Can't say it better!!

I have three children.  

A 14 year old girl, a 12 year old boy and a 9 year old girl.  

We are right at the beginning of the struggles and pitfalls of the teenage years.  And by "right at the beginning" I mean KNEE DEEP.  There was no ramp up for us.  There as been no "sort of...starting to....beginning of....heading in that direction" of all the issues that a parent is faced with as our babies turn into young ladies and gentlemen.  It feels like, BOOM, one day we just had to deal with so many topics that I knew would surface eventually but yikes...they are here!  I heeded the wise words of loving people that have assured me that they grow so fast and such-and-such times will be here before you know it.  (Having these loving, truth-telling, non-condescending people in my life is invaluable, btw!  I urge you to have people like this in your life too.) ACTUALLY, there had to be a ramp up to these days but I was not aware of that said ramp.  I missed the memo that the ramp was starting as I loaded my shopping cart with size 2 Pampers!  Grrrr.    ( Cue the fresh smell of Baby Magic. Cue the sight of cute lil tushies crawling away from you as you struggle to put footy pj's on your wee ones.)

Now...back to reality.  

This post is primarily about my oldest who is 14 and a girl.  Lord help me!  I am certain she will be powerful for the kingdom of God.  POWERFUL!  She is creative, artistic, hardworking, and very capable.  She is strong-willed and has been since leaving the womb. I am not exaggerating.  

She is in 8th grade and is dealing with so many things that I want so badly to help her through but I can only do so much.  The pitfalls of our enemy are everywhere.  I find myself wanting to unzip her, stuff her full of my 41 year old knowledge and zip her back up.  Can't be done.  I've tried.  I am always on the lookout for things that will help me to parent her in a Godly way.  I recently listen to a radio broadcast on Focus on the Family and I have linked it below.  This broadcast is so dead on that I didn't want to even try to re-say what they say.     I encourage you to listen and maybe even take notes!  

Comment at will!!  

  Here's the link:  Shaunti Feldhahn....Teens and their Cravings!