Blog: Motivate! - Christians Networking

The Struggle with Grief: Is True Healing Possible?

6/12/2025

by regular contributor Dr. Leah Halpert

1.The Uncharted Path of Grief
Nothing has hit me as hard in my life as the passing of my husband. I lost my father in 2023, and while it brought immense sadness, I didn’t feel completely crushed. However, the sudden loss of my most beloved husband utterly shattered my world and nearly destroyed my very existence. When your soul is so deeply intertwined and in love with another, the death of one feels like the death of both.

2.No One Can Walk in Your Shoes and Feel What You Feel
When I was in the deepest grief, could anyone truly comfort me? No. No words from another human being could bring me peace. It felt like my soul had descended into an unknown space, like the bottom of the sea—so deep, so dark, so unreachable.

Keeping Students Attentive During Discussion Time: 5 Strategies That Work

6/3/2025

by Guest Blogger Mike Haynes

Small groups are one of the most powerful environments in youth ministry. They provide a space where students go beyond listening to sermons and start wrestling with faith, building relationships, and applying biblical truths to their daily lives.

But keeping students engaged in small groups can be challenging. You may have experienced these common issues:
• Some students dominate the conversation while others stay silent.
• Discussions can feel forced, awkward, or disconnected from real life.
• Leaders struggle to draw out meaningful engagement from the group.

If your small groups feel more like a checkbox than a life-changing environment, it might be time to shift your approach. Here are five practical strategies to transform your small groups into spaces of real growth and connection.

Trust God and Let Him Take Control

6/2/2025

by Guest Blogger Elizabeth Thambiraj

Trust meaning in English: to believe that someone is good and honest and will not harm you, or that something is safe and reliable:[1]

Jer 17: 7-8 says, "Blessed is the man that trusteth in the Lord, and whose hope the Lord is. For he shall be as a tree planted by the waters, and that spreadeth out her roots by the river, and shall not see when heat cometh, but her leaf shall be green; and shall not be careful in the year of drought, neither shall cease from yielding fruit."

Two Small Things You Can Do to Practice Your Faith in the Marketplace

5/20/2025

by Guest Blogger Dave Kahle

For many Christian professionals and businesspeople, the prospect of practicing our faith in the marketplace is overwhelming. It’s easy to remain paralyzed in the face of so many things calling for our time and attention. In the face of overwhelming number of choices, most marketplace Christians default to what’s comfortable and familiar – which is to focus on worldly success in business and give up on having an impact for the Kingdom.
In order to break through this inertia, here are two small things you can do. These are small acts that get you started and moving on the right path.

Teaching Teenagers to Handle Peer Pressure Through a Gospel Lens

5/14/2025

by Guest Blogger Mike Haynes

Peer pressure is nothing new. For generations, it has influenced the choices and behavior of teenagers. But in today's hyperconnected world, that pressure is not only more persistent but also much harder to escape.

The constant buzz of social media creates an always-on environment where the need to conform feels never-ending. Cancel culture amplifies the fear of rejection, urging students to fit in at all costs. Fear of missing out (FOMO) can drive students to agree to things they know aren't right.

As youth leaders, we can't simply tell students to "be strong" or "make good choices." They need a deeper foundation—one rooted in the gospel—to view peer pressure through God's perspective.

Here's how to guide teenagers in navigating peer pressure in a way that is both biblical and genuinely transformative.

Is it Time for You to Lead? Is God Waiting for You?

4/18/2025

By guest blogger Dave Kahle

Some recent surveys have indicated that the population of Christians in this country has gone from the majority to a size approaching a remnant. It’s time for everyday Christians to break out of their reliance on the failed institutional church system and exert leadership in their lives.

Based on a study conducted by Arizona Christian University during 2020 – 2023, born again Christians deeply committed to practicing their faith fell from 88% to 46%. Worse yet, this study discovered that only 6% of professed Christians have a biblical worldview. Instead, most have a smorgasbord view of their faith, picking and choosing what they believe.

The trend is obvious. Here’s another study that found similar results.

The Biggest Sermon Prep Mistake Youth Leaders Make

4/18/2025

Mike Haynes

By guest blogger Mike Haynes
Every youth pastor knows the pressure of getting a sermon ready for Wednesday night. The countdown is on, and maybe the outline is set, but something feels off. Perhaps the message isn’t connecting to real-life situations, or you’re worried students will zone out five minutes into the talk.
The truth is, how we prepare our sermons shapes how students receive them. Unfortunately, there’s one significant mistake many youth pastors make—one that can leave students feeling disengaged, confused, or even indifferent to the gospel message.

The #1 Mistake: Prioritizing Delivery Over Discipleship
It’s easy to fall into the trap of believing that a great sermon is all about:

Teaching Teenagers about the Power of Easter

3/28/2025

by guest blogger Mike Haynes

Teaching teenagers about the cross is one of the most important tasks a youth pastor can undertake. The cross is at the very center of the Christian faith, representing not just a historical event, but the ultimate act of love, sacrifice, and redemption. Yet, sometimes it’s tough to convey the depth and significance of the cross to students who may struggle to grasp its meaning beyond a symbol they see on jewelry or in church.

One of the first steps in teaching about the cross is to ground students in the historical and biblical context. The cross was not just an execution method but a symbol of shame, suffering, and punishment. When Jesus chose the cross, He chose the most humiliating and excruciating path to demonstrate His love for humanity. Walking students through passages like Matthew 27, Mark 15, Luke 23, and John 19 can help them see the full narrative of Jesus' crucifixion from different perspectives.

Consequences of Spiritual Warfare

3/22/2025

by guest blogger Dave Kahle

We’re all familiar with the oft-quoted passage from Ephesians 6 that warns us of spiritual warfare:
        Put on the whole armor of God so that you may be able to stand firm against the Devil’s strategies. For our struggle is not against human opponents, but against rulers, authorities, cosmic powers in the darkness around us, and evil spiritual forces in the heavenly realm.
         While we know that the final victory will be the Lord’s and that we will have won the great battle between the forces of good and evil, we are warned for the specific purpose of equipping us to fight the tactical battles we each face along the way. God wants us to be victorious in our daily conflicts with the ‘evil spiritual forces.’
           The consequences of losing the daily battles to the “evil spiritual forces in the heavenly realm” are larger than most of us consider. Let’s look at the impact of spiritual warfare on our businesses, our lives and our careers.

What Does It Mean to Have a Gospel-Centered Youth Ministry Curriculum?

3/7/2025

by guest blogger Mike Haynes
When it comes to youth ministry, finding the right curriculum can feel overwhelming. With so many resources available, it’s crucial to discern which ones genuinely align with a gospel-centered approach. At G Shades, we believe that a gospel-centered youth ministry curriculum goes beyond delivering good advice or teaching moral behavior—it consistently points students back to the person and work of Jesus Christ.

Authors

The authors are fellow believers who want to motivate you to step out in faith to become all God designed you to be! Some share their stories about how God encouraged them to step out of their comfort zone to do what He was calling them to do. Some share encouraging thoughts about growing in Jesus. I hope you will consider writing a guest post! Please email me.

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Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
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