A Former Tween’s Perspective

“Come,” says my heart, “seek God’s face.”
“Your face, LORD, do I seek!”
Psalm 27:8

Every stage of life is an adventure! For me, the tween-age years were just the beginning! At this time in my life, reading was a great way to explore. My parents liked to read and there was always a variety of books, magazines and newspapers to enjoy. Was it accidental that among so much to read were also a variety of periodicals and books that would help form my faith? Hmmm… Even though we regularly went to the library, the reading material hanging around the house would prove to hang with me over the long run.

Along with lots of books to read, another gift from my parents was the love for being out in the woods. Our yearly campout in Kings Canyon was the crown of many outdoor adventures. It was during this time that I found my reading interests moving from picture books and story books towards nature and science. Reading and enjoying the outdoors nurtured this curiosity and I learned to look at God’s creation with wonder.

These are just a few gifts I received during my tween years that helped me grow in faith and love. How wonderful our God is for drawing us to him in ways that are unique to each of us! How caring our Father is to give us loving parents to guide us! And how great our Creator is for giving us such a beautiful world to explore!

Contributed by Veronica Walsh, former tween, and children’s book illustrator