THE PRACTICE OF HOSPITALITY

TEXT: 1 Peter 4:9

TALKING TO GOD
Thank God for the ways in which He cares for you.

GOING DEEPER
Despite all the different things that go on at a fancy hotel, they're all a part of accomplishing one, central focus: caring for people.  Similarly, our homes have a lot of different rooms and a lot of different activities going on. And yet there is one central purpose: providing a place to care for people.  In Romans 12:13, the Bible teaches us to share with those in need and to practice hospitality. And when we open our homes to others — just like a nice hotel cares for guests — we're practicing hospitality.

TALKING TO EACH OTHER
- What's something that would help you feel welcome or cared for if you stayed in a nice hotel?
- When people come to your house, what can you do to care for them?

PARENTING: WHAT WOULD YOU DO?

Parents of teens sometimes find it hard to know what decisions to make about their children. They know what they would like to have them do, but they aren't sure they should insist on it.         

Some parents conclude that they have the have the right to make the choices for their offspring as long as they are supporting them. Others are more inclined to recognize the freedom of the teens to make their own decisions. Although both sides have merit, we should not assume that "anything goes.”There are biblical principles to consider, proper attitudes to display, and character traits to live out.   To illustrate, I’ll tell what three sets of parents did about college choices for their teens.    Each case was handled differently, but none ended in disaster. I am convinced that this can be accounted for because these parents took the Scriptures seriously, .showed love for their children, and tried to be good role models. You won't find a definite answer to the question,” What should I do?" But you will have a chance to think about biblical principles that apply.

THE CRYING STOPPED

The sun was shining, the birds were singing and Andrea was crying. So what else is new? I thought as I fixed breakfast.

Suddenly Andrea's crying turned to screaming and I winced .What are they doing to the child? I wondered as I turned up the radio.Andrea was nearly 5 and a lovely little girl. Her sad eyes often peeked out at me as I passed the apartment she shared with her mother and a man, Tom.  Andrea seldom went outside, and when she did she wore long dresses or pants. They covered bruises; it was common knowledge.   

One morning as we left for church, my husband and I walked right past apartment 12A, pretending not to hear Andrea's  screams, but Cissy and Jason refused to play the game."  

"Why is she crying so load?" Cissy asked.

"Sound like they're beating her to death," Jason said.               

"That's their business, son, "Mike told him.       

"We don't meddle in family matters"                   

COMMON TEEN HEALTH ISSUES

 Teenagers face many different stressors during an average day. School, peer pressure, athletics, jobs and growing bodies can all be difficult to deal with. Due to some of these stressors, teenagers may develop some common mental and physical health issues. Some common health issues for teens include eating disorders, mood disorders, acne and substance abuse.

DEVOTIONAL- WHERE TO PLACE YOUR HOPES

“The LORD is good to those whose hope is in him, to the one who seeks him” – Lamentations 3:25

In 1981, Eugene Lang, a millionaire industrialist, returned to P.S. 121, the elementary school he had attended in East Harlem 50 years earlier, to address a class of graduating sixth graders. He intended to tell the students, "Work hard and you'll succeed." But on the way to the podium, the school principal told Lang that three-quarters of the school's students would probably never finish high school, prompting Lang to make an impromptu change to his speech: he promised college tuition to every sixth grader who stayed in high school and graduated. Lang told the class about witnessing Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s famous "I Have a Dream" speech at the 1963 March on Washington. He urged the students to dream their own dreams, and promised to do all that he could to help them achieve their goals.

Mr. Lang nurtured the students with tutors, trips to colleges, an open door to his office and, above all, his energetic encouragement.

In June 1987, the hopes and dreams unfolded in East Harlem. The first two of Mr. Lang's protégés to complete high school, Rosanna Serrano and Aristedes Alvarado, received their diplomas at emotional graduation ceremonies conducted for the Manhattan Center for Math and Science. Ms. Serrano went on to attend college at Barnard and Mr. Alvarado enrolled at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute.

''Mr. Lang gave me a sense of someone being there for you,'' Aristedes said. ''You don't get that at school. When I told him I wasn't sure I could make it in such a prestigious school as Rensselaer, Lang said, 'Aristedes, you're a dreamer, dreamers can do anything.' '' Nearly 90 percent of that class went on to graduate from high school.

APPLES OF GOLD

"A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in pictures of silver.” Proverbs 25:11.                                   

FAMILY ABUSE 

See how a man treats his family, and you will see what his true feelings are about mankind.                       

If there is right in the heart, there will be beauty in the person;

If there is beauty in the person, there will be harmony in the home;

If there is harmony in the home, there will be order in the nation;

If there is order in the nation, there will be peace in the world.

Take stock of yourself and consider the lad;

Your time and your thoughts are his due.

How would you answer your God should He ask, "What sort of a father are you?"

Children have more need of models than of critics .The law defines child abuse and neglect as: The physical or mental injury, sexual abuse or exploitation, negligent treatment, or maltreatment of a child under the age of 18, by a person who is responsible for child's welfare and under circumstances which indicate that the child's health or welfare is harmed or threatened thereby.

Parents, who wish to train their children in the way they should go, must go in the way which they would have their children go.

When my father and my mother forsake me, then the Lord will take care of me (Psalm 27:10).

Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord (Psalm 127:3).   

PARENTS, FIGHT OBESITY FOR YOUR CHILDREN’S SAKE!

A neighbor whose teenage son weighs a hefty 107 kilos recounted to me not too long ago, how just because she is a tiny little thing(she actually weigh 52 kilos),people have tendency to assume her husband must be "orobo" and that her son must have taken after his father. But such assumptions are quickly banished when the boy’s father turns out to be as "lepacious" as his mother.

According to the middle-age woman, this contrast in parent-child physique has become a regular point of interest as people keep asking how she(and her spouse)came about birthing such a "big" boy .The questions are endless. Why is he so obese? How can you be slim and he so fat? Doesn’t he have your genes? What does he eat? She is grateful of their concerns, but to her, it’s more frustrating than embarrassing. Eventually she is able to appreciate that her son's obesity is acquired, not inherited. The question of whose responsibility it is for this development, is another question altogether.

These days there is a lot in the news about children and the "obesity epidemic” There are general notions about obesity and overweight being unhealthy, but what exactly are the concerns? Being obese increases a child's risk for some serious childhood medical problems such as prediabetes, diabetes heart disease, hyperlipidemia(too much fat in the blood, which can clog the arteries), sleep apnea, bone conditions, gastro-intestinal diseases ,and psychological problems.

These obesity - associated health problems tend to continue into adulthood .In addition to the risks, over-weight children are at greater risk of becoming obese adults, with all the health problems associated with obesity lasting through the lifespan.

The good news is that as a parent, you do have influence over your child's lifestyle and weight. Here’s some general advice on what to do:

ABUSE FROM “GOOD” PARENTS

Many good Christian parents may not realize they are abusing their children. Although their homes are not marked by physical violence, emotional abuse is taking its toll.

Following are 10 ways children experience emotional abuse- even in the best homes:

YELLING AT A CHILD

How easy is it for parents to be verbally impatient with their child. Father shouts and mother screams, thinking that the very force of their voice will mold the child into improvement. Of course this is not true. Most parents do not realize the emotional beating their child feels when she hears constant hollering.

COMPARING A CHILD UNFAVORABLY WITH OTHERS

Your child may not be perfect, but praising other children is not going to make her better. A child who makes a mistake only feels more inferior when her mother tells her that her sibling or a friend never does such things. Not only does this tear down a child’s image, but it also hurts her relationship with those who she is told are better than she is.

THROWING BIBLE VERSES AT A CHILD

Some parents feel that correcting their child with Bible verses will make her more conscious of her poor behavior. Actually, the bombardment of verses may only make her feel frustrated and guilty. This may create in her a dislike for the bible because it does nothing but tell her how bad she is. Children desperately need God’s word in their hearts and minds, but they should not be getting it when the parent is feeling hostile.

RIDICULING, MINIMIZING AND CRITICIZING A CHILD

Some parents may ridicule without even realizing it. Although some constructive criticism is helpful, a steady diet of negative words can only make a child feel inadequate and discouraged.

STEPS TO PERSONAL EMPOWERMENT

There are many things in this world that will work to bring you down. Personal empowerment is extremely important, and discovering that you are a strong individual is the first step towards living a happier life. There are many factors that come into play, and over time you too can rebuild your self esteem and lead an empowered life.

Here are some things to keep in mind:

SET GOALS AND MEET THEM

Setting goals that you can realistically accomplish is a great way to get your life on track and build self esteem. Don't set goals that you know you can't accomplish. Start small and work up to bigger goals over time.

Write down your top five goals, and then write down the steps that you will need to take in order to accomplish those goals. By the way, you should think big. You can have the life that you want to have; don't try to confine your dreams and ambitions merely because you are afraid of failure. Don’t give up on that goal simply because it will take several steps to achieve it. Map out your steps, and go for it.

NEVER STOP LEARNING

Along with goal setting, never stop your own personal path towards greatness. It is never too late to learn a new skill or discover something amazing about the world. Get out there and start learning something you've always wanted to, whether it is a foreign language or how to play a musical instrument.

TAKE ACTION

Make a difference! Volunteer your time to a cause you are passionate about and see that you can make a difference. The important thing here is to know that you are important and can make a significant impact in others lives!

Empower yourself to get more out of life! Don't let those who are out there to hurt others take advantage of you. These simple steps can help anyone find their purpose and get more out of life!

PUT AN END TO NEGATIVE INNER DIALOGUE

Are you your own worst enemy? Do you tell yourself that you can't achieve your goals and attain your dreams? Do you have a hard time believing others when they complimentary things about you? If you allow your negative self-talk to take control of your entire existence, you will be giving away your power to something that only exists within the confines of your self-abusing mind. You have control over your thoughts. You do. When self-defeating negativity enters your stream of consciousness, you can make a choice to turn the switch and think of something else. This can be a hard skill to learn if you have been fostering your negativity for years, but everyone has the innate ability to tap into the power of positive thinking. You need to rebuild your self-worth from the ground up so that you can start enjoying life and getting the most out of each day. It is helpful when you are first starting to develop your positive thinking skills to use verbalization and visualization.

When you catch yourself thinking negatively about yourself, say "stop!" out loud, and verbalize the positive version of the negative thought you were about to have.

LET ME START BY INTRODUCING CLEAN TEENS INTERNATIONAL

Clean Teens International is a nonprofit organization established with the vision to inspire, empower and educate girls and young women across the globe with healthy behaviors, life-skills and tools that will aid in their development so they can bloom to their full potential.

Our mission is to foster and support teen girls through our signature branded empowerment conferences, educational forums, awareness workshops and on-line resources.

Statistics show us that our girls and young women are in crisis and at risk. Negative influences in society, inefficiencies within the public educational system, lack of parental guidance in some homes, teen pregnancy, media imagery and sexual exposure are many of the forces that we are eager to combat. We believe that these influences can be quite devastating and impede the chances of many beautiful and vibrant girls and young women to blossom to their full potential.

All that we are is a result of what we have thought!

Our mission is simple and very clear – we are working to make differences that count! 
We have developed programs that provide mentorship, improve literacy, 
raise social awareness and education in regards to health care, sexuality, education, 
etiquette and empowerment....