{"id":234,"date":"2015-08-28T10:02:43","date_gmt":"2015-08-28T17:02:43","guid":{"rendered":"?page_id=62"},"modified":"2022-04-30T21:12:48","modified_gmt":"2022-05-01T02:12:48","slug":"answers-for-teens","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/sites-stage.josh.org\/main\/resources\/youth-family\/answers-for-teens\/","title":{"rendered":"Answers for Teens"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t<div data-elementor-type=\"wp-page\" data-elementor-id=\"234\" class=\"elementor elementor-234\" data-elementor-post-type=\"page\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<section data-particle_enable=\"false\" data-particle-mobile-disabled=\"false\" class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-426efcf elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"426efcf\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-e-type=\"section\" data-settings=\"{&quot;jet_parallax_layout_list&quot;:[]}\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-b2056c9\" data-id=\"b2056c9\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<section data-particle_enable=\"false\" data-particle-mobile-disabled=\"false\" class=\"elementor-section elementor-inner-section elementor-element elementor-element-1ee9e66 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"1ee9e66\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-e-type=\"section\" data-settings=\"{&quot;jet_parallax_layout_list&quot;:[]}\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-50 elementor-inner-column elementor-element elementor-element-2dbb7ea\" data-id=\"2dbb7ea\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-7e86e72 elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"7e86e72\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/sites-stage.josh.org\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/607\/2022\/04\/teens.jpeg?w=550\" title=\"teens\" alt=\"teens\" loading=\"lazy\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-50 elementor-inner-column elementor-element elementor-element-67ee681\" data-id=\"67ee681\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-cdf67bf elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"cdf67bf\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>All content was taken from Josh McDowell\u2019s\u00a0<em>The Teenage Q&amp;A Book<\/em>\u00a0which answers over 230 questions teens ask about\u00a0parents, self image, peer pressure, friends, dating, love, sex and\u00a0abuse.<\/p><p>No question is off limits, and no answer is impossible!<\/p><p>And, don\u2019t forget to check out\u00a0<em><a href=\"https:\/\/www.josh.org\/resources\/apologetics\/answering-skeptics\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Answers to Tough Questions\u00a0<strong>Skeptics<\/strong>\u00a0Ask<\/a>\u00a0<\/em>or let us\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.josh.org\/request-prayer\/\">pray for you<\/a>.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section data-particle_enable=\"false\" data-particle-mobile-disabled=\"false\" class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-50e2bab elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"50e2bab\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-e-type=\"section\" data-settings=\"{&quot;jet_parallax_layout_list&quot;:[]}\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-a5f6a13\" data-id=\"a5f6a13\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-92940c5 pp-buttons-halign-stretch pp-buttons-stack-tablet pp-buttons-valign-middle elementor-widget elementor-widget-pp-buttons\" data-id=\"92940c5\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"pp-buttons.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"pp-buttons-group\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"#parents\" class=\"pp-button elementor-button elementor-size-sm elementor-repeater-item-ebf498b \">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"pp-button-content-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"pp-button-content-inner pp-icon-before\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"pp-button-title\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tParents\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"#selfimage\" class=\"pp-button elementor-button elementor-size-sm elementor-repeater-item-dd26f74 \">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"pp-button-content-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"pp-button-content-inner pp-icon-before\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"pp-button-title\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tSelf-Image\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"#peerpressure\" class=\"pp-button elementor-button elementor-size-sm elementor-repeater-item-c48387d \">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"pp-button-content-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"pp-button-content-inner pp-icon-before\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"pp-button-title\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tPeer Pressure\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"#friends\" class=\"pp-button elementor-button elementor-size-sm elementor-repeater-item-704d84f \">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"pp-button-content-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"pp-button-content-inner pp-icon-before\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"pp-button-title\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tFriends\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"#dating\" class=\"pp-button elementor-button elementor-size-sm elementor-repeater-item-a3ac642 \">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"pp-button-content-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"pp-button-content-inner pp-icon-before\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"pp-button-title\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tDating\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"#love\" class=\"pp-button elementor-button elementor-size-sm elementor-repeater-item-5a847d1 \">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"pp-button-content-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"pp-button-content-inner pp-icon-before\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"pp-button-title\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tLove\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"#sex\" class=\"pp-button elementor-button elementor-size-sm elementor-repeater-item-956a0cd \">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"pp-button-content-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"pp-button-content-inner pp-icon-before\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"pp-button-title\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tSex\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"#abuse\" class=\"pp-button elementor-button elementor-size-sm elementor-repeater-item-b6de0cf \">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"pp-button-content-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"pp-button-content-inner pp-icon-before\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"pp-button-title\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tAbuse\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section data-particle_enable=\"false\" data-particle-mobile-disabled=\"false\" class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-f55170d elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"f55170d\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-e-type=\"section\" id=\"parents\" data-settings=\"{&quot;jet_parallax_layout_list&quot;:[]}\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-df54668\" data-id=\"df54668\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-a07c345 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"a07c345\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Parents<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-c577eed elementor-widget elementor-widget-pp-advanced-accordion\" data-id=\"c577eed\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-settings=\"{&quot;accordion_type&quot;:&quot;toggle&quot;,&quot;toggle_speed&quot;:300}\" data-widget_type=\"pp-advanced-accordion.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"pp-advanced-accordion pp-toggle-icon-align-right\" id=\"pp-advanced-accordion-c577eed\" data-accordion-id=\"c577eed\" role=\"tablist\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"pp-accordion-item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div id=\"pp-accordion-tab-title-2071\" class=\"pp-accordion-tab-title\" tabindex=\"0\" data-tab=\"1\" role=\"tab\" aria-controls=\"pp-accordion-tab-content-2071\" aria-expanded=\"false\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"pp-accordion-title-icon\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"pp-accordion-title-text\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tMy Parents Have Always Told Me that I Would Never Amount to Anything. Why Has This Affected Me So Much?\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"pp-accordion-toggle-icon\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class='pp-accordion-toggle-icon-close pp-icon'>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<i aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"fas fa-chevron-down\"><\/i>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class='pp-accordion-toggle-icon-open pp-icon'>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<i aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"fas fa-chevron-up\"><\/i>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<div id=\"pp-accordion-tab-content-2071\" class=\"pp-accordion-tab-content\" data-tab=\"1\" role=\"tabpanel\" aria-labelledby=\"pp-accordion-tab-title-2071\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>Your self-image is composed of conclusions you have reached about yourself. These conclusions follow this sequence:<\/p><table border=\"0\" cellspacing=\"2\" cellpadding=\"2\"><tbody><tr><td width=\"35%\"><strong>Stages<\/strong><\/td><td width=\"65%\"><strong>Example<\/strong><\/td><\/tr><tr valign=\"top\"><td>You hear it.<br \/>You think about it.<br \/>An experience reinforces it.<br \/>You feel it. You believe it.<\/td><td>\u201cYou\u2019re stupid.\u201d Am I stupid?<br \/>You make a big mistake and your friends laugh at you.<br \/>I feel so stupid.<br \/>I am told I\u2019m stupid, I act that way, I feel that way. It must be true. I am stupid.<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><p>\u00a0<\/p><p>That\u2019s why it\u2019s so important to know what God says about you. As you read the Bible you learn what God thinks of you. And what God thinks of you is what is true about you.<\/p><p><em>Taken from\u00a0The Teenage Q&amp;A Book, pg. 40<\/em><\/p><p>Watch short videos on\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.josh.org\/resources\/spiritual-growth\/videos\/\">Building Your Self Image<\/a>. Or get Josh\u2019s book,\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.josh.org\/product\/see-god-sees\/\">See Yourself as God Sees You<\/a>.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"pp-accordion-item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div id=\"pp-accordion-tab-title-2072\" class=\"pp-accordion-tab-title\" tabindex=\"0\" data-tab=\"2\" role=\"tab\" aria-controls=\"pp-accordion-tab-content-2072\" aria-expanded=\"false\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"pp-accordion-title-icon\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"pp-accordion-title-text\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tWhy Must My Parents Embarass Me in Front of My Friends?\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"pp-accordion-toggle-icon\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class='pp-accordion-toggle-icon-close pp-icon'>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<i aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"fas fa-chevron-down\"><\/i>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class='pp-accordion-toggle-icon-open pp-icon'>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<i aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"fas fa-chevron-up\"><\/i>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<div id=\"pp-accordion-tab-content-2072\" class=\"pp-accordion-tab-content\" data-tab=\"2\" role=\"tabpanel\" aria-labelledby=\"pp-accordion-tab-title-2072\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>It doesn\u2019t take much for a parent to ruin things, does it? Like hanging around pretending they are tidying up when your friends are over, but it\u2019s obvious they are trying to listen in on the conversation. Or trying to be \u201ccool\u201d by talking about the latest music groups and the only group they mention is Lawrence Welk. Or how about when they kiss you in public?<\/p><p>Definitely try to communicate your feelings to them. But be sensitive. Rumor has it there are some things you do that embarrasses them. Perhaps you could work out an arrangement that would be mutually beneficial, causing nobody ever to be embarrassed again.<\/p><p><em>Taken from\u00a0The Teenage Q&amp;A Book, pg. 15<\/em><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"pp-accordion-item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div id=\"pp-accordion-tab-title-2073\" class=\"pp-accordion-tab-title\" tabindex=\"0\" data-tab=\"3\" role=\"tab\" aria-controls=\"pp-accordion-tab-content-2073\" aria-expanded=\"false\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"pp-accordion-title-icon\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"pp-accordion-title-text\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tDo I Have to Obey My Parents If They Aren\u2019t Christians?\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"pp-accordion-toggle-icon\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class='pp-accordion-toggle-icon-close pp-icon'>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<i aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"fas fa-chevron-down\"><\/i>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class='pp-accordion-toggle-icon-open pp-icon'>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<i aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"fas fa-chevron-up\"><\/i>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<div id=\"pp-accordion-tab-content-2073\" class=\"pp-accordion-tab-content\" data-tab=\"3\" role=\"tabpanel\" aria-labelledby=\"pp-accordion-tab-title-2073\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>Whether or not your parents are believers has nothing to do with whether you should obey them. (Great try, though!) They deserve obedience because God placed them over you.<\/p><p>Romans 13:1 says, \u201cLet every person be in subjection to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those which exist are established by God.\u201d Obedience to your parents is an expression of your obedience to God.<\/p><p><em>Taken from\u00a0The Teenage Q&amp;A Book, pg. 7<\/em><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"pp-accordion-item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div id=\"pp-accordion-tab-title-2074\" class=\"pp-accordion-tab-title\" tabindex=\"0\" data-tab=\"4\" role=\"tab\" aria-controls=\"pp-accordion-tab-content-2074\" aria-expanded=\"false\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"pp-accordion-title-icon\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"pp-accordion-title-text\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tIs It Wrong to Argue with Your Parents When You Know You Are Right?\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"pp-accordion-toggle-icon\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class='pp-accordion-toggle-icon-close pp-icon'>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<i aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"fas fa-chevron-down\"><\/i>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class='pp-accordion-toggle-icon-open pp-icon'>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<i aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"fas fa-chevron-up\"><\/i>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<div id=\"pp-accordion-tab-content-2074\" class=\"pp-accordion-tab-content\" data-tab=\"4\" role=\"tabpanel\" aria-labelledby=\"pp-accordion-tab-title-2074\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>If your attitude is wrong, it is wrong to argue anytime, even if you\u2019re right. Ephesians 6:2 says, \u201cHonor your father and mother (which is the first commandment with a promise).\u201d If you have committed your life to the Lordship of Christ, you have no other option. You must show honor at all times.<\/p><p>When you find yourself in those situations, you might go away and let things cool down a bit. No, let them cool down a lot. If you feel that it would be beneficial for your parents to know the answer (not just know you were right), you might carefully bring it up again. If you don\u2019t think it would benefit them or if they begin to get upset, then drop it immediately.<\/p><p><em>Taken from\u00a0The Teenage Q&amp;A Book<\/em><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"pp-accordion-item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div id=\"pp-accordion-tab-title-2075\" class=\"pp-accordion-tab-title\" tabindex=\"0\" data-tab=\"5\" role=\"tab\" aria-controls=\"pp-accordion-tab-content-2075\" aria-expanded=\"false\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"pp-accordion-title-icon\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"pp-accordion-title-text\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tIt\u2019s So Hard to Talk to My Parents. When I Do, They Don\u2019t Listen.\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"pp-accordion-toggle-icon\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class='pp-accordion-toggle-icon-close pp-icon'>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<i aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"fas fa-chevron-down\"><\/i>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class='pp-accordion-toggle-icon-open pp-icon'>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<i aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"fas fa-chevron-up\"><\/i>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<div id=\"pp-accordion-tab-content-2075\" class=\"pp-accordion-tab-content\" data-tab=\"5\" role=\"tabpanel\" aria-labelledby=\"pp-accordion-tab-title-2075\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>Communication is hard work. It\u2019s often easier to say nothing than to talk things out. But watch out for making excuses not to communicate: \u201cThey never listen anyway\u201d; \u201cWe will only end up fighting\u201d; or \u201cThey will just make fun of me.\u201d<\/p><p>Also avoid communication-killers. When your parents don\u2019t seem to understand, it doesn\u2019t take long to form habits that kill communication.<\/p><p>Some of these are:<\/p><ul><li><em><strong>The Silent Treatment<\/strong>.<\/em>\u00a0You don\u2019t speak at all to your parents (usually to \u201cget even\u201d for something).<\/li><li><em><strong>The Last Word<\/strong>.<\/em>\u00a0This can be done with anger or with controlled politeness. You have to have the last word.<\/li><li><em><strong>I\u2019ll Just Put Up with It<\/strong>.<\/em>\u00a0You say what you think your parents want to hear, then go out secretly and do what you want anyway.<\/li><li><em><strong>Bigger, Better, Nicer<\/strong>.\u00a0<\/em>You tell your parents how much better your friends\u2019 parents are.<\/li><li><em><strong>Running Away<\/strong>.\u00a0<\/em>You get so frustrated that you leave the room or the house to avoid further confrontation.<\/li><li><em><strong>Dogging Them with Dogmatism<\/strong>.<\/em>\u00a0Your conversation is full of phrases such as \u201cYou never\u201d or \u201cYou always.\u201d<\/li><li><em><strong>Bugging \u2018Em to Death<\/strong>.<\/em>\u00a0Here you believe that if you pester them long enough you can get your way (<em>Parents: Raising Them Properly<\/em>, pp. 19, 20).<\/li><\/ul><p>Finally, don\u2019t get frustrated and give up. Keep the lines of communication open. Even though it may feel like you are not making progress, if you try, you really are moving ahead in your relationships.<\/p><p><em>Taken from\u00a0The Teenage Q&amp;A Book, p. 4<\/em><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"pp-accordion-item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div id=\"pp-accordion-tab-title-2076\" class=\"pp-accordion-tab-title\" tabindex=\"0\" data-tab=\"6\" role=\"tab\" aria-controls=\"pp-accordion-tab-content-2076\" aria-expanded=\"false\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"pp-accordion-title-icon\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"pp-accordion-title-text\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tIs It Right that I\u2019m Forced to Go to Church Each Week?\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"pp-accordion-toggle-icon\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class='pp-accordion-toggle-icon-close pp-icon'>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<i aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"fas fa-chevron-down\"><\/i>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class='pp-accordion-toggle-icon-open pp-icon'>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<i aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"fas fa-chevron-up\"><\/i>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<div id=\"pp-accordion-tab-content-2076\" class=\"pp-accordion-tab-content\" data-tab=\"6\" role=\"tabpanel\" aria-labelledby=\"pp-accordion-tab-title-2076\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><strong>Doesn\u2019t the constitution guarantee me freedom of religion?<\/strong><\/p><p>Look at it this way. If you do go to church, it\u2019s not going to hurt you. It might even help you. But if you don\u2019t go to church, your parents will probably kill you. Considering the consequences, going to church seems a whole lot better choice.\u00a0 As long as you live under their roof, and they are responsible for taking care of you, you need to do what they ask.<\/p><p><em>Taken from\u00a0The Teenage Q&amp;A Book, pg. 9<\/em><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"pp-accordion-item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div id=\"pp-accordion-tab-title-2077\" class=\"pp-accordion-tab-title\" tabindex=\"0\" data-tab=\"7\" role=\"tab\" aria-controls=\"pp-accordion-tab-content-2077\" aria-expanded=\"false\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"pp-accordion-title-icon\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"pp-accordion-title-text\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tMy Parents Never Believe Me. Any Suggestions?\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"pp-accordion-toggle-icon\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class='pp-accordion-toggle-icon-close pp-icon'>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<i aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"fas fa-chevron-down\"><\/i>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class='pp-accordion-toggle-icon-open pp-icon'>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<i aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"fas fa-chevron-up\"><\/i>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<div id=\"pp-accordion-tab-content-2077\" class=\"pp-accordion-tab-content\" data-tab=\"7\" role=\"tabpanel\" aria-labelledby=\"pp-accordion-tab-title-2077\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>To get your parents to believe you, you must first ask why they don\u2019t trust you. Generally, it is because they have discovered that you have lied about something in the past.\u00a0 Lying has terrible consequences. If someone has lied to you, how do you know when they\u2019re lying or telling the truth?<\/p><p>To get your parents to believe you, ask them to forgive you for any and every time you have lied to them in the past. And don\u2019t stop with just asking forgiveness for the lies you\u2019ve said with your mouth. Also ask forgiveness for the lies you\u2019ve said with your actions\u2014like having a bunch of friends over at the house when it was forbidden.<\/p><p>Second, learn to admit when you blow it. Nobody believes you always live a perfect life. So when they hear you volunteer the fact that you blew it, but now you are sorry for what you did, they will believe you much more quickly than if you never admit your shortcomings and failures.<\/p><p><em>The Teenage Q&amp;A Book, page 13.<\/em><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"pp-accordion-item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div id=\"pp-accordion-tab-title-2078\" class=\"pp-accordion-tab-title\" tabindex=\"0\" data-tab=\"8\" role=\"tab\" aria-controls=\"pp-accordion-tab-content-2078\" aria-expanded=\"false\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"pp-accordion-title-icon\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"pp-accordion-title-text\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tWhy Do My Parents Make Such a Big Deal about My Hair and Clothes?\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"pp-accordion-toggle-icon\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class='pp-accordion-toggle-icon-close pp-icon'>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<i aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"fas fa-chevron-down\"><\/i>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class='pp-accordion-toggle-icon-open pp-icon'>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<i aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"fas fa-chevron-up\"><\/i>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<div id=\"pp-accordion-tab-content-2078\" class=\"pp-accordion-tab-content\" data-tab=\"8\" role=\"tabpanel\" aria-labelledby=\"pp-accordion-tab-title-2078\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>I\u2019m not hurting anyone!<\/p><p>Possibly. Depends on how much hair spray you used. After two or three cans of it, your spike can become a lethal weapon. If you bent over and rammed someone it might go right through them.<\/p><p>Parents make a big deal about the way you look for the same reason you make a big deal about the way they look. Think about it.<\/p><p>When your friends are over, why do you panic any time your parents ask permission to come out of their room? You\u2019re afraid your friends will think you have weird parents, right? You don\u2019t really care if people like your parents, as long as your friends think they are normal human beings.<\/p><p>The same is true for your parents. They want their friends to think you are a \u201cnormal\u201d teenager because they don\u2019t want them to think you are weird. To a par\u00adent, a normal teenager is a cross between Wally Cleaver (on \u201cLeave it to Beaver,\u201d if you watch reruns) and Mary Ann (from \u201cGilligan\u2019s Island\u201d). You have to remember that\u2019s the TV diet on which they grew up. The truth of the matter is a \u201cnormal\u201d teenager is more like an alien than anything else your parents or their friends are used to.<\/p><p><em>Taken from\u00a0The Teenage Q&amp;A Book, pg. 2<\/em><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"pp-accordion-item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div id=\"pp-accordion-tab-title-2079\" class=\"pp-accordion-tab-title\" tabindex=\"0\" data-tab=\"9\" role=\"tab\" aria-controls=\"pp-accordion-tab-content-2079\" aria-expanded=\"false\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"pp-accordion-title-icon\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"pp-accordion-title-text\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tWhy Do Mom and Dad Talk about Getting a Divorce?\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"pp-accordion-toggle-icon\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class='pp-accordion-toggle-icon-close pp-icon'>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<i aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"fas fa-chevron-down\"><\/i>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class='pp-accordion-toggle-icon-open pp-icon'>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<i aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"fas fa-chevron-up\"><\/i>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<div id=\"pp-accordion-tab-content-2079\" class=\"pp-accordion-tab-content\" data-tab=\"9\" role=\"tabpanel\" aria-labelledby=\"pp-accordion-tab-title-2079\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>There are times when mom and dad may have problems getting along. One thing or another may cause this. The major stress points in a marriage are not kids as much as financial problems, lack of communication and lack of trust.<\/p><p>When parents, or anyone for that matter, get under pressure, their sensitivity level goes up. As a result they get easily offended by their spouse and begin to fight.<\/p><p>One of the deadliest weapons in their arsenal is divorce. They know that by merely bringing the subject up that they can inflict great pain.<\/p><p>During times when they talk like that, you too must fight but not the same fight that your parents are having. Your fight is in the spiritual realm. When you discover that they are or have been talking about divorce, go into your room and assume the role of a prayer warrior.<\/p><p>Ephesians 6:10-12, 18 says, \u201cFinally, be strong in the Lord, and in the strength of His might. Put on the full armor of God, that you may be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places. . . . With all prayer and petition pray at all times in the Spirit, and with this in view, be on the alert with all perseverance and petition for all the saints.\u201d<\/p><p><em>Taken from\u00a0The Teenage Q&amp;A Book, pg. 22<\/em><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"pp-accordion-item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div id=\"pp-accordion-tab-title-20710\" class=\"pp-accordion-tab-title\" tabindex=\"0\" data-tab=\"10\" role=\"tab\" aria-controls=\"pp-accordion-tab-content-20710\" aria-expanded=\"false\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"pp-accordion-title-icon\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"pp-accordion-title-text\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tWhy don\u2019t my parents like any of my friends?\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"pp-accordion-toggle-icon\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class='pp-accordion-toggle-icon-close pp-icon'>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<i aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"fas fa-chevron-down\"><\/i>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class='pp-accordion-toggle-icon-open pp-icon'>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<i aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"fas fa-chevron-up\"><\/i>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<div id=\"pp-accordion-tab-content-20710\" class=\"pp-accordion-tab-content\" data-tab=\"10\" role=\"tabpanel\" aria-labelledby=\"pp-accordion-tab-title-20710\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>There are probably different reasons for different friends. Usually the main reason is fear that a particular friend has been or will be a negative influence on you. They know (possibly from experience) how easy it is to pick up bad habits, and they don\u2019t want you to get into trouble. Or perhaps your parents think your friend is disrespectful. For example, take a typical phone conver-sation: your friend calls up and asks, with the sensitivity of a water buffalo, \u201cIs Wild Man Willie there?\u201d They would much rather hear a polite, \u201cMay I speak to William please? This is Mark calling.\u201d<\/p><p>Another reason is they might be thinking your friend isn\u2019t good enough for you. This is true especially if your friend is of the opposite sex and you want to date him or her. Perhaps the underlying reason for all of these is that your parents want the best for you and very few of your friends can measure up to their standards. This issue, like many others in your relationship with your parents, can be a reason to initiate World War III or communicate (peacefully) some strong feelings. Choose the latter and be glad your parents care for you.<\/p><p><em>Taken from\u00a0The Teenage Q&amp;A Book, pg. 3<\/em><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"pp-accordion-item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div id=\"pp-accordion-tab-title-20711\" class=\"pp-accordion-tab-title\" tabindex=\"0\" data-tab=\"11\" role=\"tab\" aria-controls=\"pp-accordion-tab-content-20711\" aria-expanded=\"false\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"pp-accordion-title-icon\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"pp-accordion-title-text\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tWhy Do My Parents Think I\u2019m Weird?\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"pp-accordion-toggle-icon\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class='pp-accordion-toggle-icon-close pp-icon'>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<i aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"fas fa-chevron-down\"><\/i>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class='pp-accordion-toggle-icon-open pp-icon'>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<i aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"fas fa-chevron-up\"><\/i>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<div id=\"pp-accordion-tab-content-20711\" class=\"pp-accordion-tab-content\" data-tab=\"11\" role=\"tabpanel\" aria-labelledby=\"pp-accordion-tab-title-20711\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><strong>Why do my parents sometimes look at me like I just arrived from outer space?<\/strong><\/p><p>In a word, because you have\u00a0<strong>changed<\/strong>. Consider your appetite. Where you once ate three meals a day (excluding vegetables, of course), you now have the appetite of a giant termite consuming a week\u2019s worth of groceries in a matter of minutes without any help from your friends.\u00a0 Speaking of which, you parents don\u2019t routinely interact with a person dressed in black leather with orange hair and a three-carat diamond in his pierced nose.<\/p><p>If those two developments alone aren\u2019t enough to amaze them, what about your growth? They may be somewhat fearful that if you keep growing at the same rate you have, you body might soon be as big as your mouth (from their perspective, of course). Your intelligence has also grown.\u00a0 You now know everything about everything.<\/p><p>Where you once were polite and well mannered, you now burp in public and respond to all questions with a terse, \u201cLeave me alone.\u201d You no longer require any sleep.\u00a0 You go to bed at 4 am and get up at 7.<\/p><p>If you are a guy, you never leave your room.\u00a0 if you are a girl, you never come out of the bathroom.<\/p><p>In a matter of months they have witnessed a radical transformation take place in their \u201clittle boy\u201d or \u201clittle girl.\u201d Little wonder they sometimes look at you as if you are sort of strange.\u00a0 Don\u2019t worry, the same thing happened to them.\u00a0 It\u2019s a great time of life that everyone goes through.\u00a0 Parents speak of it with great memories in regard to themselves, but with fear and trembling when it comes to their own children.\u00a0 it\u2019s called the teenage years.<\/p><p><em>The Teenage Q&amp;A Book<\/em><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"pp-accordion-item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div id=\"pp-accordion-tab-title-20712\" class=\"pp-accordion-tab-title\" tabindex=\"0\" data-tab=\"12\" role=\"tab\" aria-controls=\"pp-accordion-tab-content-20712\" aria-expanded=\"false\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"pp-accordion-title-icon\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"pp-accordion-title-text\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tWhy can\u2019t my parents understand what it\u2019s like to be a teenager today?\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"pp-accordion-toggle-icon\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class='pp-accordion-toggle-icon-close pp-icon'>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<i aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"fas fa-chevron-down\"><\/i>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class='pp-accordion-toggle-icon-open pp-icon'>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<i aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"fas fa-chevron-up\"><\/i>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<div id=\"pp-accordion-tab-content-20712\" class=\"pp-accordion-tab-content\" data-tab=\"12\" role=\"tabpanel\" aria-labelledby=\"pp-accordion-tab-title-20712\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><strong>My Mom and Dad are constantly lecturing me and they always begin with \u201cWell, when I was your age\u2026\u201d Why can\u2019t my parents understand what it\u2019s like to be a teenager today?<\/strong><\/p><p>Do you want the good news first or the bad news? Let\u2019s get the bad news out of the way first. Check out Luke 2:41-51. It\u2019s the story of Jesus just about the time He became a teenager. He somehow didn\u2019t make connections with His folks and got separated from them. When His parents found Him, the conversation went like this:<\/p><p>\u201cAnd He said to them, \u2018Why is it that you were looking for Me? Did you not know that I had to be in My Father\u2019s house? And they did not understand the statement which He had made to them. And He went down with them, and came to Nazareth; and He continued in subjection to them; and His mother treasured all these things in her heart\u201d (Luke 2:49-51).<\/p><p>Sound familiar? Here is the bad news. If the parents of Jesus didn\u2019t understand Him, don\u2019t be surprised if yours don\u2019t understand you sometimes. Remember, your parents grew up in a different era. your parents were probably born just about the time TV was invented! It is not easy for them to relate to them. Every generation struggles to understand the next generation.<\/p><p>But the good news is, you can respond the same way that Jesus did. As a Christian you have the power to do that. Philippians 4:13 says: \u201cI can do all things through Him who strengthens me.\u201d<\/p><p><em>The Teenage Q&amp;A Book, page 3.<\/em><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section data-particle_enable=\"false\" data-particle-mobile-disabled=\"false\" class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-8706074 elementor-section-stretched elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"8706074\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-e-type=\"section\" id=\"selfimage\" data-settings=\"{&quot;jet_parallax_layout_list&quot;:[],&quot;stretch_section&quot;:&quot;section-stretched&quot;,&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-9fcd6ca\" data-id=\"9fcd6ca\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-1d0c5f5 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"1d0c5f5\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Self-Image<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-b5b4c73 elementor-widget elementor-widget-pp-advanced-accordion\" data-id=\"b5b4c73\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-settings=\"{&quot;accordion_type&quot;:&quot;toggle&quot;,&quot;toggle_speed&quot;:300}\" data-widget_type=\"pp-advanced-accordion.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"pp-advanced-accordion pp-toggle-icon-align-right\" id=\"pp-advanced-accordion-b5b4c73\" data-accordion-id=\"b5b4c73\" role=\"tablist\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"pp-accordion-item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div id=\"pp-accordion-tab-title-1901\" class=\"pp-accordion-tab-title\" tabindex=\"0\" data-tab=\"1\" role=\"tab\" aria-controls=\"pp-accordion-tab-content-1901\" aria-expanded=\"false\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"pp-accordion-title-icon\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"pp-accordion-title-text\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tHow Should I Respond When Someone Compliments me?\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"pp-accordion-toggle-icon\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class='pp-accordion-toggle-icon-close pp-icon'>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<i aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"fas fa-chevron-down\"><\/i>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class='pp-accordion-toggle-icon-open pp-icon'>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<i aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"fas fa-chevron-up\"><\/i>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<div id=\"pp-accordion-tab-content-1901\" class=\"pp-accordion-tab-content\" data-tab=\"1\" role=\"tabpanel\" aria-labelledby=\"pp-accordion-tab-title-1901\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><strong>Often we go to two extremes, both as a result of pride. One extreme is false humility. We deny any positive quality or accomplishment by saying things like, \u201cNo, no, no. I\u2019m just a worm.\u201d That makes people sick. Everyone knows you are really saying, \u201cKeep trying to convince me. I\u2019m loving it.\u201d\u00a0 The other extreme is to agree with them to the point of bragging. You know the type. You compliment such people on one thing and they remind you of twenty other things they did well. Yuck.<\/strong><\/p><p>When you receive a compliment, first see if it is deserved. If it isn\u2019t, pass the credit on to someone else. If it is deserved, then simply say, \u201cThank you.\u201d There is nothing at all wrong with accepting a compliment.<\/p><p>Once you receive it, however, pass the praise on to the Lord Jesus Christ. He is the Source of your gifts, abilities, looks, talents and personality. If you hold on to the compliments instead of giving praise to Jesus, you may forget that Christ is Your source and may believe that you are the source. Pride soon develops and can cause terrible consequences.<\/p><p>Check out\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.youversion.com\/bible\/esv\/2chr\/26\/3-5\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">2 Chronicles 26:3-5, 8, 15-16, and 20-21<\/a>\u00a0for details on what happened to one man who became proud by refusing to pass on praise to the Lord.<\/p><p><em>Taken from\u00a0The Teenage Q&amp;A Book, pg. 162<\/em><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"pp-accordion-item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div id=\"pp-accordion-tab-title-1902\" class=\"pp-accordion-tab-title\" tabindex=\"0\" data-tab=\"2\" role=\"tab\" aria-controls=\"pp-accordion-tab-content-1902\" aria-expanded=\"false\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"pp-accordion-title-icon\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"pp-accordion-title-text\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tWhat do You Mean by Self Image?\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"pp-accordion-toggle-icon\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class='pp-accordion-toggle-icon-close pp-icon'>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<i aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"fas fa-chevron-down\"><\/i>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class='pp-accordion-toggle-icon-open pp-icon'>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<i aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"fas fa-chevron-up\"><\/i>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<div id=\"pp-accordion-tab-content-1902\" class=\"pp-accordion-tab-content\" data-tab=\"2\" role=\"tabpanel\" aria-labelledby=\"pp-accordion-tab-title-1902\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><strong>Your self-image is the mental picture you have of yourself. It started to be formed the moment you were born. By the age of five or six your self-concept, the person you think you are in relationship to others, is so firmly established that you will resist efforts to change it.<\/strong><\/p><p>This does not mean you can't change it. Many people have moved from a negative to a positive self-image and from a positive to a negative self-image. It's just that once you get an idea of who you think you are, you don't change very easily. And since your self-image affects every responsibility and relationship that you have, it is very important to acquire a healthy self-image as early in life as you possibly can.<\/p><p><em>Taken from\u00a0The Teenage Q&amp;A Book, pg. 35<\/em><\/p><br \/><br \/><a href=\"\/video-2\/building-your-self-esteem\/\">Watch more videos on Building Your Self Image<\/a>\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"pp-accordion-item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div id=\"pp-accordion-tab-title-1903\" class=\"pp-accordion-tab-title\" tabindex=\"0\" data-tab=\"3\" role=\"tab\" aria-controls=\"pp-accordion-tab-content-1903\" aria-expanded=\"false\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"pp-accordion-title-icon\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"pp-accordion-title-text\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tHow in the World Can I Be Like Jesus?\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"pp-accordion-toggle-icon\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class='pp-accordion-toggle-icon-close pp-icon'>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<i aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"fas fa-chevron-down\"><\/i>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class='pp-accordion-toggle-icon-open pp-icon'>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<i aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"fas fa-chevron-up\"><\/i>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<div id=\"pp-accordion-tab-content-1903\" class=\"pp-accordion-tab-content\" data-tab=\"3\" role=\"tabpanel\" aria-labelledby=\"pp-accordion-tab-title-1903\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><strong>I can\u2019t even swim, much less walk on water.<\/strong><\/p><p>God wants you to be like His Son in your character, that is, what you are like on the inside. There is no outward ideal when it comes to looks or abilities. But there is an inward ideal. It\u2019s found in\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/bible.us\/Gal5.22.ESV\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Galatians 5:22, 23<\/a>,\u00a0<em>\u201cBut the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.\u201d<\/em><\/p><p>God wants you to allow His Spirit to control you so you will be like His Son.<\/p><p><em>Taken from\u00a0The Teenage Q&amp;A Book, pg. 141<\/em><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"pp-accordion-item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div id=\"pp-accordion-tab-title-1904\" class=\"pp-accordion-tab-title\" tabindex=\"0\" data-tab=\"4\" role=\"tab\" aria-controls=\"pp-accordion-tab-content-1904\" aria-expanded=\"false\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"pp-accordion-title-icon\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"pp-accordion-title-text\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tWhy Am I Always Comparing Myself to Everybody Else?\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"pp-accordion-toggle-icon\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class='pp-accordion-toggle-icon-close pp-icon'>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<i aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"fas fa-chevron-down\"><\/i>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class='pp-accordion-toggle-icon-open pp-icon'>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<i aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"fas fa-chevron-up\"><\/i>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<div id=\"pp-accordion-tab-content-1904\" class=\"pp-accordion-tab-content\" data-tab=\"4\" role=\"tabpanel\" aria-labelledby=\"pp-accordion-tab-title-1904\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><strong>You compare yourself because you want to know how well you measure up. If you are doing well you can feel good about yourself. If you aren't as pretty, smart, rich or gifted as the other person, then you can't feel good about yourself.<\/strong><\/p><p>The trouble with comparison comes from comparing yourself to the wrong measure\u2014other people. Because every person is different, you will always find someone you think is better or worse than you are. This will leave you filled with frustration or pride.<\/p><p>God doesn't want you to compare yourself based on an outward measure, but on an inward measure. Instead of asking, \"Am I as good as so-and-so?\" ask, \"Do I have the character of Christ that God wants me to have?\" That will keep your focus where it needs to be.<\/p><p>Taken from\u00a0The Teenage Q&amp;A Book, pg. 141<\/p><p>Watch Josh as he talks about a healthy self image:<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"pp-accordion-item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div id=\"pp-accordion-tab-title-1905\" class=\"pp-accordion-tab-title\" tabindex=\"0\" data-tab=\"5\" role=\"tab\" aria-controls=\"pp-accordion-tab-content-1905\" aria-expanded=\"false\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"pp-accordion-title-icon\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"pp-accordion-title-text\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tWhy Does God Love Me so Much?\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"pp-accordion-toggle-icon\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class='pp-accordion-toggle-icon-close pp-icon'>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<i aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"fas fa-chevron-down\"><\/i>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class='pp-accordion-toggle-icon-open pp-icon'>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<i aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"fas fa-chevron-up\"><\/i>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<div id=\"pp-accordion-tab-content-1905\" class=\"pp-accordion-tab-content\" data-tab=\"5\" role=\"tabpanel\" aria-labelledby=\"pp-accordion-tab-title-1905\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><strong>Great question! We often wonder about that after we\u2019ve really blown it. Like coming home after a rotten day at school, slamming the door, screaming at your parents, smashing your little brother\u2019s face into his ice cream bowl and then yelling after stumping your big toe. Then you remember that Jesus has been with you the whole time and you wonder, Lord, why do You love me so much?<\/strong><\/p><p>He loves you because He created you. Have you ever watched a mother and father ooh and ahh over their newborn baby? Newborn babies can be just about the ugliest creatures on earth. But not to the parents. They think their baby is the greatest. Why? Because they created the little critter. God loves you because He created you. He thinks you are the greatest.<\/p><p>But more than that, He loves you not because you are lovable, but because He is a God of love. It is His character to love. And there is nothing you can do to make Him stop loving you.<\/p><p><em>Taken from\u00a0The Teenage Q&amp;A Book, p. 48<\/em><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"pp-accordion-item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div id=\"pp-accordion-tab-title-1906\" class=\"pp-accordion-tab-title\" tabindex=\"0\" data-tab=\"6\" role=\"tab\" aria-controls=\"pp-accordion-tab-content-1906\" aria-expanded=\"false\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"pp-accordion-title-icon\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"pp-accordion-title-text\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tI Often Struggle With Doubts About My Salvation. Is That Normal?\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"pp-accordion-toggle-icon\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class='pp-accordion-toggle-icon-close pp-icon'>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<i aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"fas fa-chevron-down\"><\/i>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class='pp-accordion-toggle-icon-open pp-icon'>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<i aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"fas fa-chevron-up\"><\/i>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<div id=\"pp-accordion-tab-content-1906\" class=\"pp-accordion-tab-content\" data-tab=\"6\" role=\"tabpanel\" aria-labelledby=\"pp-accordion-tab-title-1906\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><strong>Occasional thoughts about whether or not you are a Christian are common. But to struggle constantly about your salvation is definitely not normal. There are several reasons why you may be struggling.<\/strong><\/p><p>First, you may not be a Christian. Many people have joined a church thinking they were coming to Christ only to discover later that they never really invited Christ into their hearts. Another reason for struggling with your salvation may be that you have allowed unconfessed sin to accumulate in your life. But a common reason for doubting your salvation may be a poor self-image.<\/p><p>Here\u2019s how it works. You grow up thinking your parents don\u2019t love you. (Most often, this is not the case. They really do love you, they just have a difficult time communicating that love.) You conclude, \u201cif my own parents can\u2019t even love me, I must not be lovable.\u201d This conclusion is reinforced by your friends at school who reject you from time to time. Then you come to Jesus to save you from your sins and make you right with God. But you bring the mentality that you aren\u2019t lovable. Someone who feels this way is often not confident about his relationship with God.<\/p><p>The truth is God does love you. He loves you unconditionally. When you realize this you will overcome many of your struggles about your salvation and will rest in the assurance that you really are a Christian.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"pp-accordion-item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div id=\"pp-accordion-tab-title-1907\" class=\"pp-accordion-tab-title\" tabindex=\"0\" data-tab=\"7\" role=\"tab\" aria-controls=\"pp-accordion-tab-content-1907\" aria-expanded=\"false\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"pp-accordion-title-icon\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"pp-accordion-title-text\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tIsn\u2019t a Healthy Self-Image the Same as Pride?\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"pp-accordion-toggle-icon\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class='pp-accordion-toggle-icon-close pp-icon'>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<i aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"fas fa-chevron-down\"><\/i>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class='pp-accordion-toggle-icon-open pp-icon'>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<i aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"fas fa-chevron-up\"><\/i>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<div id=\"pp-accordion-tab-content-1907\" class=\"pp-accordion-tab-content\" data-tab=\"7\" role=\"tabpanel\" aria-labelledby=\"pp-accordion-tab-title-1907\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><strong>It can be. Keep in mind, however, there are two types of self-images. When you see yourself as God sees you, you have a healthy self-image. A healthy self-image is very positive. Yet it is very humble because it recognizes its source\u2014the Lord Jesus Christ.<\/strong><\/p><p>The second type of self-image is an unhealthy self-image. People who have an unhealthy self-image can be divided into two groups: negative and positive. Those with a negative self-image think poorly about themselves. Those with a positive self-image think good of themselves. But their self-worth is based on the world\u2019s system: looks, abilities, intelligence and the like. When people think well about themselves based on the world\u2019s system, they may very well struggle with pride.<\/p><p><em>Taken from\u00a0The Teenage Q&amp;A Book, p. 59<\/em><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"pp-accordion-item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div id=\"pp-accordion-tab-title-1908\" class=\"pp-accordion-tab-title\" tabindex=\"0\" data-tab=\"8\" role=\"tab\" aria-controls=\"pp-accordion-tab-content-1908\" aria-expanded=\"false\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"pp-accordion-title-icon\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"pp-accordion-title-text\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tCan God Stop Loving Me?\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"pp-accordion-toggle-icon\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class='pp-accordion-toggle-icon-close pp-icon'>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<i aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"fas fa-chevron-down\"><\/i>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class='pp-accordion-toggle-icon-open pp-icon'>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<i aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"fas fa-chevron-up\"><\/i>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<div id=\"pp-accordion-tab-content-1908\" class=\"pp-accordion-tab-content\" data-tab=\"8\" role=\"tabpanel\" aria-labelledby=\"pp-accordion-tab-title-1908\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>Is there anything that could cause God to change His mind and stop loving me?<\/p><p>We\u2019ll let God speak for Himself on that one. Romans 5:8 tells you how much God loved you when you weren\u2019t even a Christian: \u201cBut God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.\u201d<\/p><p>Romans 8:38,39 tells you what might try to separate you from God\u2019s love but can\u2019t: \u201cFor I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.\u201d<\/p><p>Jeremiah 31:3 tells you how long God\u2019s love will last: \u201cThe Lord appeared to him from afar, saying, I have loved you with an everlasting love; Therefore I have drawn you with loving-kindness.\u201d<\/p><p>Get it in your head and don\u2019t forget it \u2014 God loves you. You are special to Him.<\/p><p><em>Taken from The Teenage Q&amp;A Book, pg. 49<\/em><\/p><p>Do you want a\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.josh.org\/resources\/spiritual-growth\/know-god\/\">personal relationship with God<\/a>?<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section data-particle_enable=\"false\" data-particle-mobile-disabled=\"false\" class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-0fdc9b0 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"0fdc9b0\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-e-type=\"section\" id=\"peerpressure\" data-settings=\"{&quot;jet_parallax_layout_list&quot;:[]}\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-304f308\" data-id=\"304f308\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-bb5d350 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"bb5d350\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Peer Pressure<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-b5270e7 elementor-widget elementor-widget-pp-advanced-accordion\" data-id=\"b5270e7\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-settings=\"{&quot;accordion_type&quot;:&quot;toggle&quot;,&quot;toggle_speed&quot;:300}\" data-widget_type=\"pp-advanced-accordion.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"pp-advanced-accordion pp-toggle-icon-align-right\" id=\"pp-advanced-accordion-b5270e7\" data-accordion-id=\"b5270e7\" role=\"tablist\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"pp-accordion-item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div id=\"pp-accordion-tab-title-1891\" class=\"pp-accordion-tab-title\" tabindex=\"0\" data-tab=\"1\" role=\"tab\" aria-controls=\"pp-accordion-tab-content-1891\" aria-expanded=\"false\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"pp-accordion-title-icon\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"pp-accordion-title-text\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tMy Boyfriend Keeps Telling Me to Trust Him.\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"pp-accordion-toggle-icon\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class='pp-accordion-toggle-icon-close pp-icon'>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<i aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"fas fa-chevron-down\"><\/i>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class='pp-accordion-toggle-icon-open pp-icon'>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<i aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"fas fa-chevron-up\"><\/i>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<div id=\"pp-accordion-tab-content-1891\" class=\"pp-accordion-tab-content\" data-tab=\"1\" role=\"tabpanel\" aria-labelledby=\"pp-accordion-tab-title-1891\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>Guys have had a proverb that goes back to the beginning of time. \u201cTell a girl what she wants to hear and you have what you want to have.\u201d Guys know that saying the right words like, \u201cI love you,\u201d \u201cYou are the only one I have ever really cared for,\u201d or \u201cYou\u2019re the most beautiful girl in the whole world,\u201d can get a girl\u2019s emotions going crazy. You hear those words and get attacked by a severe case of the \u201cfuzzy-wuzzies.\u201d Then while you\u2019re vulnerable, he makes his moves.<\/p><p>If your boyfriend is constantly having to convince you that he is trustworthy, chances are he isn\u2019t. Be careful of dropping your guard even for a moment, regardless of what someone says. What\u2019s most important is how he acts, not what he says. When it comes to trust, actions speak much louder than words.<\/p><p><em>Taken from\u00a0The Teenage Q&amp;A Book, pg. 74<\/em><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"pp-accordion-item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div id=\"pp-accordion-tab-title-1892\" class=\"pp-accordion-tab-title\" tabindex=\"0\" data-tab=\"2\" role=\"tab\" aria-controls=\"pp-accordion-tab-content-1892\" aria-expanded=\"false\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"pp-accordion-title-icon\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"pp-accordion-title-text\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tMy Girlfriend Wants to Make Sure We are Sexually Compatible Before We Get Married. Is that Legitimate?\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"pp-accordion-toggle-icon\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class='pp-accordion-toggle-icon-close pp-icon'>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<i aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"fas fa-chevron-down\"><\/i>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class='pp-accordion-toggle-icon-open pp-icon'>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<i aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"fas fa-chevron-up\"><\/i>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<div id=\"pp-accordion-tab-content-1892\" class=\"pp-accordion-tab-content\" data-tab=\"2\" role=\"tabpanel\" aria-labelledby=\"pp-accordion-tab-title-1892\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><strong>You don\u2019t buy a brand new pair of shoes without first trying them on, do you? Of course not! So then it makes sense to make sure you are sexually compatible before you are married, right?\u00a0Wrong!<\/strong><\/p><p>In the first place, neither one of you is a pair of shoes. You are not taking something home to try on or use. If you want to compare your wedding night to something, a better analogy would be giving a box of Kleenex to somebody. No matter how pretty the color, how much would they appreciate it if they discovered the Kleenex had been used?<\/p><p>God has designed your wedding night to be like the explosion of dynamite. If you don\u2019t wait, it can be reduced to nothing more than the pop of a little firecracker.<\/p><p>Rarely will you find two people who aren\u2019t sexually compatible. So tell your girlfriend you are waiting for the fireworks.<\/p><p><em>Taken from\u00a0The Teenage Q&amp;A Book, pg. 74<\/em><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"pp-accordion-item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div id=\"pp-accordion-tab-title-1893\" class=\"pp-accordion-tab-title\" tabindex=\"0\" data-tab=\"3\" role=\"tab\" aria-controls=\"pp-accordion-tab-content-1893\" aria-expanded=\"false\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"pp-accordion-title-icon\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"pp-accordion-title-text\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tI Have a Lot of Problems. My Friends Say I Should Try some Stuff. What do You Think?\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"pp-accordion-toggle-icon\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class='pp-accordion-toggle-icon-close pp-icon'>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<i aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"fas fa-chevron-down\"><\/i>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class='pp-accordion-toggle-icon-open pp-icon'>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<i aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"fas fa-chevron-up\"><\/i>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<div id=\"pp-accordion-tab-content-1893\" class=\"pp-accordion-tab-content\" data-tab=\"3\" role=\"tabpanel\" aria-labelledby=\"pp-accordion-tab-title-1893\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><strong>Drugs don\u2019t make your problems go away. While on a high, you may escape them for a while, but when you come back down, your problems are always there waiting for you.<\/strong><\/p><p>If anything, drugs only make your problems worse. Now you have all the trouble that drugs bring along with them like the need for extra cash, the need to keep what you do secret, the problems with parents, teachers and the authorities, the tendency to either do drugs more often, in heavier dosages, or move on up the ladder to a stronger drug.<\/p><p>When you get into drugs you also lose your ability to make intelligent, rational decisions and act upon them. You become a slave to a cruel taskmaster. You lose your freedom to decide where you want your life to head. Drugs begin dictating every aspect of your life.<\/p><p><em>Taken from\u00a0The Teenage Q&amp;A Book, pg. 85<\/em><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"pp-accordion-item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div id=\"pp-accordion-tab-title-1894\" class=\"pp-accordion-tab-title\" tabindex=\"0\" data-tab=\"4\" role=\"tab\" aria-controls=\"pp-accordion-tab-content-1894\" aria-expanded=\"false\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"pp-accordion-title-icon\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"pp-accordion-title-text\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tMy Friends Keep Teasing Me That I Don\u2019t Drink.\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"pp-accordion-toggle-icon\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class='pp-accordion-toggle-icon-close pp-icon'>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<i aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"fas fa-chevron-down\"><\/i>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class='pp-accordion-toggle-icon-open pp-icon'>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<i aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"fas fa-chevron-up\"><\/i>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<div id=\"pp-accordion-tab-content-1894\" class=\"pp-accordion-tab-content\" data-tab=\"4\" role=\"tabpanel\" aria-labelledby=\"pp-accordion-tab-title-1894\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><strong>My friends keep teasing me because I don\u2019t drink. They ask me what I am afraid of. What can I tell them to make them back off?<\/strong><\/p><p>Tell them it\u2019s not because of fear that you don\u2019t drink. Tell them it\u2019s because you are smart. Proverbs 22:3, 5 says,\u00a0<em>\u201cThe prudent sees the evil and hides himself, But the naive go on, and are punished for it. Thorns and snares are in the way of the perverse; He who guards himself will be far from them.\u201d<\/em><\/p><p>Just because all your friends are doing something doesn\u2019t mean it\u2019s a wise thing for you to do. Alcoholism is America\u2019s third largest health problem, following heart disease and cancer.\u00a0 It affects ten million people, costs sixty billion dollars, and is implicated in two hundred thousand deaths annually. Alcohol is involved in 50 percent of deaths by motor vehicle and fire, 67 percent of murders, and 33 percent of suicides.\u00a0It contributes to morbidity in certain malignancies and to many diseases of the endocrine, cardiovascular, gastrointestinal and nervous systems.\u00a0The suicide rate of alcoholics has been found to be six to twenty times higher than that of the general population.<\/p><p>With this damaging evidence, if alcohol were to be presented for legalization as a drug today, it surely would not be accepted (adapted from\u00a0<em>Hot Topics<\/em>\u00a0by Bill Myers, pp. 81-82).<\/p><p>Physically alcohol can damage your liver, put undue stress on your heart and impair your memory. Emotionally it can cause you embarrassment from stupid behavior and create anxiety, cause family hassles, guilt from improper actions and a poor self-image. What happens is, that alcohol limits your freedom. It limits your ability to make right decisions and to act upon them.<\/p><p>Don\u2019t give in to your friends\u2019 pressure. Hold firm. They will probably continue to tease you. But know that deep down they respect you for your convictions.<\/p><p><em>Taken from\u00a0The Teenage Q&amp;A Book, pg. 76<\/em><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"pp-accordion-item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div id=\"pp-accordion-tab-title-1895\" class=\"pp-accordion-tab-title\" tabindex=\"0\" data-tab=\"5\" role=\"tab\" aria-controls=\"pp-accordion-tab-content-1895\" aria-expanded=\"false\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"pp-accordion-title-icon\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"pp-accordion-title-text\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tI\u2019ve Tried Saying \u201cNo\u201d to My Friends, but I Keep Getting into Trouble. What Should I Do?\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"pp-accordion-toggle-icon\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class='pp-accordion-toggle-icon-close pp-icon'>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<i aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"fas fa-chevron-down\"><\/i>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class='pp-accordion-toggle-icon-open pp-icon'>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<i aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"fas fa-chevron-up\"><\/i>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<div id=\"pp-accordion-tab-content-1895\" class=\"pp-accordion-tab-content\" data-tab=\"5\" role=\"tabpanel\" aria-labelledby=\"pp-accordion-tab-title-1895\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>Swimming against the current requires a lot of strength. It is always easier to just go with the flow. For this reason, it is important that your closest friends flow the right direction. You must surround yourself with the right kind of friends\u2014friends who challenge you to daily live your life for Christ (adapted from Peer Pressure, p. 57).<\/p><p>As much as you will hate it, you should pull out of the group. You cannot claim to follow Christ and continue to compromise.<\/p><p>First Peter 2:12 says, \u201cKeep your behavior excellent among the Gentiles, so that in the thing in which they slander you as evildoers, they may on account of your good deeds, as they observe them, glorify God in the day of visitation.\u201d<\/p><p>If you keep your behavior excellent, your friends may one day glorify God. If you compromise, your friends will never see any difference between your life and theirs. If they don\u2019t, what motivation will they have to become followers of Christ themselves?<\/p><p><em>Taken from\u00a0The Teenage Q&amp;A Book, pg. 193<\/em><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section data-particle_enable=\"false\" data-particle-mobile-disabled=\"false\" class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-a2ed3f6 elementor-section-stretched elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"a2ed3f6\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-e-type=\"section\" id=\"friends\" data-settings=\"{&quot;jet_parallax_layout_list&quot;:[],&quot;stretch_section&quot;:&quot;section-stretched&quot;,&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-7a302af\" data-id=\"7a302af\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-f3641e5 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"f3641e5\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Friends<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-e9bd86c elementor-widget elementor-widget-pp-advanced-accordion\" data-id=\"e9bd86c\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-settings=\"{&quot;accordion_type&quot;:&quot;toggle&quot;,&quot;toggle_speed&quot;:300}\" data-widget_type=\"pp-advanced-accordion.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"pp-advanced-accordion pp-toggle-icon-align-right\" id=\"pp-advanced-accordion-e9bd86c\" data-accordion-id=\"e9bd86c\" role=\"tablist\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"pp-accordion-item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div id=\"pp-accordion-tab-title-2451\" class=\"pp-accordion-tab-title\" tabindex=\"0\" data-tab=\"1\" role=\"tab\" aria-controls=\"pp-accordion-tab-content-2451\" aria-expanded=\"false\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"pp-accordion-title-icon\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"pp-accordion-title-text\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tMy Friends Complain that I\u2019m too Shy. They Think I Should Go Out Drinking With Them. What Should I do?\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"pp-accordion-toggle-icon\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class='pp-accordion-toggle-icon-close pp-icon'>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<i aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"fas fa-chevron-down\"><\/i>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class='pp-accordion-toggle-icon-open pp-icon'>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<i aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"fas fa-chevron-up\"><\/i>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<div id=\"pp-accordion-tab-content-2451\" class=\"pp-accordion-tab-content\" data-tab=\"1\" role=\"tabpanel\" aria-labelledby=\"pp-accordion-tab-title-2451\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><strong>If you want a personality makeover, drinking will do that for you. Some shy people become the life of the party once they get drunk. Others try to kill themselves.<\/strong><\/p><p>If you are really in search of a personality makeover, read Ephesians 5:18,<em>\u201cAnd do not get drunk with wine, for that is dissipation, but be filled with the Spirit.\u201d<\/em>\u00a0When you come under the influence of either alcohol or the Holy Spirit, you will act differently. You may not know how alcohol will make you act, but you do know how the Holy Spirit will make you act\u2014just like Jesus. Instead of giving in to your friends\u2019 pressure to drink, give in to the Spirit\u2019s promptings in your life. Let Him control you, lead you and empower you. Your friends will be shocked to see the new you.<\/p><p><em>Taken from\u00a0The Teenage Q&amp;A Book, pg. 78<\/em><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"pp-accordion-item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div id=\"pp-accordion-tab-title-2452\" class=\"pp-accordion-tab-title\" tabindex=\"0\" data-tab=\"2\" role=\"tab\" aria-controls=\"pp-accordion-tab-content-2452\" aria-expanded=\"false\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"pp-accordion-title-icon\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"pp-accordion-title-text\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tIf My Friends and I Have a Disagreement, What\u2019s the Right Way to Handle I\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"pp-accordion-toggle-icon\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class='pp-accordion-toggle-icon-close pp-icon'>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<i aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"fas fa-chevron-down\"><\/i>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class='pp-accordion-toggle-icon-open pp-icon'>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<i aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"fas fa-chevron-up\"><\/i>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<div id=\"pp-accordion-tab-content-2452\" class=\"pp-accordion-tab-content\" data-tab=\"2\" role=\"tabpanel\" aria-labelledby=\"pp-accordion-tab-title-2452\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><strong>When you have a disagreement, you have a choice. You can either resolve the conflict or dissolve the relationship. Here are some guidelines for resolving the conflict and keeping the fight fair:<\/strong><\/p><p><em><strong>Desire openness.<\/strong><\/em>\u00a0In a fair fight, the attitude of \u201cI\u2019m always right\u201d is against the rules.<\/p><p><em><strong>Choose the right timing.<\/strong><\/em>\u00a0Arguments can break out at awkward times. To fight by the rules, wait until both of you can give the time and attention necessary to talk things out.<\/p><p><em><strong>Select the right words.<\/strong><\/em>\u00a0Think before you speak. To know the right words to say, you\u2019ll first have to listen to your friend when she speaks. Determine if your words will help or hinder in working out the problem.<\/p><p><em><strong>Guard your tone of voice.<\/strong><\/em>\u00a0You can say the right words the wrong way. If you project sarcasm or criticism in your voice, your friend will pick it up.<\/p><p><em><strong>Look at the other person\u2019s point of view.<\/strong><\/em>\u00a0While your friend talks, listen carefully to understand where they are coming from. In viewing the conflict, put yourself in their place. When you do this, think of how they feel instead of how you feel or why you think they were wrong.<\/p><p><em><strong>Identify the problem.<\/strong><\/em>\u00a0Discover the main issue that started the fight. It may be more than meets the eye. For example, they may have become upset because you said the wrong thing when actually they were already upset because the night before you spent time with another friend.<\/p><p><em><strong>Determine the solution.<\/strong><\/em>\u00a0Once you identify the problem, decide on a solution. Make the solution practical and realistic. Don\u2019t give up until you have worked things out satisfactorily. Talk about how to keep this conflict from happening again (adapted from\u00a0<em>Friends: Making the Best of Them<\/em>, pp. 45-48).<\/p><p><em>Taken from\u00a0The Teenage Q&amp;A Book, pg. 119<\/em><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"pp-accordion-item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div id=\"pp-accordion-tab-title-2453\" class=\"pp-accordion-tab-title\" tabindex=\"0\" data-tab=\"3\" role=\"tab\" aria-controls=\"pp-accordion-tab-content-2453\" aria-expanded=\"false\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"pp-accordion-title-icon\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"pp-accordion-title-text\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tHow Can I Convince Someone of the Opposite Sex that I Really do Want to Be Just Good Friends?\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"pp-accordion-toggle-icon\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class='pp-accordion-toggle-icon-close pp-icon'>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<i aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"fas fa-chevron-down\"><\/i>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class='pp-accordion-toggle-icon-open pp-icon'>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<i aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"fas fa-chevron-up\"><\/i>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<div id=\"pp-accordion-tab-content-2453\" class=\"pp-accordion-tab-content\" data-tab=\"3\" role=\"tabpanel\" aria-labelledby=\"pp-accordion-tab-title-2453\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><strong>Every week at school there is at least one JGF (just good friends) game going on. They remind you of soap operas:<\/strong><\/p><p><strong>Monday<\/strong>\u00a0\u2014 guy meets gal and checks her out while girl meets guy and checks him out.<br \/><strong>Tuesday<\/strong>\u00a0\u2014 the guy\u2019s chemistry (or the gal\u2019s, depending on which channel you\u2019re watching) says, \u201cGreat potential for a date!\u201d The gal\u2019s chemistry says, \u201cGreat potential for the zoo. Somebody better lock the animal up in a hurry.\u201d<br \/><strong>Wednesday<\/strong>\u00a0\u2014 guy stalks girl down hallway. Gal hides in bathroom for three hours in fear that he\u2019s waiting outside.<br \/><strong>Thursday<\/strong>\u00a0\u2014 guy is convinced she loves him. Gal is convinced he\u2019s mentally deranged.<br \/><strong>Friday<\/strong>\u00a0\u2014 guy finally gets the message she\u2019s not interested. Gal breathes sigh of relief, looks forward to making a new friendship. Guy feels humiliated and doesn\u2019t show his face around gal for the rest of the school year. And the soap continues the next week but with different characters. Another potential friendship down the tubes because someone of the opposite sex wanted to be more than \u201cjust good friends.\u201d<\/p><h3>To play the JGF game you must know the rules of the game.<\/h3><p><strong><em>Rule number one:<\/em><\/strong>\u00a0Avoid being a flirt. Sometimes it is easier to go through your day without blinking. But flirting makes the opposite sex act stranger and weirder than they already are.<\/p><p><em><strong>Rule number two<\/strong>:<\/em>\u00a0Realize that even when you don\u2019t flirt, some guy or gal is going to go ape over you.<\/p><p><em><strong>Rule number three<\/strong>:<\/em>\u00a0When someone does go wild over you, be patient and understanding with them. Don\u2019t lead them on, but don\u2019t run from them either. Keep in mind that in a few days they will realize that you are serious about being JGF. When they finally get that in their head they can relax and enjoy the friendship.<\/p><p><em>Taken from\u00a0The Teenage Q&amp;A Book, pg. 117<\/em><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"pp-accordion-item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div id=\"pp-accordion-tab-title-2454\" class=\"pp-accordion-tab-title\" tabindex=\"0\" data-tab=\"4\" role=\"tab\" aria-controls=\"pp-accordion-tab-content-2454\" aria-expanded=\"false\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"pp-accordion-title-icon\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"pp-accordion-title-text\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tWhy do My Best Friends and I Fight Over Little Things?\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"pp-accordion-toggle-icon\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class='pp-accordion-toggle-icon-close pp-icon'>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<i aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"fas fa-chevron-down\"><\/i>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class='pp-accordion-toggle-icon-open pp-icon'>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<i aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"fas fa-chevron-up\"><\/i>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<div id=\"pp-accordion-tab-content-2454\" class=\"pp-accordion-tab-content\" data-tab=\"4\" role=\"tabpanel\" aria-labelledby=\"pp-accordion-tab-title-2454\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>Friendships go through stages. The first stage is the I\u2019m-getting-to-know-you stage. During this stage you learn about each other. Then you move to the I\u2019m-getting-to-know-you-better stage. This stage holds the potential for the most fun. The third stage is I\u2019m-getting-to-know-you-all-too-well stage.<\/p><p>During this stage you\u2019ve come to know each other so well you say the same things at the same time. But you have also gotten to know each other\u2019s negative traits, and they bug the daylights out of you.<\/p><p>If you haven\u2019t experienced any conflict with your best friend yet, either (a) your best friend is an imaginary friend, or (b) you really don\u2019t know each other well enough yet. Because when you get to know someone really well, conflict is inevitable. No two people are exactly the same. They have different backgrounds, different perspectives and different desires. Sooner or later you will have a disagreement. But as you learn how to handle your conflicts your friendships can grow.<\/p><p><em>Taken from\u00a0The Teenage Q&amp;A Book, pg. 118<\/em><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"pp-accordion-item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div id=\"pp-accordion-tab-title-2455\" class=\"pp-accordion-tab-title\" tabindex=\"0\" data-tab=\"5\" role=\"tab\" aria-controls=\"pp-accordion-tab-content-2455\" aria-expanded=\"false\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"pp-accordion-title-icon\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"pp-accordion-title-text\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tHow do I Know if a Friend is Good For Me or Not?\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"pp-accordion-toggle-icon\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class='pp-accordion-toggle-icon-close pp-icon'>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<i aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"fas fa-chevron-down\"><\/i>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class='pp-accordion-toggle-icon-open pp-icon'>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<i aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"fas fa-chevron-up\"><\/i>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<div id=\"pp-accordion-tab-content-2455\" class=\"pp-accordion-tab-content\" data-tab=\"5\" role=\"tabpanel\" aria-labelledby=\"pp-accordion-tab-title-2455\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><strong>Right now you are a sweet, kind, obedient, thoughtful, responsible, even angelic person. But suppose you start hanging around someone who influences you to become a smart-mouth at home or apathetic at school. When things like that happen, watch out. \u201cFriends\u201d like this aren\u2019t good for you regardless of how much fun you have together. They have a negative influence on you and you do not need to be that close to them.<\/strong><\/p><p>Now it doesn\u2019t mean you can\u2019t be friends with a rowdy person or with someone who tends to get in trouble all the time. As long as you are a positive influence on such people, you can be friends with the wicked witch herself. But when someone influences you negatively, the Bible says you must back off.<\/p><p>Second Timothy 3:2-5 says: \u201cFor men will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, revilers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy, unloving, irreconcilable, malicious gossips, without self-control, brutal, haters of good, treacherous, reckless, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God; holding to a form of godliness, although they have denied its power; and avoid such men as these.\u201d<\/p><p>Take an honest evaluation of your friendships. If you decide that a friend is influencing you negatively you need to back off and become casual friends.<\/p><p><em>Taken from\u00a0The Teenage Q&amp;A Book, pg. 105.<\/em><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"pp-accordion-item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div id=\"pp-accordion-tab-title-2456\" class=\"pp-accordion-tab-title\" tabindex=\"0\" data-tab=\"6\" role=\"tab\" aria-controls=\"pp-accordion-tab-content-2456\" aria-expanded=\"false\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"pp-accordion-title-icon\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"pp-accordion-title-text\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tHow Can I Back Off From a Friendship that\u2019s Not Good for Me?\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"pp-accordion-toggle-icon\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class='pp-accordion-toggle-icon-close pp-icon'>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<i aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"fas fa-chevron-down\"><\/i>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class='pp-accordion-toggle-icon-open pp-icon'>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<i aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"fas fa-chevron-up\"><\/i>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<div id=\"pp-accordion-tab-content-2456\" class=\"pp-accordion-tab-content\" data-tab=\"6\" role=\"tabpanel\" aria-labelledby=\"pp-accordion-tab-title-2456\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><strong>Backing off from a friendship is never easy\u2014even if the friend has been a negative influence on you.<\/strong><\/p><p>If you back off a friendship with someone, you will want to explain why. Here\u2019s what you might want to say, \u201cYou know, Delilah, I\u2019ve renewed my commitment to Jesus Christ and I don\u2019t want to disappoint Him any more by doing the things I\u2019ve been doing lately. If you want to do those things without me, that\u2019s up to you, but I don\u2019t want to join you anymore. If you would like to get closer to the Lord with me that would be great! What do you think?\u201d<\/p><p>This is just a suggestion. Put it in your own words. Just keep in mind these pointers:<\/p><ul><li>Identify yourself with Christ.<\/li><li>Display humility, not a holier-than-thou attitude.<\/li><li>Be gentle in your conversation, yet firm in your decision.<\/li><li>Invite your friend to join you in getting closer to Christ. If he or she does not, they left you, not you them.<\/li><\/ul><p>Remember, it will be tough to back off, especially right afterward because of the pain of your new loneliness. But continuing the friendship would be tougher, especially in the long run, because of the friend\u2019s negative influence (adapted from\u00a0<em>Friendships: Making the Best of Them<\/em>, p. 29).<\/p><p><em>Taken from\u00a0The Teenage Q&amp;A Book, pg 106.<\/em><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section data-particle_enable=\"false\" data-particle-mobile-disabled=\"false\" class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-69cd93b elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"69cd93b\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-e-type=\"section\" id=\"dating\" data-settings=\"{&quot;jet_parallax_layout_list&quot;:[]}\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-c321b54\" data-id=\"c321b54\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-cfe24f5 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"cfe24f5\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Dating<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-8bbc6d6 elementor-widget elementor-widget-pp-advanced-accordion\" data-id=\"8bbc6d6\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-settings=\"{&quot;accordion_type&quot;:&quot;toggle&quot;,&quot;toggle_speed&quot;:300}\" data-widget_type=\"pp-advanced-accordion.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"pp-advanced-accordion pp-toggle-icon-align-right\" id=\"pp-advanced-accordion-8bbc6d6\" data-accordion-id=\"8bbc6d6\" role=\"tablist\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"pp-accordion-item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div id=\"pp-accordion-tab-title-1461\" class=\"pp-accordion-tab-title\" tabindex=\"0\" data-tab=\"1\" role=\"tab\" aria-controls=\"pp-accordion-tab-content-1461\" aria-expanded=\"false\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"pp-accordion-title-icon\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"pp-accordion-title-text\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tI Have Been Going Out With One Guy and Told Him I Wanted to Be Just Friends.\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"pp-accordion-toggle-icon\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class='pp-accordion-toggle-icon-close pp-icon'>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<i aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"fas fa-chevron-down\"><\/i>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class='pp-accordion-toggle-icon-open pp-icon'>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<i aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"fas fa-chevron-up\"><\/i>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<div id=\"pp-accordion-tab-content-1461\" class=\"pp-accordion-tab-content\" data-tab=\"1\" role=\"tabpanel\" aria-labelledby=\"pp-accordion-tab-title-1461\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><strong>But he got mad when I went out with another guy. What did I do wrong?<\/strong><\/p><p>Some people enter dating with an attitude of \u201cownership.\u201d They think that you belong to them and refuse to allow you to live your own life. They act as if you are their private property and want you to fulfill their every desire.<\/p><p>Then there are those who approach dating with an attitude of \u201crelationship.\u201d They put all the emphasis on being \u201cin love.\u201d They major on the romantic and become very insecure and jealous when you go out with another person.<\/p><p>Philippians 2:3, 4 expresses the right attitude you should have about dating. It says, \u201cDo nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind let each of you regard one another as more important than himself; do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others.\u201d The right attitude is that of \u201cfriendship.\u201d The purpose of dating is not to meet your needs, but the needs of the other person. It is not to grow \u201cin love,\u201d but to grow in friendship. Some people, no matter how much you communicate this attitude, just will not understand. When that happens, be patient with them. Make every effort to remind them of the fact that they are still your friend. Hopefully, after a while, they will see your point of view.<\/p><p><em>Taken from\u00a0The Teenage Q&amp;A Book, pg. 131<\/em><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"pp-accordion-item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div id=\"pp-accordion-tab-title-1462\" class=\"pp-accordion-tab-title\" tabindex=\"0\" data-tab=\"2\" role=\"tab\" aria-controls=\"pp-accordion-tab-content-1462\" aria-expanded=\"false\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"pp-accordion-title-icon\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"pp-accordion-title-text\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tIs Dating in the Bible?\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"pp-accordion-toggle-icon\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class='pp-accordion-toggle-icon-close pp-icon'>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<i aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"fas fa-chevron-down\"><\/i>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class='pp-accordion-toggle-icon-open pp-icon'>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<i aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"fas fa-chevron-up\"><\/i>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<div id=\"pp-accordion-tab-content-1462\" class=\"pp-accordion-tab-content\" data-tab=\"2\" role=\"tabpanel\" aria-labelledby=\"pp-accordion-tab-title-1462\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><strong>You can\u2019t find dating mentioned in the Bible for the same reason you can\u2019t find Sunday school in the Bible. Dating, like Sunday school, was not a part of society during biblical times. Back then, most marriages were arranged by the parents. Check out Genesis 24.<\/strong><\/p><p>Wouldn\u2019t that be a great way to go today? Just think of it! No worries about becoming an old maid. No problem about finding a date for the prom. No more pressure from your friends to go out with some loser. No more dateless Friday nights. Your biggest worry would be deciding who to double with.<\/p><p>Drawbacks do exist, however. That marriage partner your parents pick out for you may be the cutest kid on the block when he\u2019s a baby. But you never know if he will still suck his thumb when he reaches high school. Or they might set you up with a girl who at 6\u20196\u2033 is still growing and you maxed out at 5\u20194\u2033.<\/p><p>Given the alternative, you probably are glad for the present-day system of dating. After all, if your parents can\u2019t pick out the kind of clothes you like, how in the world could they pick out the kind of marriage partner you would like?<\/p><p>Although you can\u2019t find dating in the Bible you can find, on just about every page, scripture verses that apply to your dating relationships. As we answer the questions below, we will draw attention to many of these.<\/p><p><em>Taken from\u00a0The Teenage Q&amp;A Book<\/em><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"pp-accordion-item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div id=\"pp-accordion-tab-title-1463\" class=\"pp-accordion-tab-title\" tabindex=\"0\" data-tab=\"3\" role=\"tab\" aria-controls=\"pp-accordion-tab-content-1463\" aria-expanded=\"false\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"pp-accordion-title-icon\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"pp-accordion-title-text\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tI\u2019m Dating a Person Who is Frequently Jealous of Me. What Can We do About it?\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"pp-accordion-toggle-icon\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class='pp-accordion-toggle-icon-close pp-icon'>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<i aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"fas fa-chevron-down\"><\/i>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class='pp-accordion-toggle-icon-open pp-icon'>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<i aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"fas fa-chevron-up\"><\/i>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<div id=\"pp-accordion-tab-content-1463\" class=\"pp-accordion-tab-content\" data-tab=\"3\" role=\"tabpanel\" aria-labelledby=\"pp-accordion-tab-title-1463\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>Sometimes jealousy is intentionally provoked and the cause is obvious. Jealousy, however, can also occur in situations where there seems to be little basis for it. Where there is a frequent and strong manifestation of the emotion of jealousy, the real cause is usually the inadequacy and insecurity of the person with those feelings.<\/p><p>Some jealous people have excellent qualities \u2014 gentleness, sensitivity, graciousness, for example \u2014 and yet they are very insecure because of the problems from their background. If you yourself are secure and are willing to make a commitment to help such a person, through patience and open communication you can possibly help rebuild that person\u2019s sense of security and thereby reduce his or her jealousy.<\/p><p><em>Taken from\u00a0The Teenage Q&amp;A Book, pg. 154<\/em><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"pp-accordion-item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div id=\"pp-accordion-tab-title-1464\" class=\"pp-accordion-tab-title\" tabindex=\"0\" data-tab=\"4\" role=\"tab\" aria-controls=\"pp-accordion-tab-content-1464\" aria-expanded=\"false\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"pp-accordion-title-icon\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"pp-accordion-title-text\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tHow do I Ask a Girl Out?\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"pp-accordion-toggle-icon\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class='pp-accordion-toggle-icon-close pp-icon'>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<i aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"fas fa-chevron-down\"><\/i>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class='pp-accordion-toggle-icon-open pp-icon'>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<i aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"fas fa-chevron-up\"><\/i>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<div id=\"pp-accordion-tab-content-1464\" class=\"pp-accordion-tab-content\" data-tab=\"4\" role=\"tabpanel\" aria-labelledby=\"pp-accordion-tab-title-1464\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><strong>Once you\u2019ve found a girl you would like to date, and you know her well enough, then try calling her on the phone.<\/strong><\/p><p>After you talk for a while, you\u2019re ready to ask the question. In asking, never have the attitude: \u201cYou wouldn\u2019t want to go out with me, would you?\u201d If you ask like that she will think you have a disease.<\/p><p>Nor should you have the attitude: \u201cOf course you would like the privilege of going out with me since I am God\u2019s gift to women. When would you like to pick me up?\u201d Or, don\u2019t cop out by asking, \u201cAre you doing anything Friday night?\u201d<\/p><p>One of the best ways to pop the question is to ask it like this: \u201cYou know, Hermanatica, I\u2019ve enjoyed talking with you. Would you like to get together Tuesday of next week at 3 P.M. to look for lost golf balls at Frank\u2019s Miniature Golf? That way we could get to know each other better.\u201d<\/p><p>When you ask her, always include when and what you plan to do specifically. Never just ask if she would like to go out. If she thinks you are a turkey, you have left her only two options: (1) She can go out and be miserable, or (2) she can turn you down and hurt your feelings.<\/p><p>Telling her the time of the date gives her a polite way of excusing herself if she doesn\u2019t want to go. If she says she is committed, it\u2019s okay to say, \u201cMaybe we could go out another time,\u201d and see what she says. But don\u2019t fish for another date. If she wants to go out with you, she will apologize and let you know she would like for you to ask her out again. She might even offer nights when she is available. If this happens, don\u2019t waste any time in getting the date. Nail it down on the spot.<\/p><p>Planning the date ahead of time shows the girl you have thought this date through. This makes her feel special. Consider setting up a group date for the first date. It relaxes the pressure and often girls are more willing to go out in that situation (adapted from\u00a0<em>Dating: Picking (and Being) a Winner<\/em>, pp. 69-70).<\/p><p><em>Taken from\u00a0The Teenage Q&amp;A Book, pg. 139<\/em><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"pp-accordion-item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div id=\"pp-accordion-tab-title-1465\" class=\"pp-accordion-tab-title\" tabindex=\"0\" data-tab=\"5\" role=\"tab\" aria-controls=\"pp-accordion-tab-content-1465\" aria-expanded=\"false\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"pp-accordion-title-icon\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"pp-accordion-title-text\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tHow Can I Let a Guy Know I\u2019m Interested in him Without Making a Complete Fool of Myself?\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"pp-accordion-toggle-icon\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class='pp-accordion-toggle-icon-close pp-icon'>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<i aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"fas fa-chevron-down\"><\/i>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class='pp-accordion-toggle-icon-open pp-icon'>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<i aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"fas fa-chevron-up\"><\/i>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<div id=\"pp-accordion-tab-content-1465\" class=\"pp-accordion-tab-content\" data-tab=\"5\" role=\"tabpanel\" aria-labelledby=\"pp-accordion-tab-title-1465\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><strong>First Peter 3:3, 4 says, \u201cAnd let not your adornment be merely external\u2014braiding the hair, and wearing gold jewelry, or putting on dresses; but let it be the hidden person of the heart, with the imperishable quality of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is precious in the sight of God.\u201d<\/strong><\/p><p>These verses give three principles. First, look your best. You want to emphasize your inward beauty, but don\u2019t neglect your outward beauty. If certain makeup or styles of clothing can enhance your beauty, take advantage of them without overdoing it. And be careful in your dressing to draw attention to your face, not your assets.<\/p><p>Second, reflect inner beauty. You can do this by acting out qualities such as being courteous, kind, thoughtful, appreciative, etc. Guys can respect someone they don\u2019t love, but they will never love anyone they don\u2019t respect.<\/p><p>Lastly, try writing a note with something like: \u201cI\u2019m glad our relationship is developing and I hope it continues.\u201d The best way to win his attention is by becoming his friend.<\/p><p><em>Taken from\u00a0The Teenage Q&amp;A Book, pg. 140<\/em><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"pp-accordion-item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div id=\"pp-accordion-tab-title-1466\" class=\"pp-accordion-tab-title\" tabindex=\"0\" data-tab=\"6\" role=\"tab\" aria-controls=\"pp-accordion-tab-content-1466\" aria-expanded=\"false\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"pp-accordion-title-icon\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"pp-accordion-title-text\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tWhat\u2019s Wrong With Dating Non-Christians?\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"pp-accordion-toggle-icon\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class='pp-accordion-toggle-icon-close pp-icon'>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<i aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"fas fa-chevron-down\"><\/i>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class='pp-accordion-toggle-icon-open pp-icon'>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<i aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"fas fa-chevron-up\"><\/i>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<div id=\"pp-accordion-tab-content-1466\" class=\"pp-accordion-tab-content\" data-tab=\"6\" role=\"tabpanel\" aria-labelledby=\"pp-accordion-tab-title-1466\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><strong>The Bible says, \u201cDo not be bound together with unbelievers\u201d (2 Cor. 6:14).<\/strong><\/p><p>This can be tough to accept, especially when the oldest Christian guy in town is only nine years old! It gets lonely not going out.\u00a0 The longer you wait, the more attractive non-Christians become.<\/p><p>The tendency is to start to make excuses like:<\/p><ul><li>He understands me.<\/li><li>She accepts me for who I am.<\/li><li>I haven\u2019t gone out in a long time, and I\u2019m lonely.<\/li><li>There aren\u2019t any Christians I want to date.<\/li><li>Non-Christians have more fun that Christians.<\/li><li>She\u2019s nicer than the Christian girls I know.<\/li><li>He\u2019s really changing. He\u2019s not at all like he was.<\/li><li>I\u2019m not going to marry her.<\/li><li>I\u2019ll go out with him only once or twice.<\/li><li>My friends want me to go and I\u2019ll disappoint them if I don\u2019t.<\/li><li>Everyone will think I\u2019m stuck-up.<\/li><li>I don\u2019t know how to say \u201cno\u201d when a non-Christian asks me out.<\/li><li>I might lead him (or her) to Christ.<\/li><\/ul><p>But, again; the Bible says, \u201cDo not be bound together with unbelievers\u201d (2 Cor. 6:14).<\/p><p><em>The Teenage Q&amp;A Book, pg. 137<\/em><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section data-particle_enable=\"false\" data-particle-mobile-disabled=\"false\" class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-0a3e003 elementor-section-stretched elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"0a3e003\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-e-type=\"section\" id=\"love\" data-settings=\"{&quot;jet_parallax_layout_list&quot;:[],&quot;stretch_section&quot;:&quot;section-stretched&quot;,&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-5787aa6\" data-id=\"5787aa6\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-020ab8b elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"020ab8b\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Love<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-60b8be6 elementor-widget elementor-widget-pp-advanced-accordion\" data-id=\"60b8be6\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-settings=\"{&quot;accordion_type&quot;:&quot;toggle&quot;,&quot;toggle_speed&quot;:300}\" data-widget_type=\"pp-advanced-accordion.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"pp-advanced-accordion pp-toggle-icon-align-right\" id=\"pp-advanced-accordion-60b8be6\" data-accordion-id=\"60b8be6\" role=\"tablist\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"pp-accordion-item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div id=\"pp-accordion-tab-title-1011\" class=\"pp-accordion-tab-title\" tabindex=\"0\" data-tab=\"1\" role=\"tab\" aria-controls=\"pp-accordion-tab-content-1011\" aria-expanded=\"false\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"pp-accordion-title-icon\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"pp-accordion-title-text\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tAm I in love?\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"pp-accordion-toggle-icon\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class='pp-accordion-toggle-icon-close pp-icon'>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<i aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"fas fa-chevron-down\"><\/i>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class='pp-accordion-toggle-icon-open pp-icon'>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<i aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"fas fa-chevron-up\"><\/i>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<div id=\"pp-accordion-tab-content-1011\" class=\"pp-accordion-tab-content\" data-tab=\"1\" role=\"tabpanel\" aria-labelledby=\"pp-accordion-tab-title-1011\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><strong>I Have Such Strong Feelings for My Boyfriend. <\/strong><strong>Does that mean that I\u2019m in love?<\/strong><\/p><p>Real love produces strong feelings. But strong feelings don\u2019t necessarily mean you are in love. Feelings come and go quickly, depending on what kind of mood you\u2019re in. To know if your love is real or not, avoid focusing on your feelings. Look instead at the depth of commitment you have for each other.<\/p><p><em>Taken from\u00a0The Teenage Q&amp;A Book, pg. 151<\/em><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"pp-accordion-item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div id=\"pp-accordion-tab-title-1012\" class=\"pp-accordion-tab-title\" tabindex=\"0\" data-tab=\"2\" role=\"tab\" aria-controls=\"pp-accordion-tab-content-1012\" aria-expanded=\"false\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"pp-accordion-title-icon\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"pp-accordion-title-text\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tWhat\u2019s the Difference Between Love and Infatuation?\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"pp-accordion-toggle-icon\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class='pp-accordion-toggle-icon-close pp-icon'>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<i aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"fas fa-chevron-down\"><\/i>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class='pp-accordion-toggle-icon-open pp-icon'>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<i aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"fas fa-chevron-up\"><\/i>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<div id=\"pp-accordion-tab-content-1012\" class=\"pp-accordion-tab-content\" data-tab=\"2\" role=\"tabpanel\" aria-labelledby=\"pp-accordion-tab-title-1012\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><strong>Infatuation has been defined as \u201cthe emotional impulse of love, untested by time or circumstance.\u201d Since infatuation can lead to real love, sometimes it is difficult to see the difference. The characteristics in the chart below show the differences between infatuation and real love.<\/strong><\/p><table border=\"0\" width=\"650\" cellspacing=\"2\" cellpadding=\"2\"><tbody><tr valign=\"top\"><td width=\"50%\"><h4>The Fairy Tale\u2014Infatuation<\/h4><ul><li>Fall into it suddenly<\/li><li>Deepens little with time<\/li><li>Wants sex now<\/li><li>Up and down emotionally<\/li><li>In love with love<\/li><li>Fickle<\/li><li>Can\u2019t eat or sleep<\/li><li>Hostile break-up at the slightest irritations<\/li><li>Emphasizes beauty<\/li><li>Gets<\/li><li>Based on my feelings<\/li><li>Self-centered<\/li><li>Shows emotion<\/li><li>Physical<\/li><li>Expects to find happiness<\/li><li>Asks \u201cHow am I doing?\u201d<\/li><li>Focuses on the performance of the other person<\/li><li>May feel this way toward more than one person<\/li><li>Possessive<\/li><li>May be based on few contacts\u00a0(only person you\u2019ve dated)<\/li><li>Has an idealized Image of the other person<\/li><li>Avoids problems<\/li><\/ul><\/td><td width=\"50%\"><h4>The Real Thing\u2014Love<\/h4><ul><li>Grows with time<\/li><li>Always deepening<\/li><li>Willing to wait for sex<\/li><li>Consistent<\/li><li>In love with a person<\/li><li>Faithful<\/li><li>Has proper perspective<\/li><li>Does not panic when problems arise<\/li><li>Emphasizes character<\/li><li>Gives<\/li><li>Based on other\u2019s needs<\/li><li>Self-controlled<\/li><li>Shows devotion<\/li><li>Spiritual<\/li><li>Expects to work at happiness<\/li><li>Asks \u201cHow are you doing?\u201d<\/li><li>Provides unconditional acceptance\u00a0of the other person<\/li><li>Feels this way toward one and only one<\/li><li>Allows the other person to relate to others<\/li><li>Based on many contacts\u00a0(dated many others)<\/li><li>Has a realistic view of the other person\u2019s\u00a0strengths and weaknesses<\/li><li>Works through problems<\/li><\/ul><\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><p><em>Adapted from\u00a0Love: Making It Last, pp. 18,19<\/em><\/p><p><em>Taken from\u00a0The Teenage Q&amp;A Book, pg. 52<\/em><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"pp-accordion-item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div id=\"pp-accordion-tab-title-1013\" class=\"pp-accordion-tab-title\" tabindex=\"0\" data-tab=\"3\" role=\"tab\" aria-controls=\"pp-accordion-tab-content-1013\" aria-expanded=\"false\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"pp-accordion-title-icon\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"pp-accordion-title-text\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tDoes God Have Just One Person Picked Out for Me to Marry, or Does He Have Several Possibilities for Me to Choose From?\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"pp-accordion-toggle-icon\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class='pp-accordion-toggle-icon-close pp-icon'>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<i aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"fas fa-chevron-down\"><\/i>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class='pp-accordion-toggle-icon-open pp-icon'>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<i aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"fas fa-chevron-up\"><\/i>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<div id=\"pp-accordion-tab-content-1013\" class=\"pp-accordion-tab-content\" data-tab=\"3\" role=\"tabpanel\" aria-labelledby=\"pp-accordion-tab-title-1013\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><strong>This question has as many different answers as there are people you ask.<\/strong><\/p><p>Among the answers:<\/p><ul><li>Things will just click.<\/li><li>You can\u2019t stand being apart.<\/li><li>You are compatible.<\/li><li>You will feel it deep in your heart.<\/li><\/ul><p>It doesn\u2019t take a genius to decide which type of person you would enjoy spending the rest of your life with so, first, eliminate all non-contenders.<\/p><p>Then ask yourself the question: \u201cDoes God want me to marry the right person or a right person?\u201d Some say God wants you to marry \u201cthe\u201d right person, meaning He has one, and only one, person picked out for you to marry. Others feel that there are many people out there whom God would consider a suitable mate for you; therefore, God wants you to marry \u201ca\u201d right person.<\/p><p>To avoid the controversy and the confusion, consider this perspective: Of the rest, pick the best. Of all the contenders, pick the best one for you, then you have the best of both options. If God has only one picked out, you can be sure you got him or her. On the other hand, if there are several right ones out there, then you can be sure to get the best one possible (adapted from\u00a0<em>Love: Making It Last<\/em>, pp. 123, 126).<\/p><p><em>Taken from\u00a0The Teenage Q&amp;A Book, pg. 156<\/em><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"pp-accordion-item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div id=\"pp-accordion-tab-title-1014\" class=\"pp-accordion-tab-title\" tabindex=\"0\" data-tab=\"4\" role=\"tab\" aria-controls=\"pp-accordion-tab-content-1014\" aria-expanded=\"false\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"pp-accordion-title-icon\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"pp-accordion-title-text\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tI\u2019ve Experienced a Lot of Painful Rejection. It\u2019s Affecting My Current Relationship. Is it Just Me?\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"pp-accordion-toggle-icon\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class='pp-accordion-toggle-icon-close pp-icon'>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<i aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"fas fa-chevron-down\"><\/i>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class='pp-accordion-toggle-icon-open pp-icon'>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<i aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"fas fa-chevron-up\"><\/i>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<div id=\"pp-accordion-tab-content-1014\" class=\"pp-accordion-tab-content\" data-tab=\"4\" role=\"tabpanel\" aria-labelledby=\"pp-accordion-tab-title-1014\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>Many times a person seeking love and affection who finds only rejection may come to feel that he or she is unworthy or unacceptable as a person. The deeper these feelings grow, the more they focus on the past. Past experiences of frustration and disappointment can tend to make them feel insecure and fearful in every area of life, certain that the future holds only more hurt and pain. This, in turn, can erode self-esteem and hope.<\/p><p>Don\u2019t project your past experiences of rejection into the present. Dating or marital problems can develop when you think you\u2019ve been rejected but you actually haven\u2019t been. You are reacting to past emotional experiences which have sensitized you in a way that makes you think you are again being rejected. It\u2019s important to be well enough in touch with your feelings so that you can be absolutely certain what causes these feelings of rejection. Being in touch with your feelings gives you a solid basis for determining whether you are actually experiencing rejection or simply replaying messages from the past.<\/p><p><em>Taken from\u00a0The Teenage Q&amp;A Book, pg. 156<\/em><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"pp-accordion-item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div id=\"pp-accordion-tab-title-1015\" class=\"pp-accordion-tab-title\" tabindex=\"0\" data-tab=\"5\" role=\"tab\" aria-controls=\"pp-accordion-tab-content-1015\" aria-expanded=\"false\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"pp-accordion-title-icon\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"pp-accordion-title-text\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tIs There Such a Thing As \u2018Love at First Sight\u2019 ?\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"pp-accordion-toggle-icon\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class='pp-accordion-toggle-icon-close pp-icon'>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<i aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"fas fa-chevron-down\"><\/i>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class='pp-accordion-toggle-icon-open pp-icon'>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<i aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"fas fa-chevron-up\"><\/i>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<div id=\"pp-accordion-tab-content-1015\" class=\"pp-accordion-tab-content\" data-tab=\"5\" role=\"tabpanel\" aria-labelledby=\"pp-accordion-tab-title-1015\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>Love is not based on sight, looks or even romance. Real love is based upon commitment and a deep understanding of the other person. It is based on much more than just looks.<\/p><p>There is such a thing as attraction at first sight which can grow into real love. But love, a real, committed, true love cannot be determined at first sight.<\/p><p><em>The Teenage Q&amp;A Book, pg. 152<\/em><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section data-particle_enable=\"false\" data-particle-mobile-disabled=\"false\" class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-4a51b36 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"4a51b36\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-e-type=\"section\" id=\"sex\" data-settings=\"{&quot;jet_parallax_layout_list&quot;:[]}\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-3af63d6\" data-id=\"3af63d6\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-c6192d6 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"c6192d6\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Sex<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-fc91c20 elementor-widget elementor-widget-pp-advanced-accordion\" data-id=\"fc91c20\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-settings=\"{&quot;accordion_type&quot;:&quot;toggle&quot;,&quot;toggle_speed&quot;:300}\" data-widget_type=\"pp-advanced-accordion.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"pp-advanced-accordion pp-toggle-icon-align-right\" id=\"pp-advanced-accordion-fc91c20\" data-accordion-id=\"fc91c20\" role=\"tablist\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"pp-accordion-item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div id=\"pp-accordion-tab-title-2641\" class=\"pp-accordion-tab-title\" tabindex=\"0\" data-tab=\"1\" role=\"tab\" aria-controls=\"pp-accordion-tab-content-2641\" aria-expanded=\"false\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"pp-accordion-title-icon\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"pp-accordion-title-text\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tWhy is the Bible Against Sex?\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"pp-accordion-toggle-icon\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class='pp-accordion-toggle-icon-close pp-icon'>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<i aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"fas fa-chevron-down\"><\/i>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class='pp-accordion-toggle-icon-open pp-icon'>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<i aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"fas fa-chevron-up\"><\/i>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<div id=\"pp-accordion-tab-content-2641\" class=\"pp-accordion-tab-content\" data-tab=\"1\" role=\"tabpanel\" aria-labelledby=\"pp-accordion-tab-title-2641\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><strong>Of all those in church, 80 to 90 percent, young and old, think the Bible has a negative view of sex.<\/strong><\/p><p>The Bible is not against sex. There\u2019s not a single verse in the Bible that calls sex sin. There\u2019s not one verse in the Bible against sex or that says sex is wrong or dirty.<\/p><p>Now, don\u2019t misunderstand, there are many passages in the Bible that speak against the misuse of sex, of sexual expression outside of the loving commitment of marriage. It is not sex but rather the misuse of sex that the Bible calls fornication, adultery, etc.<\/p><p><em>Taken from\u00a0The Teenage Q&amp;A Book, pg. 164<\/em><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"pp-accordion-item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div id=\"pp-accordion-tab-title-2642\" class=\"pp-accordion-tab-title\" tabindex=\"0\" data-tab=\"2\" role=\"tab\" aria-controls=\"pp-accordion-tab-content-2642\" aria-expanded=\"false\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"pp-accordion-title-icon\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"pp-accordion-title-text\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tIs Sex Dirty?\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"pp-accordion-toggle-icon\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class='pp-accordion-toggle-icon-close pp-icon'>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<i aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"fas fa-chevron-down\"><\/i>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class='pp-accordion-toggle-icon-open pp-icon'>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<i aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"fas fa-chevron-up\"><\/i>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<div id=\"pp-accordion-tab-content-2642\" class=\"pp-accordion-tab-content\" data-tab=\"2\" role=\"tabpanel\" aria-labelledby=\"pp-accordion-tab-title-2642\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><strong>Sex is definitely not dirty. When God created the world, He looked at it and declared that everything was good. That included sex! God created sex as a good and enjoyable aspect of our lives.<\/strong><\/p><p>God isn\u2019t down on sex. After all, He made it. God designed the gift of sex to be enjoyed within marriage. Hebrews 13:4 says,\u00a0<em>\u201cMarriage should be honored by all, and the marriage bed kept pure, for God will judge the adulterer and all the sexually immoral.\u201d<\/em><\/p><p>There\u2019s nothing more beautiful than sex between two people committed to one another in marriage. To see the healthy view of the Bible on sex, read\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.youversion.com\/bible\/esv\/prov\/5\/18-19\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Proverbs 5:18-19<\/a>.<\/p><p><em>Taken from\u00a0The Teenage Q&amp;A Book, pg. 164<\/em><\/p><p>More Info:<\/p><h5><a href=\"https:\/\/www.josh.org\/product\/bare-facts-dvd-book-pack\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">THE BARE FACTS: THE TRUTH ABOUT SEX, LOVE &amp; RELATIONSHIPS<\/a><\/h5><p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.just1clickaway.org\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>Just1ClickAway.org<\/strong><\/a>\u00a0\u2013\u00a0find shocking statistics and helpful tips as you navigate your family and students through the intrusive immorality, such as\u00a0pornography, that is so prevalent today<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"pp-accordion-item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div id=\"pp-accordion-tab-title-2643\" class=\"pp-accordion-tab-title\" tabindex=\"0\" data-tab=\"3\" role=\"tab\" aria-controls=\"pp-accordion-tab-content-2643\" aria-expanded=\"false\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"pp-accordion-title-icon\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"pp-accordion-title-text\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tWhy do We Have Such Strong Sexual Feelings if Pre-Marital Sex is Wrong?\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"pp-accordion-toggle-icon\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class='pp-accordion-toggle-icon-close pp-icon'>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<i aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"fas fa-chevron-down\"><\/i>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class='pp-accordion-toggle-icon-open pp-icon'>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<i aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"fas fa-chevron-up\"><\/i>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<div id=\"pp-accordion-tab-content-2643\" class=\"pp-accordion-tab-content\" data-tab=\"3\" role=\"tabpanel\" aria-labelledby=\"pp-accordion-tab-title-2643\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><strong>God has placed inside every person a strong desire for sex. He wants you to have it. Which may make you wonder why He made your desires so powerful if you can't enjoy them right now. Is God playing a cosmic joke on you?<\/strong><\/p><p>Not at all. Be thankful you have that strong desire. You also need to realize that because people today mature physically during their early teens and often don't marry until their early to late twenties, there are years and years of struggle to keep your desires under control.<\/p><p>It hasn't always been that way. Until the last 100 years or so, people generally married within a year or two after they reached physical maturity. Today, you have a tough course to run. Our sex-saturated society doesn't help much either.<\/p><p>But remember, God has given you all the power you need to keep your sexual desires under control. Following His advice in 2 Timothy 2:22 will help: \"Flee the evil desires of youth, and pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace, along with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart.\"<\/p><p>Need more answers?<\/p><br \/><p><br \/><strong>New Release on this topic!<\/strong><br \/><em>\"The Bare Facts: The Truth About Sex, Love &amp; Relationships\"<br \/><\/em><a href=\"\/BareFacts\">www.Josh.org\/BareFacts<\/a><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"pp-accordion-item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div id=\"pp-accordion-tab-title-2644\" class=\"pp-accordion-tab-title\" tabindex=\"0\" data-tab=\"4\" role=\"tab\" aria-controls=\"pp-accordion-tab-content-2644\" aria-expanded=\"false\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"pp-accordion-title-icon\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"pp-accordion-title-text\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tIs Pornography Wrong?\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"pp-accordion-toggle-icon\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class='pp-accordion-toggle-icon-close pp-icon'>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<i aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"fas fa-chevron-down\"><\/i>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class='pp-accordion-toggle-icon-open pp-icon'>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<i aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"fas fa-chevron-up\"><\/i>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<div id=\"pp-accordion-tab-content-2644\" class=\"pp-accordion-tab-content\" data-tab=\"4\" role=\"tabpanel\" aria-labelledby=\"pp-accordion-tab-title-2644\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><strong>You're hanging around the locker room and you see a rapid gathering of guys and a lot of laughs. You walk over, and they tell you to take a look at this. Then they jam a 12x12 full-color photo of a naked woman in your face.\u00a0 What happens, guys? Your body goes berserk!<\/strong><\/p><p>Many students, guys and girls, are into pornography, whether it's the sexy picture hanging on the wall or the magazines stacked under the mattress (not a very good hiding place). In fact, in one survey 99 percent of the young men and 91 percent of the young women had read or looked at pornographic magazines.<\/p><p>Pornography treats men and women as sex objects. It cheapens sex. Even more, it can get a hold on your mind and dominate your thoughts, so you are drawn to pornography any time you become lonely or sexually stimulated.<\/p><p><em>Taken from\u00a0The Teenage Q&amp;A Book pg. 171<\/em><\/p><p>\"Why is God and the Bible so negative about sex?\"\u00a0 Watch video below<\/p><p>\u00a0<\/p><p><em>Video taken from newly released DVD library,<\/em><br \/><em><a href=\"https:\/\/www.josh.org\/product\/bare-facts-dvd-book-pack\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">\"The Bare Facts: The Truth About Sex, Love &amp; Relationships\"<\/a><\/em><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section data-particle_enable=\"false\" data-particle-mobile-disabled=\"false\" class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-922a677 elementor-section-stretched elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"922a677\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-e-type=\"section\" id=\"abuse\" data-settings=\"{&quot;jet_parallax_layout_list&quot;:[],&quot;stretch_section&quot;:&quot;section-stretched&quot;,&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-d1e777a\" data-id=\"d1e777a\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-977b93a elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"977b93a\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Abuse<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-90e433a elementor-widget elementor-widget-pp-advanced-accordion\" data-id=\"90e433a\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-settings=\"{&quot;accordion_type&quot;:&quot;toggle&quot;,&quot;toggle_speed&quot;:300}\" data-widget_type=\"pp-advanced-accordion.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"pp-advanced-accordion pp-toggle-icon-align-right\" id=\"pp-advanced-accordion-90e433a\" data-accordion-id=\"90e433a\" role=\"tablist\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"pp-accordion-item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div id=\"pp-accordion-tab-title-1511\" class=\"pp-accordion-tab-title\" tabindex=\"0\" data-tab=\"1\" role=\"tab\" aria-controls=\"pp-accordion-tab-content-1511\" aria-expanded=\"false\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"pp-accordion-title-icon\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"pp-accordion-title-text\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tWhat is Incest?\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"pp-accordion-toggle-icon\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class='pp-accordion-toggle-icon-close pp-icon'>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<i aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"fas fa-chevron-down\"><\/i>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class='pp-accordion-toggle-icon-open pp-icon'>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<i aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"fas fa-chevron-up\"><\/i>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<div id=\"pp-accordion-tab-content-1511\" class=\"pp-accordion-tab-content\" data-tab=\"1\" role=\"tabpanel\" aria-labelledby=\"pp-accordion-tab-title-1511\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\tIncest is intimate sexual contact between a child under the age of eighteen and a relative such as an uncle, aunt, brother, sister, stepbrother, stepsister, mother, father, stepmother, stepfather, or grandparent. In other words, someone you are not legally allowed to marry. About 23 percent of all sexual abuse is incest.\n\nFather-daughter incest is the most commonly reported and legally prosecuted form. In about one quarter of the reported cases, sexual contact is a one-time occurrence, but more typically it continues over a period of years, having an average time span of three and a half years.\n\nWhen the daughter is young, between five and twelve, the relationship very rarely includes actual intercourse. Once the daughter is past twelve, intercourse is likely to be part of the sexual contact. Alcohol is a significant factor. (Between 20 and 50 percent of the fathers are alcoholics. Even when the man is not an alcoholic, the first experience may take place when he has been drinking.)\n\nA number of studies have concluded that brother-sister incest is the most common form of incest. Research does not support the view that brother-sister incest is \u201cnormal.\u201d It usually occurs in families where serious problems exist.\n\nHealthy families exhibit a lot of holding and affection. However, affection is different from deliberate erotic stimulation (Redbook, 11\/80, pp. 83-86).\n\nTaken from\u00a0The Teenage Q&amp;A Book, pg. 185\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"pp-accordion-item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div id=\"pp-accordion-tab-title-1512\" class=\"pp-accordion-tab-title\" tabindex=\"0\" data-tab=\"2\" role=\"tab\" aria-controls=\"pp-accordion-tab-content-1512\" aria-expanded=\"false\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"pp-accordion-title-icon\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"pp-accordion-title-text\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tWhat is Rape or Date Rape?\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"pp-accordion-toggle-icon\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class='pp-accordion-toggle-icon-close pp-icon'>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<i aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"fas fa-chevron-down\"><\/i>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class='pp-accordion-toggle-icon-open pp-icon'>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<i aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"fas fa-chevron-up\"><\/i>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<div id=\"pp-accordion-tab-content-1512\" class=\"pp-accordion-tab-content\" data-tab=\"2\" role=\"tabpanel\" aria-labelledby=\"pp-accordion-tab-title-1512\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><strong>Rape occurs when sexual intercourse or oral sex is forced on you against your will. This could be by someone you know or by a complete stranger. Nearly 75 percent of all rape and sexual assault is done by a person known to the victim.<\/strong><\/p><p>Date rape occurs when intercourse or oral sex is forced on you by the person you are dating. The force does not have to involve a weapon or even the threat of physical harm. It can be trying to overpower a victim physically. It can also involve intimidating threats like, \u201cHey, if you don\u2019t want to put out, you can get out of the car right now and walk home.\u201d<\/p><p>Rape or date rape is a violent crime and it\u2019s against the law. Yet you\u2019ve probably heard some people say, \u201cThey brought it on themselves by the way they acted or dressed.\u201d That\u2019s wrong! No one has the right to rape another person, no matter what she\u2019s done! If someone forces sex on you, you\u2019re the victim and they\u2019re the lawbreaker. Remember, forced sex is not love; it\u2019s a crime!<\/p><p><em>Taken from\u00a0The Teenage Q&amp;A Book, pg. 186<\/em><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"pp-accordion-item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div id=\"pp-accordion-tab-title-1513\" class=\"pp-accordion-tab-title\" tabindex=\"0\" data-tab=\"3\" role=\"tab\" aria-controls=\"pp-accordion-tab-content-1513\" aria-expanded=\"false\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"pp-accordion-title-icon\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"pp-accordion-title-text\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tHow Common is Sexual Abuse?\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"pp-accordion-toggle-icon\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class='pp-accordion-toggle-icon-close pp-icon'>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<i aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"fas fa-chevron-down\"><\/i>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class='pp-accordion-toggle-icon-open pp-icon'>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<i aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"fas fa-chevron-up\"><\/i>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<div id=\"pp-accordion-tab-content-1513\" class=\"pp-accordion-tab-content\" data-tab=\"3\" role=\"tabpanel\" aria-labelledby=\"pp-accordion-tab-title-1513\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><strong>One out of every three girls and one in seven guys will be sexually assaulted before they reach the age of eighteen! But more than half of the victims will not tell anyone within a year of the assault. Most of them feel guilty and cover up the sexual abuse.<\/strong><\/p><p>Perhaps even more alarming is the attitudes many guys have about sexual abuse and assault. A national study of 1,700 sixth to ninth grade students revealed that:<\/p><ul><li>65 percent of today\u2019s students say it is acceptable for a man to rape a girl (force her to have sex) if they\u2019ve been dating for more than six months.<\/li><li>25 percent said it was acceptable to rape a girl if a guy spends money on her.<\/li><li>87 percent said it was acceptable for a husband to rape his wife.<\/li><\/ul><p>Over a three-year period, 6,100 undergraduates were surveyed on 32 college campuses with these results:<\/p><ul><li>1 in 4 women surveyed were victims of rape or attempted rape.<\/li><li>84 percent of those raped knew their attackers.<\/li><li>57 percent of the rapes happened on dates.<\/li><li>75 percent of the men and 55 percent of the women involved in date rapes had been drinking or taking drugs before the attack.<\/li><li>42 percent of the rape victims told no one about the attack.<\/li><li>Only 5 percent reported their rapes to the police or sought help at a rape crisis center.<\/li><li>42 percent of the women who had been raped and 55 percent of the men who committed a rape said they had sex again with their victims.<\/li><li>84 percent of the men who committed rape said that what they did was definitely not rape.<\/li><\/ul><p>And finally, a survey among 247 females at a Christian liberal arts college found that at least 19 percent of all the females on campus had been abused before the age of eighteen.<\/p><p>The chances are great that there are, even in your church youth group, other kids who have been sexually abused. Some may be in the midst of continuing abuse. Or you may be a victim.<\/p><p><em>Taken from\u00a0The Teenage Q&amp;A Book, pg. 183<\/em><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"pp-accordion-item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div id=\"pp-accordion-tab-title-1514\" class=\"pp-accordion-tab-title\" tabindex=\"0\" data-tab=\"4\" role=\"tab\" aria-controls=\"pp-accordion-tab-content-1514\" aria-expanded=\"false\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"pp-accordion-title-icon\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"pp-accordion-title-text\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tWhat Does it Mean to be \u2018Sexually Abused\u2019?\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"pp-accordion-toggle-icon\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class='pp-accordion-toggle-icon-close pp-icon'>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<i aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"fas fa-chevron-down\"><\/i>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class='pp-accordion-toggle-icon-open pp-icon'>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<i aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"fas fa-chevron-up\"><\/i>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<div id=\"pp-accordion-tab-content-1514\" class=\"pp-accordion-tab-content\" data-tab=\"4\" role=\"tabpanel\" aria-labelledby=\"pp-accordion-tab-title-1514\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>Sexual abuse can happen in many different ways. Someone could indecently expose themselves to you; you could receive an obscene phone call; you could be aware that you have been seen by a peeping tom; or if you are under age eighteen, an adult could fondle you sexually or force you to have sex. A violent form of sexual abuse is rape. Another form of abuse is incest, sexual relations of any kind with a family member to whom you\u2019re not married.<\/p><p>About 41 percent of the abusers in the United States are friends or acquaintances, 27 percent are strangers, and 23 percent are relatives (incest). In fact, nearly 75 percent of all rape and sexual assaults are committed by people known to the victims (Youthworker Journal, Winter 1985).<\/p><p><em>Taken from\u00a0Teenage Q&amp;A Book, pg. 184<\/em><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>All content was taken from Josh McDowell\u2019s\u00a0The Teenage Q&amp;A Book\u00a0which answers over 230 questions teens ask about\u00a0parents, self image, peer pressure, friends, dating, love, sex and\u00a0abuse. No question is off limits, and no answer is impossible! And, don\u2019t forget to check out\u00a0Answers to Tough Questions\u00a0Skeptics\u00a0Ask\u00a0or let us\u00a0pray for you. Parents Self-Image Peer Pressure Friends Dating [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":50255,"featured_media":0,"parent":228,"menu_order":144,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_seopress_robots_primary_cat":"","_seopress_titles_title":"","_seopress_titles_desc":"","_seopress_robots_index":"","footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-234","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"acf":[],"meta_box":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/sites-stage.josh.org\/main\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/234","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/sites-stage.josh.org\/main\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/sites-stage.josh.org\/main\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sites-stage.josh.org\/main\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/50255"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sites-stage.josh.org\/main\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=234"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/sites-stage.josh.org\/main\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/234\/revisions"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sites-stage.josh.org\/main\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/228"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/sites-stage.josh.org\/main\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=234"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}