Hello! I’m Rachel Andre, the author of Footnotes with Ray. After spending four years working in youth ministry, I noticed that most writing for teens don’t really help the reader learn to think. Either cheesy, boring, or legalistic,1 there is little written that any middle or high school student wants to read that is also spiritually helpful. Often, instead of giving students the tools they need to think and reason through theological challenges, the books available only tell them how to behave and what to believe, with sometimes cringe-worthy content.
While elementary students greatly benefit from straightforward rules detailing what they should and should-not do, once humans reach eleven or twelve years old their brains have matured enough to begin thinking critically. “Because I said so” is no longer a good enough reason, not because they wish to rebel against the authorities in their lives, but because their growing brains are now wired to gather their own data and reason their own way to the “why.” This is a good thing (!) as it allows teens to practice decision-making while they are still under the care and provision of their guardians. However, while they are reasoning like adults, they do so with considerably less experience.
This blog is an attempt to provide theologically rich content in an easy-to-understand format, intentionally written to foster spiritual curiosity, thoughtfulness, and critical thinking. Each article contains questions that can be used for either self-reflection, to aid parents in engaging in deeper conversations with their teens, or for youth workers to supplement a group Bible studies. However you use it, if you have feedback I would love to hear from you!
Who am I? I’m a lover of God, truth, clarity, and deep questions. I also love to ski, rock climb, garden, backpack, and longboard (think a skateboard, but… longer). I am a CPA2 currently working full-time as a Tax Advisory manager (I help companies save money on their taxes), but in my free time I am slowly chipping away at a M.A.3 in Biblical Studies at the Reformed Theological Seminary4 in Washington D.C., taking just one or two classes each semester. Ultimately, I am a child of God and co-heir with Christ; a fallen human made perfect by the blood of Jesus. He has changed my entire life, and He wants to change yours too. Will you let him?
- Legalistic: Adjective. To follow the law or rules as perfectly as possible, hoping that by doing so you will be good enough to be accepted by God.
- CPA: Acronym. This stands for ‘Certified Public Accountant’ and is a title used by someone who studied accounting in college, took a very hard 4-part test after college, and now works as an accountant.
- M.A.: Acronym. This stands for ‘Master of Arts,’ and is the title given to a degree someone earns by going back to school after college to earn an additional degree in a topic that is more specific and/or focused than a college degree.
- Seminary: Noun. A college or university that specifically trains people who want to teach others about God. For example, most pastors have studied at a seminary and earned a ‘Master of Divinity’ degree, which typically takes 3- or 4-years to earn.
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Footnotes with Ray 
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