GROWTH

Posted on July 19, 2019 by mixmastermyers

Yesterday we returned from a Mission Trip to New Mexico. We woke up one day while there and one of our teens was noticeably an inch taller. Every time I come home to my own kids, I feel like that doubled in size. We planted some grass seed outside in the front yard. A few days ago, it was just a mound of dirt, and now grass is up and growing. There is something amazing about growth.

When it comes to growth, we, as parents, want it to slow down. And while we know it is always ongoing, there are times it comes in large burst. It is the same with the growth of faith in the lives of our kids. Faith is action based on belief. Sometimes we carry faith around, live in it, trust God through one normal day after another and it doesn’t produce much noticeable growth in our faith. We still need these days. We still need to be consistent in our devotion to God. It should be easier in these average mundane days absent of major trails. These days add up. They still produce growth. Faith is built one day at time.

But then there are days you look at your faith and there is a noticeable growth in your faith. In my experience with teens these growth spurts happen when they participate in something that pushes them to be a part of something out of the ordinary. Something uncomfortable. Something hard. Something they did not think they could do. Something that requires trusting God more than they ever have. For some, maybe this is leading a prayer or a song, or reading scripture. Maybe it is going to a friend and sharing how God has lead them out of something they struggled with that their friend is now drowning in. It might be confessing something they struggle with to someone they know can help them. Maybe it is putting their faith into words and answering a question in class. For others, it may being willing to go to New Mexico or Honduras to walk into unknown situations where they find themselves serving others in ways they did not think possible through conditions they did not think they could endure. These big steps are crucible moments. Growing our faith is a choice. And if you want to see huge change we have to chose to trust God in big ways. Those big things are scary but when we allow God to take us through them we will be changed. We will have grown. People will notice. And when the next opportunity comes to trust God we will be much more likely to trust His track record.

Parents, this means we have to trust God to let them participate in big things that we know will produce growth. The truth is, our kids have and always will be in God’s hands. We have to constantly seek ways to let their faith be challenged. Lead them through these opportunities with them. Let them see your faith as they growth theirs. This is our main role as parents. They need to know you trust God in big ways so they will learn how. They need to hear you share about the times that grew your faith. If we believe what we say we believe then will seek to live it out in big ways. Our kids need their own deep faith. It defines their identity, solidifies their confidence and purpose, and brings immense worth to their lives. Celebrate their growth. Look for the next time they can grow even deeper. The storms are coming. Faith is the anchor.

Winds of Change

Posted on May 22, 2019 by mixmastermyers

May is a time of change. Maybe you have experienced that yourself or alongside someone you are close with. College Graduations. High School Graduations. Kindergarten Graduations. We stop and celebrate change.

As a Youth & Family Minister, the month of May is hard and exciting. Every year, there are Seniors who have reached the end of the road and it is time to find a way to say goodbye to them and watch them go on to another chapter. (I am trying to convince some of them to never grow up.) In the same season, we welcome those who start their journey in this new season. Full circle. The question is what do we do before the circle closes? Are we running from one week to another just trying to survive or are we making sure our kids are prepared and able to withstand all that world throws at them? There is only one way they survive that kind of assault. They must be rooted and grounded in God.

There is nothing more valuable we can do with our time, energy, and resources than help make our young people able and have the desire to work in the kingdom of God. Nothing. What else compares? Families, why do we spend more time making our kids more able to preform in something this world values than we do making them able to be a tool in something God values? How much of your time is spent investing and training your kids in spiritual kingdom work?

If you are raising kids right now, you are not just raising someone able to go to work one day. You are raising a worshipper. You are raising someone purchased by the blood of Christ. You are raising someone who has the choice to one day be a disciple. A follower of Christ. You are raising someone that is eternal. This is a different focus of why we invest. This is a different work, one that we should be excited about.

God wants us to be busy spiritually investing in our kids. In our work we find joy and strength. This is God’s ideal outcome of our actions. God doesn’t give us work to do to keep us busy. He is trying to keep us full. He doesn’t want to control us, He wants to transform us. He knows what service does. He knows what joy overcomes. He knows his strength is unending. He knows the world will notice. This is why we work.

I want to leave you with an idea I have seen a few places. Get two clear jars, fill one with beans, one for each week that your teen has left before they graduate. Each week, transfer one of them to another jar. It will be easy to see how much time you have left. It is a good reminder that change often comes quicker than we want. God wants you to make the most of it. Satan wants to you not think about at all.

Something Better

Posted on May 7, 2019 by mixmastermyers

Encouraging Those Raising Teens

I have never considered myself a blogger. But I find myself writing at the top of my to do list every week “encourage parents”. The longer I work with teenagers, I know parents can use all the help that they can get. As a parent of three beautiful little girls myself, I often wonder if I am doing everything I need to do as a parent. Am I missing something? Am I taking the time to teach them everything I am supposed? Am I preparing them for all they will face when they are on their own? What about everything the world will throw at them? I only get to do this once.

I have worked in Youth & Family for over 15 years now and love what I get to do. But one thing I want to do better is the support I give to parents in a more consistent way. As a parent of three growing girls, one quickly approaching the teen years, I know firsthand how hard parenting is. It may be the most exhausting job you can ever take on. I want to be committed to helping parents grow the faith of those teens they are raising. Good news parents, for decades now, teens list parents as the most influential influences in their lives. Parents, look past all the eye rolls, and disrespectful comments murmured under your teens breathe and know that you still have the greatest influence on your teen that almost anyone else will on the planet. What are you doing with your influence?

So blog post #1. A few things about this blog site. I plan on having short blog posts. Singular thoughts. I can guarantee that I will have grammatical errors. I am not an English teacher. I’m sorry. I will do my best. I want to use this venue to point you to resources that may be helpful for you in different ways as you raise your teen. I want you to know that I am here if you need any help with your teen. Do you have a topic you want me to write about or expert opinion you want me to point you to? Let me know and I will do my best. It is my prayer that this effort encourages you as carry out the most valuable job there is; parenting.