Crossroads: The Teenage Girl's Guide to Emotional Wounds

First Words chronicles the story behind the song of the same title by Gotee recording artist Stephanie Smith—though it is one of her early songs. Simple in form, it has created a stir of God’s healing father-heart each time the tale is told. When we surrender our bitter, wounded heart to God, choosing to trust his promises to love us, bless us, and protect us, we find ourselves available to do all of those good things the Bible says he has prepared in advance for us to do.

First Words chronicles the story behind the song of the same title by Gotee recording artist Stephanie Smith—though it is one of her early songs. Simple in form, it has created a stir of God’s healing father-heart each time the tale is told. From the early meetings with her AWOL father, to her time of learning to hear God’s voice in Africa, to the full-circle aspect of being discovered by childhood favorite Toby Mac, this book explores each part of Stephanie’s journey towards choosing forgiveness and compassion over bitterness and despair.

As a hurting kid is watching Stephanie perform on stage, she may be tempted to think, “Of course it was easy for you to forgive. You have everything going for you—an amazing voice, a CD, you get to travel all over and sign autographs …” First Words, however, makes it very clear that Stephanie did not draw forgiveness from the ease her success has offered. Rather, when we surrender our bitter, wounded heart to God, choosing to trust His promises to love us, bless us and protect us, we find ourselves available to do all of those good things the Bible says He has prepared in advance for us to do.