Kids & Teens - Life happens -prayer & talk

 Below are some example conversations to continually have with your child, and other helpful resources and ideas. 

Some conversation examples: 

*Bad things in the news or over heard

>>say it is sad we live in the fallen world. Eden, sin, people cause the problems and God will deal with it rightly. 

>>prayers for that situation.

>>see other ideas below.

>> thank God Heaven is a place to will never have sin in eternity. 

*politics

Try to avoid all politic talk in front of child, and ask family to do the same. 

If it comes up or they heard or saw on tv or somewhere... talk with child:

>>pray for our country for godly leaders with biblical morals. 

>>if bad leader in office 

Prayers for him to lead the nation and protect all citizens, Christians too. Prayers God will lead him to do good for all citizens equally, and to get saved & be a greater influence in nation and world. 

Do not vilify any President or govt official. Focus on the good that person has done for the nation. But if they are pro abortion and anti religious freedom, speak on those points biblically. 

In convos or heard on news, 

someone did evil and attacked or killed someone.

>> pray for the situation together. That God will draw any unsaved in their family and friends who dont know Jesus yet. And that those who know Jesus can comfort and respectfully let them know Jesus is their peace and comforting arms they can run to. 

>>Pray for the person who was harned (if alive), and their parents, siblings and friends who will need to help the person to hospital and care for them and do chores and make them meals until they recover. Pray they forgive the bad person and even if courts send the bad person to jail, that may God bring a gospel sharer to em that he can be saved and live a righteous life from now on. 

>>if person died, pray for their parents, siblings and friends who will never get to see them again until long from now when they go to Heaven. Pray for the peace Jesus brings even though theres a deep loss they have, and life they will live, without em here anymore. Pray God comforts them and others come alongside them to help them through the early hard days and years. 

>>Pray they forgive the bad person and regardless if courts send the bad person to jail, that God would bring a gospel sharer to em that he can be saved, and live a righteous life from now on. God wants everyone saved and firgiven so they go to Heaven. And we do bad things and if we obeyed the Gospel and God forgave us, he will forgive anyone. And they live a new life loving & obeying Jesus. When we read the Bible, we see many stories of such forgiveness and see them now loving Jesus.

*someone died at school in news

>> never talk to strangers

>> if you see a angry person or sneaky person with weapon, tell adult. 

>> teach what to do. 

*not fear of guns, but sinful person.

>>explain children who are young or babies dont understand sin, when they do theyre accountable to God.  And that He will punish forever never ending those who do bad things and plot bad things when they die. But forgives those who come to Jesus and he helps them live rightly from now on. 

>>pray for the bad person that they will turn to Jesus, be saved, live rightly, and go to Heaven when they are old. And pray for their parents and friends because they are sadly surprised this happened. May they find peace and hope in Jesus too. 

>>talk about what they can share with their friends about this, and that it is okay if their friends have a different view, but we hold to the truth, no matter what others think. 

*someone died you hear or know

>>explain that people die because of adams sin in Eden. So corruption of sin brought diseases, suffering, pain, death into the world, and people doing wrong things. God wants to help fix us and restore us to righteousness. There is sinfulness and righteousness in the world. We need to choose God and Jesus for righteousness. 

>> prayers for family and friends.

>>prayers that many will remember life is short and they need to be saved. Pray God brings someone to share the Gospel to them. 

>> if someone you know but is too far to travel to funeral, go to social media like facebook, and leave a note.

"Prayers for safe travel, comfort & peace to you and those there, fir loving on one another, and opps for sharing the gospel along the way"

>>if someone you and they know, bring tracts to funeral, and let child hand them out, kindly. 

>> if saw on news, go together with your child and leave a short but well worded comment online along with needGod.com to point people to Jesus.  Such as... 

"Very sad we live in a sin stained world. Prayers for family & friends, and may they seek comfort in Jesus, and may this be a reminder to us all that death is the doorway to eternity. Make sure you are going to Heaven: needGod.com". Then close the page, and pray over the comment. Answer any questions your child has. 

*Child or baby died

>>explain babies and children who dont understand sin will go to Jesus in Heaven and live there forever with God. 

>>pray and thank God that they are now with Jesus in a good place. And not gone forever. 

>>explain that people die because of adams sin in Eden. So corruption of sin brought diseases, suffering, pain, and people doing wrong things. God wants to help fix us and restore us to righteousness. There is sinfulness and righteousness in the world. We need to choose God and Jesus for righteousness. 

>>if they know them and you go to the funeral. Prepare child for what is going to happen. Maybe show a Christian funeral online first. And if they want to hand out tracts, ask the bereved head person and pastor if the child could hand out tracts at the exit door to the service. Because she/he wants everyone to go to Heaven and understands tracts can help tell how. 

*if not, ask the pastor if we give the church money to mail the tracts to all who attended, would they do it for us, or allow us to do it? 

*Tell your pastor in advance, that your child encountered a death and funeral experience and would he give announcement at end of service and offer a tract to anyone who wants one in the foyer table. Either for themself or an extra one to give to someone they want to go to Heaven. 

Bullying 

Take ideas from listed points

People doing things they shouldnt

>>lots of folk talk around your kid, if it happens when you are there, you can talk with them then or in the car on way home or after visitors leave. 

-not every family member is saved

- not every person curbs subjects or gossip cuz a child or teen is there

-use the above talking points already shared, to have proper convos. 

Ask the child if there was something em said that wasnt godly, loving, or good. Or you can bring up certian things and point to how Scripture says we are to handle that in life and around others. 

If child touches on areas of vanity, discontentment, gossip, slander, sin, etc talk it from Scripture, and ask chikd to have silent prayer to God about that situation, for aunties salvation or sanctification growth, etc, and to make sure the child also asks God to hel em not be like that but to do right as Bible God gave us says to. And say that we will still love auntie even if it takes her a ling time to get saved/stop thinking thst way because God wants us to love all humans kindly even if they are not living right. We will live right even if they dont. And if mommy or daddy is doing wrong you can bring it to our attention snd we will try to fix that quickly so we are not hypocrites, and if em is doing wrongly mom and daddy will tell you so you can live rightly too and learn good more and more. 

In convos, even if it seems big words, if they hear these answers and convos God focused over and over then they will understand it eventually, and not be kids who walk away after high school cuz "God is mean" and "just lets suffering happen". Theyll understand it rightly

Prayer

And i would also add that when you see certian things in the news or people over around your child, that you talk about those in Christian way, and pray right then about it. It reinforces "Pray without ceasing", sets a proper precident, reminds them God is always with believers and cares about people, even those who make mistakes, do wrong and that forgiveness and help are available in God. "Train your child up in the faith and when older they wont depart from it." Once they have the essentials well grasped, theyll be better off than their peers even those in church. 

And you can share this link and overall application of biblical philosophy with other parents you interact with among "Christians" and those at church. Doing so can impact a entire generation. Every pebble tossed in the water has long reaching ripples across the entire pond. Parents can have a huge impact among other parents and that affects great numbers of children. Your current ministry is to your kids and what you do impacts everyone around you who has kids or will have kids in the coming years. Be a great example and lighthouse to them. 

Pray with your kids and for them out loud. When they are sick or worried or has something big coming up or before bed or just to give thanks for what God has given you, but esp when you live life daily. 

Teach these well in every opportunity, and make sure you grow in sanctification about these areas too. 

Forgiveness and love

Right mindset

Bonus: 

Praying over food at eateries

Model this whenever you eat out, and at others homes. 

*Ask the server if they have any prayer requests because you are going to pray over the meal, and would be happy to pray for them. 

-if they say no. Include them in a general prayer. 

-leave a tract with a tip when you leave.

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