Teen Trends
School has ended for some people, and others only have a couple of weeks left. Whenever schools in your area get out, get ready because it'll be here soon. Here are a few tips on how to handle being home for the holidays during the pandemic.
Something to keep in mind is that some people enjoy spending more time at home with their family, but for others, they would rather be anywhere else. It can be difficult enough to hang out with people during breaks, but COVID will make it even harder this year. As you head into your Christmas Break, though, be ready and willing to listen to people. Be present in your friends' lives and encourage them. The holiday season can be tough for some people, so reach out to the people that might especially need it this Christmas.
Worship Song of the Week
If you are someone that longs for the good, old-fashioned hymns, Shane and Shane might just become your new favorite duo. Their Youtube channel features many classic Christian hymns. They also have songs that are centered around different chapters from Psalms and other more current worship songs. This group has something for everyone. On top of all this, the duo has been posting new songs while everyone has been stuck at home in quarantine, and it has really been a light in a dark place for many people.
Game of the Week
One game called Christmas in the Balance will test people's coordination and teamwork. Have each team make a "tree" using an empty roll of wrapping paper and a yardstick. Then, each team must try to hang five ornaments on each side without tipping over the "tree." Check out game #5 in this video to see an example. Also, feel free to check out any of the other games as well.
Sermon Illustration
Somedays, your day starts off normal, you may even be enjoying everything, and something can go wrong in a matter of moments and make it bad or even terrible! Alice Roth was just watching a baseball game when she was suddenly hit by a foul ball, TWICE! Sometimes, you feel like things are just going all wrong, and you can't help it or see it coming. You just can't seem to catch a break. One verse that speaks to these moments is Psalm 56:8, which says that God keeps track of all of our tears in a bottle or on a list. The tears are not wasted. They're not invisible to God. He is near to you and knows your world intimately. Remember that you're not alone and that God is with you and for you in this challenging season.
Psalm 56:8 (NLT) - "You keep track of all my sorrows. You have collected all my tears in your bottle. You have recorded each one in your book."
Encouraging Thought
It's important to remind ourselves just how much God cares about us, even when we feel like we're a mess. He's not above our struggles. In fact, He'll come down to us in the midst of our struggles and meet us there. He picks us up and puts us on his shoulder just like the shepherd did with the lost sheep in Luke 15. And trust us when we say that there's no better shoulder to cry on than Jesus' shoulder.
*If you would like to continue to receive these weekly posts, click HERE.
The vision of the Student Leader Weekly is to empower high schoolers (alongside adult leadership) with practical ministry ideas.