People in the church often say foolish and hurtful words to those who are grieving. “If I were you . . . ” “At least you still have . . . ” “Just pray/read your Bible/keep praising the Lord . . . ” “What is God trying to teach you?” Those last two don’t seem too bad. Prayer is good. But it’s the “just” that makes it difficult. Anytime we say “just,” we are consultants who are giving...
My hands shook and my voice trembled the first time I shared my abortion testimony in public. God had done incredible work in my heart through his Word. This gave me the courage to share my most private sin with the people gathered for an evening service in my church. It was an opportunity to testify to the beautiful redemption the gospel of Jesus can bring to broken sinners. Yet, something else...
In this episode of Straight to the Heart, our host, Rush Witt, spends a rewarding time with author and counselor Kristen Hatton. Kristen has written a number of great books for teenagers, and has recently shifted focus to helping parents through her book, Parenting Ahead: Preparing for the Teen Years. Parents of teenagers will be helped by Kristen’s calm and focused approach to parenting teens...
When it comes to calming anxiety, we are becoming well-versed in strategies and coping skills. Take deep breaths, refocus your mind, talk with someone you trust, try journaling, and practice self-care! As helpful as these are, none of these are new to us and none are new to our teenagers. Teens are growing up familiar with these strategies, largely because they are a structured part of their...
In May 2023, the Surgeon General issued an advisory on social media and youth mental health. The report begins by stating, “Social media use by youth is nearly universal. Up to 95% of youth ages 13–17 report using a social media platform, with more than a third saying they use social media ‘almost constantly.’ Although age 13 is commonly the required minimum age used by social media platforms in...
