Do you have a troubled teen?

Do you have a teen that thinks they shouldn’t have to put up with rules?  They think they shouldn’t have to deal with school, hang with older friends that are sexually active, offer drugs and alcohol.  Have they been caught shoplifting, steal money from you or maybe even steal your car?  Are they carrying weapons?  Do your teens have melt-downs when you attempt to enforce a rule?  Do they break things?  Are they physically and verbally threatening you?  Do they hurt themselves or others?

What do you do about it?  Do you dole out money?  Do you hand them the keys just to shut them up?  Do you make threats and not follow through with them? 

A parent should not worry about making their child mad.  Rules are a part of adulthood.  It is not easy to parent!  Teaching children that they don’t have to follow rules is going to create a young adult in jail.  Your child will not respect authority (police/laws, professors, bosses, etc.) if you don’t teach them respect at an early age.

When my children made poor choices, I felt like a failure of a parent.  My mind worked overtime to try to protect them from making mistakes that would affect them the rest of their lives.  We are often free to make choices but powerless to choose our consequences.  Proverbs 14:12  

If you are living with a troubled teen, arm yourself with this book:  Not My Child by Frank Lawlis.  It is a progressive and proactive approach for healing addicted teens and their families.  It will help children deal with depression, obsessive cravings, and damaged relationships.

Make sure you have a support system.  My saving grace was my bible study leader.  He was a great advisor and prayer warrior.

With Blessings to You and Yours,

Judy Herrig

Self Will vs God's Will

I am such a control freak… I find it difficult to concentrate on my devotionals and bible study when I feel so out of control.  I obsess on the difficulties and disappointments rather than glorifying God for my blessings. 

In Galatians 5:1, Paul teaches that Christ died to free us of our sins, not to do whatever we want to do. Those who tend to indulge themselves fall into sin. Paul writes that we are to live unselfishly and to not allow things that keep us from being saved or growing in Christ.   

In Romans 12:2, Paul warns Christians to be careful of worldly customs because they are usually selfish and corrupt.  We must stand strong against worldly ways.  Only the Holy Spirit can truly renew and transform our minds.  In Romans 8:5 Paul describes people as being divided into two categories; those who are controlled by sin and those who are controlled by the Holy Spirit.

In Matthew 6:33, we are reminded to “seek the Kingdom of God above all else”.  All else!

In 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18, Paul warns that our joy, prayers and thankfulness should not fluctuate with our circumstances. When we do God’s will, it is easier to feel more joy and gratitude.

So, with this, I am going to concentrate more on my attitude toward God and His kingdom rather than my worldly expectations.