Photo by Abby Tolsma Have you ever struggled with friendships? Maybe you don’t have friends or your friends have hurt you. I’ve been there more than once and more than I cared to be. It feels like one moment the world is perfect—you have that friend to tell everything to, do everything with, the one…
Photo by Phil Kenyon This weekend I spent some time at a young adults retreat. Approximately 100 of us gathered together at a church to spend time enjoying various activities together. We all met new friends, shared laughs, and much more. But most importantly we shared our Christian faith together. We spent time dwelling on…
Thought No. 2: Tithing is safer than a safe deposit box Matthew 6:19–21 says, “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break…
Part 2: Why the Interview with the Consistory? Editor’s note: Since it is coming to that time of the year when young people across our federation stand and make profession of faith before the church, I thought it would be good to look at this topic using an article first written by the Rev.…
Thought No. 1: Tithing teaches us to put God first Deuteronomy 12:6 says, “There you shall take your burnt offerings and your sacrifices, your tithes, the heave offerings of your hand, your vowed offerings, your freewill offerings, and the firstborn of your herds and flocks.” On the Lies Young Women Believe blog, Erin Davis asks…
Part 1: Confession of Faith Editor’s note: Since it is coming to that time of the year when young people across our federation think about standing and making profession of faith before the church, I thought it would be good to look at this topic. Mostly I will be using an article first written…
By Rev. Mark Kelderman & Rev. Maarten Kuivenhoven If I knew your bank account number and deposited two million dollars into your account, I would have imputed (reckoned, declared, or counted) it to you or your account. What this means practically is that since I have put this money into your account, the very…
… who will end the old year and begin the new year praying, “Come, Lord Jesus” (Revelation 22:20). Teens who commit to pray this prayer—to really pray this prayer—are committing to do a number of things. They: Are Committing to Know Their Bibles This prayer is the next-to-the-last words in the Bible. And that’s…
Read: Luke 2:8-20 Did you ever notice this: That the shepherds twice stood in the presence of God that night the angel appeared unto them? The first time was when the glory of God shone around them. Then they had great fear. They were terrified at God’s presence. The second time was when they entered the…
Mary was just a teenager… Yet the angel didn’t ask her, “If you think you’re up for this.” Nor did He say, “When you’re old enough to handle it, this will happen to you.” He simply told her what God had given him to tell her. She, a teenager, was about to play as big…
