Am I the Only One?

It´s funny because I am in the exact same situation except that I live in Germany! My parents and my siblings and I are the youngest people in church, and everbody else is over 70 But even though church often is not the best and very dry and everything you said, maybe you should still keep going. I experienced this during Lockdown: I was really surprised but I missed church so much, and I think it´s just because we´re the body of Christ fellowshipping, even if some older people are not as passionate as younger people can be. And even if you´re not going to be best friends with these elderly people, they can give such valuable advice. They often don´t show their faith as we would but are still very devout on the inside. There is a couple at my church that invited me for a hot chocolate after church when I was going without my family, and they asked me what I thought about the sermon-they are such sweethearts!
So even though I´m sure God will give you close christian friends your age when the time is there, grow to be the friend you would want to have, strong in your relationship with God and also try to have a relationship with older christians at your local church.
And, we also struggle because the pastor preaches wrong things sometimes and it´s just not what we would wish it were, but we have now decided to stay nonetheless and really invest into this congregation and build relationships and hope God uses us. So maybe you and your family could do that too?
Also, about the friends: My closest christian friend actually is my Cousin. We never were very close until last year when we "by accident" or God´s plan began talking about our faith. So don´t disregard your family.

Yeah, I think I keep writing so much because I feel like I am or at least have been in the same situation. So I´m really glad I could help you.
I feel the same, I just want it so bad. But we can find comfort in the fact that God absolutely knows we do and absolutely is in control and has a perfect plan.
God bless<3

Aww, thank you! This was very kind of you to write this for me😊

Yeah, rebellion sounds so scary. And I don't want to act like that way...but I guess sometimes, the feeling to rebel is there, you know? But then I hear about the consequences my parents have described I'm detail. So, I guess I have to be determined to just walk through this season and trust the plan God has for my life. Even if it hurts a little during the process...

Anyway, I'm probably going to talk more and more😅

God bless you❤

Hello. It's been a long time since I last engaged on this site. Some of you may recognize me. Some of you may not. It doesn't really matter. Okay...so it's been ages since I last written something like this, so bare with me😊

I've been feeling quite discouraged lately. I'm 17 years old and I've been raised very sheltered ever since I was born. My parents are super strict and sometimes I feel overwhelmed because I feel I'm expected to be the "perfect Christian girl." I've been struggling with my relationship with God and things I'm having a hard time dealing with. I don't have any close friends due to my upbringing and the fact its iterally been like I was sheltered from the outside world. I haven't really gotten the chance to make friends because I don't go to any sort of public school/university/college.

It's been hard for me because I feel so lonely. And I really get frustrated with my parents about it. I want a social life so badly...is it too much to ask? Is it rebellious to want to experience what's really out there just once?

I feel like I'm the only one whose remained pure....all my cousins around my age are literally out there partying and drinking. They're not really living a godly lifestyle in a sense. Like all of them. I don't know it seems teenagers nowadays seems to have lost moral values...well, at least I see it that way. It's hard to actually find someone who shares the same Christian values and who've remained pure, you know...

So, which comes to this. I really feel like like Elijah in the Bible where he said he felt like he was the only one who hadn't bowed down to Baal. And then the Lord reminded him there are 7000 (I apologise if I got the number wrong😅) other prophets who haven't bowed to Baal.

I know I'm not perfect. And I'm not trying to be self-centered here. I just feel alone...

Oh wow, you're from Germany?! It's sooo cool you get what I'm going through with Church and stuff. But you made some really good points. I never honestly thought it about that way...

Thanks so much for your input. And I loved the way you took your time to write everything. So appreciated. I really hope my cousins come to know Jesus for themselves. They're kinda worldly Christians....but their lifestyle doesnt represent godliness in a way, you know.

I mean if they really become saved...it would be the best thing in the world. We would have a lot in common and we would grow eachother in our faith. Right now, they're a bit of a bad influence on me...😔

I appreciate you so much @DorotheaSofia thank you! God bless you too!

I grew up somewhat as you did. I couldn't wait to turn 21 and be fully free to party and do all the things my friends older siblings did on weekends and such.

The thing about that is, when we're a Christian we're to remember our body is like unto a holy temple wherein God's spirit dwells. Because it does. And as such we should respect that and not defile the sacred with the worldly or the profane. And that is what all those worldly activities you describe is.

Alcohol & the TEEN Brain

If your friends are under 21 they're breaking the law if they drink alcohol. Also, alcohol doesn't do anything for your body. In fact, what it does do is slowly destroy your body. When you consume alcohol it enters you stomach and then the alcohol enters your bloodstream. This starts when you're drinking it, when it enters your mouth.
The blood stream feeds everything in your body including your brain. The reason people get drunk is because the alcohol alters brain activity. This is not good. And it leads to really poor decisions. Like drinking and altering your brain activity.
We're not meant to consume alcoholic beverages. It damages the liver from the first drink. It damages the kidneys that have to process the alcohol to let it leave your body. And when you go to sleep drunk you don't actually rest the body because it is busy burning off the alcoholic effects in your system.
Hangover is actually alcohol poisoning.

Do you know what one of the leading causes of death for chronic alcoholics is? No, not liver cancer. Stomach hemorrhage. The stomach lining thins after years of alcohol abuse.
The chronic alcoholic with such a condition could be sitting on a gurney in a surgical suite at the local hospital and while drinking their favorite beverage when the stomach hemorrhage occurs. They'll die. Because there is nothing that can save their life at that point.
Not glamorous. Not cool. And definitely not the way to go out.
And it is possible even as a young person to overdose on alcohol and die.

Nothing glamorous or grown up about that. But it does shorten your life if you continue to drink for years on end. And it ages you and can cause weight gain and even diabetes. If someone has diabetes it causes complications to ones diabetes because all alcohol contains sugar.

Drugs should go without saying.
Premarital sex also. It is better to be pure than a mom at 18. Or, dying of HIV/AIDS at 20.

There are a lot of things we can do that don't involve debasing ourselves for fun.
Think about that phrase. Debasing myself is fun.
Debasing myself is fun?

When I was a teen I was like you, and maybe all teens are. I thought I knew more than my folks did. What an idiot!
If I could go back with the knowledge I have now having survived idiocy for all these years I'd return to being 11 years old again.
I'd never drink. I'd never do drugs. I'd never have sex before marriage. And I sure wouldn't have picked the guys I dated if it was to do all over again.

But regret serves us nothing but self-condemnation for making choices in history that the present cannot alter. What the past, even the bad parts, are meant to do in the present moment is to prepare us to take the next step forward in wisdom for having learned from past acts and mistakes.

If your friends want you to party as they do in all ways maybe consider making new friends.
Treasure yourself as a temple wherein God lives and speaks to you his divine wisdom in guidance of your life. He's the ultimate parent. And your parents, as with mine, lived a long time so as to know the pitfalls and hurdles of life and how to survive them. That's why they may be strict now. They know the road.

They love you enough to warn you of the pitfalls and dangerous off ramps that lead away from a positive journey and that can harm you. This can be because they encountered them first. And they don't want you to go down the same road learning the hard way as they did.

When your parents seem to not understand you, or are too strict in your opinion, repeat this if you will. They love me and want only the best for me.
Because that's the truth.

Some of us, like me, seem to need to learn what I've just shared for ourselves. Yeah, it happened to me, but could it happen to you? You being relative to your side of life.
That's true. You won't experience what I have. But you will have experiences in your life that arrive sometimes because of bad choices. That's how we learn.

Cherish you first and foremost.
You're truly all you have. Our parents were old when we were born even if they were 20. They were 20 years living before we breathed our first breath. And as such they'll always be 20 years older than we are as we grow up. Because they're growing old. And one day they'll die. That's life.
While we will have to live on without them and we'll have to look ourselves in the mirror too.

We can do things that make us ashamed of ourselves. We can also grow past that too and turn the shame into empowerment and resolve not to do that again. Whatever that was.

Love you. Want only the best for you. Love who you see in the mirror. Honor who you are in this life. Love yourself as much as you can because God loves you more than you can imagine. And if you want help in navigating those pitfalls, dangerous off ramps, and hurdles in life maybe consider bringing this to mind as you journey through your life. God sees everything. Ask yourself as you consider doing things that you think you want to do to liven up your life; would God be proud of me now?

If yes, full steam ahead.
If no, don't do it.
We all live with our choices. Even the bad ones. If you can be on your deathbed and look back on your life and have more positive memories than bad ones you did pretty good for yourself. And God knows you had help.

Peace.

You aren't alone. I just recently came back too CC as well...and I'm glad I did. I was feeling very isolated as I was when I came here...seeking.
I longed for the freedom from control of everyone in my life. I also lost my sight of the Lord. I lived the lifestyle you describe your friends having and beyond. I sometimes wish my parents would have been more protective now that I'm an adult.
The grass always seems greener on the other side from where you're either standing or lying flat on your face.
Your parents may be strict and overprotective...but do you know they love you and do you trust them to do what's best for you?
I'm sure there are people here to talk to that are trying to struggle where you're struggling. Hang around for awhile.

Yes what she said. ^^^ I myself just came back too. stick with Lighthearted she seems to have a lot of wisdom. 😊

Lol, I hope you were being funny. All I know is what I have learned from the Holy Spirit, my own bad decisions, and the consequences. All I really have is 2 cents...but I'm willing to share.🙂

I was attempting humor, yes. Sometimes 2 cents can go a long way.

Mark 12:41-44 The widow at the Temple

I grew up somewhat as you did. I couldn't wait to turn 21 and be fully free to party and do all the things my friends older siblings did on weekends and such.

Growing up in Michigan the year I turned 18 the state lowered the drinking age to 18. When I turned 21 the law was changed back to 21. It was a bad idea to start with.

So, which comes to this. I really feel like like Elijah in the Bible where he said he felt like he was the only one who hadn't bowed down to Baal. And then the Lord reminded him there are 7000 (I apologise if I got the number wrong😅) other prophets who haven't bowed to Baal.

I know I'm not perfect. And I'm not trying to be self-centered here. I just feel alone...

My relationship with Jesus has been strong...but lately I feel like I'm flattering due to the fact like i feel I want to be surrounded with other young people with the same passion for Jesus, you know. 😇 So....its been kinda hard....

I guess I should be appreciative my parents are strict, right?

I guess I know they love me.and want what's best...even though it feels really really hard on me.

Hello. It's been a long time since I last engaged on this site. Some of you may recognize me. Some of you may not. It doesn't really matter. Okay...so it's been ages since I last written something like this, so bare with me😊

I've been feeling quite discouraged lately. I'm 17 years old and I've been raised very sheltered ever since I was born. My parents are super strict and sometimes I feel overwhelmed because I feel I'm expected to be the "perfect Christian girl." I've been struggling with my relationship with God and things I'm having a hard time dealing with. I don't have any close friends due to my upbringing and the fact its iterally been like I was sheltered from the outside world. I haven't really gotten the chance to make friends because I don't go to any sort of public school/university/college.

It's been hard for me because I feel so lonely. And I really get frustrated with my parents about it. I want a social life so badly...is it too much to ask? Is it rebellious to want to experience what's really out there just once?

I feel like I'm the only one whose remained pure....all my cousins around my age are literally out there partying and drinking. They're not really living a godly lifestyle in a sense. Like all of them. I don't know it seems teenagers nowadays seems to have lost moral values...well, at least I see it that way. It's hard to actually find someone who shares the same Christian values and who've remained pure, you know...

So, which comes to this. I really feel like like Elijah in the Bible where he said he felt like he was the only one who hadn't bowed down to Baal. And then the Lord reminded him there are 7000 (I apologise if I got the number wrong😅) other prophets who haven't bowed to Baal.

I know I'm not perfect. And I'm not trying to be self-centered here. I just feel alone...

Hi LoneGirl02..I was ment to respond to your thread a while ago..finally got around to it.
There is so much you mentioned here that it actually quite common in many Christians families.I am also from England and live in Croydon and its not good out there in general due to gang culture,drugs and how many young people are in general ans what happens is that the world around you tries to raise you to follow it's standards at the same time as your parents.So you kinda become sandwiched inbetween the two.
I am sure your parents are trying to protect you from the evils out there and do love you and feel they are doing the right thing.

Yet at the same time this is suffocating you big time and you are longing for a chance to breath.You are young with great potential ect and at your age you should be at college ect seeking to develop an idea which path you wanna go in..you should be having friends and beginning to blossom like a flower.I can see your point of view and your parents point of view.
Are you the only daughter?Are there brothers in the same household too get?
There is a fine line between protecting a child in a healthy and unhealthy way.Where your mental health can be affected because there's a degree of obsessive control over your life and you're kinda dying inside silently.If you seek to be assertive and let them know how you feel it can become a mini world war 3 as you may be see as being disrespectful or rebellious to your parents.
God sent jesus into this world..a world if sin,darkness,satanic influences to live there for 33 years then come back home.Jesus was exposes to everything and God totally understands what it feels like to be you.
In life it takes Godly wisdom to know how to handle the world we live in and being close to God is key and you as at the age when it would be good to have Christian friends..be able to interact with others...Yet alway being mindful of how many young people are over here..
What about church?
If you didn't go to school that mean no grades...or were you just home schooled?
Plus care there cultural dynamics to this too?
It's not over for you my dear Jeremiah 29:11 IS your portion.
Despite your struggles with God he is still with you..Yet you very strict upbringing has its detrimental affect on you and yes I do agree that you need a breakthrough.
As you are living at home there is just so so much activity for Christian young people..
So why not seek to make online friends who are ChristIan of the same age group and with Gods help am prayer go to young peoples christian bible study....even something small to break the cycle....or would your parents frown upon you even doing that?

...and I know things won't be like this forever....I hope...

I can guarantee! Just hang in there a little longer, help is on the way. I am going to pray for you.

2 Peter
1:2 Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord,
1:3 According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that [pertain] unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue:
1:4 Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.