Dear Parents,
Ever have one of those awkward moments when you are ashamed or embarrassed by something you've said or done?  If we're honest with ourselves, we've all had them. Proverbs 21:23 says "Watch your tongue and keep your mouth shut, and you will stay out of trouble."  [New Living Translation] Ouch!  Our devotions this week [March 1-6] focus on awkward, clumsy or embarrassing moments.  Those blunders of the mouth that get us into trouble and embarrassing situations we wish we could hide from.

We can be embarrassed by our failures, get mad at ourselves (or God), beat ourselves up over them, or we can learn from them and maybe even laugh at ourselves in the process.  Even when we are not at our best, Psalm 139:14 reminds us that we are "fearfully and wonderfully made."  God's graciousness and strength cover us in our weakest moments.

Ask your child...

• When was the last time you had an embarrassing or awkward moment?
• How did you handle the situation?
• What could you have done differently/better?

Encourage your child...​

• ​​Encourage your child to learn to laugh at embarrassing or awkward moments.  If we can laugh at ourselves and accept our goofs, our tormenters won't have a chance to bully us.
• Help your child practice good listening skills.  Proverbs 18:13 reminds us that to "answer before listening is folly and shame." 

​Challenge your child...

• ​If you see that your child's actions or words are hurtful or are changing them into someone you never imagined they could be, pray with your child.  Ask for God's wisdom and guidance.  Right the wrongs and say "I'm sorry." 

Prayer...
Dear Lord, please guide us in everything we do so that we act according to your purposes.  Amen.

 Dear Parents,
​The movie "Unbroken" is the true story of "Louie" Zamperini who was always in trouble.  With the help of his older brother, he turns his life around and channels his energy into running, later qualifying for the 1936 Olympics.  Zamperini survives in a raft for 47 days after his bomber was downed in World War II and is then sent on to a series of prisoner of war camps.  His story of survival, resilience, redemption and forgiveness reminds us that "as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, we are to clothe ourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience." [Colossians 3:12]  That was "Louie" throughout his time at the prisoner of war camps.  At the end of the film, a slideshow gives the viewer a glimpse into his life after he was rescued.  Louie lived out his promise to devote his life to God and forgave his war-time captors, meeting with many of them later in his life. 
"Louie" was a WORLD CHANGER! 
​
Ask your teen...
​How can you be a world changer?  In this week's devotions [February 22-29] it talks about the little things we do or say that can make a big difference.  Jesus made the little things count.  He talked with the lowly, ate with people who were considered worthless and stood up for those who needed help.
​How do we follow Jesus' example?  We encourage the discouraged and speak up for the bullied.  We eat with the friendless, send positive texts, assist with chores and speak kind words.
Encourage your teen...
​Luke 16:10 reminds us that "whoever is faithful in very little is faithful also in much."  Each of us wants to make a difference, to have a purpose, to be a world changer, but first God is looking for faithfulness in the small things.  Encourage your child to take the time to hone their skills and talents, whether it be singing, knitting or playing sports.  Those skills learned while young are often the same skills that make an impact on others later in life.
​Challenge your teen...
​One of the best ways to help your child discern their calling/purpose is to search for the intersection between their greatest passion and the world's greatest needs. 
If God opens a door for them to change the world, know that God has created them to walk through it!

Dear Parents,
​Do you, yourselves, sometimes find it difficult to pray?  Too keep on topic?  To remember to do it consistently?  During this week [February 15-21] we are talking about prayer struggles and how teens can look at prayer in different ways.   Teens often struggle with prayer because they don't know what to say, or find it hard to talk to someone who they can't see, or because they don't like waiting for answers.   Sometimes they feel far away from God and wonder if He really is listening to their prayers.

​Prayer doesn't need to be complicated.  We mistake prayers for speeches, but prayers do not require articulate words or rehearsed enunciation.  God wants praying to be simple.  God is our friend and desires a relationship with us.  He wants to hear the good in our lives, as well as to be there for us when our lives are not so good.  Psalm 145:18 says that "God is near to everyone who sincerely calls on Him".

​Ask them...
* What are your feelings about prayer? 
​* What is your favorite way to pray?

​Encourage them...
* Help them think of prayer as an ongoing conversation with God that can be picked up any time, anywhere.  They can talk to God like they would talk to a good friend.  They may be amazed how easy it will become to talk to God about their lives.
* Help your teen to think of new ways to pray; perhaps they can write out their prayers, sing prayers, go for a walk and talk out loud to God, or even read prayers (the book of Psalms is a good resource for reading prayers).  Encourage them to find a way to pray that works for THEM.

Challenge them...
​* Challenge your teen to start a prayer journal where they can reflect on their day. They can write about thanks for the day, requests for friends and family, prayers about situations in their life and around the world and questions about God, life, or the Bible.  If they don't like to journal, a gratitude jar with things they are grateful about can be a great way to start a prayer journey.

​* Challenge your teen to find some time to be silent each day.   Without radio, or phone or friends, but just to be quiet and think about God.  God can talk to us in many ways, but sometimes God's still, small voice speaks the loudest.

Dear Parents:
Valentines Day is coming up and with it cards, candy, flowers and balloons! For teens in a relationship, it can be a day filled with all of these things, but for those who aren't, well... it can be a painful reminder of a broken heart, a lost love, a sense of unworthiness.  This week's devotions [February 8-14] center on that crushed feeling we have all experienced.
A teen will automatically wonder "What is wrong with me?  Am I unlovable? Why don't I have a girlfriend/boyfriend/best friend?  I mean really, what is wrong with me?" 

Often, we are willing to boil our entire self-concept down to what the crush-of-the-month thinks of us. That statement kind of stops you in your tracks --- we realize we are seeking our self-confidence in the acceptance of others;
we are able to see we are looking in the wrong place, and yet we still do it.  Intellectually we know God's love and approval is really the only approval we need, but it's still hard to put into practice. 

Ask your child...

• What are ways to keep God at the center of your life, regardless if you are dating or not?
• How will you invite God to be part of your dating relationships?

Encourage your child...

• To go on a father/daughter or mother/son date with you.  Share a past rejection with your child; how it made you feel; how you moved past it.  Encourage them to share their dating experiences/relationships with you.  As parents, you are filled with wisdom and past experiences that can open the door to conversation. 
• Reassure your child that you pray for them daily; for a relationship they may be in and for their future spouse.  This may freak them out a bit, so use your own discretion!
• Have your child recall the last time they felt rejected.  Tell them to write about it spontaneously, without editing for five minutes.  What themes emerge?  Who or what influences their identity?
• Remind them they are considered precious in His sight (Isaiah 43:4)!

Hi Parents!
I hope you have been finding encouragement from this site! This week, [February 1-6] we'll tackle a simple topic... simple living that is!  In our world, that's tough!  We live in a society where more is, well, more.  And to be honest, we like our STUFF! We have boxes/shelves of books, multiple pairs of shoes and t-shirts, a dresser and a closet full of clothes, three frying pans, sporting equipment  cluttering up the garage, etc. etc. The devotion for February 1 reads "Sometimes I get so sick of stuff.  It's nothing more than clutter that I need to clean and organize."
​​
​So here we are, overly attached to our STUFF, believing we need more than we actually do, and struggling to live simply and generously.  Jesus calls us to that simpler, more humble way of doing life.  He reminds us to be content with what we have.  Having less can mean having more time to spend with family.  Having less can teach us to manage our money more responsibly and to be creative with what we have.  Having less means we can help others more. So how can we begin to live simpler lives and teach our children to do the same?

When your teen wants to buy something, have them ask these questions...

• Do I need this?
  
• Do I like this enough that I'll use it again and again?
  
• Is this something for which I'm willing to give up space and money?
  

Encourage your teen by...

• Helping them find joy in the simple pleasures of life; a fresh blanket of snow, a warm cup of hot chocolate, a snuggly blanket, a great book, watching a game with friends.
  
• Ask them what they consider simple pleasures.
  
• Encourage them to uncover deeper goals; becoming better people, positively influencing others, using their talents for God's glory.
  

​Challenge your teen... 

• ​Over the next 30 days, give away some of your stuff - maybe one item a day.
  
• Realize that our definition of need is not quite the same as Jesus'.
  
• Invite Jesus in.  We invite Jesus to stand with and ask him to show us what we need, or rather what we don't need.
• Day by day, we become less attached to our stuff, giving more generously and living more simply.