Here’s what I read (way back) in May…
My May Book Stack 2021
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Resources for Parents and Teens
When Your Soul is Overwhelmed: Choosing “Well-Being” over “Well-Doing”
“When do you feel closest to God?”
Across the table sits a sweet, young friend who will be heading off to college in a few weeks. Her eyes widen in surprise at my question, and I can see her searching for the “right” answer.
Our server sets down our breakfast, and we pray. Then I wait, the question still lingering between us.
“Umm, what do you mean? Like, when have I felt closest to God in my life? Or what do I do that makes me feel close to God?”
I smile, because I know she wants to be honest, but she also wants to be right. She knows me well enough by now to know that the honest answer is the right one, but old habits are hard to break. I get it.
“No, I mean when do you feel closest to God on a regular basis. What spiritual practices help you truly connect with Him?”
Her eyes sparkle as she begins to understand what I’m asking, but she still answers hesitantly. “Umm, maybe when I am alone with God, reading my Bible…. by myself?”
Yes! That’s it. Alone with God…
Hug Them: 7 Ways to Connect with Your Teen (Part 7)
“I DON’T WANNA GO TO BED!” he hollered, tearing out of my grasp and throwing himself onto the couch. The more I tried to reason with my little guy, the more he fought me. My simmering anger rose like a thermometer on a hot day at the beach, until, finally, we were both about to explode.
Taking a step back, I turned and whispered a quick prayer. “Lord, help me love this child well in this moment, because otherwise I just might kill him!”
Facing him again, I noticed his bright red cheeks and his little hands, balled into fists. His body was rigid, like a scared rabbit ready to bolt. Angry tears pooled behind his squinting eyes, and his forehead crinkled fiercely, his tiny chin tucked in defiance.
Something broke inside me. My heart instantly softened with love for my angry little warrior.
Lifting my hands amicably, I slowly moved forward, crouching down on the floor in front of him. He looked at me out of the corner of his eyes, wondering just what his momma was up to…
Be the First to Say You’re Sorry (7 Ways to Connect with Your Teen: Part 6)
It happens to all of us. We are in the middle of what we think is a perfectly normal conversation with our teen, when suddenly voices get louder, tears fall, and all you-know-what breaks loose!
Or maybe we make a promise with every intention of fulfilling it; only, we forget to check our schedule first or something important pops up. We try to explain or justify our predicament, but our words ring hollow to the disappointed ears of our teen.
Sooner or later, we all find ourselves in conflict of some sort with our teenagers, wondering who will be the first to say sorry. Can I give you some advice?
Most of the time, it should be you.
Wait, what?…
Take Advantage of their Rhythms (7 Ways to Connect with Your Teen, Part 5)
One of the first things I learned in Student Ministry is that teens have certain rhythms: patterns and trends of how and when they are willing to talk. Knowing these rhythms can make all the difference in reaching a teen’s heart, which is essential not just for discipleship, but for building relationships in general.
But how in the world do you figure out what those rhythms are? It’s pretty simple, really— we just have to pay attention. Here are some practical ways to help you discover and take advantage of your teen’s rhythms…
Engage in the Hard Conversations (7 Ways to Connect with Your Teen, Part 4)
When is the last time your teen initiated a hard conversation all on their own? Wouldn’t it be nice if it always happened that way?
While we’re daydreaming, what if before they brought it up, they sent us an email outlining all their questions, giving us adequate time to look up Bible verses and expert answers? And once we were ready, what if they sat at our feet, soaking every word of wisdom like it was the latest Marvel movie?
Unfortunately, you and I both know that’s not how it works.
Sometimes, if we’re lucky, our teens do come to us with their questions. More often, though, we sense something is going on with them or notice them wrestling with something in current culture, and it’s up to us to make those conversations happen. How do we do it? Here are a few tips on how to approach these hard conversations…
My April Book Stack 2021
This month has been so busy, I almost forgot to post my April Book Stack! Launching the new website and writing the 7 Ways to Connect with Your Teen series, in addition to all the end of school events, has knocked me a little off schedule. It also hasn’t left me much time for reading, so my May stack might be a little lacking. Lol! But I read some great books in April that I’d love to share…
Listen More than You Talk (7 Ways to Connect with Your Teen, Part 3)
We had a saying in my early years of Youth Ministry: “Kids don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care.” The best way to show a teen you care is to actually listen to them. If we desire to truly connect with our teens, we must work on our listening skills…
7 Ways to Connect With Your Teen (Part 2: Time)
This seems obvious, I know. It’s hard to connect with someone if you don’t make time for them, right? Yet, how often do we miss this? When our kids are younger, we naturally spend a lot of time with them because they need us for everything. But as they get older, they become less dependent. They begin to spend more and more time away from us.
If we truly want to connect with our teen, we must be intentional about spending time with them.
7 Ways to Connect with Your Teen (Part 1: Pray)
The “teen years” can be difficult. Relating with our teens on a deep level can be even more difficult. But I believe being intentional about connecting with our teens is the best investment we can make!
While there is no formula for perfect parenting, I want to share 7 practical ways you can connect with your teen. For the next seven weeks, we will talk about each of these areas in more detail and how they can positively influence our relationship with our teens.
Let’s start with PRAYER…
This is Real Life…
Today we’re using the #RealLife filter, because sometimes life doesn’t go as planned. And that’s okay.
I was feeling pretty proud of myself this afternoon. It was 3:00 and not only did I actually know what I was making for dinner (which is a minor miracle), tomorrow’s dinner was already thawing on the counter! Impressive, I know.
It was a simple dinner with very little prep, so I was able to squeeze in a quick walk before getting started. I washed my hands and pulled all the ingredients out of the fridge. Tonight’s menu included French dip sandwiches, salad, and roasted brussel sprouts. Sounds delicious, right? (Again, total rock star.)
Well, unfortunately (or fortunately, for my kids) the brussel sprouts spent a little too long in the crisper drawer and ended up in the trash. Not wanting to be outdone, the lettuce I bought last week plopped into the bowl as a giant pile of slime… so I had to toss it out as well.
I was 0 for 2; it was not looking good for the home team…
(keep reading)
Transforming Your Perspective: New Things are Coming!
If you are walking through a season of “lasts” (or loss), let me encourage you to look up and around. Look up to the One who holds all time in His hands, who is the Beginning and the End, the First and the Last. And look around— at those He has placed in your path, at the hidden things that may only now be beginning to grow, and at His Word which is living and active in our lives. A slight shift in perspective might just bring you a much-needed glimpse of hope…