Tag: Teenagers

• Known

  Do you ever feel unseen? Or do you feel unheard? In our world today, many of us feel unknown or even invisible. Do we really matter? Does anyone see the struggles that we face?

  These questions can nag at you, causing doubt and depression. They can steal your joy. But they can be combated with the truth.

  Psalm 139:1-4

  Lord, you have searched me and known me. You know when I sit down and when I stand up;
  you understand my thoughts from far away.
  You observe my travels and my rest;
  you are aware of all my ways.
  Before a word is on my tongue,
  you know all about it, Lord.

  God sees you. He hears you, even before you open your mouth to say a word. He knows you, even better than you know yourself. Let that truth sink in. Build your foundation on what God says about you. The God of the universe sees you. He is intimately acquainted with every part of you.

  He knows your thoughts. No one, no matter how well we know them, shares that same intimacy. Your friends don’t always know what you are going to say. Your parents don’t know all of your thoughts. The people who love us most cannot even come close to the love God has for us. He created love, and He is the perfecter of love.

  This kind of love is deeper than we can understand. Every glimpse of it is overwhelming in the best possible way. We are seen. We are known. We are heard.

  God will always love us. He will always love us with a depth that goes beyond human understanding. He cares for you.

  The God of the universe sees you. You are His treasure.

  July 12, 2025

  bible, christianity, faith, god, Identity, jesus, Teenagers, Value

  ---

• What Is Your Story?

  Does your story matter? Maybe you do not have some dramatic conversion story. In fact, if you are a teenager, you probably do not. But how can you use your simple story to help others? Do your experiences matter? Or when you do have a powerful testimony; how do you use it? And what exactly is a powerful testimony? I know I have struggled with these questions in the past.

  In these articles (yes, there will be more), we will unpack these questions. As a Christ follower, knowing the answers to these questions is so important.

  First, what is a powerful testimony? It is just the story of what God has done in your life. You have a story. No matter what it is, you have one. My story is different from your story. Your story does not have to be complicated to have an impact.

  If you want your testimony to impact people, first you need to figure out what your story is. Why did you decide to follow Jesus? What was your life like before then? (If you were little and have no idea how it changed, you can leave that out.) What has God done for you? How have you seen Him working in your life?

  Think about questions like those. Go deeper into the answers. This can be the foundation of your testimony. It does not have to be complicated. If you are like me, your testimony may be more about how you have grown in your faith and what God has done in your life. It might also be helpful to write down your thoughts and then organize them.

  But what if you cannot think of anything God has done for you? No matter who you are, God has been working in your life. God is always working, but sometimes we do not see what He has done until we think about it. What trials have you gone through? What have you learned from following Jesus? How have you changed? Or has anything in your life changed?

  Before you can share your testimony, you have to know what your testimony is. Spend a few minutes thinking about your testimony. Even if you do not plan on sharing it right now, just realizing what God has done in your life can be so impactful. And you never know, maybe sometime soon you will have the chance to share your story! If you do, you will be grateful that you already thought about it. 

  May 31, 2025

  bible, christianity, faith, god, jesus, story, Teenagers, testimony

  ---

• Childlike Faith

  How complicated is faith? Have you ever wondered? Sometimes it seems like faith is something complex and hard to understand. You might even be under the impression that you must have some mystical “ah-ha” moment. What if faith was simple? What if a child could easily understand it? As some of you know (or just guessed) it is simple.

  To prove my point, let me tell you a little bit of my story. I officially accepted Christ as my Savior when I was in kindergarten. I was baptized soon after that. My reason for sharing this is to show you that kids do understand. My faith was real.

  Sometimes it is easier for kids to believe. Kids do not need to have everything explained. I teach preschoolers, and while I get lots of questions, “how do I know God is real?” is not usually one of them. (Although I do get some interesting ones.) They believe what I teach them.  They do not have to have the fact that God is real explained to them. They just believe it.

  Maybe this seems naive. But it is beautiful. What if you could have that kind of faith? The faith that knows that God loves you at all times. The faith that does not need to have everything explained. The faith that knows God is real.

  That is the kind of faith we can have. Because guess what? You do not have to have all the answers to have faith. You do not have to be perfect. Because Christianity is loving Christ and surrendering your whole life to Him. It is knowing that you have done wrong. It is repenting of your sins. It is being made new in Christ.

  The key piece is that you strive to follow Christ as best as you are able. It is hard to completely change overnight. Bad habits have to be overcome. Faith is a war, not a battle. Fight each battle in Christ. He is with you, and He strengthens you. He is with you in the trials. Think of a small child. If they disappoint their parents, do they worry that no one will ever love them again? No, they do not. 

  Why do we treat God as if we can fail Him? He is so much bigger and greater than us. He loves us deeply. Our sin pains Him, but if we return to Him and ask for forgiveness, He will cleanse us. 

  Trust Him. He is a Good Father. He loves you enough to die for you. He created you. You are His masterpiece. You can go to Him with the faith of a child. You do not have to impress Him. He already paid for you. You are His.

  May 24, 2025

  bible, christianity, faith, god, Identity, jesus, Teenagers

  ---

• You Can Make an Impact

  Words have a huge impact. We use them all the time without thinking about it, but they matter. They can encourage or discourage. They can build up or tear down. They can help or hurt. You get the idea. We have all had words impact us in some way or another. 

  Proverbs 16:24

  Pleasant words are a honeycomb: sweet to the taste and health to the body.

  Words can encourage and help people. So words can be good. But what about talking too much? Did you know there are verses about that too?

  Proverbs 10:19

  When there are many words, sin is unavoidable, but the one who controls his lips is prudent.

  Ouch. I do not know about you, but I do not want to sin. The thought of sin being unavoidable with many words is hard. We should be careful about what we say. Careless words can cause us to sin. I want to use my words to glorify God. Take a look at this verse.

  Proverbs 12:6

  The words of the wicked are a deadly ambush, but the speech of the upright rescues them.

  Words can cause destruction for the one who spoke them or they can rescue the person who spoke them. Words are important. Really important, as you can tell from those verses. You know that. You have seen it in your own life.

  What can you do to use your words wisely and apply these verses? First, think about how you use your words. If you do not know what is wrong, you cannot fix the problem. Then, think about what you could do to change how you use your words. What could you do to use your words for good in that situation?

  The world says that teenagers’ words don’t matter, but they do. Our words impact people. You can inspire others. You can bring hope and joy. You can change the world with your words.  Every word we say is going to have an effect. What effect are your words having? 

  May 17, 2025

  bible, christianity, faith, god, impact, jesus, Teenagers, words

  ---

• A Letter for You

  Yes, you read that right. But this letter isn’t from me to you. At least, not exactly. It is from scripture.

  Dear child,

  Do you know how much I love you? I see you when you feel unseen. I understand everything about you. Every thought you have, I know it. Before a word is on your tongue, I know all about it. I am aware of all your ways. 

      When you feel alone, I am with you. My love is so big and so great. I am with you no matter where you go. You may feel lost in darkness, but I am with you. If you look to me, I will guide you. I am your strength. I am your Friend. I am your Healer and Helper. I am your Comforter.

     My child, I know you. I created you. You are my masterpiece. You are wonderfully made. You are not a mistake. I created you on purpose, for a purpose. I look at you with love, not anger. 

     Nothing you do is hidden from me. Your sin does not change my love. Your flaws do not define you. Because I love you, I sent my Son to die for you. He took the punishment you should have had. You had chosen the path of death, but I redeemed you. All because I love you.

    You may have been disappointed by what the world calls love. Do not let that diminish your perspective of my love. My love is deeper than you can understand. It is greater than anything in this world.  

     My love is perfect. It will never disappoint you. My love is faithful. I will never leave you or abandon you. My love is constant and truthful. I will never deceive you. My love is abundant and good. My love provides everything you need. You do not have to earn my love. All you have to do is accept it. When you accept my love and walk according to My ways, you will begin to see what I have in store for you. I have good plans for you. Plans that give you hope and a future. My dear child, I love you.

  May 10, 2025

  christianity, faith, god, Identity, jesus, Teenagers, Value

  ---

• Kaleidoscope

  Have you ever looked through a kaleidoscope? As you turn the colored lens, the colors reflect, creating gorgeous patterns. There are different kinds, but I had one that had a plastic lens with colored beads in it.

    I remember looking through the kaleidoscope and thinking that I would never see that exact pattern again. That may not be able to be proved, but I felt like it was true. Every single time I turned the lens, I saw a beautiful new pattern.

   Now think about yourself. You are unique. I will spare you the scientific details, but there is a 0% chance that there will ever be another you. You are one of a kind. You are a masterpiece. 

   You are not someone else. Just like a kaleidoscope reflects different patterns, we all reflect Jesus in different ways. Jesus’ light creates beauty in us. 

    Different situations may bring out different parts of your personality. That does not mean something is wrong with you. Yes, you will mess up. But that does not take away from how amazing you are. You are beautiful. Just turn your lens. Repent and walk in the forgiveness God wants to give you.

  Psalms 139:14

  I will praise you

  because I have been remarkably and wondrously made.

  Your works are wondrous,

  and I know this very well.

   God created you. He doesn’t make mistakes. You are his masterpiece. And masterpieces are priceless.  Accept your worth and beauty. If you made something, would you be thrilled if it told you that it was not good enough? (Apart from the fact that it could talk.) You would probably be hurt or offended, or maybe just sad.

    God values you. You are not helping him by devaluing yourself. You are a priceless treasure. You are carefully designed to be unique and reflect God to a hurting and broken world. 

  God can shine through your brokenness. He can heal your heart. You are amazing, and you are unique. Your life can be a kaleidoscope. Let God shine his light through you. He will make you beautiful.

  April 12, 2025

  bible, christianity, faith, god, Identity, jesus, Teenagers, Value

  ---