Anne Wilson Encourages Young Girls to Find Their Identity in Christ With New ‘Hey Girl’ Devotional
From day one, Anne Wilson became a role model for young girls as they streamed her music, flocked to her shows and sported her merch. That’s why Wilson’s debut devotional, “Hey Girl: You Are Seen, Loved, and Made for More,” feels so on brand. The same southern charm and down-to-earth persona that swiftly earned her a legion of fans permeates the pages of “Hey Girl.”
“Writing this has been such a prayerful journey, and my biggest hope is that every girl who reads it feels seen, loved and reminded of her worth in Jesus,” Wilson says of her new book, inspired by her hit song, “Hey Girl,” from her “My Jesus” album. “You don’t have to have it all together — He already calls you His. My prayer is that these pages bring you closer to His heart and give you courage to live boldly in who He’s made you to be.”
Aimed at teens — and appropriate enough for tweens — Wilson’s first-ever devotional helps readers see themselves from God’s perspective. From bullying, body image issues and boys, Wilson covers all the topics that fill the group chats of today’s teen girls. She implores them to stop believing the cunning lies of the enemy, and instead, begin walking in the light of God’s truth.
Comprised of 40 brief vignettes, “Hey Girl” feels like a friendly voice of encouragement with chapters colored by Wilson’s signature warmth and candor. Prompting personal reflection, the Kentucky native offers several thoughtful questions, a Bible verse for memorization, some easy next steps and a prayer based on that day’s topic at the end of each devotional.
As she advises girls to find their value and purpose in Jesus, she weaves her own story into “Hey Girl,” sharing transparent anecdotes about dealing with her own share of mean girls, worrying about what other people might think of her as she transitioned into country music and grieving the death of her brother.
Each night on her current “Stars Tour,” Wilson chooses a few sweet girls from the audience, brings them up on stage and gifts them with signed copies of her new devotional. Additionally, for a limited time, she’s also giving every concertgoer who chooses to sponsor a child at one of her shows a copy of “Hey Girl.”
Regardless of how fans get their hands on the fresh devotional (It’s available wherever books are sold, as well as at Wilson’s merch table.), Wilson’s voice is one parents can trust. Her advice is rooted in the Bible and fully backed by Scripture. Her conservative views and traditional values are countercultural in so many ways as she tells young girls to not be in a hurry to rush into dating the wrong guy, to not allow the opinions of other people to define them and to give every part of their lives over to a God who loves them unconditionally.
Wilson doesn’t sugarcoat the truth, but she delivers it in a way that’s soft, endearing and refreshingly bold. The Gospel message is front and center in “Hey Girl,” helping readers realize the first, and most important, move is giving your heart to Jesus. Beyond that, the 40-day devotional takes it one step further, helping girls learn how to discover and love exactly who God made them to be.
Every teen or tween girl needs this book, because Wilson is literally speaking words of life over blossoming daughters of God in their most formative years. The “God Story” singer is one of few voices in this generation brave enough to speak up for what she believes in and courageous enough to share her own experiences in the hopes that other girls might follow in her footsteps. “Hey Girl” carries the message every woman — young or old — is desperate to hear: You are loved. You are beautiful. You are valuable. And Wilson is the perfect spokesperson for this message, because somehow when she says these things, girls start to believe it.
