Modern lingo and the books you're reading

“Wow, that’s such a mood.”

The first time little teenager me said that at the dinner table, my whole family did a double take.

Just a few years earlier I had been a cute pigtailed girl who could barely reach the kitchen cupboards. 

Now I was one of those infamous teenagers, saying “like” too many times and staying out late at youth group.

It didn’t take long for words like “mood,” “literally,” “legit,” and “lol” to become a regular part of my speech, much to my parents’ surprise. 

Just as any loving family would, they made sure to tease me about my word usage.

My siblings would sarcastically add “like” to the end of sentences, or make sure to insert “mood” and “legit” to our conversations.

But there’s a danger to using phrases like that ironically.

It starts out purely sarcasm, using a word just to mock its existence.

Until a few months down the road you catch yourself saying “like” between every other word. 

You didn’t think using those words would affect you so much. But it’s become part of your life, and now it seems normal to say it.

That, friends, is the story of how my whole family started to adopt “teenager lingo.”

But it doesn’t just apply to the words we use.

The shows you watch, books you read, and content you consume will shape the person you become. 

Even if it doesn’t seem “that bad” in the moment, if you consume garbage, well… we’ve all heard the expression.

Our culture doesn't place much value on the content we consume. Books and movies are often filled with language, scenes, and values we don't want to see;

So what is the solution?

Find the books that lift you up.

Epic tales like Lord of the Rings that inspire you to be the best you can, to live up to God’s calling on your life.

And if you’re struggling to find those books? We’re here to help.

You can browse thousands of books— from children’s fiction to biographies of great heroes of the faith.

Check our website out, and find your next great read.