Teen Trends
This trend may seem rather surprising to some people, but Gen Z isn't as interested in obtaining a driver's license like previous generations. With options such as Uber and Lyft, transportation services are a viable and cheaper alternative. Plus, not only is buying a car expensive, but cars are a huge culprit in the climate-change debate because of their carbon emissions, which is an issue that Gen Z as a whole is very conscious of. If you want to read more about this trend and what's behind it, you can read the article from the Washington Post here.
Song of the Week
Crossroads Music released a new single this past week called "Grateful." The group is connected to Crossroads Church in Ohio. This song in particular, as you may have guessed, is a song of thanksgiving to God for all that He has done for us. From the mountains that He moves, to every little breath we take, He has given us so much to be thankful for. We all could use more gratitude in our lives, and this song is a perfect, timely reminder of that.
Check out our running playlist of this season's songs on Spotify here.
Sermon Illustration
It's easy to see how God has been with us and provided for us in hindsight. In the moment though, it's next to impossible. Our pain crowds our ability to accurately see what's going on and what God might be doing. These are the moments where we must proclaim God's promises - out of faith - even if we don't believe them. Paul is a beautiful example of this. He wrote several of the epistles while he was imprisoned. The fact that he can write verses like Phil. 4:6 while he's imprisoned is evidence of the mentality of gratitude that Paul had cultivated.
Philippians 4:6 - Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.
Encouraging Thought
I don't know where the saying originated, but it's that "having an insecure moment doesn't make you an insecure person". That saying on its own is profound, and maybe that's what you needed to hear this week. I think the same principle applies to faith and doubt though.
"Having a moment (or season) of doubt doesn't make you a doubtful person."
Doubt is normal; it's a part of everyone's spiritual journey. Asking questions isn't a bad thing. If anything, it shows that you really care about it and want to learn more. Wrestling with God is a painful process, but on the other side, you'll be glad that you stuck with it.
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The vision of the Student Leader Weekly is to empower high schoolers (alongside adult leadership) with practical ministry ideas.