When we die, it is not the end for us.
For those who died in a proper relationship with Jesus Christ, they will be in Heaven. The Bible says "to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord." If we are also followers of Jesus, we can be sure we will see our loved ones in Heaven. (Note: If you're a Christian just because you want to see dead friends or relatives in Heaven then God will not regard that as a proper relationship with Him.)
For the rest of humankind who died without knowing the Lord, they will wind up in Hell. Though this may seem cruel and unfair, you have to remember that many people got the chance in their lifetime to hear about what Jesus did on the cross. They could have believed the Gospel and had a relationship with Jesus, but they chose not to do so.
For people who have never physically heard the Gospel, the Bible says in the Book of Romans that God is visible in the Creation or nature that exists around us. Even if someone has never heard the Gospel, if they are seeking a relationship with the true God, they will find Him.
Showing posts with label teen. Show all posts
Showing posts with label teen. Show all posts
Friday, January 3, 2014
HOW TO GROW UP-DEPRESSION AND SUICIDE
Everybody gets sad or upset about things. We all have things that bother us.
Our emotions are perfectly valid. The Book of Psalms in the Bible bears this out.
However, if you are truly depressed, anti-depressants are not the answer. The Bible calls those types of things witchcraft. The Greek word for witchcraft is the same word from which we get words like pharmacy. Also, do not go to a psychiatrist as such people also fall into this witchcraft category.
Instead, seek a proper relationship with Jesus Christ. (See the Bible, the Book of Acts, Chapter 2, Verse 38.) True happiness can only be found in a proper relationship with our Creator and Saviour.
If you're depression stems from a traumatic event, seek counselling from a trusted pastor or Christian counsellor. Also, go to God directly for help. God repeatedly tells us in the Bible that He wants human beings to pray to Him. We are told in the Bible to cast all our cares upon the Lord.
Suicide is never the answer to depression. Suicide is self-murder and if you commit it you will end up in Hell. When we face problems like being severely depressed, we can either look to God to deliver us and save us, or we can listen to the devil, the one who tells us to commit suicide. God assures us in the Bible that He will always provide a way out of different situations we face.
Our emotions are perfectly valid. The Book of Psalms in the Bible bears this out.
However, if you are truly depressed, anti-depressants are not the answer. The Bible calls those types of things witchcraft. The Greek word for witchcraft is the same word from which we get words like pharmacy. Also, do not go to a psychiatrist as such people also fall into this witchcraft category.
Instead, seek a proper relationship with Jesus Christ. (See the Bible, the Book of Acts, Chapter 2, Verse 38.) True happiness can only be found in a proper relationship with our Creator and Saviour.
If you're depression stems from a traumatic event, seek counselling from a trusted pastor or Christian counsellor. Also, go to God directly for help. God repeatedly tells us in the Bible that He wants human beings to pray to Him. We are told in the Bible to cast all our cares upon the Lord.
Suicide is never the answer to depression. Suicide is self-murder and if you commit it you will end up in Hell. When we face problems like being severely depressed, we can either look to God to deliver us and save us, or we can listen to the devil, the one who tells us to commit suicide. God assures us in the Bible that He will always provide a way out of different situations we face.
HOW TO GROW UP-SELF-ESTEEM
God created each one of us with our own unique gifts, talents and abilities.
Self-esteem can only come if we do two things.
First of all, we have to use the talents and abilities God has given us. It will do you no good to sit in your room and tell yourself, "I'm a caring person." You will know if you're actually a caring person if you do things to care for others.
Similarly, it will do you no good to practice a musical instrument in your room and tell yourself you're a good musician. The only true way you'll know you're a good musician is if you play with other people.
The second thing needed to build self-esteem is to have a proper relationship with Jesus Christ. To find out how to do this, look in the Bible at the Book of Acts, Chapter 2, Verse 38.
When we realize that Jesus is everything, we will realize we are nothing. The Bible says that in God "we live and move and have our being." If it weren't for God, human beings would literally be unable to do anything.
Once we have a proper relationship with Jesus Christ, we need to start "esteeming others as better than ourselves" as the Bible says and our Saviour Jesus Christ did when he lived here on Earth. Once we start treating other people as better than we are, that is the way to find true fulfillment in Jesus Christ.
Self-esteem can only come if we do two things.
First of all, we have to use the talents and abilities God has given us. It will do you no good to sit in your room and tell yourself, "I'm a caring person." You will know if you're actually a caring person if you do things to care for others.
Similarly, it will do you no good to practice a musical instrument in your room and tell yourself you're a good musician. The only true way you'll know you're a good musician is if you play with other people.
The second thing needed to build self-esteem is to have a proper relationship with Jesus Christ. To find out how to do this, look in the Bible at the Book of Acts, Chapter 2, Verse 38.
When we realize that Jesus is everything, we will realize we are nothing. The Bible says that in God "we live and move and have our being." If it weren't for God, human beings would literally be unable to do anything.
Once we have a proper relationship with Jesus Christ, we need to start "esteeming others as better than ourselves" as the Bible says and our Saviour Jesus Christ did when he lived here on Earth. Once we start treating other people as better than we are, that is the way to find true fulfillment in Jesus Christ.
HOW TO GROW UP-BODY IMAGE
God created each one of us in His image. When He had finished creating us, God called His creation "good."
God makes people the way He wants them to look. You don't need to loose weight just because the media or friends tell you you need to do so.
That being said, it is important for people to listen to their bodies. Sometimes you may think you're craving some junk food when your body is actually telling you to drink water or that you need a certain nutrient found in certain types of healthy food you haven't had enough of that day.
We also need to listen to all the other signals our body sends us, including feelings of tiredness and sickness coming on.
God makes people the way He wants them to look. You don't need to loose weight just because the media or friends tell you you need to do so.
That being said, it is important for people to listen to their bodies. Sometimes you may think you're craving some junk food when your body is actually telling you to drink water or that you need a certain nutrient found in certain types of healthy food you haven't had enough of that day.
We also need to listen to all the other signals our body sends us, including feelings of tiredness and sickness coming on.
Saturday, December 28, 2013
HOW TO GROW UP-MENSTRUATION
There are lots of great alternatives to the pads and tampons you see advertised on TV.
There are cloth pads. These are washable pads made out of materials such as cotton and flannel. Girls and women who use them report these pads are softer, drier and just feel more comfortable than disposable pads. Plus, cloth pads don't contain the chemicals disposables do.
Cloth pads are available online and possibly in traditional retail stores. They are also available at certain health food and natural health stores. There are also women who make them as a cottage industry.
One alternative to tampons is the menstrual cup. This is a bell-shaped device made out of silicon. It is inserted in the vagina. It also does not contain the harsh chemicals of disposable pads and tampons.
Menstrual cups are available online and at some brick and mortar stores.
There are also disposable menstrual cups made out of a safe plastic material. These are available online, at certain retail chains in the U.S., at Shoppers Drug Mart across Canada, and at other retail outlets in certain parts of Canada.
I have some posts on this blog with links to places that sell these types of things. Type either cloth pads or alternative menstrual products into the search box on this blog to find them.
If you find yourself craving sweet stuff around the time of your period, reach for honey or maple syrup instead of chocolate because those things are better for you. If you are craving salt, eat sea salt because this contains a lot of beneficial minerals.
There are lots of natural remedies to deal with PMS.
If you stain, do the traditional thing of tying a sweater or jacket around your waste while you walk to the bathroom. Depending on the nature of the stain, however, you could opt not to cover up at all. After all, it happens to a lot of girls and your period isn't something to be embarrassed about.
If you are in a place where you can't change or get a pad, there are ways to improvise these things.
If you're really stuck, look up freebleeding online. I would tell you to be careful about what results you click on, but if you're reading this blog it's obviously useless to tell you not to look up inappropriate things on the internet. (ha ha)
There are cloth pads. These are washable pads made out of materials such as cotton and flannel. Girls and women who use them report these pads are softer, drier and just feel more comfortable than disposable pads. Plus, cloth pads don't contain the chemicals disposables do.
Cloth pads are available online and possibly in traditional retail stores. They are also available at certain health food and natural health stores. There are also women who make them as a cottage industry.
One alternative to tampons is the menstrual cup. This is a bell-shaped device made out of silicon. It is inserted in the vagina. It also does not contain the harsh chemicals of disposable pads and tampons.
Menstrual cups are available online and at some brick and mortar stores.
There are also disposable menstrual cups made out of a safe plastic material. These are available online, at certain retail chains in the U.S., at Shoppers Drug Mart across Canada, and at other retail outlets in certain parts of Canada.
I have some posts on this blog with links to places that sell these types of things. Type either cloth pads or alternative menstrual products into the search box on this blog to find them.
If you find yourself craving sweet stuff around the time of your period, reach for honey or maple syrup instead of chocolate because those things are better for you. If you are craving salt, eat sea salt because this contains a lot of beneficial minerals.
There are lots of natural remedies to deal with PMS.
If you stain, do the traditional thing of tying a sweater or jacket around your waste while you walk to the bathroom. Depending on the nature of the stain, however, you could opt not to cover up at all. After all, it happens to a lot of girls and your period isn't something to be embarrassed about.
If you are in a place where you can't change or get a pad, there are ways to improvise these things.
If you're really stuck, look up freebleeding online. I would tell you to be careful about what results you click on, but if you're reading this blog it's obviously useless to tell you not to look up inappropriate things on the internet. (ha ha)
Thursday, December 26, 2013
HOW TO GROW UP-CRUSHES
Don't mistake the crushes you're having on boys now that you are a preteen or in your early teenage years with the more serious relationships you'll have when you get into your later teens.
Personally, I don't recommend girls and guys date until they're sixteen, although this can vary with individual teens. This is because before this age, your feelings and attitudes about things are constantly changing. By the time you're sixteen, you have at least a slightly better idea of what you're looking for in a guy.
The purpose of dating is to prepare for marriage. It is a way to weed out the kind of guys you wouldn't want to spend the rest of your life with.
For now, enjoy the crushes you have. However, instead of taking a crush on a date where it's just the two of you, hang out with a group of friends. This will also help relieve the pressure and nervousness an actual date would cause.
At the beginning of any relationship, it is a good idea to kick things off by having the boy come over to your house for dinner, Sunday lunch or some other meal. This way, your parents can meet the boy and give you guidance as to whether he is the kind of guy a girl should truly be with. This may seem annoying and meddlesome, but your parents want you to have a happy life and a happy fulfilling marriage when you become an adult. Taking the suggestion of having a boy you like over to your house will help ensure that.
There is a lot of bad stuff out there these days in the form of music, TV, movies, literature, and websites that glorifies girls going for "bad boys." Don't go out with a bad boy. They may seem exciting, but this will only lead to bad consequences. You could end up being pressured into having sex with him, which is something only married couples should engage in as God originally intended.
Also, the bad boy will probably end up walking out on you at some point in the future, maybe leaving you with a few small children to care for on your own.
Again, I must repeat, don't mistake the crushes you are currently having for the more serious relationships you'll have a few years from now. Besides, when the time comes for those serious relationships to happen, you won't even remember the names of the boys you're presently crushing on anyway.
Personally, I don't recommend girls and guys date until they're sixteen, although this can vary with individual teens. This is because before this age, your feelings and attitudes about things are constantly changing. By the time you're sixteen, you have at least a slightly better idea of what you're looking for in a guy.
The purpose of dating is to prepare for marriage. It is a way to weed out the kind of guys you wouldn't want to spend the rest of your life with.
For now, enjoy the crushes you have. However, instead of taking a crush on a date where it's just the two of you, hang out with a group of friends. This will also help relieve the pressure and nervousness an actual date would cause.
At the beginning of any relationship, it is a good idea to kick things off by having the boy come over to your house for dinner, Sunday lunch or some other meal. This way, your parents can meet the boy and give you guidance as to whether he is the kind of guy a girl should truly be with. This may seem annoying and meddlesome, but your parents want you to have a happy life and a happy fulfilling marriage when you become an adult. Taking the suggestion of having a boy you like over to your house will help ensure that.
There is a lot of bad stuff out there these days in the form of music, TV, movies, literature, and websites that glorifies girls going for "bad boys." Don't go out with a bad boy. They may seem exciting, but this will only lead to bad consequences. You could end up being pressured into having sex with him, which is something only married couples should engage in as God originally intended.
Also, the bad boy will probably end up walking out on you at some point in the future, maybe leaving you with a few small children to care for on your own.
Again, I must repeat, don't mistake the crushes you are currently having for the more serious relationships you'll have a few years from now. Besides, when the time comes for those serious relationships to happen, you won't even remember the names of the boys you're presently crushing on anyway.
HOW TO GROW UP-DIVORCING PARENTS
Divorce is a terrible thing. It doesn't just affect the husband, wife and children going through the divorce; it also affects extended relatives and friends of the family.
In the Book of Exodus in the Bible, God's sixth commandment is "thou shalt not commit adultery." (See Exodus Chapter 20.)
Jesus told His followers that anyone who divorces commits adultery. If your parents are going through a divorce or your family has gone through a divorce, I can't speak to your specific situation. However, I can say in general that divorce is wrong.
The Bible says God has a much better way of looking at things than humans, "as the heavens are higher than the earth." God's solution for a couple going through a divorce is for them to remember that He instituted marriage in the first place. A married couple having problems should work out solutions to their problems according to His law and ways.
To prevent divorce from coming up in the first place, people should think long and hard before they get married. Things they should think about should include among other questions whether the person will truly be a good husband or wife, whether they will be a good father or mother and how do they treat the person who is planning to marry them.
In the Book of Exodus in the Bible, God's sixth commandment is "thou shalt not commit adultery." (See Exodus Chapter 20.)
Jesus told His followers that anyone who divorces commits adultery. If your parents are going through a divorce or your family has gone through a divorce, I can't speak to your specific situation. However, I can say in general that divorce is wrong.
The Bible says God has a much better way of looking at things than humans, "as the heavens are higher than the earth." God's solution for a couple going through a divorce is for them to remember that He instituted marriage in the first place. A married couple having problems should work out solutions to their problems according to His law and ways.
To prevent divorce from coming up in the first place, people should think long and hard before they get married. Things they should think about should include among other questions whether the person will truly be a good husband or wife, whether they will be a good father or mother and how do they treat the person who is planning to marry them.
HOW TO GROW UP-PARENTS
In the Bible, in the Book of Exodus, God gave His Ten Commandments and the fifth one is that we should honour our mother and our father. The Bible repeatedly says children should obey their parents.
All authority comes from God. The command for children to honour their parents does not give parents the right to be cruel tyrants over their children. If you don't think something is fair, most of the time you can discuss the issue with your parents and come to a peaceful resolution.
Nevertheless, there are many times when, if your parents tell you to do something, you do it without questioning. Most parents want the best for their children and will thus set out fair rules for the household designed to protect children while giving them a good and happy life at the same time.
God's order, set down in the Bible is that Christ is to be the head of every man. The man is supposed to be the head of his home and the children are to be under the husband and wife, the father and the mother. Many times when children are disrespectful and constantly disobey their parents, this is because this order is not in that home.
A girl needs a good mother to show her what kind of woman she should be and a good father to show her what to look for in a man. (Vice versa if you happen to be a guy reading this.)
Granted, there are parents who for various reasons don't know how to train their children in the way they should go as the Book of Proverbs in the Bible says. If you are living in one of these extreme situations, find a male role model in your community or at your school who acts the way a good husband should, and a woman in your community or at your school who acts like the kind of respectable woman someone would want to be.
All authority comes from God. The command for children to honour their parents does not give parents the right to be cruel tyrants over their children. If you don't think something is fair, most of the time you can discuss the issue with your parents and come to a peaceful resolution.
Nevertheless, there are many times when, if your parents tell you to do something, you do it without questioning. Most parents want the best for their children and will thus set out fair rules for the household designed to protect children while giving them a good and happy life at the same time.
God's order, set down in the Bible is that Christ is to be the head of every man. The man is supposed to be the head of his home and the children are to be under the husband and wife, the father and the mother. Many times when children are disrespectful and constantly disobey their parents, this is because this order is not in that home.
A girl needs a good mother to show her what kind of woman she should be and a good father to show her what to look for in a man. (Vice versa if you happen to be a guy reading this.)
Granted, there are parents who for various reasons don't know how to train their children in the way they should go as the Book of Proverbs in the Bible says. If you are living in one of these extreme situations, find a male role model in your community or at your school who acts the way a good husband should, and a woman in your community or at your school who acts like the kind of respectable woman someone would want to be.
Monday, December 23, 2013
HOW TO GROW UP-SIBLINGS
Most siblings get over their sibling rivalry by adulthood but some brothers and sisters continue to fight after this point.
In the Bible, in the Book of 1 Corinthians, chapter 13, verse 4, we are told that love is patient and kind. Siblings need to be patient and kind with each other. If you are having problems with a younger sibling, try to remember what it was like to be their age when you didn't know as much, couldn't do as much and weren't as mature as you are now. If you are having problems with an older sibling, remember that since they're older, they are experiencing new things that you haven't yet experienced yourself. Thus, they have more on their minds than you do.
Many times when a group of siblings fight, the problem rests with the order in the home. Jesus Christ tells us clearly in the Bible that he is to be in charge, or the head of every man. The man is then to be in charge of the home with his wife under him. The children are then supposed to be under the husband and wife, their mother and father, of course. Oftentimes when there is intense fighting among siblings, God's order is not in that household.
1 Corinthians 13 4 also says basically that love doesn't put itself above another person and is not puffed up. If you are really good at something and get lots of attention for it remember that your sibling or siblings could feel left out or neglected.
If you are the sibling feeling left out or neglected, remember this. God created each person individually with his or her own gifts, talents and abilities. Just because your sibling is really good at something doesn't mean you're no good at anything. Try to find out what you're good at and, if you already know the areas where your talent lies, take time to become the best you can be in whatever area you do well in.
In the Bible, in the Book of 1 Corinthians, chapter 13, verse 4, we are told that love is patient and kind. Siblings need to be patient and kind with each other. If you are having problems with a younger sibling, try to remember what it was like to be their age when you didn't know as much, couldn't do as much and weren't as mature as you are now. If you are having problems with an older sibling, remember that since they're older, they are experiencing new things that you haven't yet experienced yourself. Thus, they have more on their minds than you do.
Many times when a group of siblings fight, the problem rests with the order in the home. Jesus Christ tells us clearly in the Bible that he is to be in charge, or the head of every man. The man is then to be in charge of the home with his wife under him. The children are then supposed to be under the husband and wife, their mother and father, of course. Oftentimes when there is intense fighting among siblings, God's order is not in that household.
1 Corinthians 13 4 also says basically that love doesn't put itself above another person and is not puffed up. If you are really good at something and get lots of attention for it remember that your sibling or siblings could feel left out or neglected.
If you are the sibling feeling left out or neglected, remember this. God created each person individually with his or her own gifts, talents and abilities. Just because your sibling is really good at something doesn't mean you're no good at anything. Try to find out what you're good at and, if you already know the areas where your talent lies, take time to become the best you can be in whatever area you do well in.
Sunday, December 22, 2013
HOW TO GROW UP-FRIENDSHIPS
Right now, you might have a lot of friends or maybe just a few friends. Even if you have no friends, the following will apply to you in the years ahead.
You truly will probably have only three real friends in your life at the most. By friend, of course, I mean a truly close friend, the kind of person you can really open up to without fear of ridicule or judgment and the kind of person who will be there in a serious situation. If there is a death in your family or you get stranded on a snowy highway at 3:00 one morning, you know you can count on this friend for support, physical, moral and any other way it's needed.
Throughout high school and college, you will most likely have a lot of "friends." However, most of these people will be friends because you are sharing the common experience of going to high school or postsecondary education.
You will be told in college or university that this is the place where you will form all kinds of lasting friendships and connections with schoolmates that will come in handy for networking in the future. While I am sure this is true for some alumnai, through personal experience and that of people from college I talk with on occasion, I have found this to be a crock. I and others of my classmates tend to have one or two people we keep in regular contact with. I don't do Facebook but people I knew in college who do maybe have a few more of our schoolmates as "friends" on there. The majority of the people we were in class with we don't correspond with anymore.
One reason true friends are so hard to find is because most people only care about themselves and what they're interested in. Therefore, a lot of people who claim to be your friends will just use you for what they can get from you.
Another reason is simply that as people move on from university or college, they advance in their careers, marry and have children. Thus, they get busy with the lives they've carved out for themselves and don't have time to keep in touch with people they knew in high school or university anymore.
I'm not trying to be depressing here. Throughout your life, you'll have buddies, people who share similar interests and are in the same clubs or social circles as you. These people will be a source of great times and may even provide some of the qualities a true friend exhibits. You'll also have acquaintances, people such as co-workers you'll get along with, perhaps even really well. However, I must reiterate, in an age where social networking has caused society to throw this word around, you'll likely only have a few true friends.
You truly will probably have only three real friends in your life at the most. By friend, of course, I mean a truly close friend, the kind of person you can really open up to without fear of ridicule or judgment and the kind of person who will be there in a serious situation. If there is a death in your family or you get stranded on a snowy highway at 3:00 one morning, you know you can count on this friend for support, physical, moral and any other way it's needed.
Throughout high school and college, you will most likely have a lot of "friends." However, most of these people will be friends because you are sharing the common experience of going to high school or postsecondary education.
You will be told in college or university that this is the place where you will form all kinds of lasting friendships and connections with schoolmates that will come in handy for networking in the future. While I am sure this is true for some alumnai, through personal experience and that of people from college I talk with on occasion, I have found this to be a crock. I and others of my classmates tend to have one or two people we keep in regular contact with. I don't do Facebook but people I knew in college who do maybe have a few more of our schoolmates as "friends" on there. The majority of the people we were in class with we don't correspond with anymore.
One reason true friends are so hard to find is because most people only care about themselves and what they're interested in. Therefore, a lot of people who claim to be your friends will just use you for what they can get from you.
Another reason is simply that as people move on from university or college, they advance in their careers, marry and have children. Thus, they get busy with the lives they've carved out for themselves and don't have time to keep in touch with people they knew in high school or university anymore.
I'm not trying to be depressing here. Throughout your life, you'll have buddies, people who share similar interests and are in the same clubs or social circles as you. These people will be a source of great times and may even provide some of the qualities a true friend exhibits. You'll also have acquaintances, people such as co-workers you'll get along with, perhaps even really well. However, I must reiterate, in an age where social networking has caused society to throw this word around, you'll likely only have a few true friends.
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