{"id":1810,"date":"2022-06-28T13:56:46","date_gmt":"2022-06-28T13:56:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/livingstonesministries.org\/help4families\/?p=1810"},"modified":"2024-02-28T14:11:02","modified_gmt":"2024-02-28T14:11:02","slug":"five-affirmations-youth-need-daily","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/livingstonesministries.org\/help4families\/five-affirmations-youth-need-daily\/","title":{"rendered":"Five Affirmations Youth Need Daily"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<div class=\"wp-block-uagb-container uagb-block-ca5ff7a6 alignfull uagb-is-root-container\"><div style=\"font-size:24px;\" class=\"has-text-align-center has-link-color adobe-reg-italic wp-elements-85a8a21107b8ee66b96e773a6aa630b7 wp-block-post-date has-text-color has-web-light-green-color\"><time datetime=\"2022-06-28T13:56:46+00:00\">June 28, 2022<\/time><\/div>\n\n<h2 style=\"color:#ffffff; font-size:45px;font-style:normal;font-weight:600;text-transform:uppercase;letter-spacing:4px;\" class=\"has-text-align-center has-link-color proxima-font wp-elements-8489a226fd32958d683121eb2fa02d00 wp-block-post-title has-text-color\">Five Affirmations Youth Need Daily<\/h2><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-uagb-container uagb-block-ad2f35f4 alignfull uagb-is-root-container\"><div class=\"uagb-container-inner-blocks-wrap\">\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p class=\"adobe-reg blog-link has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-dda36b373c2a7c3d2945eab50796af3e\" style=\"color:#1a1a1ab3;font-size:18px;letter-spacing:0px\">Jesus said, \u201cThe thief\u2019s purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life.\u201d&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/biblia.com\/bible\/nlt\/John%2010.10\">John 10:10 (NLT)<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"adobe-reg blog-link has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-388250d004e22df44e09f60a5cba7ceb\" style=\"color:#1a1a1ab3;font-size:18px;letter-spacing:0px\">According to a&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/news.gallup.com\/poll\/389792\/lgbt-identification-ticks-up.aspx\">recent Gallup poll<\/a>, the percentage of US adults who self-identify as \u201csomething other than heterosexual has increased to a new high of 7.1%\u2014double the percentage from 2012, when Gallup first measured it.\u201d More alarming is that \u201croughly 21% of Generation Z Americans\u201d (born between 1997 and 2003) identify as LGBT.\u00b9<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"adobe-reg blog-link has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-11a1e3eb382fe9dd5968a75f3ca2af71\" style=\"color:#1a1a1ab3;font-size:18px;letter-spacing:0px\">Why are so many young people rejecting heterosexuality? Could it be as simple as&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.realclearpolitics.com\/video\/2022\/05\/22\/bill_maher_on_trans_kids_were_literally_experimenting_on_children_weighing_trade-offs_is_not_bigotry.html\">Bill Maher<\/a>&nbsp;recently suggested, \u201cThe prime directive of every teen is, anything to shock and challenge the squares who brought you up\u201d? Or is there something much more sinister at play?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"adobe-reg blog-link has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-487288030654722bd694dd47fd31a5c4\" style=\"color:#1a1a1ab3;font-size:18px;letter-spacing:0px\">Satan\u2019s prime directive is to \u201csteal and kill and destroy\u201d everything God creates. What is more fundamental to beings created in the image of God than identity and sexuality? If Satan can change how a person understands those two aspects of his or her humanity as early as age four or five, the enemy of our souls has gained leverage that can only be counteracted with the Word of God and the power of the Holy Spirit.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"adobe-reg blog-link has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-32a7b6714b3785d8a0724be695e5df7a\" style=\"color:#1a1a1ab3;font-size:18px;letter-spacing:0px\">Recently, I spoke at a high school assembly. As I looked out over the audience, my heart swelled with compassion. As an adolescent, I struggled with my identity after my father revealed to me his obsession to be a woman. Had God put him in the wrong body? Had God put me in the wrong body? Those questions haunted me for years and jeopardized my ability to become the woman God designed me to be.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"adobe-reg blog-link has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-161c93eab9a924816f04b025f6b6d498\" style=\"color:#1a1a1ab3;font-size:18px;letter-spacing:0px\">As I studied the smiling, and the sullen, faces in the auditorium that day I wondered how many of those teens waged a similar battle. Who in their life was instilling doubt, confusion, and angst about gender and sexuality? \u201cGracious Father,\u201d I prayed silently, \u201cgive me your words for these precious teens today. In the power of Jesus\u2019 name, amen.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"adobe-reg blog-link has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-1d9e201718f5107830f66e7f1e7d3838\" style=\"color:#1a1a1ab3;font-size:18px;letter-spacing:0px\">Here are the five affirmations I shared that day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading proxima-font has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-3f09e21722b4b575894a369d267368c9\" style=\"color:#4a4a4a;font-size:22px;letter-spacing:2px;text-transform:uppercase\"><strong>1. GOD LOVES YOU<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"adobe-reg blog-link has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-39908429147a11c708c2661d4f9048ae\" style=\"color:#1a1a1ab3;font-size:18px;letter-spacing:0px\">Again and again, God speaks of his love for us in the Bible. In&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/biblia.com\/bible\/esv\/Isa%2043.4\">Isaiah 43:4<\/a>, he says, \u201cYou are precious to me. You are honored, and I love you.\u201d We are so precious, I told the teens, that God sent his Son, Jesus, to die for us so we could live forever in heaven with him. Young people need to know that nothing they ever do or don\u2019t do can separate them from God\u2019s love.&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/biblia.com\/bible\/esv\/Rom%208.39\">Romans 8:39<\/a>&nbsp;says, \u201cNothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord.\u201d Every day, tell youth God loves them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading proxima-font has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-24eece42681dfd935b50d368760be941\" style=\"color:#4a4a4a;font-size:22px;letter-spacing:2px;text-transform:uppercase\"><strong>2. GOD CHOSE YOU<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"adobe-reg blog-link has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-241b55f1105c3551e45662a3791215d3\" style=\"color:#1a1a1ab3;font-size:18px;letter-spacing:0px\">Every person searches for identity and purpose. \u201cWho am I?\u201d and \u201cWhy am I here?\u201d are questions that can propel us to achieve or mire us in misery. God told the prophet Jeremiah, \u201cI knew you before I formed you in your mother\u2019s womb. Before you were born I set you apart\u201d (1:5). Jesus said to his disciples, \u201cYou didn\u2019t choose me. I chose you. I appointed you to go and produce lasting fruit\u201d (<a href=\"https:\/\/biblia.com\/bible\/esv\/John%2015.16\">John 15:16<\/a>).&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/biblia.com\/bible\/esv\/Eph%201.4\">Ephesians 1:4<\/a>&nbsp;says, \u201cEven before he made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in his eyes.\u201d Every day, remind youth God chose them to be part of his family.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading proxima-font has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-bd1d1725fc6ba43db7683b2ebac76a84\" style=\"color:#4a4a4a;font-size:22px;letter-spacing:2px;text-transform:uppercase\"><strong>3. YOU ARE A MASTERPIECE<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"adobe-reg blog-link has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-a9587708b43a8edc6256d44d5894a894\" style=\"color:#1a1a1ab3;font-size:18px;letter-spacing:0px\">No one is a random collection of cells either before or after birth. God created each person with specific talents, skills, strengths, and weaknesses.&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/biblia.com\/bible\/esv\/Eph%202.10\">Ephesians 2:10<\/a>&nbsp;says, \u201cFor we are God\u2019s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.\u201d Not even identical twins have identical personalities and skill sets. Each person\u2019s uniqueness is God\u2019s stamp of approval on that individual\u2019s worth. Every day, tell youth that only they can do \u201cthe good works\u201d God designed them to do.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading proxima-font has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-3dfa8f8483280ab843a4fc352d7e78de\" style=\"color:#4a4a4a;font-size:22px;letter-spacing:2px;text-transform:uppercase\"><strong>4. YOU ARE VICTORIOUS IN CHRIST<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"adobe-reg blog-link has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-f89cceeca9e7023ae946ed145b995359\" style=\"color:#1a1a1ab3;font-size:18px;letter-spacing:0px\">The world is scary. The neighborhood, school, or even home can feel unsafe. That\u2019s what happens in a world full of sinful people. In&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/biblia.com\/bible\/esv\/1%20Cor%2015.55\">1 Corinthians 15:55<\/a>, Paul asks, \u201cO death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?\u201d Jesus defeated death and sin when he paid the penalty for our sin on the cross and then rose from the dead. Some battles seem unwinnable, some problems unsolvable. And they are, apart from God. Remind youth every day that \u201cnothing is impossible with God\u201d (<a href=\"https:\/\/biblia.com\/bible\/esv\/Luke%201.37\">Luke 1:37<\/a>). He will always win. We all need to give him time to give us victory.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading proxima-font has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-6ef50b9a409662534a5a1cd64f90d55e\" style=\"color:#4a4a4a;font-size:22px;letter-spacing:2px;text-transform:uppercase\"><strong>5. YOU ARE STRONG IN THE POWER OF CHRIST<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"adobe-reg blog-link has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-ce1aabd20aa8e9c433f57ee6eaee11e5\" style=\"color:#1a1a1ab3;font-size:18px;letter-spacing:0px\">We all feel helpless at times\u2014frustrated, unprepared, or inept. And that\u2019s okay. God does not ask us to be invincible. He is all-powerful. God doesn\u2019t ask us to figure out everything on our own. He is all-wise. He told Paul, \u201cMy grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness\u201d (<a href=\"https:\/\/biblia.com\/bible\/esv\/2%20Cor%2012.9\">2 Corinthians 12:9<\/a>). The internet gives us access to more knowledge than we can ever absorb. But the wisdom to discern truth from error and the strength to hold firm to truth comes only from God. Tell youth every day that depending on God, not themselves or others, is the only path to certainty and fulfillment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading proxima-font has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-a4d045c35b39187f9b375a4275c971fc\" style=\"color:#4a4a4a;font-size:22px;letter-spacing:2px;text-transform:uppercase\"><strong>AFFIRM GOD-GIVEN IDENTITY AND SEXUALITY<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"adobe-reg blog-link has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-d8c030b4d5bbb89b7ca0b95e7f9681d8\" style=\"color:#1a1a1ab3;font-size:18px;letter-spacing:0px\">The&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.aamc.org\/news-insights\/what-gender-affirming-care-your-questions-answered\">medical community<\/a>&nbsp;and national health organizations now use the term \u201cgender-affirming care\u201d to promote \u201chormone-related treatments that delay puberty or promote development of masculine or feminine sex characteristics\u201d for both children and teens.\u00b2 What they are actually advocating, though, is gender-reversal care and those treatments, according to&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.foxnews.com\/us\/doctors-slam-levines-claim-gender-affirming-care-fear-speaking-in-hiding\">Florida Surgeon General Joseph Ladapo<\/a>&nbsp;\u201chave the potential for long-term irreversible effects,\u201d\u00b3 including&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC1124208\/\">cardiovascular disease and cancer.<\/a>\u2074<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"adobe-reg blog-link has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-e47521b5655d74d2a8b5708f985fa309\" style=\"color:#1a1a1ab3;font-size:18px;letter-spacing:0px\">With the sword of God\u2019s Word, the armor of his promises, and the power of the Holy Spirit, I won the identity war. I embraced the gender and purpose God gave me when he formed me in my mother\u2019s womb.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"adobe-reg blog-link has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-4a0f28f8c14125011784bce74db0868e\" style=\"color:#1a1a1ab3;font-size:18px;letter-spacing:0px\">Let\u2019s not push our youth toward destructive mindsets or medical treatments. Instead, affirm their God-given identity and sexuality so they can enjoy the \u201crich and satisfying life\u201d only he can provide.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"adobe-reg blog-link has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-8b02bfb75c7a07694cfe480bb1d81b70\" style=\"color:#1a1a1ab3;font-size:18px;letter-spacing:0px\">\u00b9Jeffrey M. Jones, \u201cLGBT Identification in U.S. Ticks Up to 7.1%, Gallup.com, 17 February 2022, https:\/\/news.gallup.com\/poll\/389792\/lgbt-identification-ticks-up.aspx.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"adobe-reg blog-link has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-1bb8ccb4333c1b66bedce3d0180d2155\" style=\"color:#1a1a1ab3;font-size:18px;letter-spacing:0px\">\u00b2Patrick Boyle, \u201cWhat Is Gender-Affirming Care? Your Questions Answered,\u201d Association of American Medical Colleges, 12 April 2022, https:\/\/www.aamc.org\/news-insights\/what-gender-affirming-care-your-questions-answered.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"adobe-reg blog-link has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-7e1633b59a14f90c2f534b388cef3202\" style=\"color:#1a1a1ab3;font-size:18px;letter-spacing:0px\">\u00b3Jon Brown, \u201cRachel Levine\u2019s Claim All Agree on \u2018Gender-Affirming Care\u2019 Is Slammed by Doctors \u2018in Hiding\u2019,\u201d Foxnews.com, 11 May 2022, https:\/\/www.foxnews.com\/us\/doctors-slam-levines-claim-gender-affirming-care-fear-speaking-in-hiding.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"adobe-reg blog-link has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-b161abd7faf6d72525bcd7cdfc35ab49\" style=\"color:#1a1a1ab3;font-size:18px;letter-spacing:0px\">\u2074Susan Mayor, National Library of Medicine, \u201cReview Warns That Risks of Long Term HRT Outweigh Benefits,\u201d 28 September 2002, https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC1124208\/.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<div class=\"gsp_post_data\" \r\n\t            data-post_type=\"post\" \r\n\t            data-cat=\"uncategorized\" \r\n\t            data-modified=\"120\"\r\n\t            data-created=\"1656424606\"\r\n\t            data-title=\"Five Affirmations Youth Need Daily\" \r\n\t            data-home=\"https:\/\/livingstonesministries.org\/help4families\"><\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Jesus said, \u201cThe thief\u2019s purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life.\u201d&nbsp;John 10:10 (NLT) According to a&nbsp;recent Gallup poll, the percentage of US adults who self-identify as \u201csomething other than heterosexual has increased to a new high of 7.1%\u2014double the percentage from 2012, when &#8230; <a title=\"Five Affirmations Youth Need Daily\" class=\"read-more\" href=\"https:\/\/livingstonesministries.org\/help4families\/five-affirmations-youth-need-daily\/\" aria-label=\"Read more about Five Affirmations Youth Need Daily\">Read more<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_uag_custom_page_level_css":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1810","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"aioseo_notices":[],"uagb_featured_image_src":{"full":false,"thumbnail":false,"medium":false,"medium_large":false,"large":false,"1536x1536":false,"2048x2048":false},"uagb_author_info":{"display_name":"admin","author_link":"https:\/\/livingstonesministries.org\/help4families\/author\/livingstone_g3td4qe3\/"},"uagb_comment_info":0,"uagb_excerpt":"Jesus said, \u201cThe thief\u2019s purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life.\u201d&nbsp;John 10:10 (NLT) According to a&nbsp;recent Gallup poll, the percentage of US adults who self-identify as \u201csomething other than heterosexual has increased to a new high of 7.1%\u2014double the percentage from 2012, when&hellip;","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/livingstonesministries.org\/help4families\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1810","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/livingstonesministries.org\/help4families\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/livingstonesministries.org\/help4families\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/livingstonesministries.org\/help4families\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/livingstonesministries.org\/help4families\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1810"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/livingstonesministries.org\/help4families\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1810\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1821,"href":"https:\/\/livingstonesministries.org\/help4families\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1810\/revisions\/1821"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/livingstonesministries.org\/help4families\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1810"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/livingstonesministries.org\/help4families\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1810"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/livingstonesministries.org\/help4families\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1810"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}