The world needs you -- your ideas, your compassion, and your spiritual outlook. And, it’s never too late to start contributing.

• How have you made a difference in others’ lives -- in your family, school, church, community, and world?
• How have others positively impacted your life -- in little or big ways, in practical aspects or in spiritual development?

We’d like to hear. Please send us your experiences, ideas, or suggestions.

Let God and Parents Help

There’s a very effective statement that my mom uses to guide my sister and me through all types of situations that we have faced, are facing, and will face. The quote is:

God gave me knowledge, skills, all learning, and wisdom.

I believe that this idea could help anyone who is willing to stop and think about what exactly he or she is doing with his or her life at any given moment.

Someone is always listening to us -- that someone is God. So if we’re feeling alone, we can remember this statement. It’s saying that God is always with us, no matter what, and that God gave us tools to get out of whatever situation we’re in.

This can be very helpful, especially when we feel stuck. Instead of listening to inappropriate suggestions from our peers or rebelling against our parents, we can turn to God to help us fix a problem.

Ruth, in the Bible, is a very good example. She was going through a lot as a young woman. Her husband died, and she decided to leave her family and country to go with her mother-in-law to a foreign land. She hung in and listened to God. God definitely helped her out and made her plan for life clear. She ended up getting married and becoming the ancestor to King David (and then Jesus).

Parents are really great sources of help. But lots of teens rebel against their parents. I believe that if teens stop rebelling against what their parents say, they will find that their parents could be the best friends they could possibly have. If you need someone to call on during terrible times, your parents will be there for you.

But sometimes parents don’t listen very well; they really do seem to be the problem. So, some teens rebel against their parents and do things that their peers tell them to do because they seem really cool. But just because other kids say something is cool, doesn’t make it so.

Rebelling often gives others the impression that teenagers can be hooligans. But we don’t have to be. Teens can be mature, trustworthy, outgoing ladies and gentlemen. This doesn’t mean that we have to stop doing fun things. It just means that we can be more considerate and respectful while having fun.

I believe that if we really think about the statement my mom shared, we will find the help we need to handle any situation that comes up in our lives without pushing away the very people most interested in our well-being and success. Turning to God will always lead to solutions.

I hope this quote helps make a difference in your life. It’s certainly helped me.