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| Me (third from left) and a few of the girls from Cru |
Working with teenagers is rough, friends. Some of you may have teenage kids and know exactly what I'm talking about. Others of you may remember your teen years a little too well. And some of you, if you're at all like me, have tried your best to block out the memory of your teen years in the hopes that they won't haunt you for the rest of your life. I'm kidding...kinda. But there is good reason that these formative years in our lives are hard! Especially in our current cultural atmosphere, teenagers are being asked to grow up early, to bear the weight and consequences of adult problems, and to be independent at an age at which they need all the guidance they can get. This trifecta is asking too much of a generation that is still discovering who they are, what's really important in life, and how to navigate those questions without drowning under the weight of educational and social pressure. Instead of coming alongside of their kids and guiding them, so many parents are stepping back and watching as their teenagers flounder through this process - hoping they will come out on the other side unscathed.
I've come to realize that the best thing we can do for our teenagers is to be involved and invested in their lives! Time. Time is a precious commodity nowadays. Everyone knows that. Even our teenagers. They also know that where we spend our time is a reflection of what's most important to us. My time has absolutely been the most important thing I could offer to the girls I seek to help. I spend my time intentionally with them - often for the sake of Bible study - but also for the purpose of knowing them as a friend. We study the Bible, we eat meals together, we go to the movies or a concert. In this way, I prioritize them. I'm showing them that they are worth my time. Teenagers desperately need to know that they have value.
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| With the girls at a One Direction concert :) |
Teenagers also need to feel heard. So often we dismiss the potential for wisdom in our youth because of their age. By silencing them, we do them and ourselves a huge disservice. So I listen. Sometimes what they say makes no sense! And that's completely okay. They need to feel comfortable expressing their thoughts and emotions in an environment where they won't be judged or bullied for it. Listening, really listening and hearing what they have to say, shows them that what they have to offer is valuable.
My top priority, and what I try to weave throughout time spent with them and active listening, is to speak the truth of the gospel into their lives. When we study the Bible together, we work on application. How does this truth about who Jesus is or who God is apply to my life right now? What do I have to do better or what do I need to start/stop doing because of it? When I listen to their struggles, I insert God as an active participant in the story and encourage them to see Him as such. These students need to know that God cares deeply about them and willingly chose to die for them more than they need anything else. Only God can redeem them and adopt them into His family. Only God can save.
I absolutely adore these horrible, selfish, confused, confusing, wise, compassionate, and loving teenagers. If I, an imperfect human, can love them so much, I wonder how much more God must love them! I am privileged to be a part of what God is doing to save these kids. And so I ask you to pray. Pray for our teenagers. Pray that they would see Jesus for who He really is - a friend, a listener, a guide, and a Savior.
<3 sarah elyse
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