You are invited to get together for a time of refreshing discussion and encouragement on May 23 at 6:30pm in the chapel. The evening’s topic is “Youth and Media,” and we will discuss ways to help our young people navigate our culture’s tech-filled landscape.

Also, you’ll get a calendar of our upcoming summer plans. If you have youth that you need to bring along, they can spend time in the barn for a hangout. We hope to see you there!

Teens – even in this digital generation – LOVE the gift of a card or letter.  We do, too…when you grab the mail, don’t you scan past the junk mail and bills for something important – something written by hand just for you?  If you have ever wanted your teens to adopt a spirit of generosity, then you’ll want to bring up this discussion sometime this week.  It follows our Sunday School lesson, “Give Yourself Away,” which covers Philippians 4:14-23.

This week’s lesson covers Acts 2:42-47, which describes the early church functioning as God intended.  It all comes down to proper “watering,” which involves the right type of nurturing relationships.  I hope you will use this family discussion sheet to talk about the parallels between plants and people, the need for us to grow properly in a community that loves God.

Once they cut, they felt better. Consequently, they cut again and again, leading to more frequent and severe episodes in an effort to achieve the end of emotional relief. Researchers also reached this conclusion: We need to learn more!

The sad reality is that…self-injury has swept through youth culture like a plague. It’s not only a sign that more and more kids are hurting more and more deeply, but that cutting is no longer an unspoken and solitarily-discovered coping mechanism for those who hurt.

I still remember at my former church when a youth gave a testimony about her struggle with cutting.  The next thing we knew, four other students admitted to their issues with cutting, too!  One thing I have realized is that this is not a habit that you can stereotype.  It is often surprising to learn who is cutting and who isn’t.  In addition to who cuts, Mueller notes why they cut:

Those who tell the first person stories say they harm themselves because “it makes me feel better.” They describe periods of incredible emotional turmoil, anger, hate, and stress that are calmed by the cathartic act of cutting. “As I cut deeper, my mind began to feel relieved of the torment,” says one self-mutilator. “My body eased of the tension, and I began to feel comforted.” In effect, cutting becomes an effective coping and self-care strategy for individuals who have not learned healthy and correct ways to deal with the problems and pressures of life.

Ultimately, we are called to serve and help students in their pain to turn to the One who can fix their problems.  Cutting is ultimately an unhealthy response to some sort of struggles.  Beyond being unhealthy, to the extent that a person depends on something like self-harm rather than upon God, it is also a sin.  That does not mean we should be any less grace-driven in our approach but rather that we need to understand the full ramifications of what happens when someone cuts.  Mueller’s blog elaborates on 4 steps that we can take to get involved.  They are listed below:

1. We must come to an understanding of the path this trend looks to take.
2. We must consider how to respond in a loving manner.
3. We must be able to recognize the signs.
4. We must diligently work to exert a redemptive influence on those who resort to cutting.

Links:

• ABC News report:  http://abcnews.go.com/Health/MindMoodNews/12-teens-cut-harm-themsleves/story?id=14969232#.TtaOcWMk6so
• Walt Mueller’s blog…
• …part 1:  http://learningmylines.blogspot.com/2012/04/kids-who-cut-part-1.html
• …part 2:  http://learningmylines.blogspot.com/2012/05/inside-cutters-heart-kids-who-cut-part.html
• …part 3:

• Dinner (burgers and dogs)
• Ice cream gutter
• Bouncing betties (the most fun you’ve ever had with a 2-liter of diet soda)

It starts at 6pm and ends at 9pm.  See you at the barn!

Here is a direct link in case the other one does not work.  It will be active for  about a week: http://students.navpress.com/parent-page/20f91d3f7201d400cc282fe5c19cb9c5

This article also gives you the chance to bring up the subject of drinking with your teen.  If you think it’s safe to bring up, you could ask your teen if he/she has heard of this sanitizer drinking trend (which is relatively small at this point).  Regardless of your position on drinking, the Bible teaches us not to be drunk (Eph 5:18; Gal. 5:21; Prov. 23:29-35).  Additionally, teens are bound to have friends who drink and are probably open to talking about it.  Romans 13:1-7 tells us that we are to obey the governments that God has placed over us, which means we are required to obey government regulations on drinking.  One final thought- this sanitizer behavior is clearly dangerous.  Half a dozen teens in California were hospitalized with alcohol poisoning.  This is what 1 Corinthians 6:10-20 tells us:

Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own;

you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body.  Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own;you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body.

Much of what we will cover comes from the Center for Parent/Youth Understanding (www.cpyu.org) and also their recent Digital Kids Initiative (http://www.digitalkidsinitiative.com).  Feel free to peruse their resources, including their Family Digital Covenant of Conduct.  If you take a look at these things, you’ll definitely be ahead of the class come May 23!

Your partner in ministry,
Kevin Freeman

I found some additional questions to ask yourself or to go through with your family.  You can access them at http://thesource4ym.com/outreach/topic.aspx?id=189.