rebelling against low expectations
In my last article I wrote about how teens should set boundaries with technology. If you want to know why, you can go back and read that short article. One of the most influential pieces of technology in human history has been the smartphone. I think the smartphone is brilliant and helpful, but it can quickly become toxic and harmful to our productivity, mental well being, and physical health. In...
I have been on Facebook since I was thirteen years old. Now, I am twenty-five, which means I’ve been on Facebook for over twelve years, having joined in November of 2008. To put this in perspective for you younger folk, when I joined Facebook, then President-elect Barack Obama had not yet been sworn in as President of the United States and Apple’s revolutionary new device, the “iPhone,” was...
Editor’s Note: The Screwtape Letters is the title of a book by C.S. Lewis in which an older demon gives advice to a younger tempter through a series of letters. Needless to say, the advice given is exactly what we should guard against as Christians. This article is written in the style of a Screwtape letter, addressing the subject of young women. “The Enemy” refers to God, and...
What if I got real honest? What if I took a risk? What if I opened up my heart and let you see in? The song was not at all the kind I usually listen to. The music wasn’t mine, but the lyrics hit me deep and I instantly knew what I had to write. There was someone on the other end of my screen who had to hear this. Now, as I sit here, staring at my laptop, watching words appear in clear black on...
Priorities. We all know what it means to have them, and most of us strive to structure our days accordingly. Any Christian who has been in the church long enough has the head knowledge that God should come before all else. However, is having God as our “top priority” what we ought to be pursuing? Now, don’t get me wrong–of course God should still come first! I am not suggesting that there is...
If you are anything like me, you have probably spent a lot more time on social media this year. This might have something to do with us all having to social distance for weeks, even months. I am so grateful that social media has enabled me to stay in touch with friends and family during a rather trying year, but I am still left to wonder, is social media doing more harm than good? Broadband...
Have you ever been involved in an intense discussion? Perhaps it was with your siblings or your parents or with a friend. I’m not talking about an excited conversation, such as you might have about whether or not Lebron James is a better basketball player than Michael Jordan or whether or not Minnesota is a more beautiful state than Michigan. Those conversations might sound intense–people...
I am grieving for my people and my church. The world feels turned upside down. I imagine, for our generation, just saying the word “2020” will become synonymous with anger and bitter fighting. “It’s 2020 all over again.” Unfortunately, teenagers are stuck right in the middle of it. No doubt, over the past year you’ve sat through countless discussions about COVID-19 or the economic shutdowns or...
Editor’s Note: When it comes to working out and taking care of our bodies, we might think things like that don’t have anything to do with being a follower of Jesus. But we believe that, as Christians, we should be wise stewards of the resources God has given us and one of our foremost resources is our own body! Read on for Audrey’s excellent tips on being intentional to care for...
My friendship with Sara Barratt is 100% virtual. We’ve never talked over coffee or met up at a conference or worshiped together in church. I met Sara in the Young Writer’s Workshop—a place where everyone shares a thrill for stories, words, articles, novels, and poems. Together, we write them. But as time unfolded and the YDubs community grew, I found more in Sara than a teenager who doodles words...
rebelling against low expectations
