Youth Night at Church

My daughter wanted to attend Youth night this saturday. Get to see who's in youth group for the year and how they are going to do things this year.

It was an event for the whole family. We had visited friends earlier in the day so my hubby and my older son was too tired and wanted to stay home. So I went with my daughter and my younger son.

We used to go to this church every sunday. We enjoyed it. So we know a lot of people there. We went through some very difficult times with our lives and stayed away from church for a long time. I know that sounds weird but when your struggling with certain things, you just don't want to have to explain to anyone. And being with your christian friends, you inevitably wind up talking about it and praying for people which is all good but for us it was also just too humiliating and we stayed home. Then I hit a mental wall and for my sanity, I use saturday and sunday for days where I do not have to do anything cause I'm doing so much monday through friday.

So that being said...... We had a blast. And the message from the youth pastor was great. But it really got me thinking...... In the beginning of my daughter's life I was rebellious and didn't want to go to church. I didn't want anything to do with religion. I love the Lord and I prayed and I showed her how to pray. And we had our little kid conversations about the Lord. It wasn't until she was 2 that I decided I wanted something for her to have hope in. I wanted to share a faith with her that wasn't just my parents. And I started attending a really wonderful church that showed me a new way to worship. We went to sunday worship and wednesday night worship. We joined small groups and really got involved. I feel like I started off on the right foot with her. She accepted Christ when she was 7 years old. I believe with my whole heart that she believes in the Lord. However each year she gets older and older, I see her life drifting further and further away from a relationship with the Lord.

I know for me I was a little rebellious as a youth and I went away but never forgot. So part of me believes this will happen.

During the talk that the pastor gave, it made me think about how far I've come from what I was and with my boys and even my daughter now, I probably am not doing what I should in teaching them. And being reminded of the bible talking about teachers being held accountable to a higher standard than your average joe so to speak, it made me sad. I see the decisions that my daughter has made and continues to make and I wonder if I had just done more would she have turned out different? or are some of us just destined to do differently than what our parents would have raised us in?

I'm not letting it get me too down, I know it's never too late. I just wonder what I can do, how do you reach a 16 year old that really doesn't want to hear it.......