Some young people struggle to make friends. Some even say that they are complete failure at friendship. But what are real friends? And how can we make them? Proverbs 17:17 says, “A friend is loving at all times and becomes a brother in times of trouble.” You must know that there is more to friendship than having a shoulder to cry on. A real friend, if they see you going the wrong way, he or she will try to warn you before it’s too late – even if they know you may not like what they say. Pro. 27:6 says: “There is more trust to be put in bruises from one who loves them in effusive kisses from one who hates.” A real friend is someone who thinks straight and talks straight, that is the kind of friend you should be. Finding Real Friends? Where can you find friends who love God? Read More
Dealing with peer pressure is a major challenge for us all. Many youths are into drugs, sex, alcohol and other immoral life due to peer pressure. But why? The Reason Youths Follow Their Peers 1. Desire to be popular and to be accepted by peers. 2. Need to talk with someone who “understands” or who will make them feel loved or needed. 3. Lack of self-confidence. 4. Feelings of insecurity. Peer influence is not necessarily bad. Pro. 27:17 says: “By iron, iron itself is sharpened. So one man sharpens the face of another.” Fellowship with other youth can ‘sharpen’ your personality and make you a better person – if those peers have mature, healthy attitudes. But on many occasions, youth sadly lack maturity – both mental and spiritual. Many youths have viewpoints and opinions Read More
Many youths fret about the way they look, about their face, hair, figure and physique. To make matters worse, a teenager’s appearance can change so rapidly that, according to one psychologist, youths often “feel like strangers in their own bodies.” Body image is part of self-image. It can affect a person’s self-confidence and what he does and does not do in life. A healthy concern about your appearance makes good sense. However, when you become so self-conscious that you withdraw from others or feel bad about yourself, then such concern is no longer healthy. Why Do You Think You Are Not Attractive? Interestingly, distress over personal appearance is not always due to real physical defects. What then makes well-formed youths think they are not attractive? Scrutiny of peers, due Read More
A lot of arguments occur between teens and their parents over what they wear. Admittedly, tastes vary, and you do have a right to your opinions. But should this mean that ‘anything goes’ when it comes to how you dress? What You Wear Sends a Message Clothing sends out a message, a statement to others about you. It can whisper conscientiousness, stability, high moral standards. Or it can shout rebellion and discontent. It can ever serve as a form of identification. Someone said, “The way we dress has a remarkable impact on the people we meet and greatly affects how they treat us.” Little wonder your parents are so concerned about how you dress. To them it is more than an issue of personal taste. They want you to send out the right message, one that projects you as a balanced, Read More
In today’s world, many young people want to leave home because it is a way of getting out what they feel is an intolerable situation. It’s simply that they want to be more independent. Staying at home with their parents is no longer working for them… You are always getting into arguments, and they do not understand your needs. More so, you feel so restricted, always having to do your parents’ bidding and answer for every move. Are You Ready For Independence? But you must understand that the fact that your desire for independence does not mean that you are ready for it? Do you think making it on your own is that easy? Jobs are scare. Rents have skyrocketed. And what are youth caught in an economic trap often forced to do? They return home and expect parents to reassume the Read More
It can be devastating when your parents divorce. It may seem like the end of the world, it is a catastrophe that generates misery that could last forever. If your parents have recently split up, then you might be experiencing feelings of shame, anger, wrath, anxiety, fear of abandonment, guilt, depression to mention just a few. Why Parents Break Up? Some of the common reasons are: In many cases, the split up occur because one parent is unfaithful Anger and Abusive Speech: In some other cases, anger and screaming with abusive language has led to violence, causing one parent to fear for his or her physical well-being and that of the children – Eph. 4:31. Rather than work out their problems, some opt out because they claim they unhappy or no longer in love. Whatever the case Read More
Rivalry amidst siblings is as old as Genesis e.g. Cain and Abel. Not that you necessarily hate your siblings but you just find them hard to get along with. Why is there animosity between siblings? When siblings fight, they are usually competing for resources provided by their parents which may include parental love, money, clothes etc. Sometimes, it can be over privileges and household responsibilities. At other times, siblings discord may be as a result of personality clashes or parental preferences. What You Need To Do. Communicate and work out a compromise before an argument flares up. For instance, the problem of lack of privacy. Find a time when the issue is not raging, try sitting down together and working out an actual schedule. Everyone should then respect the Read More
So many young people today believe it is old fashioned to “Honour your father and your mother”. Many young people publicly defy their parents, and get angry when their parents order them to do one thing or another. Every youth must understand that the command to “honour your parents” comes from God, and he did attach a blessing to those who obey: “That it may be well with you and you may endure a long time on the earth.” (Eph. 6:2,3). So the stakes are high. Let’s consider what honouring your parents really means. The word “Honour” means to recognize and respect a duly constituted authority. Just as we have political leaders and we recognize and respect their authority whether they are good or bad. So also, God has given our parents Read More
Every human wants to be understood, especially young people. It can be very frustrating, if your parents seem uninterested in things that are important to you or in things you love. This causes a gap or rift between young people and their parents in many homes. Let’s examine what causes this. 1. Power versus Gray-Headedness Pro. 20:29 says, “The beauty of young men is their power.” This strength or power of the youth can be the foundation of all sorts of conflict between you and your parents. It further states, “And the splendor of old men is their gray headedness.” The gray-headedness here means your parents are older and view life differently. This is born out of the experiences of life they have gone through which will have affected their idealism; they just may not Read More
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