“Desire” can be a tricky word to navigate both personally and in the lives of our students. In this video from the April 2018 Rooted Regional Group, author and speaker Jen Pollock Michel helps us see both the caution and the call of our desires. Michel encourages youth workers in ways in which they can help students learn how God’s Word and God’s Spirit work to re-orient their desires towards Christ. We hope these following articles and podcasts will deepen your understanding of desire and point you to the truest desire of all our hearts, Jesus Christ.
Articles
All I Want for Christmas- Becky Paynter
We will always come back to the truth that there is just one thing that we need, more than we could ever know. And this one thing that we need is not a God who makes our wishes for romance or success or happiness come true – rather, we need a God who loves us so much that He sent His only son into the world to be born as a baby and to die as a man upon a cross, to then rise from the dead and conquer sin forever.
Offering Teenagers Hope for Their Habits– Logan Bailey
So, if you and your students are anything like me, you have some bad habits. And, if you are like every other human being, your bad habits are flowing from a defiled heart. There is no hope for any of us unless our hearts are made right—and the only hope for that ever happening is through Jesus.
Ecclesiastes and the Post-Modern Teen: The Rugged Rat-Race– Brad Gray
Christ steps into the mess we’ve made, the mayhem we’ve chosen, and there He tenders the glorious good news of His grace, which alone can satisfy all the unremitting cravings of man’s heart (Ps. 16:11; Phil. 4:19). Jesus has come to stir our hearts and minds back to their Edenic beginnings, showing us how life works best, how God designed it.
Ten Things to Pray for Students– Charlotte Getz and Anna Meade Harris
Father, we pray now that the kids/students we love would spend time getting to know you through your Word…. Grant them a desire for the meat of your Word so that they will grow into maturity. We ask that you give our kids a longing to know you better by reading their Bibles.
The Gospel Opportunities in Teenage Boredom– Arek O’Connell
To desire is a thing of the heart. To desire, ultimately, is to love… If boredom is the desire for desires, and our ultimate love is what we worship, what an opportunity we have as youth workers to preach the gospel in this intersection!
Podcasts
Jen Pollock Michel and The Jesus She Wishes She Knew in High School
In this episode of the Rooted Parent podcast, hear a special reading from author Jen Pollock Michel of her opening chapter of Rooted’s recently released book, The Jesus I Wish I Knew in High School. In her chapter, Jen reflects on sex with her high school boyfriend and what finally opened her eyes to the goodness, generosity, and trustworthiness of God who re-directed her desires towards himself.
Jen Pollock Michel on Telling the Whole Story About Holiness
In this episode of the Rooted Podcast, Jen Pollock Michel encourages youth workers and parents to immerse teenagers in the vocabulary of the gospel. She urges us to lead students into new life, including renewed desires.
A Habit Called Faith with Jen Pollock Michel
In this RRG, Michel reminds us that “habits are the hinge of desire.” In this episode of the Rooted Parent Podcast, Cameron and Anna talk with Jen talk about the power of habit in the formation of faith. In the context of our homes, the habitual rhythms of worship and devotion, Bible study and Bible reading, prayer and churchgoing, all work together to develop our family’s commitment to knowing and loving Jesus.
Julie Sparkman on Our Good Design for Desire
In this insightful episode of the Rooted Podcast, our own Liz Edrington interviews fellow counselor Julie Sparkman about desire, longing, and her excellent book, Unhitching from the Crazy Train.
Julie Sparkman on When a Good Desire Becomes a False God
This episode of the Rooted podcast is a workshop conducted by counselor and Bible teacher Julie Sparkman at our 2018 conference. In it, Julie walks us through what happens when our desires for good things become dangerous idols in our lives and she points us to the hope the gospel offers for re-oriented desires.
