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Are your Children Natural Born Sinners?

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A few years ago, the Babylon Bee published a satirical article entitled “Woman Finally Accepts Doctrine of Total Depravity Now That Daughter Is Two.” The article was about a young mother who became convinced about the doctrine of total depravity after her child became a toddler:

I had the hardest time coming to grips with the idea that all the people I see around me are marred by sin and without hope but for the grace of God,” the young mother told reporters. “But now that Charlotte is two—hoo boy. That innate depravity is shining through with the brightness of a thousand suns.

It was a fictional piece but it carried a grain of truth. As many parents can attest, sweet babies sometimes turn into little monsters.

As soon as the child discovers their will, selfishness rears its ugly head. Tantrums, uneaten meals, and an all-round refusal to do what they are told seems to prove the existence of original sin.

“Little Johnny is proof positive that we’re born rebels. Grab the rod. We’re going to train that sinfulness right out of him!”

Or maybe there is another way to look at it.

If you have been following my series on original sin, you will know that I do not subscribe to the idea that we inherited a sinful nature from our parents. I am convinced that Augustine’s doctrine of original sin is unbiblical. And illogical.

So why do two-year olds act like selfish little sinners? Because that’s how they’ve been raised.

A selfish toddler is a product of their upbringing. For their entire life, they have been waited on hand and foot.

If they are hungry, an adult will feed them. If they are dirty, an adult will wash them. They have done little for themselves and nothing for others.

Their selfishness is not inherited but is a learned behavior, and one that has been reinforced every day of their lives.

And that is exactly what God intended.

A selfish toddler is basically a big baby because what else are they going to be? For every day of its life, the toddler has had one lesson reinforced again and again: crying and making a fuss gets results. So of course they are going to cry and act out. This is the only trick they know.

Once the toddler is over the infantile hump of helplessness, they can be taught other skills, like self-control, kindness, and consideration for others.

Train up a child in the way he should go. Even when he is old he will not depart from it. (Proverbs 22:6)

The Scriptures exhort parents to train their children. But if original sin is true and little Johnny is genetically inclined to sin, how will training help? You might as well train him to be tall.

“But Paul, haven’t you heard of the terrible twos?”

As a father of four, I am well-acquainted with the ways of toddlers. I have learned that the terrible twos are largely an invention of parents who are overwhelmed by the considerable challenge of training toddlers.

God made parents stronger, smarter, and faster than their children, yet some parents act like their kids are on the throne.

It is a blessing to have strong-willed children, and the last thing we want to do is break their little spirits. (“Don’t exasperate your children” (Col. 3:21).) But you’d have to be nuts to let a small child run your life.

This is not the place where I discuss Parenting 101, but let me leave you with this: Jesus said make a tree good or make a tree bad (Matt. 12:33). We make our children good by teaching them the ways of the Lord and by leading them to One who is the Source of goodness. And we make our children bad by sending them unprepared into a corrupt world full of lies and deception.

Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord. (Ephesians 6:4)

A child’s heart is like soil. Into this soil we can sow the good seed of God’s word or we can let the devil plant weeds. We can nurture our kids with love, or we can neglect them. We can bring them up in the ways of the Lord or we can leave them to be raised by wolves.

Ignatius of Loyola (1491–1556), the founder of the Jesuits, famously said, “Give me a child till he is seven years old, and I will show you the man.” He understood that who we become is determined in early childhood. We are not born with a sinful nature but we can be made into full-blown sinners and this process is hastened by parental neglect.

Through the praise of children and infants you have established a stronghold against your enemies, to silence the foe and the avenger. (Psalm 8:2, NIV)

When young children are raised well, it brings glory to their Maker. When they praise the Lord, it renders his enemies speechless.

I’ve seen young children heal the sick, prophesy, and lead people to Jesus. I am not surprised when this happens because I know God has chosen the foolish and the weak to confound the wise and the strong.

Whoever receives one child like this in my name receives me; and whoever receives me does not receive me, but him who sent me. (Mark 9:37)

In the Gospels there were some who wanted to keep the children out of sight. This displeased Jesus. He put children front and center and said things like “whoever receives one of them receives me.” How do we receive a child in Jesus’ name? By seeing them as ministers ordained to declare God’s praise.

Original sinners? Hardly. How about original masterpieces, ready to reveal the gifts of their Maker?

If you think your children were born with a sinful nature and innately rebellious it will limit your expectation of what God can do through them. You’ll see the folly in their youthful hearts and miss the praise that God has ordained to silence his enemies.

But if you see your children as gifts from God and ministers of his grace, your expectation will help release them into their God-given destiny.

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Extracted and adapted from Paul’s ebook, Original Sin: What Does the Bible Really Say? available now on Patreon, along with these great titles:

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What Happens to Unbaptized Infants Who Die?

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If the doctrine of original sin is true, and everyone is born with a sinful nature and a rebel towards God, what happens to babies who die? Do babies go to hell? Do they go to heaven?

Do they go someplace in between?

Augustine of Hippo said babies go to hell for eternal punishment, but added that they get a mild sort of punishment. If there’s such a thing. The following comes from the Catholic Encyclopedia:

St. Augustine and the African Fathers believed that unbaptized infants share in the common positive misery of the damned (i.e., hell), and the very most that St. Augustine concedes is that their punishment is the mildest of all.

Eight hundred years after Augustine, a French philosopher named Peter Abelaard (1079–1142) said dead infants went to a cooler place on the edge of hell. He called this place the Limbo of Infants. (The word limbo comes from the Latin word limbus meaning edge.)

“But Paul, I don’t want my child to go to hell or even the edge of hell. What can I do?”

Fear not. Augustine offers a way out: “An infant’s original sin is remitted through baptism.”

Bingo!

If you have ever wondered why Catholics, Lutherans, Presbyterians, Moravians, and others baptize their babies, this is why. A sprinkle of water and voila, your child has a get-out-of-hell-free card.

Infant baptism, the cure for your baby’s sin

In the Catholic Church infants are baptized or sprinkled within a few weeks of their birth, but sometimes the ritual is not performed until they are six months old. So infant baptism offers no relief to those who have lost newborn babies.

I have friends who lost their precious son shortly after he was born. It was a heartbreaking tragedy. But at least they weren’t fed Augustine’s line about babies going to hell.

In fairness, many Catholics don’t agree with either Augustine or Abelaard. In its 1980 “Instruction on Children’s Baptism”, the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith reaffirmed that: “with regard to children who die without having received baptism, the Church can only entrust them to the mercy of God.”

Trusting a lost child to the mercy of God is a lot more compassionate that condemning them to hell.

The Lutherans have a similar view to the Catholics. They do not know what happens to unbaptized infants but they trust God has it figured out:

There is some basis for the hope that God has a method, not revealed to us, by which he works faith in the children of Christians dying without baptism (Mark 10:13–16). For children of unbelievers we do not venture to hold out such hope. We are here entering the field of the unsearchable judgments of God (Romans 11:33).

You have to give the Lutherans credit for abandoning Augustine’s damnable diagnosis, but they lose marks for condemning the children of the unsaved and for being uncertain about the will of God.

Some Protestant denominations practice infant baptism, but others don’t. How do those in the second group deal with hell-bound babies? Most give them a free pass until they reach the age of accountability.

Until the child reaches an age where they are accountable for their actions, the thinking goes, God will not hold them responsible for their sin.

The age of accountability myth

How old does a child need to be before they become accountable? Nobody knows. Some say seven years, others say ten, but definitely by the age of thirteen.

What if the child is a late bloomer, has Downs Syndrome, or is otherwise different?

These are the questions that keep theologians busy writing books, but the short answer is nobody knows. And the reason nobody knows is because the age of accountability is a manmade solution for a manmade problem.

Like Augustine’s doctrine of original sin, the age of accountability teaching is not found in the Bible. It’s a fiction.

Although there are scriptures that speak of children being too young to know the difference between good and evil, there is nothing to suggest that God gives grace to kids for a limited time only.

The truth is God gives grace to all of us, young and old alike. Because of Jesus, not even adults are held accountable for their sins (2 Cor. 5:19). We are not judged by how good or bad we are. We are judged by our response to Jesus.

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So what happens to babies who die? Do babies go to hell on account of original sin?

This question has led to much confusion and hand-wringing. It has caused some to abandon the faith (because God is cruel) and others to embrace universalism (because a good God could never do this). Uncertainty over their children leaves parents riddled with anxiety and prone to deception.

Bad questions usually lead to bad places.

The gospel for babies

What would Jesus say if he was asked about babies and young children? He would say “the kingdom of God belongs to such as these” (Luke 18:16).

However, because we have swallowed so much religious mumbo-jumbo we doubt whether the kingdom really does belong to such as these.

We have been fed the Augustinian lie that babies are bad to the bone. We’ve heard the Calvinist trollop that infants are depraved little sinners.

Some say that babies will be judged according to the light of their revelation. But how much revelation does a new-born have? What about a miscarried baby?

Others say God looks into the baby’s future and judges them for what they would’ve done. This is absurd. The baby died. They didn’t do anything. How can a just God judge them for what they didn’t do?

The problem with these silly scenarios is they define faith as something you must do, while unbelief is doing nothing at all. Since babies do nothing, they must be unbelievers. But this is back to front. In the Bible unbelief is described as a work and faith is a rest.

What happens to babies and children who die young? They go to be with Jesus.

Every. Single. One.

If you have lost an infant or child, you can be 100 percent certain about this. Don’t listen to those comfortless frowners who say your child is lost, but trust the One who said his kingdom belonged to such as these.

It is a mistake to say babies are rebels, but it’s also incorrect to say babies are righteous and holy. So how do we deal with verses that say things like “without holiness no one will see the Lord” (Heb. 12:14)? We don’t. We give those verses to God and trust him to figure it out.

Like the Catholics and Lutherans we entrust our unbaptized babies to the mercy of God.

Happily, God’s mercy is vast beyond all comprehension. His mercy trumps any judgment that may come against our children (Jas. 2:13).

If we could see heaven right now we would find that it is full of the lost children of earth – deceased babies, HIV babies, aborted babies, and miscarried babies. I don’t know what age they are in heaven, but I know they are there.

How do I know? Because if grace is for anyone, it is for babies and children such as these.

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Extracted and adapted from Paul’s ebook, Original Sin: What Does the Bible Really Say? available now on Patreon, along with these great titles:

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Has Original Sin Made you a Bad Parent?

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One of the strangest things I had to get used to as a young father, was my children freely admitting to their sins. Adam and Eve hid when they sinned, but my kids bragged about it.

One time I discovered crayon drawings all along the hallway wall.

“Who drew on this wall?” I asked.

“I did!” replied the little offender.

I hoped the frown on my face would convey my displeasure, but her response was one of delight, as though she was thrilled that her father had discovered her artwork.

“Aren’t you impressed Daddy? Isn’t this an amazing picture? Would you like me to draw another?”

Clearly my daughter had no idea that she was a sinner. She was too young to know right from wrong.

I was angry, but only for a moment. My daughter’s innocence disarmed me, and we ended up discussing the merits of her art. Then I suggested that for future drawings she might try alternative media, like paper.

Why did my daughter vandalize the hallway wall? Why did she occasionally fight with her siblings and disobey her parents? It was because she was a born sinner and a rebel by nature. She entered this world inclined to sin.

Or so says the unbiblical doctrine of original sin.

The doctrine of original sin is one of the most enduring and influential ideas in the church. Original sin says we all inherited Adam’s fallen nature. From the moment you draw your first breath, you were inclined towards sin, utterly depraved, and hostile towards God.

There is no question that sinners have a sinful nature and that we all need to be saved from sin, but Augustine went further. He said we are born corrupt, and that we inherited a rebellious streak from our forefather Adam.

Augustine’s doctrine of original sin is one of those ideas that appeals to our religious sensibilities. We think it explains why the world is godless and broken.

But blaming original sin for our problems is like blaming your parents for all the stupid stuff you did when you were a rebellious teen.

There is no question that we live in a corrupt and sinful world. But the idea that we inherited a predisposition to sin – a sinful gene, if you will – is worth questioning.

We humans are good at sinning. But were we born corrupt or were we corrupted as a result of living in a corrupt world?

Your answer to this question matters a lot.

Imagine we lived in a world where we could genetically test our kids to discover their hidden talents. You take your two-year-old to the testing center and are told that your child has the genes of a virtuoso violinist.

You and your spouse are thrilled. You start making plans.

“We’re going to get Junior some violin lessons. We’ll hire the best teacher around.”

Fast forward a few years and your child has become a talented violinist.

But what if the DNA test said your child was likely to become a raging alcoholic or a serial philanderer or a sociopath. Say goodbye to violin lessons Junior, we’re taking you to therapy!

If you believe in original sin, it will influence the way you raise your children. If you see your kids as little rebels ready to explode into a life of sin and depravity, you will train them different than if you see them as curious explorers, talented artists and gifts from God.

Our children are profoundly shaped by the words we speak over them. Tell them they are born sinners and chances are that’s what they will become.

Original sin will also affect your witness. If you see your neighbors as sinners and godless rebels, you will never connect with them in a meaningful way.

“Why don’t you come to our small group so we can talk about how angry God is with your sin?”

When they refuse, you’ll dismiss them as unregenerate rebels.

And they’ll dismiss you as weird.

Original sin also affects your sense of self-worth. If you think you were born bad to the bone and bearing Adam’s guilt, you’ll behave different than someone who sees themselves as the apple of their Father’s eye.

What you misdiagnose, you will mistreat. We have been told that we inherited a sinful gene and that Jesus is the cure. But the issues are far more serious than that.

You were not born with a bit of bad code; you were born dead in sin.

You do not need to excise your sinful habits; you need to be raised from the dead.

The bad news is that sin is deadly, but the good news is that Jesus raises the dead.

Augustine’s doctrine of original sin conveys a message of “sin with us,” but the gospel proclaims a better message of “God with us.”

Let us abandon manmade notions of original sin and learn to see ourselves, our kids, and our neighbors and as God sees us – as dearly-loved and precious beyond words.

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Extracted and adapted from Paul’s new ebook, Original Sin: What Does the Bible Really Say? available now on Patreon.

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Christ In You,The Hope Of Glory

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I have good news Jesus Is Alive! I have more good news For those who believe in Him Jesus Is Alive In You! Jesus is the perfect everything you will […]

Christ In You,The Hope Of Glory

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I have good news Jesus Is Alive! I have more good news For those who believe in Him Jesus Is Alive In You! Jesus is the perfect everything you will […]

The Three Nights of Christmas

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It’s that time of the year where we gather with friends and family to celebrate Christmas and to tie a bow on the year that was. 2020 has been an interesting year, as the Chinese would say, and few will be sad to see it end. But even though this was a challenging year, 2020 was not without its highlights: Many of us spent far more time with our families than we might otherwise have done. We met our neighbors and discovered corners of our communities we had no idea existed. We learned how to pivot and attend meetings in our PJs, and we heard a great song. We learned to be resilient and we also learned that it’s okay not to be okay every single day. A small gift Since this Christmas feels different, I’ve been casting about for a special way to mark the occasion. In the past few days I have written something for my kids to read at the dinner table. It’s the story of Christmas told three ways. It’s rough and I don’t have a better name for it than “The Three Nights of Christmas.” If you have children, you may want to pick one, [...]

50 phrases to say to our kids

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One of the most important things you can do is speak words of life to a child. This is true whether you are a parent, a grandparent, a caregiver, a teacher, a babysitter, a coach, a family friend, a healthcare worker, or a pastor. Children hear a lot of rubbish, so it’s important that we fill their hearts and minds with good, edifying words. There’s life and death in the tongue. As a father of four, I want to be intentional about the things I say to my children. I don’t want to be one of those dad’s who is either shooting off his mouth or apologizing for shooting off his mouth. Trouble is, speaking life doesn’t always come naturally. Not when I’m tired. It’s not that I’m a curmudgeonly old coot. But like many men, I tend to be economical with my words. And that’s not healthy where kids are concerned. To help me be a better dad, I have prepared a list of 50 phrases I can say to my kids to establish them in their God-given identity, to buttress their sense of self worth, and so forth. Call it a cheat sheet for parents, if you like. [...]

Dankar the Donkey: A Children’s Story for All

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It was cold on that winter night. Fires were lit in every fireplace. Children huddled together sharing warm blankets. Moms and dads sat close to their fires sipping hot soup.

There were no warm fires in the barn, but the animal world could manage. Genie had been hoping that her baby donkey would be born on a milder night, but as she lay in the straw, she knew this would be Dankar's birthday. She and donkey-father, Jack, had chosen this name for no special reason other than they liked the way it sounded. "Dankar" rolled off the lips easily.

Just before midnight, Dankar was born. He shivered in the cold barn but snuggled close to his mother for warmth and nourishing milk. Jack stood close by, nervously nibbling on some tasteless straw left in the feeding trough.

No one could imagine what lay in store for Dankar. Though his name would never be known outside the animal world, he would become a player in the greatest drama in the whole world. His story will be told as long as there are people to tell stories.

‘Why Me?’

As he grew up, he had a few friends close to his age. They sometimes talked about the lowly status of donkeys. They noticed that horses and camels often wore beautiful saddles and ornaments. People could be heard boasting about the speed and endurance of their horses and camels. Donkeys were useful, but seldom celebrated. There was nothing Dankar and his friends could do about being a donkey. No use wishing they were horses or camels. No benefit to wondering, "Why me?"

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Dankar was a strong but regular colt. No one had yet chosen him to ride. He was learning how to be led by a rope at the hand of his owner and to follow his commands. He spent lots of time tied to a wooden rail just outside his owner's house.

One day some nervous-looking men slipped up from behind and untied him. As they began to lead him away, he heard his owner, "Why are you taking my young donkey?" They said that the master needed him. Surprisingly, his owner agreed.

Dankar was nervous too! Soon it became clear that he was expected to carry a man on his back in some kind of parade. He had never done that before. Would he be able to hold up? Would he stumble? Would the rider beat him if he didn't walk smoothly? Why not get a more experienced donkey? Why not a horse or a camel? Why me?

Dankar Couldn’t Have Known

There was no way Dankar could have known that hundreds of years before, ancient prophets had told of this day and promised that the greatest person who ever lived would ride a donkey into the city of Jerusalem. This person was and is the king over all nations of the earth and his kingdom is marked by the humility of the donkey. This king would love the unqualified, stumbling, weak, and less noble people of the world. They would be the ones who shared in his parade...forever.

But Dankar didn't know about prophets and stuff. He did not know that the one on his back would in a few days be nailed to a cross and three days arise from the dead. How would he know that the greatest day in history was just a few hours away? For the moment He was in a big parade with palm branches under his feet. People were cheering their hearts out. No horse or camel had ever been in this kind of celebration. He loved it! It was so exciting that he forgot about his fears and questions and just enjoyed the walk.

He knew that they were not cheering him, but the one who was riding on his back. But he loved being a part. He didn't want the parade to end. It was so much fun. He had never dreamed of being a part of such a grand day. Later he was taken back to his owner. He couldn't wait to tell his friends. They would never believe him, but it was true and he knew it. Often he would muse about being a part of the grandest parade in all history and wonder: Why me?

 

Writer’s Note: Interpreting and Applying This Story

I wrote this story of Dankar for Palm Sunday. We read it for the four grandsons, ages 10-3 during family church. It was interesting what part they picked out as significant to each of them. The good thing about a story is that each person can see something that speaks to them. When they asked me what stood out, I admitted that I have often felt that I was insignificant in the grand scheme of things and sometimes confounded that God would want to include me in his parade. I think a lot of people can identify with that.

I'd like to encourage you to believe that God delights in you and enjoys being with you. He sees all; He is not ashamed of you, and He loves to see you smile.

I'd like to encourage you to believe that God delights in you and enjoys being with you. He sees all; He is not ashamed of you, and He loves to see you smile. You are in the parade. You are valuable and your story is not only interesting, but powerful. Jesus has chosen to put his weight on you. You are carrying him to all parts of the world and when the world really sees him, they will cheer -- and you will smile. You will know deep in your heart the cheers are for Him, and He deserves all the praise and glory. Some day "every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that He is the Lord of lords and King of kings."

 

Dudley Hall is a Senior Contributor to The Stream. He is the founder and President of Kerygma Ventures, a sought-after speaker, an engaging preacher, an effective consultant, and a trusted spiritual father. Dudley has authored several books including Grace Works, Incense & Thunder, Glad to be Left Behind, Men In Their Own Skin, Orphans No More, When Hard Times Come, Follow Me and his latest, a children's book laced with gospel truth: Shorty the Substitute Ram.

The post Dankar the Donkey: A Children’s Story for All appeared first on The Stream.

“Teenagers, What I Want You to Know”

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There are so many things that I want to tell young people. That time in life when you are searching for meaning, looking for your place, trying to fit in. If you will give me your ear, I promise I will not judge. Here are a few suggestions that may make the journey a little less painful.

1. Pain is normal. Everyone feels it. Don’t run from pain, lean into it and allow yourself to take shape. Life is a series of ups and downs, without the downs you wouldn’t appreciate the ups and it’s the ride that will color your life and make you strong. This idea that you are the only one feeling what your feeling is common. Those feelings are very real and in some cases frightening, it’s ok. You are not in this fight alone. It is in these times that you reach beyond yourself, beyond your reasoning and your age to something higher. It’s now that you begin to lean on and trust your creator. God equipped you with everything you need and even when you can’t see it or feel it, trust Him. He has got you, just trust Him. Tell Him you trust Him, give the pain to Him, give the confusion, the heartache, the fear to Him and trust that He has you.

2. You will make mistakes, it’s a part of the growing process. No one on the planet can do it all right. Be willing to acknowledge your need for help. There is nothing shameful or weak in needing help with things. Anyone that tells you that you shouldn’t ask questions and get help is doing damage, don’t listen, don’t be a part of the lie. It is this very willingness to admit your weakness that brings you your greatest strength. When you are weak He is strong. God isn’t afraid of your weakness, He knows you are imperfect, He is cool with that. He made you so you will trust Him, not so you will do it all yourself. Trust Him and at the same time allow others to be used by Him to help you.

3. Your identity is not found in labels. No matter what label you have been given, whether good or bad, whether positive or negative. You may be gifted and talented, you may have ADHD, you may be athletic, you may be musical, and you may have no idea at all what you are. These things do not identify you. What identifies you comes from where you get your life. As a believer your life is not music, athletics, sexuality, diagnosis, these are not your life. These are things your life deals with, but who you are is who Christ is. Who you are is loved, forgiven, new and right, just to name a few. In fact, Christ is your life. Recognize that, acknowledge that and the labels and the diagnosis are just a part of your journey. Enjoy the journey, but don’t mistake those things for your life. Someday the athletics will end, the talent will fade, the diagnosis will not be such a burden, but Christ will always be your life, allow Him to live through you.

4. If you are in a situation and something doesn’t feel right, listen to that and act on it. Trust your heart. Listen to the still small voice in your heart and allow it to guide you. It will save you from mistakes, hurt and disappointment. Listen to those who have had this journey already, people like your grandparents. Respect their knowledge and their years. They may have different views than you, but try and see the world through their eyes. You don’t have to agree, but listen, respect and give them your time. Theirs is limited.

5. Finally, when you are laying in your bed at night with the lights out and your eyes closed, think about Christ life moving through your hormones and your veins. See His light transforming you, see yourself swimming around in it. Drink it in. Try and imagine the depth of the love that He has for you, with no regard for faults, or labels. Accept that love, see yourself running in a wide-open field of it. Then wake up knowing that His life is your life, His strength is your strength, His peace is your peace, His mind is your mind and go conquer the day!

Wynema I Clark – 4/24/2017

“Teenagers, What I Want You to Know”

by

There are so many things that I want to tell young people. That time in life when you are searching for meaning, looking for your place, trying to fit in. If you will give me your ear, I promise I will not judge. Here are a few suggestions that may make the journey a little less painful.

1. Pain is normal. Everyone feels it. Don’t run from pain, lean into it and allow yourself to take shape. Life is a series of ups and downs, without the downs you wouldn’t appreciate the ups and it’s the ride that will color your life and make you strong. This idea that you are the only one feeling what your feeling is common. Those feelings are very real and in some cases frightening, it’s ok. You are not in this fight alone. It is in these times that you reach beyond yourself, beyond your reasoning and your age to something higher. It’s now that you begin to lean on and trust your creator. God equipped you with everything you need and even when you can’t see it or feel it, trust Him. He has got you, just trust Him. Tell Him you trust Him, give the pain to Him, give the confusion, the heartache, the fear to Him and trust that He has you.

2. You will make mistakes, it’s a part of the growing process. No one on the planet can do it all right. Be willing to acknowledge your need for help. There is nothing shameful or weak in needing help with things. Anyone that tells you that you shouldn’t ask questions and get help is doing damage, don’t listen, don’t be a part of the lie. It is this very willingness to admit your weakness that brings you your greatest strength. When you are weak He is strong. God isn’t afraid of your weakness, He knows you are imperfect, He is cool with that. He made you so you will trust Him, not so you will do it all yourself. Trust Him and at the same time allow others to be used by Him to help you.

3. Your identity is not found in labels. No matter what label you have been given, whether good or bad, whether positive or negative. You may be gifted and talented, you may have ADHD, you may be athletic, you may be musical, and you may have no idea at all what you are. These things do not identify you. What identifies you comes from where you get your life. As a believer your life is not music, athletics, sexuality, diagnosis, these are not your life. These are things your life deals with, but who you are is who Christ is. Who you are is loved, forgiven, new and right, just to name a few. In fact, Christ is your life. Recognize that, acknowledge that and the labels and the diagnosis are just a part of your journey. Enjoy the journey, but don’t mistake those things for your life. Someday the athletics will end, the talent will fade, the diagnosis will not be such a burden, but Christ will always be your life, allow Him to live through you.

4. If you are in a situation and something doesn’t feel right, listen to that and act on it. Trust your heart. Listen to the still small voice in your heart and allow it to guide you. It will save you from mistakes, hurt and disappointment. Listen to those who have had this journey already, people like your grandparents. Respect their knowledge and their years. They may have different views than you, but try and see the world through their eyes. You don’t have to agree, but listen, respect and give them your time. Theirs is limited.

5. Finally, when you are laying in your bed at night with the lights out and your eyes closed, think about Christ life moving through your hormones and your veins. See His light transforming you, see yourself swimming around in it. Drink it in. Try and imagine the depth of the love that He has for you, with no regard for faults, or labels. Accept that love, see yourself running in a wide-open field of it. Then wake up knowing that His life is your life, His strength is your strength, His peace is your peace, His mind is your mind and go conquer the day!

Wynema I Clark – 4/24/2017

“Teenagers, What I Want You to Know”

by

There are so many things that I want to tell young people. That time in life when you are searching for meaning, looking for your place, trying to fit in. If you will give me your ear, I promise I will not judge. Here are a few suggestions that may make the journey a little less painful.

1. Pain is normal. Everyone feels it. Don’t run from pain, lean into it and allow yourself to take shape. Life is a series of ups and downs, without the downs you wouldn’t appreciate the ups and it’s the ride that will color your life and make you strong. This idea that you are the only one feeling what your feeling is common. Those feelings are very real and in some cases frightening, it’s ok. You are not in this fight alone. It is in these times that you reach beyond yourself, beyond your reasoning and your age to something higher. It’s now that you begin to lean on and trust your creator. God equipped you with everything you need and even when you can’t see it or feel it, trust Him. He has got you, just trust Him. Tell Him you trust Him, give the pain to Him, give the confusion, the heartache, the fear to Him and trust that He has you.

2. You will make mistakes, it’s a part of the growing process. No one on the planet can do it all right. Be willing to acknowledge your need for help. There is nothing shameful or weak in needing help with things. Anyone that tells you that you shouldn’t ask questions and get help is doing damage, don’t listen, don’t be a part of the lie. It is this very willingness to admit your weakness that brings you your greatest strength. When you are weak He is strong. God isn’t afraid of your weakness, He knows you are imperfect, He is cool with that. He made you so you will trust Him, not so you will do it all yourself. Trust Him and at the same time allow others to be used by Him to help you.

3. Your identity is not found in labels. No matter what label you have been given, whether good or bad, whether positive or negative. You may be gifted and talented, you may have ADHD, you may be athletic, you may be musical, and you may have no idea at all what you are. These things do not identify you. What identifies you comes from where you get your life. As a believer your life is not music, athletics, sexuality, diagnosis, these are not your life. These are things your life deals with, but who you are is who Christ is. Who you are is loved, forgiven, new and right, just to name a few. In fact, Christ is your life. Recognize that, acknowledge that and the labels and the diagnosis are just a part of your journey. Enjoy the journey, but don’t mistake those things for your life. Someday the athletics will end, the talent will fade, the diagnosis will not be such a burden, but Christ will always be your life, allow Him to live through you.

4. If you are in a situation and something doesn’t feel right, listen to that and act on it. Trust your heart. Listen to the still small voice in your heart and allow it to guide you. It will save you from mistakes, hurt and disappointment. Listen to those who have had this journey already, people like your grandparents. Respect their knowledge and their years. They may have different views than you, but try and see the world through their eyes. You don’t have to agree, but listen, respect and give them your time. Theirs is limited.

5. Finally, when you are laying in your bed at night with the lights out and your eyes closed, think about Christ life moving through your hormones and your veins. See His light transforming you, see yourself swimming around in it. Drink it in. Try and imagine the depth of the love that He has for you, with no regard for faults, or labels. Accept that love, see yourself running in a wide-open field of it. Then wake up knowing that His life is your life, His strength is your strength, His peace is your peace, His mind is your mind and go conquer the day!

Wynema I Clark – 4/24/2017

“Teenagers, What I Want You to Know”

by

There are so many things that I want to tell young people. That time in life when you are searching for meaning, looking for your place, trying to fit in. If you will give me your ear, I promise I will not judge. Here are a few suggestions that may make the journey a little less painful.

1. Pain is normal. Everyone feels it. Don’t run from pain, lean into it and allow yourself to take shape. Life is a series of ups and downs, without the downs you wouldn’t appreciate the ups and it’s the ride that will color your life and make you strong. This idea that you are the only one feeling what your feeling is common. Those feelings are very real and in some cases frightening, it’s ok. You are not in this fight alone. It is in these times that you reach beyond yourself, beyond your reasoning and your age to something higher. It’s now that you begin to lean on and trust your creator. God equipped you with everything you need and even when you can’t see it or feel it, trust Him. He has got you, just trust Him. Tell Him you trust Him, give the pain to Him, give the confusion, the heartache, the fear to Him and trust that He has you.

2. You will make mistakes, it’s a part of the growing process. No one on the planet can do it all right. Be willing to acknowledge your need for help. There is nothing shameful or weak in needing help with things. Anyone that tells you that you shouldn’t ask questions and get help is doing damage, don’t listen, don’t be a part of the lie. It is this very willingness to admit your weakness that brings you your greatest strength. When you are weak He is strong. God isn’t afraid of your weakness, He knows you are imperfect, He is cool with that. He made you so you will trust Him, not so you will do it all yourself. Trust Him and at the same time allow others to be used by Him to help you.

3. Your identity is not found in labels. No matter what label you have been given, whether good or bad, whether positive or negative. You may be gifted and talented, you may have ADHD, you may be athletic, you may be musical, and you may have no idea at all what you are. These things do not identify you. What identifies you comes from where you get your life. As a believer your life is not music, athletics, sexuality, diagnosis, these are not your life. These are things your life deals with, but who you are is who Christ is. Who you are is loved, forgiven, new and right, just to name a few. In fact, Christ is your life. Recognize that, acknowledge that and the labels and the diagnosis are just a part of your journey. Enjoy the journey, but don’t mistake those things for your life. Someday the athletics will end, the talent will fade, the diagnosis will not be such a burden, but Christ will always be your life, allow Him to live through you.

4. If you are in a situation and something doesn’t feel right, listen to that and act on it. Trust your heart. Listen to the still small voice in your heart and allow it to guide you. It will save you from mistakes, hurt and disappointment. Listen to those who have had this journey already, people like your grandparents. Respect their knowledge and their years. They may have different views than you, but try and see the world through their eyes. You don’t have to agree, but listen, respect and give them your time. Theirs is limited.

5. Finally, when you are laying in your bed at night with the lights out and your eyes closed, think about Christ life moving through your hormones and your veins. See His light transforming you, see yourself swimming around in it. Drink it in. Try and imagine the depth of the love that He has for you, with no regard for faults, or labels. Accept that love, see yourself running in a wide-open field of it. Then wake up knowing that His life is your life, His strength is your strength, His peace is your peace, His mind is your mind and go conquer the day!

Wynema I Clark – 4/24/2017

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