From Robin Wiley
This past weekend, we hosted a Purity/”Let’s Get Real About Sex” with both parents and teens (7th-12th) on Friday night. The kiddos had an option of the Lock-In portion to spend the night and attend more breakout sessions Saturday morning.
For the parents – I introduced a resource the church invested in for them to access for free which provides very relevant and insightful Christian content. Below is a helpful email I received regarding some different ways to understand and connect with your teens. The biggest thing in their lives now is their friends and most are feeling the pressures of the scholastic testing going on during this time of year. Here's a great way to connect with them through conversation about praying blessings over their friends.
This was published by Axis.org, a Christian based online organization, which provides families/pastors resources to break down barriers and talk with their kiddos about any topic in their world. Blessing on your week!
Here's a fact that, as parents, we all know to be true: showing our kids that we are interested (and even passionate) about their interests builds bridges.
What are the bridges you've built in your home? Remember when life was simpler and showing your interest meant hearing every single fact about dinosaurs? Or relenting and calling your daughter by her pseudonym of Ana or Elsa? Building bridges of conversations looks different now that they are older, doesn't it? Now it's talking about the latest makeup tricks, weird video games, unrecognizable music...and...those tricky relationships.
But regardless of the topic, the fact remains that loving what and who they love shows our teens we truly care about their whole being. And as we do this, we are modeling the endless, reckless love of Christ to our kids!
If you are like me, there are 3 buckets of friends in your teen's life. Those kids we like, those we tolerate, and those we don't even know exist. Especially if you have older teens transitioning out of the house. One way I've practiced building bridges with my sons is by inviting prayer over their relationships. All of them.
Regardless of the spiritual state of our friends, we should be pouring blessings and speaking truth over them. Encourage your teen that he might be the very one God uses to turn his friend's wandering heart towards Christ.
3 blessings to pray over friends
1. Blessing our friends with courage
Pray that they would be like a tree planted by water, that sends out its roots strong and deep by the stream, and has no need to fear when heat comes, for its leaves remain green, and is not anxious in the year of drought, for it does not cease to bear fruit (Jeremiah 17:7-8). Pray that God would make your friend strong, fruitful, and flourishing for His glory.
2. Blessing our friends with protection
Ask that when your friend walks in the midst of trouble, God will preserve their life. Claim His promise to stretch out His hand against the wrath of your friend’s enemies, to deliver her with His right hand. Remind God of His commitment to fulfill His purpose for your friend, and of His steadfast and endless love for them. Ask Him not to forsake her, or the work of His hands (Psalm 138:7-8).
3. Blessing our friends with wisdom
Praying that they will have the understanding to see how wide, long, high, and deep the love of Christ is (Ephesians 3:14-21) so that they may be renewed in hope in strength, finding hope in Christ in every situation.
Prayer:
Father God, thank you for showering your great love for my friends (list their names: __________________). I pray they may feel your presence and rest in knowing they are greatly loved by you. Help them root their identity in the truth of your Word.
🙏 Scripture for this week:
"My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends." John 15:12-13