We often teach our children that if they want to win, they need to be the strongest, the fastest, or the smartest. We celebrate the self-made victory, the buzzer-beater shot taken by the star player, or the army with the most firepower. But the Kingdom of God operates on a completely different set of physics. In God's economy, weakness is often the stage for power, and being outnumbered is just a setup for a miracle. I wrote Abijah: The Boy Who Led a Kingdom because I want kids to know that they don't have to wait until they are grown-ups to be leaders, and they don't have to be the biggest person in the room to win the fight. Abijah is a fascinating, often overlooked king who stepped onto the battlefield not with a superior strategy, but with a superior theology. He knew something his enemy didn't: numbers don't decide the outcome; God does.
The historical stakes in this story are massive. The kingdom of Israel is split. On one side is Jeroboam, a king who has twice as many soldiers—eight hundred thousand men—and has abandoned the worship of God for golden calves. On the other side is Abijah, young and untested, leading a smaller army of four hundred thousand. Mathematically, it is a slaughter. Jeroboam even sets an ambush, surrounding Judah so they are trapped front and back. In any other story, this is the moment of surrender. But Abijah does something radical. He stands on Mount Zemaraim and preaches a sermon. He reminds his people—and his enemies—of the covenant God made with David. He declares, God Himself is with us; He is our leader.
I wanted to capture the sheer audacity of that moment. Imagine the pressure on this young man's shoulders. The lives of his entire nation rested on his decision. He could have panicked. He could have tried to negotiate a surrender. Instead, he ordered the priests to blow the trumpets. This is a critical detail I highlight in the book: the sound of the trumpet wasn't a signal to charge; it was a cry of prayer. It was a sound that said, "We are God's people." And when they blew those horns and the people shouted, God stepped in. The text says God defeated Jeroboam. The ambush failed. The superior army fled. It wasn't Abijah's sword that won the day; it was his trust. This teaches our kids that when they feel trapped—whether by a bully, a hard test, or a scary situation—their first move should be to call out to God, because He can break traps that we cannot.
To bring this battlefield courage into a context a modern child can grasp, I wrote the story of Austin and the Lincoln Lions. Austin loves basketball, but his team is a disaster. They are the underdogs of the league, plagued by injuries and pitted against undefeated giants like the Glendale Hawks. Austin feels the crushing weight of needing to perform, to carry the team, to be the hero. This is a pressure so many of our kids feel today—the pressure to be perfect, to get the scholarship, to make the grade. I wanted to show that this pressure is a lie. Austin’s breakthrough comes when he realizes he doesn't have to win the game alone.
In the modern parable, Austin is guided by his friend Rebecca and his coach, who remind him of the lesson of Abijah. There is a pivotal scene where Austin has the ball in the final seconds. He could take the shot. He could try to be the hero. But he sees Rebecca open, and he passes. That pass is an act of faith. It is an act of trust. When they win, it isn't because Austin was the best player; it's because they played as a body. Later, when Austin faces a teammate, Daniel, who is struggling with jealousy and fear, Austin steps up as a leader not by dominating him, but by encouraging him. He teaches Daniel to trust the team. This mirrors Abijah calling Judah back to the covenant. Leadership isn't just about winning; it's about helping the people around you return to faithfulness.
The climax of Austin’s story is deeply personal. As his team heads toward the playoffs, he learns that his dad has lost his job. Suddenly, basketball seems small, and the real world feels scary and out of control. This is where the lesson of Abijah moves from the head to the heart. Austin realizes that just as he trusted God on the court, he can trust God with his family's future. The verse The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still becomes his anchor. I included this subplot because I want kids to know that faith isn't just for church or for "religious" problems. God cares about their sports games, their friendships, and their family's struggles. He is the God of the whole picture.
The Action Plan in this book focuses on When the Odds Are Against You. We walk kids through the practical steps of facing a "giant." First, you stop looking at the size of the problem. If you stare at the eight hundred thousand soldiers, you will despair. Second, you look at the size of your God. We encourage kids to memorize verses that remind them of God's power. Third, you rely on your team. Just as Abijah had the priests and the army, and Austin had Rebecca and Coach, we tell kids to find the people who will pray with them and stand with them. We teach them that asking for help isn't weakness; it's wisdom.
On the cover, you see the Bible Hero: Real Non-Fiction Superhero badge. I put this on Abijah's book because he represents a kind of heroism that is rare in our culture: the hero who points away from himself. Abijah didn't build a monument to his own strength. He pointed to the covenant of God. He is a non-fiction superhero because he shows us that real power comes from submission to the King of Kings. Our kids are bombarded with messages that tell them they are the center of the universe. Abijah’s story tells them that God is the center, and that is actually good news, because God is strong enough to handle the battles they cannot fighting.
Why does this story matter today? Because our children are growing up in a world that feels increasingly hostile to their faith. They will face intellectual challenges, social pressures, and moral dilemmas that will make them feel outnumbered. They need to know that they belong to a long line of faithful men and women who stood their ground when the odds were impossible. They need to know that being a minority doesn't mean being a victim. Abijah teaches them that one person plus God is always a majority.
I also wanted to emphasize the aftermath of the battle. Abijah didn't just win and go home; he led a spiritual revival. He tore down the idols and brought the people back to the temple. This shows that the purpose of God's rescue isn't just to make us comfortable; it is to make us holy. Austin’s journey reflects this too—he helps restore unity to his team. The victory leads to restoration. I hope that when families read this, they will be inspired to look at the conflicts in their own lives not just as problems to be solved, but as opportunities to see God move.
Writing the scene where Abijah kneels in the temple after the victory was very moving for me. He admits, Not by my strength. That surrender is the secret to his power. I want every child who reads this book to find that same secret place—a place where they can lay down the heavy burden of trying to be enough and pick up the light burden of trusting the God who is more than enough. Abijah: The Boy Who Led a Kingdom is an invitation to stop counting the enemy soldiers and start counting the promises of God. It is a call to stand firm, blow the trumpet of prayer, and watch the walls of fear come crumbling down.