A few notes from Nic Ewing’s session on counseling teenagers from this month’s youth worker gathering at the Alternative Fuel Coffee House:
Important things for youth workers to teach:
The more we can show the character of God to teenagers, the better: sin being a result of not knowing who He is
- goodness of God towards them
Word of God is authority (can’t force it)
- accurate picture of God
- w/out the Word of God we are just another voice
Issues:
Anger/Hurt – anytime we’ve been hurt or come up short of an expectation
- comes when anticipation comes up short
2 things to do with blocked expectations:
1) yield to God (where people are blaming God for hurts)
2) forgive (bitterness, resentment, depression, and ultimately death)
Forgiveness is HUGE (we need to teach students about this more often)
- How can I forgive THAT? (world gives lots of reasons not to forgive)
- As Christ forgave you, forgive others.
- Those who have been forgiven much love MUCH
Forgiveness is a backwards flow of SIN
This is the ONLY solution for anger; we’ve got to be people of forgiveness ALL the TIME
Unforgiveness is like drinking poison and waiting for the other person to die.
Forgiveness is SO contrary to the world.
Emotions are the authority over so many people’s lives.
A MODEL of PRAYER: in way of showing them how to forgive
- show them how and let them take the time to do it
Path to Healing/Recovery:
Hurt
Forgive (release)
Receive (as a gift from God)
Bless (loving enemies/returning a blessing/write a letter of thankfulness)
Confront in Love (don’t “let things go”/consequences for actions)
Two words for LIFE in scripture:
Bios – biology
Zoe – life in Jesus (we are just as desperate for this as “bios”)
Life:
Love
Acceptance
Significance / Value / Worth / Dignity
Security
We either know we have it (the things listed above) or we’ll do anything we can to feel one of these.
- This is the WHY… the cause behind the effect
Visit Nic Ewing at Christian Life Ministries – http://clmrc.net
=====================================
A FEW UPCOMING COMMUNITY EVENTS TO MARK ON YOUR CALENDAR
- Amplify Rally – in support of the upcoming Harvest Crusade
- YS OneDay – Shawn is checking out hotel reservations and will be booking soon; let him know if you want to be included (Clay, Pierson, and ?)
- Baccalaureate ’09 – Thursday, May 28th, 7:00 pm @ the 1st Assembly of God Church (more details coming soon)
