Senior: Preparing for the Future – A 30-day Devotional for Seniors

Special thanks to Family Christian for providing a review copy of this book.

It’s hard to believe that we’re in Munchkin’s senior year of high school. Where did the time go?

Senior year has been filled with a rollercoaster of emotions as she prepares for her future. So much to do. So many plans and decisions to make. There is excitement mixed with anxiety mixed with apprehension. What shall I do after high school? Where should I go to college? What should I study? What are my plans for the future? What goals to I want to achieve? What does the Lord want me to do? What is my purpose in life? The list of questions that have flown through my child’s mind seem endless.

Senior: Preparing for the Future – A 30-day Devotional for Seniors by Lars Rood (affiliate link) attempts to tackle some of the craziness that goes along with the senior year of high school. It is written for students who attend a traditional high school, so Munchkin couldn’t always relate with everything being talked about in the devotional which lead her to wish something like this would be written with the homeschool dynamic in mind.

Each devotional starts out with a story about something relating to the senior year of high school. It then gives several questions for the student to answer about relating to that particular senior year topic. A little “the world thinks” blurb is given to make the students think about how the world views things. As a Christian, most of these things are not how a Christian senior should be thinking/acting. It’s just to give the student an idea of how the world may view aspects of the senior year, and it helps prepare them for what they may be confronted with from non-Christian friends and family. The devotion concludes with an act section and some scripture passages to read.

Side note: The Act section in Day 3 of the devotional had this to say, “Because you will probably have some free space and not be too busy this year….” Munchkin’s response? “Is he serious? I’m more busy this year than many of the past years.” Needless to say, senior year is not a one size fits all approach, and it definitely varies from student to student. I know I didn’t coast through my senior year, and it definitely wasn’t less busy.

Since I wasn’t the target audience of the book, I turned the devotional over to Munchkin after I browsed through it. She felt that while it wasn’t a good fit for her personally and situation, it would probably work for seniors in a traditional school setting. It would be especially good for someone who is searching for answers about what to do next, someone who doesn’t have a tight-knit, open communication type relationship with their parent(s), or someone whose parents have high expectations or set plans for them that aren’t necessarily the student’s own plans. It encourages open communication between the senior and his/her parents which is important.

Book Description:

THIS IS IT! You’ve reached the pinnacle of the high school food chain! You’ve finally become a senior!

Now what?

Here’s the crazy thing about your senior year: It often starts with a sprint as you finish applications, make big decisions, and prepare for life after high school. But then you wait. And then senioritis usually kicks in.

Lars Rood remembers what his senior year was like, and as a pastor and a former teacher, he’s talked with countless students about how this one year is both an end and a beginning. What legacy have you left? How do you deal with disappointments and regrets? What does it mean to truly let God lead you? What is saying goodbye so difficult?

As you read each entry in this devotional, you’ll discover wisdom and truth to guide you in the final months of your high school career, along with solid suggestions on living out what you believe. This isn’t just a book you read–it’s a book that leads to action.

About the Author:

Lars Rood has been involved in youth ministry for 20+ years, and it has been an amazing ride. A featured writer/speaker, he loves to be with students and families, as well as teach youth workers and seminary students. Lars and his family live in Washington state, where he is an associate pastor at First Presbyterian Church of Bellevue. You can follow his life at larsrood.com, twitter, and facebook.

Book Details:

• Series: Simply for Students
• Paperback: 72 pages
• Publisher: Simply Youth Ministry (April 25, 2013)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0764490052
• ISBN-13: 978-0764490057
• Product Dimensions: 6 x 0.3 x 9 inches
• Retail Price: $6.99

Disclosure: I received a review copy of this book to help facilitate the writing of a frank and honest review. A positive review is not expected nor guaranteed. I strive to give completely honest reviews based upon my family’s personal experiences.