Hi Parents,
​I was on Facebook the other night scrolling through a maze of posts when one caught my attention.  It was a picture of 1 year old Jacob Marbury who was allegedly assaulted by a babysitter while his parents went out for a date night.  The picture of this precious baby sitting in the bathtub with bruises covering the side of his face and arm just made me ask "why?"  Why would someone do this to a precious innocent baby?  Why do things like this happen to children?  Why was this babysitter so filled with ugliness that he would take it out on a baby? Why Jesus, why?
​My heart was filled with compassion for this baby and his parents. But it didn't feel like my compassion was enough.
​
​Our devotions this week touched on the injustices in life and imagining a world without them.  Imagine a world with no pain?  Imagine a world with no hunger?  Imagine a world with no discrimination, human trafficking, abuse, wars, poverty, etc. etc. God promises us that world someday, but for now, what if we had the courage to listen for God's call, to stand up for our faith, to give to others without a thought about not having enough for ourselves?  What if we allowed God to use us to touch the world and the people in it?  Would we realize that one person can make a difference?  ​Isaiah 6:8 reads "Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, "Whom shall I send?  And who will go for us?"  And I said, "Here am I.  Send me!"  When God calls, will we also say, "Here I am.  Send me?"  Often, it is through the stories of others that we can learn to prevent the tragedy of abuse.  With God's help, we can help to put an end it.

​Ask your child...
​What is an area of injustice where you would be willing to say "send me?"
​Name how things could change in that area of injustice if only... you fill in the blank.  Here are a couple of ideas...
​If only someone was praying daily.
​If only someone cared enough to step in.
​If only someone visited.
​If only someone spoke up, gave a speech, wrote an article.

Prayer...
​Father God, give us courage, imagination, and compassion to change the world by loving one person at a time so that no one suffers.  Lord, give us a little bit of heaven here on earth until we come home and enjoy heaven for eternity.  Amen.

Dear Parents,
​Do you ever feel like media controls your life?  Every second, a Snapchat is sent, a selfie is texted, a tweet is posted.  We check our phones 20 times a day for messages or missed calls.  We're checking out what's happening on social media, purchasing the newest smartphone, downloading the most recent hit, or playing the next best app.  How about the media messages we are bombarded with on t.v., in magazines and newspapers, or when listening to music? Do you feel like it's information overload or filter failure?  Don't get me wrong, I'm thankful for the technology we have access to at our fingertips,  but media messages can chip away at our self-worth with subtle messages like "you're not good enough, thin enough, smart enough, pretty/handsome enough, strong enough."

​With all the influences that vie for our attention every day, keeping our lives focused on things that are good and true is not easy.  Paul says in Philippians 4:8-9 "Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable - if anything is excellent or praiseworthy, think about such things.  Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me - put it into practice.  And the God of peace will be with you."

Could it be time for us to examine what we're watching, posting, reading and listening to?  Once we see something, our mind (eyes) holds onto it forever, because the things we focus on shape our thoughts and actions.  The images are impossible to erase.  But, we can choose!  What would happen if we questioned every media message, obvious or subliminal, that leaves us feeling inferior?  What if we challenged every thought, whether from others or ourselves, that tells us we don't live up to the world's standards? An awareness of anything that contradicts God's truth about us gives us the courage to reject those lies.  When you are tempted to believe the lies, rest on the promise that you are wonderfully made (Psalm 139:14), that God has an amazing plan for you (Jeremiah 29:11), and that you are fully and completely accepted and loved (Psalm 136:2; Romans 8:38-39).  In God's eyes, you always measure up!

Ask your teen...
What media messages cause you the most pain?
​What lies are you believing about yourself?
​What steps can you take to limit your exposure to the media?
​How can you use social media to glorify God?

Challenge your teen...
​Memorize Bible verses to say to yourself when you feel defeated by negative media messages.
​Look up song lyrics and check for language and content before downloading.
​Before posting on social media, ask yourself, "Would Jesus write this post?"
​
​Prayer...
​Lord, help us to see the value of people based on their hearts and not on their status, wealth or looks.  Help us to be kind and helpful, rather than concerned with material things.  Amen.

"Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?  Since you cannot do this very little thing, why do you worry about the rest?" Luke 12:25-26 (NIV)

​Dear Parents,
​Fear and worry.  They're one of the enemy's most popular weapons used against us.  There's a lot of crazy going on in the world today.  Conflicts, persecution, crime, illness, terrorism, natural disasters, war... the list goes on and on.  It can leave us feeling anxious, overwhelmed, tense, scared, worried, even a little out of control. We feel scattered and aimless with our thoughts spinning in a million different directions.  Through fear that whirls around us, Satan attempts to steal from our days, kill our hope, and destroy our sense of freedom in the world. He never fights fair.  He will use fear and worry time after time to waste our time, render us ineffective, and leave us feeling powerless and weak.  Uncertainty will loom, reminding us of every possible "what if."  But reality tells us that so much of what we spend time worrying about, never even happens.  Living under the "what ifs" is a hard place to dwell.

• WORRY PRETENDS TO BE NECESSARY, but serves no useful purpose! 
• Now substitute the word "SATAN" for the word "WORRY" and reread the sentence. It kind of puts things into perspective.

Choosing to live in a place of trust is powerful and life-giving; trusting that He is with us and is in control at all times.  It doesn't mean that we will never feel worry or fear again.  It just means we won't allow it to control us anymore. Jesus tells us that He is with us.  Present.  Constantly.  He will never be found pacing the floors of heaven wondering how He's going to solve this problem or that mess.  He's on the throne.  Fully in control.  Always aware, and always fighting for us.
​
Ask your child...
What are you worried/fearful about?  Is it consuming you?
​Do you think of God as your co-pilot or a back-seat driver?
​Who do you feel is in control of your journey?
​
Challenge your child...
Overcome obsessive worry and control by 1) developing trust in your Heavenly Father, 2) gaining perspective on your problems, 3) recognizing the real problem (do you have a need to feel safe; does your life feel unpredictable), 4) recognizing that you are so loved and that you are ok exactly as you are.

​Prayer:
​Thank you, God, for the ways you bless our lives.  Help us to let go of things that are out of our control and to put our trust in you.  Amen.

Hi Parents,
​The last several weeks we've talked about the practice of spending time with God; reading devotions, reading the Bible, praying, etc. Those things that [keep the fire burning] within us.  Our faith can so easily grow cold.  We can drift or go for days without reading the Bible.  We think of ourselves first.  We hunger for God's word, but don't read it because we don't feel like it. We crave that mountaintop experience, but we don't want to go through the valleys to get there.

Psalm 139:7-10 assures us that God is with us on the mountaintops and in the valleys, but we won't get anywhere in our faith if we act on short-lived emotion, turning around halfway up the mountain because we aren't feeling it.
Faith and feeling are not the same.  We can keep the fire burning only through discipline, sacrifice, and perseverance.  It will smolder if we try to ignite it with sugar-rush feelings.  The following practices can strengthen your faith and serve as fuel for your spiritual fire:

1. Prayer, reading scripture and worship - A relationship with God requires communication.  To deepen our relationship with God, we need to pray, to read the Bible and to worship.  When we pray, we are tapping into the power of God.
   
2. Serving others - When we are on fire for Christ and serve the Lord with our whole lives, we make God real to a world that does not yet know the Lord.
   
3. Talking about Jesus - Conversations about the Bible nourish our faith and let us know we are not alone in our walk.
   
4. Learning - To stay engaged in our faith, we need to admit we don't know everything about God, the Bible or Christianity - and keep exploring.

Ask your teen...
Which of the above practices is most difficult for you?​

• ​Who are the people in your life who have helped to light the spark of faith in you?
• ​What things are truly important in your life and faith?  Pay attention to things that have the power to change lives - including yours.
• Many things threaten to drench the fire of faith.  Who or what helps you to fan the flame?
• Make an effort to communicate with God, to serve others, to talk about Jesus or to keep learning - and watch your faith grow!

​Challenge your teen...

• ​Take the risk... when you have people whose words or actions have made an impact on your life - tell them!  Perhaps people you know are wondering if they are inspiring others in their walk with Christ.  Encourage them and let them know that what they're doing is making a difference. I Thessalonians 5:11 says "Therefore encourage one another and build each other us, just as in fact you are doing."

​Prayer...
Father, ignite in me a spiritual fire and a desire to keep that fire burning bright for you! I pray that the joy of the Lord will continue to be my strength. Amen.

Dear Parents,
This week's devotions [May 1-8 +daily devo] are a continuation from last week's discussion of taking time out to pause for daily devotions.  When we think we're too busy to spend time with God, that's often when we need it most.  I recently discovered a Pinterest quote that put it simply: "The Bible is meant to be bread for daily use, not cake for special occasions."  

How true!  Although I love cake, I know it's not good for me on a daily basis.  Bread, however, can sustain us from day to day.  Likewise, the Bible sustains us daily when we are able to carve out time for God; our priorities become clearer; we become less stressed; we feel more at peace.

​Some think there are rules to reading the Bible or doing devotions.  Like we said last week, it's something we want to check off our to-do list.  So what if you could give up the rules? Try some of the following methods and find out what works for you...

1. ​Walking/running: Spend the time praying and reflecting on your day.  Ask yourself: Did I love others today? Did my actions reflect God's will for my life?  Did I offend or say something I need to ask forgiveness for?  Pray specifically for everyone you came in contact with.
2. Take notes: Your child may think 'I do that all day long at school.' But encourage them to give it a try with their Bible reading. You may even want to consider purchasing a journaling Bible where the margins are wide and you can write questions, take notes,  draw, or write out truths God has taught you.
3. Find a quiet space:  Be still before God and meditate quietly on God's word or spend time in silent prayer.  Psalm 62:5 says "For God alone my soul waits in silence, for my hope is from him."  Through the gift of silence, we can hear God's voice and learn what God is calling us to do.

Ask your child...
​Are you loving God with all your heart, soul, and might?
​Do you feel your Bible reading has become routine? Try changing it up so you're focused on God and not on the ritual.
​Do you feel engaged when you read your devotions or the Bible?  What can you do differently if you are not engaged?

​Prayer:
O Lord, how great is your goodness for me.  Let me stay in continual communication with you, whispering your name when my thoughts need to be redirected.  Amen.​