Faith That Sticks: 5 Real-Life Ways to Disciple Your Preteen

by Tricia Goyer, Leslie Nunnery

The preteen years are hard for everyone—parents and kids! Learn how to navigate these years with grace and love.

The preteen years can be perilous. More than ever kids are bombarded with messages that threaten their emotional health, spiritual growth, and faith. And while the market is flooded with resources for raising children, it’s remarkably scarce on help for navigating difficult preteen days. Parents can feel alone and at a loss as to how to connect with and guide their growing kids.

In Faith that Sticks, Tricia Goyer and Leslie Nunnery share five real-life discipleship building blocks for raising preteens. The book's five key areas—prayer, Bible reading, family relationships, conversation, and service—provide a clear roadmap for parents who feel overwhelmed or unequipped. Using personal stories and examples, Tricia and Leslie’s relatable experiences acknowledge that while the journey isn’t always easy, it’s always worth it. They offer creative and practical ideas and activities that parents, caregivers, or mentors can implement in each of the five key areas, helping them feel more confident in their spiritual roles.

If you want to connect with your preteen on a deeper level and watch your kids grow in their faith, you will find Faith that Sticks the encouragement and direction you need!

Genres: Parenting, Faith, Nonfiction

192 pages, Paperback

Published March 4, 2025

About the author

Tricia Goyer is a busy mom of ten, grandmother of two, and wife to John. Somewhere around the hustle and bustle of family life, she manages to find the time to write fictional tales delighting and entertaining readers and non-fiction titles offering encouragement and hope. A bestselling author, Tricia has published thirty-three books to date and has written more than 500 articles. She is a two time Carol Award winner, as well as a Christy and ECPA Award Nominee. In 2010, she was selected as one of the Top 20 Moms to Follow on Twitter by SheKnows.com. Tricia is also on the blogging team at MomLifeToday.com, TheBetterMom.com and other homeschooling and Christian sites.In addition to her roles as mom, wife and author, Tricia volunteers around her community and mentors teen moms. She is the founder of Hope Pregnancy Ministries in Northwestern Montana, and she currently leads a Teen MOPS Group in Little Rock, AR. Learn more about Tricia at www.triciagoyer.com.

Reviews

[Josiah DeGraaf]

I'm not a parent, but as a youth group leader, there was a lot of this book that I found really helpful as I look for ways to better reach my youth. I loved how much Goyer and Nunnery focus on the value of simply living your faith out before kids. And there were a lot of great examples on what it looks like to show the love of Christ to developing preteens.

[Danica · Rating 1 out of 5]

What a disappointment…full disclosure first - I abandoned this book after 50 pages…The poor content amounted to so much so early: heavily emphasizing empathy, seeking “mental health” medication (if you know what I mean) to “calm” your child’s emotions (yuck), letting your child dress however they want no matter how bizarre because “their worth is in their character” (both components of this I disagree with), and more. This all sounds a whole lot more like parenting like the world than parenting in a biblical way, and that’s certainly not why I picked up this book.

[Gloria · Rating 5 out of 5]

For once a how to that I could see I am doing most of it right. Which is not to say that I couldn't be better, but I'm on the right track. Read the Bible with your kids. Pray with your kids. Let your kids see you reading the Bible and praying. Serve, and take your kids with you. Let them serve. And talk. Don't be afraid to talk about whatever is on their hearts to talk about.

The authors share their real-life stories.

[Rachel Horn · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars

In their book, Faith That Sticks: 5 Real-life Ways to Disciple Your Preteen, Tricia Goyer and Leslie Nunnery encourage parents to be intentional in growing their preteen’s faith. The book is simple to read, written in an easy to follow structure and filled with stories of successes and failures with their own preteens.

The second part of the book is gold: walking through each spiritual discipline and giving specific actions and ideas for how to support and guide your child in that component. My sticky notes and highlights are filling these pages with ways I can begin building these habits with my child immediately. One of my favorite sections was how to use questions in a conversation that includes correcting a behavior. Thank you Leslie & Tricia for sharing your encouragement and wisdom.

[Lyndsie · Rating 4 out of 5]

What an encouraging read! Raising preteens is hard and sometimes confusing. This book has helped me see them (and their behaviors) in a new light. I feel more equipped to face the future, leading them to a strong faith. I loved all the personal stories that Tricia and Leslie shared. And they don’t shy away from the hard stuff! I’m thankful for the reminders that I don’t have to perfect (thank God!), but I can raise kids who love Jesus!

[Whitney Newby · Rating 5 out of 5]

Navigating the challenges of raising preteens can feel daunting and confusing. In Faith That Sticks, authors Leslie Nunnery and Tricia Goyer gently guide parents through this pivotal season of parenting, reminding us that it doesn't have to be a journey filled with uncertainty or fear; instead, it can be a time of joy and hope.

Grounded in truth, Faith That Sticks equips parents with a deeper understanding of their preteens' developing minds while helping them plant vital seeds of faith to help their children build solid foundations for life. With practical wisdom and heartfelt encouragement, Faith That Sticks is a must-read for any parent seeking to create a lasting legacy of faith and love through the preteen years and beyond.

(I was excited to read an advanced copy of this book and honored to endorse it!)

[Brettnay Brazzell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a helpful, biblically-centered read for parents navigating the preteen years.