Dear Parents,
​We don't know a lot about the people who became Jesus' twelve disciples.  Peter, James and John were fishermen.  Matthew was a tax collector.  We call Thomas the doubter.  Jesus knew that despite the differences in their backgrounds and personalities, the twelve would help to carry the Gospel message to the world.  "Come, follow me" Jesus said.

​Our devotions for the week of [March 28-April 3 +follow me] focus on what we as Christians are called to do.  The twelve disciples were willing to give up everything to follow Christ.  Would we be willing to do the same?  Matthew 25:40 says "The King will reply, 'Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.' " Jesus tells us exactly what it is he wants us to do!  Each of us receives our own unique call.  Jesus knows what we can do and tailors his call to our abilities.  Some of us may be called to spread the Gospel; others, to do something new and different.  Jesus may call us to go to places we never imagined or to stay at home and reach out to our neighbors. Jesus' call will take us beyond what we do today and comes with the understanding that, in responding, we too will have a chance to change the world.

​Ask your child...
​If we follow Jesus, what guides our decision-making? 
How do we decide what classes to take, what job to apply for, whom to hang out with? 

Encourage your child...
​We see in John 4:1-42 a clear glimpse of how Jesus made decisions [the story of the Samaritan woman].  This woman bore life's battle scars.  The way people treated the woman was a constant reminder of her past mistakes, and she probably felt worthless. ​But Jesus has a way with people; nothing - certainly not past mistakes - persuades him to stop loving us - ever!  ​People mean more to Jesus than the rules or customs of the culture. Remind your teen that when Jesus whispers to us in the silence of our darkest hour, saying "I was there when you were born; I know everything about you and I love you" he means it.  He asks us to live by grace and to love others no matter how different they are from us.  Loving people is a choice.  God does not expect perfection.  The next time you see someone who is different or a person society is willing to discard, remember that you have a choice to live by grace or to live the empty life of judgment.  Choose grace.  Choose life.  Follow Jesus.

​Challenge your child...
Make a list of choices, big and small, that you will make in the next week or two or even the next year or two.  Think about how grace informs each choice.
​What does following Jesus mean for the decisions you will make?

Prayer...
Lord, thank you for calling us to follow.  You have prepared and equipped us with everything we need to be the people you want us to be.  Let us not fear where your calling may lead, but give us courage to live in ways that are worthy of you, lifting you name high and loving you with all our hearts.  In Jesus' name, we pray. Amen.

Dear Parents:
​We live in a world where skepticism is rampant.  We doubt everything from the viability of the social security system to the credibility of our nation's leaders.  Being human means having questions and doubts.  How many times did the disciples ask Jesus questions because they didn't understand? (Luke 8:22-25) We are like the disciples.  God has been pointing our lives in a certain direction, and we don't understand.  Something bad happens and we doubt God's power and love.  Certainty and doubt.  Faith and questioning. Faith and doubt living side by side.  Often when we search for answers to questions, our faith can grow.  God never punishes us for our doubt, in fact, God welcomes our doubts and gives us what we need in order to believe. 

Devotions for the week of [March 21-27 +belief & doubt] call us to think more deeply, reflect on our lives, and search more intently for answers.  Because of our questioning, we are able to draw closer to God and can begin to see our questions as a sign of strength. 

​Ask your child...

• ​We continually take in new information, question old ideas, and develop new ways of understanding.  Why would this happen (or not happen) with matters of faith?
• ​If God is truly all-powerful and all-loving, why is there so much suffering in the world?  There are no simple answers to such a challenging question.  Only by wrestling with our doubts can we take the fertile seeds of faith for ourselves and let God fertilize them. 

Encourage your child...

• ​To continue to ask questions and seek a deeper knowledge of God.
• Who are your friends who ask the hard questions that help your faith grow?  Thank them - and thank God for them.

​Challenge your child...

• ​Read Psalm 103:1-5, listen to "10,000 Reasons" by Matt Redman, then write about the love of God in your life.
• Look up passages on doubt and belief in your Bible. You might start with the Book of Job.  Notice that Job's faith in the beginning is not as strong as it is in the end.  Suffering and struggling with questions of faith made him the man he became.  Similarly, we have no shortcuts to becoming men and women of faith.  We need to wrestle with deep questions.

"For I am going to do something in your days that you would not believe, even if you were told." Habakkuk 1:5 (NIV)

Hi Parents!
​Summer and traveling seem to go hand-in-hand... family trips, summer camp trips, mission trips.  ​Some of the best trips I've taken have led me closer to God and made me a lot more aware of God's faithfulness along the way.  Trips are fun and exciting, but they can also be stressful and frustrating.  Think having the air conditioning in the car go on the blink or congested traffic!

In our devotions this week, [March 14-20 +on the road again] knowing that God goes with us and will catch us when we fall makes beginning a new journey easier.  It allows us to be bold, to venture beyond the walls of what we know, to try new things, to find out who we are and what we have been called to do.  We may be tempted to stay where we feel safe; but stepping out into the world with God as our companion, we can discover new places, people and perhaps even ourselves. We can cherish the times when we are wholly dependent on God.  His faithfulness is often most evident when we've been on the road, leaving what we know and expecting God to show up where we're going.  God's promise to go before us and to be by our side, gives us courage to keep moving.  No matter where we are or where we're going, God will be there! "The Lord himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.  Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged." Deuteronomy 31:8

Ask your teen...
​In your travels-close to home or far away-who has inspired you to do something overwhelming?
​When have you felt the presence of God in an unfamiliar church or Christian community?

Encourage your teen...
​Write about (or talk about) a road trip that inspired you to give back and to touch the lives of others.
​
Challenge your teen...
​Find an activity that makes you think, "I could never do that!"  Then prove yourself wrong.  Hit the road, physically or theoretically, and find ways to escape the confines of your comfort zone.

​Prayer:  Lord, please grant us the confidence and boldness to explore and to serve your world beyond our comfort zones. Amen.

Dear Parents,
​Everyone faces times when they are lost, confused and scared.  For some it's chronic pain or health issues, depression or sadness.  For others, it's life struggles, devastation, loss of loved ones or having trouble coping with the loss of a friendship.  ​Your child may be in a season of life when they look left and look right and cannot see God. 

During the week of [March 7-13 +pain & healing] our devotions focus on looking at how we get through that pain or loss and how God can use that pain to bring an opportunity for growth.  Living life fully means being open to the possibility of experiencing great joy, great pain, and everything in between.  We learn that when we face the pain and do the work necessary to heal, God opens doors for new life to enter and grow.  We learn that we are stronger than we imagined, because God, the author of all life, will weave together a beautiful story with a perfect ending!


​Ask your child...

1. How have your past/current struggles shaped you into the person you are today?
2. ​To write down the ways you encounter God's love. Write them in a journal or in poetry form.
3. What or who helps you through the pain?
4. How is God using your pain to bring healing to others who endure similar struggles?

Encourage your child...

1. Allow yourself to feel.  Pay attention to the pain.  Name it.  Talk about it with someone you trust.
2. Seek professional help, particularly if they are talking about harming themselves.  Have them talk to a parent, therapist or pastor.  Let them know that they don't need to deal with the pain all alone.
3. Keep doing what gives you joy and life.
4. Speak honestly with God.  God can handle whatever you bring.
5. Give yourself time.  The healing process is different for each person.  Be patient and love yourself during the process.
6. Look for light and love in the people who love you, the peaceful silence of nature, a hug at the right time.  Don't try to go it alone.

​Prayer:  God, you promise a time without crying or pain.  Sit with me now, in my distress, as a sign of your coming kingdom.  Let me feel your presence.  Amen.