Dear Parents,
Most of us struggle with our self-image at some point.  As we make daily choices to accept the negative thoughts we have about ourselves, words such as unworthy, worthless, stupid, unforgivable, and alone begin to swirl through our minds and slowly penetrate our hearts.  The mirror becomes our greatest rival, reflecting the person we have grown to despise. 

Over time, the thoughts we entertain shape who we are and what we do.  A negative self-image will take time to change; but by turning over to Christ every hateful, harmful thought and replacing it with healthy, loving thoughts, we honor God, in whose image we are made.  "God created humanity in God's own image, in the divine image God created them." Genesis 1:27a (CEB)

Replace the hate...
Instead of thinking... I hate myself, ​I hate how stressed I get, I hate how emotional I am, I hate how my body looks, I hate making difficult decisions, I hate hating myself.
​Remember that... God loves me.  I love how specific and careful I am, I love how much I care for others, I love that I am healthy, I love that I try to make the right decisions, I love learning to love myself.

​Ask your child...
How can you celebrate the story of your life as it is right now?  How do you feel about yourself?  Be honest.  What would loving yourself look like?
Have you done something you regret, something for which you can't forgive yourself?   

Challenge your child...
Spend time thinking about the good things about yourself, not the things you want to change.  Make a list of them, post them on your mirror, and read them aloud to yourself every day.  Treat yourself with respect and love.  
​Ask God for forgiveness; listen to the words God speaks to you.  Allow them to replace your guilt and self-hatred with forgiveness and love.  Hebrews 8:12 reminds us "I will forgive their sins and will no longer remember their wrongs."

Prayer...
Father, help us to seek to be like God who created me and calls us to live in love.  Replace our shame and remind us to love ourselves the way God loves us.  Amen.

Hi Parents!
Imagine this... your favorite musician, actor, or athlete pulls up in front of your child's school, singles out your teen from the crowd and says, "Hey you!  Jump in here right now.  You've been chosen to follow me around the country."  Your child would probably fling his/her backpack into the car, jump in the passenger seat and wave farewell to his/her classmates and speed away.
 
​Now imagine that Jesus is standing in front of your child.  With hands outstretched, he looks deep into their heart and says, "Follow me, my child.  Trust me, love me, and listen to me.  I will never let you down."  How do you think they would respond?  ​To follow Christ is to choose his goodness and love over anything the world has to offer.  Jesus wants only the best for you.  All you have to do is say, "Yes, Lord, I'm coming."  Matthew 16:24b (CEV) says "If any of you want to be my followers, you must forget about yourself.  You must take up your cross and follow me."

​Ask your teen...
​Have you responded "Yes" to the Lord?
How can you shine your light to show others the magnificence of God?

​Challenge your teen...
Everyone's spotlight looks different.  Learn to serve God faithfully in a small ways and honor your commitment to what he's given you for now, even if it's small.  Step into the spotlight God has given you because it's important!

​Prayer:  God, teach me to allow Jesus to be the most important celebrity in my life, the one who guides and keeps me as I follow in his ways.  May the other celebrities I admire be good examples to inspire me to be a better person.  Amen.

Hi Parents,
Jesus was often surrounded by people who pulled power from him and depleted his energy. He knew it was important to get away from the crowd and to plug into his power source. Before daylight, he would go to a solitary place and pray.

We all need to understand our limits and to find ways to recharge. We need to establish healthy
boundaries and create space. This is true in all aspects of our lives:  school, work, extracurricular activities, friendships, and social media. We can ask God to help us find a balance between time alone and time with others that keeps us refreshed and energized.

What in your everyday life is wearing you out? God gave us the Sabbath as a day of rest. Use this day each week to rest physically, emotionally and spiritually. A day to recharge and prepare for the week ahead.

Ask your child…
How do you recharge when your energy is depleted?

Challenge your child…
Take a break from social media for one week. Replace the desire for "likes" and "hearts" from others with self-love and moments with God.

Prayer…
God, help me remember to not get so caught up in the activities of my daily life that I forget to take time for myself and time with you. Amen.

Hi Parents,
What is gossip?  Is it spreading lies about someone?  Am I gossiping if what I'm saying about someone else is true?  Sometimes I'm excited to mention something good about someone who isn't part of the conversation.  Is that OK?  Talking about other people can feel really good, but does it feel good because I'm putting down someone else to build myself up?  The thoughts we allow into our mind will show up when we speak.  If we think good thoughts, goodness will be present in our words.  If we allow judgment and gossip to fill our heads, why are we surprised that they influence our speech?

​We often think of friendship as unbounding loyalty and zero animosity, but that unrealistic ideal makes the fall harder when we discover that our friends aren't perfect.  Gossip can stir up doubts within us.  Doubts about our friendships and ourselves; and we may be left feeling betrayed and all alone.  Yet, the great thing about who we are and what we believe is that we're never alone!  I know it hurts when friends gossip about us; but God loves us for who we are, and God is always there for us.

​In Romans I Paul lists gossip, along with other things, as an indicator of a life without the Spirit.  That's serious business.  When it comes to gossip, two things are important to consider.  One is the way we accept gossip, especially when it is untrue.  If we can, we gently and lovingly correct it.  If we can't, we make clear where we stand and move on.  The second is to ensure that we never initiate or pass on gossip.  Some people never recover from what is said about them.  Galatians 5:22 reminds us that the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace - no room for gossip here.

Ask your child...
How far will you go to be cool?  Spreading rumors about someone is a sign of being a bully.  Do your words build up or tear down others?

​Challenge your child...
Before saying anything about anyone, ask yourself three questions:

• ​Is what I am saying honest and true?
• Is what I am saying worthwhile?
• Will my words build up or tear down others?

Prayer...
​​Lord, help me to use my words in ways that are pleasing to you, not as weapons of destruction but as seeds of encouragement and peace in hearts of all who hear them.  Amen.