often difficult to recognize. It also serves the purpose of encouraging Christians to keep on seeking Him!
I watched the Harris’s Do Hard Things DVD (from the 2008 Portland conference) a few weeks ago. To me, it was very encouraging and motivating, and I often remind myself of their motto: “Do Hard Things” when I am encountering a challenge (or simply some task I’m feeling to lazy to do). Great review, Elise. I think I may have found my summer reading…
Good overview Elise. I too have read this book and it has challanged me in so many different ways. I would highly recomend it, Do Hard Things is a must read.
Excellent review that describes the book very well! Do Hard Things is definitely worth reading, and more than once!
I just read this book a couple of months ago, and I highly recommend it!
The attitude is somewhat mainstream sometimes, but the points are very important.