Face Time: Your Identity in a Selfie World

by Kristen Hatton

Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Snap Chat, Whats App, Vine. By the time you read this, there will be even more ways to engage with others on social media. Its fun to be connected, but its also a lot of pressure isnt it? Social media constantly reminds you what others are doing, how they look, and who they are with. As you check your accounts (all the time!) it can be easy to think you arent measuring up to those you are following and to wonder who you really are and if you are measuring up to those around you.

Genres: Teen, Parenting, Nonfiction

129 pages, Paperback

First published May 1, 2017

About the author

Kristen Hatton is a native Texan now putting roots down in Edmond, OK with her church-planter/pastor husband and their three children. With a public relations background from Southern Methodist University, Kristen has a wide array of professional experiences, none of which she counts as important as the job of being a “present” mom. Through leading a small group Bible study of teenagers, she has discovered her passion for teaching and writing about God’s grace. To see more visit kristenhatton.com.

Reviews

[Tara Gibbs · Rating 5 out of 5]

Social media has ratcheted up the stakes in the desire all of us feel to be included and affirmed by others. We need to give our young people the tools they need to fight back. Face Time is a 12 chapter Bible study pointing our girls to the place from where true identity is derived. The foreword states, "Our girls are in the fight for their lives. Their identity is threatened at every turn." How many of us who frequently deal with young people know a girl who cuts or has an eating disorder or a teen who has attempted suicide? Face Time addresses eating disorders, cutting, sexual identity, peer pressure, drinking and more and then every chapter points our girls to hope in Jesus Christ. As a mom of three teen girls I am thankful for this resource which deals with these topics head on. This book is a great resource for small groups, youth leaders and mother/daughter Bible studies. Kristen has dealt with the issues facing today's young women in a concise and Biblical manner.

[Michael Boling · Rating 5 out of 5]

Back in the 1980s, the infamous singer Madonna opined in her song “Material Girl” about the life of a girl living in a world focused on fleeting relationships and possessions. Fast forward to the 21st century and one can certainly attest the words of the aforementioned song pale in comparison to the world of selfies, social media, and the ever growing pursuit of vanity.

We have a teenage daughter. As with most teenagers, she struggles at times when it comes to matters related to self-image and fitting in to the passing fads of the day. She recognizes these fads for what they are, namely passing fancies of a self-absorbed culture; however, the urge to be part of the crowd still remains.

Kristen Hatton, in her excellent book Face Time: Your Identity in a Selfie World, provides helpful tools for teens to deal with the temptation to fit in to the world’s version of identity. Hatton covers all the hot button topics teenage girls deal with on a daily basis such as body image, eating disorders, materialism, friends, peer pressure, sex, and self-harm just to name a few. In opposition to that worldly perspective, Hatton presents a biblical approach to identity with a keen focus on providing teenage girls with tools to stay focused on what matters – their relationship with Jesus.

We actually utilized this book as part of our homeschool Bible curriculum. It was quite easy to use this book in that manner given Hatton provides short yet insightful chapters that each conclude with hard hitting “Reflection Time” questions and space to journal about Scriptures that deal with the issue presented in each chapter.

What I appreciated most about Face Time is Hatton saturates each chapter with sound biblical truth. While it is helpful to share stories, humor, and personal experience (which are provided throughout), Hatton consistently focuses the reader on looking to the truth found in Scripture as the foundation for how we understand life, self, and our relationship with God.

I highly recommend this excellent book for parents with teenage daughters and also for youth group leaders. In a time where far too many teenagers attempt to find their self-identity from social media in all its forms, it is vitally important to combat the world’s ideology with the truth of Scripture. The identity of our teenage girls is not found in the latest fashions, the hottest technology, fad diets, or in the arms of a boy who feigns love. Their true and lasting identity is found in Jesus and Kristen Hatton does a marvelous job of outlining the importance of that truth for girls who may be struggling with the temptation to conform to the world’s often twisted perspective on life.

[Caroline Z · Rating 4 out of 5]

Some parts are more clear than others, but as a whole this book does a good job of pointing out how external sins and internal insecurities are rooted in idolatry and not believing the truth of the gospel. It does a good job of pointing out that we can really only find our true satisfaction/fulfillment/identity in Christ and nothing else.

[Elizabeth Santelmann · Rating 4 out of 5]

You can tell Kristen wrote this while parenting teenaged children! The examples and the way she circles it back to the gospel is excellent. The chapters are short and accessible to teenagers!!

If I could, the only thing I would do is change the font! The block letters made it harder to read! Hopefully that is adjusted in the next printing!!

[Angie Rizzo · Rating 5 out of 5]

A truly wonderful book with very encouraging verses and helpful stories.