Did the title catch your attention?
Well, this is the title of a book written by the twin younger brothers of Joshua Harris (he is the author of the best selling book "I Kissed Dating Goodbye"), and the title is just the same as the title of this blog;"Do Hard Things". Also on the cover are the words "A Teenage Rebellion Against Low Expectations.", which, when I carry the book around to read while waiting for doctor appointments, always seems to catch peoples' attention and interest.
What does this have to do with anything?
I (Princess Catherine) went to a conference held by Alex and Brett. It was AMAZING! They spoke up on stage (in front of more than 300 people) without seeming fazed at all! They had some incredible points and some ideas that made you ponder (in a good way) what they said. The first section that they were talking about was mostly things in their book (Do Hard Things), but the other four sections (including a section in which their father, Greg Harris, spoke) brought up other points not included in the book. I liked this because it was not just reading the book outloud.
Here are my notes from the confrence!
Well, this is the title of a book written by the twin younger brothers of Joshua Harris (he is the author of the best selling book "I Kissed Dating Goodbye"), and the title is just the same as the title of this blog;"Do Hard Things". Also on the cover are the words "A Teenage Rebellion Against Low Expectations.", which, when I carry the book around to read while waiting for doctor appointments, always seems to catch peoples' attention and interest.
What does this have to do with anything?
I (Princess Catherine) went to a conference held by Alex and Brett. It was AMAZING! They spoke up on stage (in front of more than 300 people) without seeming fazed at all! They had some incredible points and some ideas that made you ponder (in a good way) what they said. The first section that they were talking about was mostly things in their book (Do Hard Things), but the other four sections (including a section in which their father, Greg Harris, spoke) brought up other points not included in the book. I liked this because it was not just reading the book outloud.
Here are my notes from the confrence!
The Myth of Adolescence
Adolescence- “to grow up” or “growing up”
“The most we are expected to do as young people is the least we should be expecting of young people. The ceiling is where the floor should be.”-Alex Harris, twin brother of Brett Harris, both authors of the book “Do Hard Things”.
“The Apostle Paul did not write ‘When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. But then I became a teenager and I looked like an adult, I sounded like an adult, but I still acted like a child.’ He wrote, ‘When I was a child I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I gave up childish ways.” (1 Corinthians 13:11, NIV) -Alex Harris
“We are not challenging you to be like the young people 100 years ago, but we are challenging you to break out of the mold of low expectations and do “hard” things.” -Alex Harris
Five Kinds of Hard (as found in their book, “Do Hard Things”)
1. Things that go beyond your comfort zone
2. Things that go beyond what is expected or required
3. Things that are too big to accomplish alone
4. Things that don’t earn an immediate payoff
5. Things that challenge the cultural norm
Brett Harris’s Talk (June 20th, 2009)
“Our challenges have grown, but we have grown with our challenges.” – Brett Harris, twin brother of Alex Harris, author of the book “Do Hard Things”.
“It seems that the older we get, we define our challenges by the level of difficulty, but when we were younger, we tried to complete our task(s)/challenge(s) even if we failed more than once before.” –Brett
“Have you really reached your limit or has it gotten too hard for you so you quit? God is not glorified when we limit ourselves to things that come easily to us.” – Brett
Q. How does growth happen?
A. By testing and exerting ourselves.
How Do We Do Hard Things?
1. It Would Look Like Trampling Sin in Our Lives
"The flesh wants to do easy things, like get angry. Anger is wrong and easy. Being self-controlled is right, but difficult.” – Brett Harris
2. Battling Discouragement and Complacency·
Discouragement limits our ability to want to do hard things.
Complacency- being satisfied with what you have/are and won’t exert themselves·
“Don’t do what’s hard for other people, do things that are hard for you.” – Brett
3. Doing More Than What’s Required
It is so easy to expect our parents, friends, elders, and/or pastors to equip us for life.”– Brett
4. Getting Over Our Fear of Failure
“Nothing will hold you back more than the fear of falling when trying to Do Hard Things.” – Brett Harris
“It’s ok if we fail while trying to do hard things as long as we learn from our experiences. I grow stronger, even though I fail.” – Brett
5. Doing Small Things·
“It’s ok to do small, every day things. Doing a hard thing doesn’t have to be big.”- Brett
6. You Best Life
“Not ‘your easiest life’ but ‘your best life’.” – Brett Harris
Talk By Alex Harris (June 20th, 2009)
The Power of Companionship
1. Not Just Alone
Companions have a huge influence on you
2 Timothy 2:22 (NIV)"Flee the evil desires of youth, and pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace, along with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart."·
“We are made to work with one another.” –Alex Harris·
Proverbs 27:17 (NIV)“As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another.”
2. Not Just with Peers
1 Corinthians 15
Ephesians 1:1-6
3. Nor Just with People
Proverbs 13:20 (ESV)
“Whoever walks with the wise becomes wise, but the companion of fools will suffer harm.”·
“The books you read, the TV you watch, the computer games we play, exc. are companions. We don’t think of these things as companions and that is why they are shaping us without us realizing it.” – Alex Harris·
Give thought to those non-human companions
Another Talk by Brett Harris (June 20th, 2009)
7 Practical Encouragements:
1. I (Meaning Brett) Encourage You to have Heroes·
Examples: “This is the type of husband/wife I want someday” or “This is the type of mother/father I want to be like someday.”
2. Make Friends with Dead People (Authors)·
“I know this sounds weird but hang with me…..” – Brett Harris·
Read History biographies about people and Christian authors’ books
3. Take Advantage of What “The Rebelution” is Doing
Use the material available:
“Do Hard Things” the book
4. Find the Secret Rebelutionaries
Find them and encourage them!
5. Seek Out Godly Individuals in Your Life
Ask Them "If you were my age, what books would you recommend?
What do you want me to know?
What would you want to tell your younger self?"
6. God is the Ultimate Companion!
To know HIM More:
Read HIS word, the Bible
Talk to HIM by praying
Remember HIS ways are not our ways
7. Change Something!
Things aren’t going to be perfect
It doesn’t have to be a big change!
“Storms will come, but don’t be despaired!” – Brett·
“If you always do what you’ve always done, nothing will change; no matter how you feel right now.” – Brett
Remember, Change Something!
Keep Blooming,
Princess Catherine WhiteRose
Very good notes! Convicting, at least for me!
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