In the spirit realm, unforgiveness always emotionally chains you to the person you are not forgiving. The truth is that forgiveness is hard. It's easy not to forgive because we don't feel like we can or we think it lets the person off the hook from what they've done. In reality though, unforgiveness is like drinking a cup of poison and expecting the other person to die from it.

In this month's Source, "Who Are You Chained To?" I'm sharing with our students five practical ways to unchain yourself from people who have wounded you. I promise you, for your students and your adult leaders alike, this will be an incredibly helpful message.

Taking off the chains,

We all have some type of skeletons in our closet. Some may be little, some may be big. But the fact of the matter is, we have something that when we think about it, makes our heart sink and our stomach drop. Shame and embarrassment walk in and the memory of asking God to forgive us walks out. Sometimes the toughest person to forgive is ourselves.

In this message, I share what I call, the ABCs of forgiving yourself and dealing with the voices of guilt that the Enemy will always try to use to paralyze you. You'll also hear a fun skit, two thought provoking monologues, and some key Scriptures. Be sure to catch the powerful way we ended the night. It was memorable and life-changing.

Lovingly,

This message, "Tied To The Tormentors," deals with the area that trips up so many of us...forgiveness.

Life will present big challenges in this arena for even the most "sheltered" teenagers in your youth ministry...let alone the kids who come from more typical backgrounds. And even more honestly, the area of hurts and bitterness can be used strategically of the Enemy in the life of every youth leader and pastor. Doing ministry the "Jesus way" can be pretty painful at times.

So sit back, relax, and give me a few minutes to be your "long distance sis." It's my prayer that this message will minister to not only your students...BUT ALSO TO YOU.

Lovingly your "Cheerleader,"

I was prepared for SPIRITUAL WARFARE when I entered ministry. But the unexpected punches emotionally came from the CRITICISM that became an almost "daily norm" for me especially from other Christian people. Criticism reminds me of the phrase "Death by 1,000 cuts," referencing slow slicing, a form of torture and capital punishment practiced in Imperial China. And as repeated small criticisms come, we find ourselves slowly dying on the inside.

In this month's Youth Leader's Coach, "Criticism: It's Not For The Weak," I'm navigating how to deal with criticism. Elbert Hubbard once saying, "To avoid criticism, do nothing, say nothing and be nothing." Isn't that true? As a leader, criticism comes with the territory. So, listen in as I share some of the lessons I've learned through the years while navigating the "world of criticism."

Lovingly,

Some pains and hurts from our past don't keep bothering us. We seek God's forgiveness, then forgive and forget. OTHER MEMORIES keep haunting for a long time with stingers of guilt, regret and resentment. But, by God's grace, total and unconditional forgiveness to YOURSELF and others stand available to every child of God.

Dr. James Dobson says that overcoming guilt, even after repentance, is one of the primary weapons the Enemy uses on today's leadership culture. That's why I wanted to share with you this resource. I call this Youth Leader's Coach, "A Leader’s Guide To Overcoming Guilt." Prayerfully, this will be a resource that will be a game-changer for you!

Lovingly,