Hope for Our Teens

"He who fears the LORD has a secure fortress, and for his children it will be a refuge."
- Proverbs 14:26

Teenage years can certainly be considered a major frontier era in our lives.  It is during this time, transitioning between childhood and adulthood, that we are faced with a multitude of crucial decisions. . .decisions which may lead to experiences, good or bad, that will frame our future.

If Christ is a central focus, with an understanding of why He came and what He did for all of us, a young life may be lived with focus and purpose.  This understanding helps us know how to truly care about others, how to be a real friend, and how to make wise decisions and healthy choices.  The emptiness that many of us and our teens may feel, at one time or another, will be satisfied continually, by living in Christ and keeping Him in our hearts. 

Doubts are transformed into faith when we simply choose to believe.  Christ lived and died so that we could be saved from our sins and inherit life, a real life here on Earth and an eternal life with God, as His blessed children.  When we earnestly ask Christ into our hearts, the grace of God takes over.  Negative feelings are truly transformed, as a result of the Holy Spirit taking control of our thoughts, word, and actions.  His fruit begins pouring forth, providing us with confidence in our battles against the twisted messages of the world.

The greatest gift we can give our children is the opportunity to know Him now and to live a purposeful life right from the start.  The purpose to know and please God, share Jesus' love, and glorify and praise Him in everything will fill us and them with a joy and peace nothing else can touch.  Of course our children will have troubles and heartaches, but we can be thankful Jesus is by their side; with Him they will respond to those issues with grace and wisdom, and their lives will be enriched by those experiences, rather than haunted by regrets.  My heart bursts with that hope; and I pray our children's relationships with God will continue to grow so they can each be acutely aware of their gifts and the purpose of their lives, for His glory. . .from their teenage years forward.


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