Growing up in today's society can be challenging in all aspects, especially for our youth.

Ashley Wichlenski, a mom, business woman and now author, grew up dealing with her own struggles, but after asking God to guide her along, she was able to pull through. She is now taking what she learned and using it to help others.

In her new book, The Keeper of My Heart, Wichlenski helps young girls find their worth through God’s love. Its message is one that is especially important for teens who are contemplating suicide.  Formatted as a series of letters from “The Keeper of Your Heart”, young readers can feel the love pouring into them from each page.  Each letter is addressed in a way that builds confidence in the reader, whether they are being addressed as “precious one”, “brave girl”, “beautiful girl”, or “sunshine”.  Rather than the negativity that teenage girls are so often faced with in a world that can often send them negative messages about their self-worth, readers are called “beautiful one”.

Each day in the United States, there are an average of over 3,041 suicide attempts by young people in grades 9-12.  More teenagers and young adults die from suicide than from cancer, heart disease, AIDS, birth defects, stroke, pneumonia, influenza, and chronic lung disease combined.  The relentless bullying that plagues young people today is making the problem even worse—bullying victims are two to nine times more likely to attempt suicide than other teens.  For many teens who are contemplating suicide, their sense of self-worth is so low that they can’t see another way.

The Keeper of My Heart makes the nature of God’s unconditional love—love that is complete, forever, consistent, whole, and without restraint—clear to the reader.  In one letter, The Keeper of My Heart writes, “I promise to keep your heart safe and love you forever!  You are mine, and I am yours.”  Each chapter contains inspirational Scripture that is meant to build up the confidence and self-worth of the reader with such selections as Zechariah 2:8, “Whoever touches you touches the apple of his eye,” and Lamentations 3:23-25, “God’s loyal love couldn’t have run out, his merciful love couldn’t have dried up. They’re created new every morning.  How great your faithfulness… God proves to be good to the man who passionately waits, to the woman who diligently seeks.”  Readers will walk away from this book truly feeling fearfully and wonderfully made. 

Wichlenski says, “Teen suicide rates are sadly soaring at an alarming pace. If we show our teens their worth in Jesus and who they are through His eyes- that they are loved, forgiven, His masterpiece, strong, brave, and worthy, I believe the trend will go down." She adds, " It’s up to us as believers to show them the answer. The Keeper of My Heart is a way to show them the unconditional love of Jesus and their worth in Him alone, and can offer them the opportunity to receive hope once again!"

Wichlenski is spreading her message of self-worth and empowerment by giving motivational speeches to middle school and high school girls.  She is committed to raising money to send these books as gifts to less fortunate girls.  Her books have been sent to a girls’ school in Kenya, and she has plans to send copies of her book to the Dominican Republic, after the book is finished being translated to Spanish.

The Keeper of My Heart can be purchased by visiting thekeeperofmyheart.com.