When You're Stuck in the Middle - Guest Post

By Morning Kay 
"Good Morning, Morning!"
http://morningkay.blogspot.com

One tip that is commonly given to teens struggling in their faith is to talk to other people about it.

But where does that leave the ‘other people?’

If you’re anything like me facing such a situation, you may just freak out. One of my friends recently went through a boatload of hardships that caused her faith to suffer. I was stuck in the middle.

We talked a lot about her doubts and hardships and I was desperate to help her overcome them. After all, this was my friend and I didn’t want to see her fall away from faith. From this experience, I have a few tips for those in similar situations. 

“Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:6-7)

This may be hard, but you have to pray continually for your friend and you have to stop worrying. That may sound cruel. After all, your friend is hurting and I say, “don’t worry?!” I know it’s hard, but you have to remember who is in control over the situation: God. If it is in God’s will that your friend heals, he or she will heal. If not, you can’t feel guilty. You have to understand that you are not the one who saves; God is. He knows what He’s doing.

“Therefore comfort each other and edify one another, just as you also are doing.” (1 Thessalonians 5:11)

Be open and encouraging to your friend and no matter what… don’t give up on them.

I’m happy to say that my friend has gotten so much healing through her struggles! I have seen God’s grace abound in her life in such amazing ways that it makes me want to cry.

The problem is… she hasn’t.

My friend decided to be agnostic and that has broken my heart. When she first told me, I didn’t know what to do. It frustrated me because my friend felt so hurt by God when she was amid her personal struggles, thinking that He had abandoned her. Yet, when He provided healing for those hardships, she didn’t see it. She turned away.

I’m still broken hearted about this. I often times want to just grab my friend and shake her, demanding to know why she doesn’t see that God has always been with her and why she can’t see that her healing is His doing.

If this happens to you too, and it may, don’t give up. No matter how many times they push you away, continue to speak truth to them in love and be there for them… even if they don’t want to talk about their faith anymore.

I know it’s tough being stuck in the middle of a friend’s hurt faith. Just cling to God and remember He is in control and always has been, as hard as that may be, and continue to be a friend.

It’s always a blessing to see your friend heal in faith and I’m sure that if you’re in this situation, you want nothing more for them than that. However, you might have to accept the possibility that they won’t turn back to God in the time you know them. Or ever. But no matter what, you have to keep your trust in God’s power strong even when theirs is not.

“Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful.” (Hebrews 10:23)

All Bible verses quoted from the New King James Version. Courtesy of Bible Gateway. http://www.biblegateway.com/

God Doesn't Make Mistakes

Note: I wrote this as a guest post for a Christian blog for teen girls that I like, http://goldgodsgirls.blogspot.com/

            Growing up in a Christian household, I’ve always been used to older Christians praying with me. It was only at my very first Christian camp a few years ago when someone the same age as me prayed with me.

            It spoke to me more than any other prayer any adult had ever done for me.

            The camp leaders told us to find partners and pray for each other. My friend turned to me and asked me if we could pray. As uncomfortable as I was with praying out loud at the time, I asked him to go first.

            He put his hands on my shoulders, bowed his head, closed his eyes, and prayed one of the most moving prayers I had ever heard. I can’t remember everything he said, but I do remember one part that impacted me. He said something along the lines of this,

            “Lord, help Your daughter realize she is perfect. She is the way she is because You made her that way. She is absolutely beautiful. There is not a single thing wrong with her. She is completely perfect in Your eyes for You don’t make mistakes.”

            I won’t lie. Tears welled in my eyes and my friend noticed, but he didn’t mind. He gave me a hug and I thanked him before praying for him too.

            The reason why his prayer spoke to me so much is kind of obvious. I, like many other teenage girls, have struggled with my self-esteem. Maybe not so much physically, but with my personality and who I was as a person.

            With divorced parents, I always felt there was something wrong with me. Like many kids with divorced parents, I thought it was my fault. Even more than that, though, I felt like the divorce somehow crippled me as a person, like it permanently damaged me. I was always self-conscious as to the kind of person I was as a result of the divorce.

            My friend’s prayer made me realize that there was no need to be so self-conscious. He was right. I am beautiful, inside and out, because that’s how God made me. Sure, I make my mistakes, but that doesn’t mean there’s something wrong with me. I may not be perfect in this world, but I am for God. The Lord made me who I am and the kind of person I am for a reason.

            God chose to make me who I am today and, like my friend said, that was no mistake. God doesn’t make any mistakes. He makes decisions.

Who am I to question His decisions?

Turning from Porn, Turning to Jesus - Guest Post

By: Drummer for Jesus

One of the biggest problems I think we all face is sexuality. Whether it’s an awkward parental conversation, talking about it with friends or maybe even at Youth Group, we all hear about it at some point and, needless to say, it draws attention. I think what truly draws our attention is the Internet and, along with it, pornography. Today I will share my experience with porn as a Christian teen.

When I was fifteen years old, I started my decline into a pornography addiction. It was one of the worst decisions I ever made. The constant sexual thoughts and images in my head never went away. It was so hard to go a day without it. It drove me away from Jesus because I thought He would never forgive me and I was too far in.

For me, it was worse because I had trouble learning what it meant to love. I struggled to even look at a girl in my classroom without seeing her as a sex object. It only got worse as, along with that, I had a loss of confidence in myself due to my mental state at the time.

I grew to hate both my mind and body. It was so hard for me that I even grew depressed. Pornography had me in its grasp and I didn’t want to let it go. But God had a plan the whole time. He wasn’t going to let me continue in this state.

Three years after it started, I went to Christian camp and met a girl there. I was very shy and didn’t really talk to anyone, but she came up to me and for the first time, I felt something different. Little did I know that this would lead to something greater.

Months passed and college started. I was still in my addiction, but I was brave and started to face it along with the friend I made, who soon became my best friend. I gained confidence, started exercising and going to church again, and prayed constantly for God to help me keep going.

Next thing I knew, I went a day without pornography, then a week, then a month. It eventually turned into several months (with occasional relapses) until I ultimately triumphed over my addiction thanks to the grace of God. Thanks to Him, not only did I get out of my addiction, but also one of the most wonderful things happened.

I fell in love with my best friend who helped me through it all. I’m grateful to her because she was the miracle I needed at that exact moment. Now, I’m blessed to say I’ve been almost half a year sober and started to get counseling and I’ve never been happier in my life!

Now you might think just one peek won’t hurt, but let me refer you to a scripture I keep close to my heart at times like those. 1 Corinthians 6:18-19 says to run away from sexual temptations and sin because, though it might not seem to affect you at first, it might lead you to do something you’ll regret.

If you have a pornography addiction, boy or girl, I urge you to talk with anyone who could help. Many pastors have dedicated years of study to this and can help. I suggest you watch this video from Robert Cook, a youth minister who has helped people turn from pornography, as a push to help you receive the forgiveness and blessing of God.

May God bless you all and thanks SWIACT for letting me be a guest writer!