Be Strong
Our strength to finish strong comes from the Lord. This is the most important concept that we want to remind our teens of and allow them to see in our own lives. Strength to stay faithful does not just come from our own willpower or grit. We understand that our connection to the vine of Christ is paramount in our own faithfulness.
These five chapters give you a good scope of this month’s themes in a scriptural context. They can be used for your own reading, or you can invite your whole family to join you throughout the month. By the end of the month, you will have read 20 chapters in God’s Word.
Ps. 121, Isaiah 41, 1 Pet. 5, Philippians 1 & 2
Parents, this is a Scripture-inspired prayer that we encourage you to pray over your family each day this week.
I lift my eyes toward the mountains. Where will my help come from? My help comes from the Lord,
the Maker of heaven and earth (Ps. 121:1-2).
I lift my eyes to You, Lord. When life would make me question where my help comes from, help me remind myself and others that my help comes from You. You are the Maker of heaven and earth.
This conversation starter is designed for you to read one verse of Scripture on your own in order to invite your child into a conversation with you. The goal is for your child to see you studying the Word and working to apply it to your own life.
Do not fear, for I am with you; do not be afraid, for I am your God. I will strengthen you; I will help you; I will hold on to you with my righteous right hand (Isaiah 41:10).
I was reading in Isaiah 41, and it reminds us that we should not be afraid because the one true God is our God. What is it about God that should bring us peace in times of fear?
Parents, this conversation starter is designed to help you open the Bible as a family and start a conversation that leads to the application of the Word.
When have you walked through something difficult, and looking back on it now, you know that it helped you grow?
Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God, so that he may exalt you at the proper time, casting all your cares on him, because he cares about you. Be sober-minded, be alert. Your adversary the devil is prowling around like a roaring lion, looking for anyone he can devour. Resist him, firm in the faith, knowing that the same kind of sufferings are being experienced by your fellow believers throughout the world. The God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, establish, strengthen, and support you after you have suffered a little while. To him be dominion forever. Amen (1 Pet. 5:6-11).
Do you believe that God cares for you? What advice or encouragement might you give to a friend who doesn’t feel like God cares for them because of a situation they are in?
How do we resist the devil like it talks about in this passage?
How do we wait on the Lord when we are walking through something difficult?
What do you think God can teach us when we face challenging times?
How might we be good friends to others when they are walking through something difficult? How do we point them to God’s goodness?
Because of Christ, we can experience true joy and freedom found only in Him. We want to provide you with a way to apply this month’s theme and experience joy as a family.
The psalms are these beautifully written songs. Many of them in response to a difficulty in life as a reminder of God’s steadfast goodness. You may not feel highly creative, but it can be so good for our hearts to try and create our own song or poem that reflects what we have seen and experienced God do in our lives. You can work together as a family, or each try to write your own song or poem that reflects what God is doing in your life right now or during a specific time that you want to write about. We encourage you to share these together as a family and explain why you wrote what you did.