How can parents’ prayers be their greatest asset and source of wisdom in raising teenagers in today’s world; especially when teens are confronted with such daunting issues as pornography, addiction, self-harm, anxiety, rebellion, technology use, dealing with disappointment, and more? It’s never been tougher to be a teen—or the parent of one. How can the Bible be your source for prayers to powerfully influence your teen’s life?
Bible Gateway interviewed Jodie Berndt (@jodieberndt), author of Praying the Scriptures for Your Teens: Opening the Door for God’s Provision in Their Lives (Zondervan, 2021).
How is praying for teenagers different than praying for children?
Jodie Berndt: All of our children, whether they’re three years old or 30, have needs in common. Things like wisdom, good friendships, and safety and protection are blessings we want God to provide at every stage in their lives. But praying during the teenage years can come with a unique set of challenges. Not only are our teens facing new threats—things like the temptation of alcohol and drugs, easy access to pornography via their devices, destructive messaging in their movies and music, and social bullying at a time when what they want, more than anything, is simply to fit in—but we can feel powerless to help them. We don’t always know what to say (and they don’t always want to listen to us when we do). We might feel like our teens are out of our reach, even if they’re sitting across from us at the kitchen table.
Continue reading →
By Ethan D. Bryan
Loading ...