friendship:
new life
Aleah goes through some difficult times, but comes out in the end with better friends than she ever expected to have.
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Christine
Christine, as described in the book, is the epitome of a good friend. She makes Aleah feel at home right away, inviting her to play foosball and then introducing her to the other kids at New Life. Despite the fact that she already has dozens of other friends, she takes time for the lonely new girl and always seeks her out. When Aleah stops coming to New Life, Christine doesn’t give up on her. She isn’t pushy or forceful, but she lets Aleah know that she misses her and wants to see her again. Recognizing that something might be wrong with her new friend, she prays for Aleah every day, and when she finally sees Aleah again, she lets Aleah know how much she cares for her. When Christine finally finds out that Aleah is pregnant, she doesn’t shun her or start treating her any differently. She remains as kind and loyal as ever, even coming up with ways that Aleah can enjoy regular teenage activities while being a mom.
What characteristics do your friends have that make them good friends? What are some characteristics you'd seek out in a new friend? Have you ever reached out and befriended someone, the way Christine did with Aleah?
What characteristics do your friends have that make them good friends? What are some characteristics you'd seek out in a new friend? Have you ever reached out and befriended someone, the way Christine did with Aleah?
Steve and Aleah
Time and time again, Pastor Steve proves himself to be a steadfast, loyal friend and mentor to Aleah. The friendship between Steve and Aleah is different from a friendship between two people of the same age—their talks are always about Aleah and what she’s going through, and never about Steve and what he’s going through. While this kind of unbalanced friendship probably wouldn’t be very healthy for two people of the same age, it’s a beautiful thing for Steve and Aleah. Aleah needs a friend, and Pastor Steve is always there for her. Steve doesn’t think of himself so much as Aleah’s friend, but rather as a trusted adult mentor who she can rely on to help her through difficult situations. Aleah considers Steve her friend, because he is someone she can share her hopes and fears with, someone who will listen and give her good advice, someone she can trust and be real with.
Do you have a mentor in your life, an older friend who you can go to for advice and support? Do you have anyone who looks to you as their mentor?
Do you have a mentor in your life, an older friend who you can go to for advice and support? Do you have anyone who looks to you as their mentor?
New Life Youth Group
New Life is described as a youth group where everyone is accepted and included, no matter what. Although the meetings take place at Newton Community Church, not everyone in the group attends that church. Not everyone in the group even attends church, period. The kids who make up the group come from a variety of backgrounds. There’s Renee, who used to be an alcoholic, Tanya, who was once a self-mutilator, and David, who almost died of a drug overdose. There’s Michaela, who comes from a clean-cut, “perfect” (yet actually narrow-minded and judgmental) family, and Christine, whose loving family exudes Christ’s love. There’s Aubrey the homeschooler, Emeka the Rwandan immigrant, and Trevor, whose confidence has grown enormously in the past few years. And then we have all the other New Life kids, whose stories aren’t so specific, but who influence Aleah all the same by their caring actions. Aleah is scared to death of telling her New Life peers that she’s pregnant, and that she has another baby at home. She’s afraid they’ll all look at her differently and not want to be around her anymore. As it turns out, nothing could be further from the truth. The New Life kids surround her with love and support, sharing their own stories and affirming that she is still one of them. In New Life, Aleah has made some lifelong friends.
Steve and Georgia
Steve and Georgia, on the surface, couldn’t be more different from each other. Steve is a pastor and a family man. He loves God with all his heart, and spends as much time as he can with his son. Georgia’s relationship with her daughter is strained, and her relationship with God is nonexistent. She’s adamant that the God Steve so wholeheartedly believes in is nothing more than a fantasy.
The similarity that draws them together is the loss of their spouses. They have a moment of connection when they realize that they both went through the same kind of tragedy seven years ago. When Georgia needs someone to talk to on the anniversary of her husband’s death, she calls Steve, because she knows he can relate. The two of them share their feelings with one another, and by the time they hang up, Georgia realizes she’s found a friend. The friendship becomes deeper as time goes on, as Steve helps Georgia come to terms with Aleah’s decisions and as they both get to know each other better.
The similarity that draws them together is the loss of their spouses. They have a moment of connection when they realize that they both went through the same kind of tragedy seven years ago. When Georgia needs someone to talk to on the anniversary of her husband’s death, she calls Steve, because she knows he can relate. The two of them share their feelings with one another, and by the time they hang up, Georgia realizes she’s found a friend. The friendship becomes deeper as time goes on, as Steve helps Georgia come to terms with Aleah’s decisions and as they both get to know each other better.
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(The covers above were ideas that were considered for the New Life cover before the final design was decided on.)
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“I would absolutely still be friends with someone who did something bad in the past but isn’t doing it anymore. The past doesn’t change the present."
-Christine, p. 220