Who Are You Following? Pursuing Jesus in a Social Media Obsessed World
By Sadie Robertson Huff
I had my share of stumbles, falls, and detours during my teen and young adult years.
Even though I was heavily influenced by culture (and what I saw on TV and in movies, heard within the music I listened to, and read in trashy teen magazines and YA novels), I acknowledge the poor decisions I made were my own. No one made me do the things I did, think the things I thought, or say the things I said and truthfully, I never considered any of it to be bad or wrong while I was doing it because it seemed to be the same things everyone else was doing.
So, I continued. Following the waves and ways of a culture-driven society that boasted a happy and full life where you’re wild, young, and free, where your aim is to “shoot for the moon and even if you miss, you’ll land among the stars,” and all that jazz. I pursued it all – the good, the bad, and the damagingly ugly, and it brought me nowhere good. It brought me to the end of myself.
Oh, how I wish I had had better wisdom to guide me, positive influences surrounding me, and a strong foundation of truth to help me decipher the mixed messages I received. I wish there had been a book like Who Are You Following? Pursuing Jesus in a Social Media Obsessed World by Sadie Robertson Huff.
Who Are You Following? is a timely book that tackles the highs and lows, pros and cons, and raw realities of social media’s influence on culture, society, relationships, and the individual psyche.
Who Are You Following? challenges the reader to evaluate and identify the source(s) that is having the biggest impact on the life they are living, the things they are thinking, feeling, and believing, and ultimately, the person they are becoming.
Are you actively and intentionally following someone or something that is adding to your life or taking away from it? Or, are you passively following the flow of culture, blind and unaware to how certain elements are causing you harm or leading you to a place you never sought to go?
Using her personal experience as an “influencer,” Sadie shares her own struggles with social media while guiding the reader down a road that is less travelled yet better paved and with a more enjoyable view. The path that follows Jesus.
I appreciate how Who Are You Following? is direct in the questions it asks and how it doesn’t shy away from the tough stuff most people would rather ignore or not consider, including the startling data and statistics surrounding social media use, abuse, and influence.
This book is steeped in practical application and relatable examples that are filtered through a biblical lens to clearly reveal Jesus as the only One worth following.
Sadie presents biblical truth through historical context and powerful illustrations to make following Jesus not just “palatable,” but easily “digestible” for seekers, skeptics, and believers alike. It’s genius, really, and a true display of how a theological understanding sharpens the only worldview that makes sense of a world that is crazy, confused, and chaotic.
Who Are You Following? shows the reader how to tune out the noise of the world to focus on the ultimate Influencer while inspiring the reader to receive the freedom that comes from not just being seen, but by being fully known. Moreover, Who Are You Following? helps readers discover how to live in the world rather than of the world as it applies to social media use and presence. Who Are You Following? is not an anti-social media book – it demonstrates the importance of being both social and relational when purposefully following Jesus.
Each of the nine chapters challenges the reader to examine a specific motive pertaining to personal social media use such as,
- Distinguishing the main sources influencing one’s life
- Exposing one’s goals and reasons for using social media
- Understanding the desire to be loved rather than liked
- Recognizing any source of comparison or envy and how that is magnified or manipulated through social media
- Discovering why one wants to be known or “famous”
- Accessing the need and purpose of publicly sharing something online
- Unashamedly committing to Jesus rather than “unfollowing” Him when it’s convenient or silencing oneself for fear of being “cancelled”
- Validating God’s love over any empty promises or false truths
- Acknowledging one’s source of truth and difference between following your truth and the Truth
Additionally, every chapter includes multiple application questions to assist the reader in personal reflection and comprehension. If the reader seeks to go deeper, consider the Who Are You Following? companion journal that expands on every topic, theme, and motive covered in the book. The journal is ideal for those who desire spiritual accountability and encouragement, scriptural study and mediation, guided prayer, and blank space to explore the stirrings of one’s heart.
I’ll be honest, I had no idea who Sadie Robertson Huff was or what Duck Dynasty was prior to reading this book but wow, was I blown away by the strength, wisdom, tenacity, and boldness of this young woman’s faith. As I mentioned above, I wish I had a book like this when I was younger to help me navigate culture. Even so, I am grateful for the opportunity to have read it as a 36-year-old woman. It refreshed my soul with timeless Truth while refining my biblical worldview and how I perceive social media’s influence within society and my own life.
Who Are You Following? is a book I recommend for all young women, especially those who are caught in the social media daze (obsession, game) or are captivated by “influencer status.” This is a book I know I will be recommending and gifting to young women for years to come and is one I will advise my own daughters to read.
To learn more about Sadie Robertson Huff and to purchase a copy of Who Are You Following? click here!
*I received this book and journal from FrontGate Media in exchange for promotion and my honest review.
