Liked by Kari Kampakis

We all want to be liked. God made us to live in community and to need friends. But what about when our desire to be liked takes our eyes off of God? Kampakis challenges us to consider if we care more about what our friends think about us than what God knows about us.

She reminds us that the only audience that really matters is God. He is the One who loves us just the way we are. Our deepest desire to be known and loved can only be fulfilled by God.

Kampakis has good teaching for us, helping us understand the art of friendship, our identity in Christ, and making God our top priority. She helps us understand our search for identity and how finding it in Jesus is better than trying to find it through people. She gives good suggestions as to how to cultivate one's real self. She reminds us of the importance of developing a godly character and what it means to have positive social media habits. She distinguishes between social friends and real friends, the ones worth our time and effort.

I really like her emphasis on physically connecting with friends as opposed to “friends” on social media. She provides good suggestions for deepening friendships. I also like her insights on dealing with emotions, having humility, growing in faith, having courage to be the person God created me to be, and living a life that pleases God.

Kampakis uses both fictional stories and real life experiences to illustrate her teaching. She has also included discussion questions at the end of each chapter.

I recommend this book to teens and those working with them. While people of all ages could benefit from the teaching in this book, the illustrations and writing style are aimed at teens and perhaps young career age. It would be a good book for a teen study or reading group.

You can find out more at http://www.liked-book.com/.

My rating: 4/5 stars,

Kari Kampakis is a blogger, author, speaker, and newspaper columnist from Birmingham, Alabama. Her first book, 10 Ultimate Truths Girls Should Know, has been used widely across the country by teen youth groups and small groups to empower girls through faith. Her work has been featured on The Huffington Post, TODAY Parents, and other national outlets. She and her husband have four daughters. You can find out more at www.karikampakis.com and find her on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and Twitter.

Thomas Nelson, 208 pages.

I received a complimentary copy of this book through Icon Media. My comments are an independent and honest review.