3. Mentor them. I’d venture to guess that most parents of teens feel like I did leading my kids in quiet time: all thumbs, two left feet and clumsy. Am I right?
It’s a little intimidating, honestly. But what they really want is for you to mentor them.
I don’t know for a fact, but I’d bet that a lot of parents have tried this already and given up when they felt their teen push back.
You know what? My kids did too at first.
My 4-year-old and 6-year-old didn’t want to sing, sit still or listen to me read from the Bible. And had I given up right then, I’d be missing out on their sweet prayers rehearsing their day and thanking God for Thomas the Train, Percy and Captain.
Mentorship is never easy, because the one being mentored doesn’t always like what the mentor wants them to do, but don’t give up because when you give up, you say to your teen that this isn’t worth it for you to keep pushing through the hard times, and if it’s not worth it for you, it wont be worth it for them and they’ll look for the meaning in life someplace else than at the cross of Jesus.
Here are some resources you can use with your teen to help mentor them:
- Good Morning Girls & Good Morning Guys – Get your teens into God’s Word on a daily basis with this amazing online Bible study where they simply read through the Bible one chapter at a time. Its not complicated at all. Have them fill out their journals and then go through them each day, read them, and leave them encouraging notes in the margins.
- Foundational – This is my dad’s blog! He has amazing discipleship resources that I have used with teen groups before. They are still available in their old format, but in November will be relaunched with new covers and a new format. He is also getting ready to launch an Online Institute where he will provide leadership, biblical and discipleship classes.
- Time Warp Wife – Here is another great website that has great Bible studies you can buy and do with your teen girls. She already has the following Bible studies up on her blog and just started a new study called The Amazing Power of Grace.
- Provide them a Bible – I’d suggest ditching the teen Bibles and just go for a normal study Bible that they’ll be able to use for many years. Then give them great Bible study resources like gel pens to help them color code their Bibles.
- Get them a notebook and pen to take to church with them so they can take sermon notes, then teach them how to review their notes throughout the week by looking up the Scripture references and finding ways to apply the sermon to their own lives.
4. Don’t nag them. If your teen simply shows no interest in a relationship with God, nagging them, preaching to them and punishing them wont help them get there. The best thing you can do for them is to just to get on your knees and pray and speak your words in your prayer closet.
Actually, whether or not your teen is in the Word on a consistent basis or not, you need to pray.
While my parents successfully raised three kids in a pastor’s home and watched all three go into full-time ministry, it wasn’t always very easy. All three of us went through our rough patches, and I know that during those times my dad got very little sleep. He spent many nights pacing the floor and interceding for us.
No matter if your teen is a bonfire for Jesus or as cold as ice, bathe them in prayer.
I highly recommend the book Power of a Praying Parent to every parent, as it is an essential resource to teach us how to pray effectively for our children.
Does your teen have a favorite quiet time journal or Bible study? Tell me about it in the comments below and perhaps I’ll add it to my list! {eoa}
Rosilind, a Pacific Northwest native, is a missionary living in Croatia and married to her hero. Together they live in the country with their 2 active boys where she enjoys fruity candles and a hot cup of herbal tea on a blustery fall evening. She holds an Associates of Practical Theology and is passionate about discipling and encouraging women. Her passion for writing led her to write a number of books. She is the author of A Little R & R where she encourages women to find contentment in what God created them to be. She can also be found at these other places on a regular basis. You can follow her on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and Google +.
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