April 2012 Entries
As a parent, do you find yourself discouraged trying to convince your teen about the importance of abstinence? Does it seem like an uphill battle in our sexually saturated media culture? Well then, it is time for a little good news on the teen sexuality front. Ever since the True Love Waits campaign began and teens were presented with abstinence as a choice, rates of teen sexuality have dropped every year.
It isn’t always easy to figure out whether a teen is simply in the throws of adolescent moodiness or is depressed. We have to rely on observing changes in behavior and looking for symptoms that fit depression. Picking up on teen depression is important because it can lead to suicide, substance abuse, physical illness and more if untreated. Approximately 25 percent of teens and young adults suffer from major depression.
Rejection is a painful thing we all experience from time to time. But, some experience it frequently; and it can cause psychologically and spiritual damage if you do not handle rejection well. Rejection is all about exclusion of some kind. That exclusion can be social, relational, from peers, family, friends and romantic relationships. A group or an individual can be rejected.
I love the week leading up to Easter Sunday. On Palm Sunday, we are reminded of Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem, how the crowds’ cheer of “Hosanna” would soon become, “Crucify Him”. Then came the Last Supper, the betrayal, Gethsemane and Good Friday, a sobering day when Jesus was crucified on the Cross for our sins. On this day, many of us attend a service that is emotional and contemplative.